Forcing Emotions

[x Trevor x]

Okay I wanted to ask this question since I had to do it myself. I was writing and I was in such a good and happy mood and had to force myself into complete sadness in order to write what I wanted to write.

 

How many of you do that? And what are your methods for inducing certain emotions or altering your mood? And last but not least does it sound crazy to be perfectly happy and want to feel sad, even for writing?

[Cia]

I'm not that connected to my writing to need to be experiencing an emotion in order to be able to write it. I can be perfectly fine and write torture and angst for my characters (partly because it causes me glee, I'm horrible, I know). However I do find whatever mood I am in does tend to leak out. Humor a character finds in a moment of sadness, a space of quiet contemplation after a joyful meeting, sadness and death suddenly striking, those come out because of how I feel. If I can't focus enough on the story to really pay attention to the characters and their tale then I just don't write.

[x Trevor x]

I'm not that connected to my writing to need to be experiencing an emotion in order to be able to write it. I can be perfectly fine and write torture and angst for my characters (partly because it causes me glee, I'm horrible, I know). However I do find whatever mood I am in does tend to leak out. Humor a character finds in a moment of sadness, a space of quiet contemplation after a joyful meeting, sadness and death suddenly striking, those come out because of how I feel. If I can't focus enough on the story to really pay attention to the characters and their tale then I just don't write.

 

I consider myself semi connected. Like I can write things just fine as far as happy scenes and action and stuff like that. Though I find that during really intense scenes, particularly really sad ones I find that I have to be able to feel it. I usually just listen to music and try to put myself into my characters mind. Once I do that it all flows easy.

[Menorain]

I do exactly what you're talking about. My definition of being in the mood to write and to be inspired is to place oneself in the mind of the character. A duality is formed and you're no longer writing a story. The tale becomes truth and truly transcends what otherwise might have been the simply readable. Writing about something outside of myself and my own experience feels alien and (quite frankly) wrong. But hey! Different strokes for different folks?

[Nephylim]

I am an incredibly emotional person anyway. Emotions come and go. When I write I feel every single one and I often sob my heart out as I write. I don't need to get into the frame of mind to write it just happens as the words come out. When I finish I go back to feeling as I did before again, although sometimes I remain feeling melancholy which is fine becasue I like that

[Marzipan]

I use music alot to get to a mood. I also draw on the side.

 

And I get emotional through the characters and I have to stop sometimes just for a good cry. I've been like that since a kid. I love taking myself to emotional rollarcoasters through writing or scetching.

[Stargazer]

I don't normally have to force emotions. Usually, as I'm writing, I get into the scene and the emotions just flow. I like to write angsty anyway so it's not hard for me to get into that frame of mind. I can also go back to my regular mood once I'm done. Music is also a great way to slip into the 'right' mood. I know some people who make play lists for certain characters or stories. I just have certain 'mood' music when I'm writing certain ones.

 

Okay, that was a kind of ramble but I hope it made sense.

[DragonFire]

I find it hard to force emotions & don't really find it necessary for my creative needs... it just seems to flow. I do think it's more powerful however if the subject is something more personel. other than that I just let the imagination run wild.

[Cia]

I find it hard to force emotions & don't really find it necessary for my creative needs... it just seems to flow. I do think it's more powerful however if the subject is something more personel. other than that I just let the imagination run wild.

 

Exactly! If i am really 'feeling' the story I can write any of the emotions. I guess emotion mostly comes into play for me for the actual writing, not the content I'm writing. Good point!

[Menorain]

I just wanted to make another point. I think some emotions can hamper your writing. Say you're in a good mood and you have to write a paragraph on something really deep and whatever. The dialogue can end up making fun of the situation and just make it lighter. You've got to write in the right moment that correlates with what you're feeling about the text. I THINK THAT ANYWAY.

[Tipdin]

I tend to write emotions according to whatever the character is feeling, not necessarily me. With that said, I often write stories that fit the mood I'm in at the time - and music can determine or alter my mood, as well.

[PrivateTim]

Not so much on the emotion side, but to clear my head I swim. My best ideas and story plots come while I am in the water.

 

Wine helps too