Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 1, 2012 - 2:52pm

I had thought by drinking between writing or as i'm writing, this was a hinderence and waste of my time. Yet clinging to the idea that my mind may need some inspirational lubrication i top up my glass with the finest scotch. I know about characters in fiction, whether movies or books, who are the broken down struggling writer. I just figured it was a stereotype i fitted into. But it seems more writers than i realised actually find the  sauce and the keyboard a regular dancing partnership, Why is this? Does anyone know? Why the bottle? And cats?

.'s picture
. February 1, 2012 - 3:00pm

Writers tend to be lonely and depressed I think. It's a lonely job. I don't believe it's a stereotype anymore though. It doesn't fit most writers anymore in 2012. Everyone on Litreactor though, well maybe.

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 1, 2012 - 3:33pm

the concept has certainly developed since i started using the computer more.
I still enjoy reading about the main character when they describle settling in at home with a cigarette and 
strong coffee. Makes me smile.

Flaminia Ferina's picture
Flaminia Ferina from Umbria is reading stuff February 1, 2012 - 3:50pm

Don't care so much about booze. It's characters with laudanum I tend to appreciate lots. The more now that there's no cat miawing around. Oh the suffering. Cats are the furry incarnation of opiates.

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 1, 2012 - 5:08pm

"Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
- Mark Twain Notebook, 1894

“The cat looks back at me the way dogs and some cars look when people say they're smiling.”
- Chuck Palahniuk

"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."
- Leonardo da Vinci

"If animals could speak the dog would be a a blundering outspoken fellow, but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much."
- Mark Twain

 

Vonnegut Check's picture
Vonnegut Check from Baltimore February 1, 2012 - 7:25pm

There is research showing that alcohol does help tap certain levels of the creative brain. I wish I could remember the book where I read that, but if you search it you'll find some article substantiating this.

Brandon's picture
Brandon from KCMO is reading Made to Break February 1, 2012 - 7:20pm

This thread just reminded me to pick up a really good bottle of whiskey for my 10PM nightcaps.

OtisTheBulldog's picture
OtisTheBulldog from Somerville, MA is reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz February 1, 2012 - 7:32pm

Sometimes I don't mind a beer, or a whiskey or a glass of wine while I write. I don't tend to have too much though. I mostly use alcohol to make myself more attractive to women and my jokes that much more awesome. This works to various degrees*

Every great once in a while I might indulge myself in a few whacks of the herbal wonder. But only if I feel I have some momentum going. 

 

*disclaimer - this doesn't work at all. 

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest February 1, 2012 - 7:37pm

aliensoul77's picture
aliensoul77 from a cold distant star is reading the writing on the wall. February 1, 2012 - 8:52pm

I never drink and I write creatively.  But then again I'm on a lot of prescription medications and caffeine pills so that helps.  10 years on the wrong kind of anti-depressants for your misdiagnosed condition will do that to a person.  When I was on Prozac I thought I could walk through cars.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest February 1, 2012 - 8:55pm

You sure you weren't smoking the Ivory? Redman did and thought he could walk through cars, too.

aliensoul77's picture
aliensoul77 from a cold distant star is reading the writing on the wall. February 1, 2012 - 8:57pm

What's the Ivory?  I have never done illegal drugs.  All my drugs were created in laboratories by professionals. Why do you think I got a degree in psychology?  I know what a racket this thing is.  Honestly though, people with mental illnesses make the best artists.  No offense, non crazy people.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest February 1, 2012 - 9:16pm

This is the Ivory: 

:15 sec. in to this one, he tries to walk through the car.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest February 1, 2012 - 9:27pm

Well, I see the stupid videos didn't come up... Damn Ivory...

wickedvoodoo's picture
wickedvoodoo from Mansfield, England is reading stuff. February 1, 2012 - 9:53pm

Occasionally I drink while I'm writing. Sometimes it works, and I feel like I get in some kind of zone. Other times I'm not feeling it and know by the second drink whether or not there's any point proceeding. (With the writing that is, if I'm onto a second drink then I'm drinking the whole damn bottle sir!)

I only drink spirits by the way. American whiskeys and European vodkas mostly. No beer. Beer is fucking gross.

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 1, 2012 - 10:03pm

Is all American whisky bourbon? I always assumed it was.
Here scotch flows from the taps and down the mountain steams straight into the glass.

I don't think i could drink every time i write, that'd be far to much. Crossing the Rubicon has me with metaphorical rubber fingers. It can be quite chaotic on the keyboard, so if that happens i tend to avoid it.

Nighty Nite's picture
Nighty Nite from NJ is reading Grimscribe: His Lives and Works February 2, 2012 - 12:00am

I've found that caffeinating helps me write. If I chug a Nos or 2, not only do I get the jitters, but somehow I'm able to focus completley on writing for the next 3 hours, and usually pump out like 2k-3k words. It's pretty cool, but crashing isnt fun.

I have not tried drinking while writing yet. But it's my next experiment.

Dave's picture
Dave from a city near you is reading constantly February 2, 2012 - 2:00am

I was very blitzed one night, when I found myself at my ex's apartment.  I left a business card on her windshield, with my cell number, of course.  We'd been split for about several months.  Like, no contact, she dropped completely off the earth split. 

Then I went home and wrote, freehand, about it.  Oddly, my handwriting was quite nice, and I'd say it was some of the finest prose, I daresay bordering on poetry, I've ever written.  It was so good, that a few nights later, my current (at the time) girlfriend found my journal and read that entry (without permission, naturally).  She was quite impressed with my writing, and talked more about how beautifully I'd written about it more than the fact that I shouldn't have done it. 

I'm married now, so I hesitate to imbibe too much firewater.  My track record speaks for itself, and the consequences could quite possibly be deadly.  Shame, really.

.'s picture
. February 2, 2012 - 9:22am

Vodka on the rocks or Amaretto in my coffee is usually what I lean towards when writing.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry February 2, 2012 - 9:53am

Had some green tea last night.  Then I drank water.  Because I walk on the wild side. 

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 2, 2012 - 11:48am

Dave, That's a great story. Which inspires me to climb inside the bottle with an empty glass, flashlight,  notebook and a raft then bob about scribbling until i land ashore at the bottom. One of you will have to help me out though. Ha! Really is a good story from the my perspective, good stuff. I don't know how it makes you feel though heh.

Dave's picture
Dave from a city near you is reading constantly February 2, 2012 - 1:03pm

Thanks.  It is a good story...I'll have to use it somehow. I may have the house to myself in a few weeks.  I may have to hide the cell phone, toss a few back and see what comes of it.

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig February 2, 2012 - 2:47pm

I don't drink when I write. On the rare occasion I have, I am not all that impressed with result. I keep my mind clear. I think it's a dangerous road to travel on, anyway, making drinking a part of your creative process--it's begging for an addiction, and if you ever decide you want to stop drinking ,writing is going to be very hard.

Not worth it, IMO.

aliensoul77's picture
aliensoul77 from a cold distant star is reading the writing on the wall. February 2, 2012 - 2:54pm

Bukowski would disagree if he didn't die of liver failure.

Nick Wilczynski's picture
Nick Wilczynski from Greensboro, NC is reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin February 2, 2012 - 3:10pm

When you rape the muses, be prepared to do some heavy editing later.

I do not like the way it comes out, and I tend to get distracted real quick if I'm drunk. I'm not saying that I never do it, I tend to be more of a cannabis man than a drinker, but still getting blazed and writing is subject to the same "edit heavily" problems. It comes out different though, it's funny the sort of grammatical/phrasing mistakes that happen in one vis a vis the other for me.

Pharmaceuticals are the devil. Fuck your laboratories. My drugs grew out of the ground this way.

Dave's picture
Dave from a city near you is reading constantly February 2, 2012 - 3:19pm

@Renee, you make a good point.  For a litany of reasons I avoid booze as best I can. 

I don't think that the occasional exercise or creative outing it's all that bad, as long as it doesn't become habit, or as you said, addiction.  But it is a slippery slope to walk. 

On the other hand, who doesn't want to be a stereotype?

TwistedPaper's picture
TwistedPaper from Poland is reading "The Book of the New Sun" by Gene Wolfe & "Seven Wonders" by Adam Christopher February 2, 2012 - 3:38pm

For me, drunk-writing means a great ideas and a lot of revising day after.

Energy drinks helps me a lot. In extremely unhealthy way they allow me to write more in shorter time and it's wonderful, scary and little bit addictive.

Flaminia Ferina's picture
Flaminia Ferina from Umbria is reading stuff February 2, 2012 - 3:37pm

Fasting can be hallucinatory, I can confirm from direct experience back in the wild days. It is also addictive though, and much more difficult to control than other habits. Fortunately a robust appetite keeps me away from that danger nowadays.

bryanhowie's picture
bryanhowie from FW, ID is reading East of Eden. Steinbeck is FUCKING AMAZING. February 2, 2012 - 3:46pm

@aliensoul77  Bukowski died of lukemia, not liver failure.

Nick Wilczynski's picture
Nick Wilczynski from Greensboro, NC is reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin February 2, 2012 - 3:48pm

Sleep deprivation is a good trip, but I've got in more truble that way than on any drug.

Flaminia Ferina's picture
Flaminia Ferina from Umbria is reading stuff February 2, 2012 - 3:50pm

PS: I was not anorexic, only poor and in love. In case you guys worry.

Love yous

TwistedPaper's picture
TwistedPaper from Poland is reading "The Book of the New Sun" by Gene Wolfe & "Seven Wonders" by Adam Christopher February 2, 2012 - 3:56pm

@nkwilczy : In my case, long sleep deprivation was the weirdest trip ever. Paranoid sh*t. I'm glad I've try but once is enough for me

Flaminia Ferina's picture
Flaminia Ferina from Umbria is reading stuff February 2, 2012 - 3:55pm

@Nick exactly. It's amazing what a body can achieve with no help from foreign substances. The most dangerous conditions indeed.

Nighty Nite's picture
Nighty Nite from NJ is reading Grimscribe: His Lives and Works February 2, 2012 - 4:11pm

@Fnz: It's true. I'm actually afraid I'm not going to feel like I an write without an energy drink or some extreme caffeine stimulation. I'm trying not to make it a habit.

aliensoul77's picture
aliensoul77 from a cold distant star is reading the writing on the wall. February 2, 2012 - 5:07pm

Sorry bryan, I used another author's life to make a bad joke. I'm going to the devil.

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 2, 2012 - 6:50pm

When writing under the influence if anything, I wonder what character would come out reading the best. A protagonist with the same vice, or one that's the polar opposite?

Vonnegut Check's picture
Vonnegut Check from Baltimore February 2, 2012 - 8:21pm

Kerouac, Cheever, Hemingway, Faulkner, Hunter S Thompson, Bukowski, Poe, Joyce and Fitzgerald all had a love affair with alcohol at one point in their careers. Now, I'm not advocating intoxication as a means to creating; however, if you use this method, you're in good company.

Renfield's picture
Renfield from Hell is reading 20th Century Ghosts February 3, 2012 - 8:55am

Is all American whisky bourbon? I always assumed it was.

 

This is terribly ignorant. Have you no shame?

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 3, 2012 - 9:12am

I did but i drank real whisky then it went away. cleared it right up.

Guess you have to know all about about everything in hell.

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 3, 2012 - 9:32am

-

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry February 3, 2012 - 9:19am

Whoa!  A pot/kettle conversation!  Everybody gather round for some snarky tedium.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters February 3, 2012 - 9:27am

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 3, 2012 - 9:33am

I wouldn't count on it Utah

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry February 3, 2012 - 9:38am

Oh, man.  There should be some algorithm to the page that recognizes when one member is calling out another member so it locks out the "edit" function and keeps everybody committed to what they've said.  No backtracking! 

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters February 3, 2012 - 9:41am

Aww.  You edited!  Now I look a bit strange.  I mean, I probably did anyway.  But more so now. 

Okay, everyone be on notice, next time there is a fight, I'll be posting that clip.  Because I thought it was hilarious.  In the context...

Actually, never mind. 

PopeyeDoyle's picture
PopeyeDoyle February 3, 2012 - 9:46am

In fairness to Ash - virtually everyone on Litreactor is overly sensitive about things.  We have people that get offended at others who say that Clevenger's class was just ok, people who change their screennames because someone got mad at them, people who are offended by others who don't like the classics, people who are offended by others who make fun of the South, etc.  Something about Litreactor makes people freak out over nothing.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters February 3, 2012 - 9:49am

Popeye - i am disproportionately mad about that statement. 

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry February 3, 2012 - 9:52am

It's the problem with large groups of intelligent people.  Most intelligent people are deeply emotionally invested in their own intelligence, especially in a medium that has no body language.  That tends to detract a great deal from the ability to exercise a sense of humor. 

@Popeyedoyle:  I am offended that you have questioned my vaguely antagonistic comment.  This singular moment in LitReactor history has enlightened me as to why most fast food restaurants serve unhealthy food.  Because your comments are incendiary and offensive.

PopeyeDoyle's picture
PopeyeDoyle February 3, 2012 - 9:54am

@Popeyedoyle:  I am offended that you have questioned my vaguely antagonistic comment.  This singular moment in LitReactor history has enlightened me as to why most fast food restaurants serve unhealthy food.  Because your comments are incendiary and offensive.

You should change your screenname now...That's the only way to drive home how hurt you really are.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry February 3, 2012 - 9:56am

I did this because you convince fast food restaurants to poison America.  Genocidist.

Ash's picture
Ash from the dark ghoulish woods creaking just outside the unhinged door, the macabre biting at the heels. is reading Our Tragic Universe February 3, 2012 - 9:56am

I'm not interested in fighting or saying things to annoy anyone. I edited because apparently it was confrontational. I suppose a simple smiley face at the end would have changed the whole comment. 
I figured this place was somewhere to relax and help, well i hope it is.