Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Tue, Apr 06 2010
Caffeine and cocktails: Writer's best friend?
Do you go through two pots of coffee in order to wake up and write? And then do you use something else to unwind and sleep? Some very famous fiction writers were known for their excessive use of alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, sleeping pills and even illicit drugs. There is even an element of romance attached to some of these writers, as though their substance abuse enhanced their ability to produce great books. And while a certain number of writers did have a sort of rat pack reputation and a set of groupies at various times in history, I doubt very much that their use of drugs and alcohol made them great writers. They may have even produced better work if they had backed away from so much overindulgence. And let's not forget that a good number of writers never even lived to see their novels come to be considered classics.
It's easy to sit and indulge in food or alcohol, but the hangovers that come later are not fun to write through. And write we must. What we probably really crave is experiences that spark our imagination and spirit. A walk in the park, a reading of someone else's work or a discussion with friends is probably just as inspiring as coffee or drugs and it leaves our body and mind in better shape to create. That being said, I have been known to feel an almost spiritual awakening after discovering the merits of a good restaurant. As the saying goes, everything in moderation.
posted at: 15:30 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
Do you go through two pots of coffee in order to wake up and write? And then do you use something else to unwind and sleep? Some very famous fiction writers were known for their excessive use of alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, sleeping pills and even illicit drugs. There is even an element of romance attached to some of these writers, as though their substance abuse enhanced their ability to produce great books. And while a certain number of writers did have a sort of rat pack reputation and a set of groupies at various times in history, I doubt very much that their use of drugs and alcohol made them great writers. They may have even produced better work if they had backed away from so much overindulgence. And let's not forget that a good number of writers never even lived to see their novels come to be considered classics.
It's easy to sit and indulge in food or alcohol, but the hangovers that come later are not fun to write through. And write we must. What we probably really crave is experiences that spark our imagination and spirit. A walk in the park, a reading of someone else's work or a discussion with friends is probably just as inspiring as coffee or drugs and it leaves our body and mind in better shape to create. That being said, I have been known to feel an almost spiritual awakening after discovering the merits of a good restaurant. As the saying goes, everything in moderation.
posted at: 15:30 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
