RebelGoddess

I tried to make the title as innocent as possible. I don't want to be the creepy poster who says "do you take anything to help you write?"

Anyway, I was wondering if any of you out there use mind altering substances (such as drugs, alcohol, pills, etc) to help you write.

I remember seeing a thread on this over a year ago and never actually clicking on it.

I'm also curious as to everyone's opinions on the subject.

Do you think it's wrong to write when under the influence of anything? Do you do it? WHat would you think if you found out an author you really admire does, or sometimes does, use substances to help him/her write? What's your opinion on students using a controlled substance when writing for school (creative or research)?

I'm very interested to know what everyone thinks. As a college student and a writer the use of controlled substances during any kind of writing has been mentioned a lot in my English classes and with my friends.

I'm curious to know what other people think.

Racheal

EDIT EDIT EDIT

This is the new phrasing for my question:

Do YOU use anything to help you write or come up with ideas? Have you thought about it/tried it?

Thanks! ~Racheal

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mammamaia

sure, a lot of the old-time greats were boozers and worse, but it's not necessary to be 'under the influence' in order to write... and, to write well, you'll do much better if you're in full control of all your faculties...

writing while drunk or stoned or on hallucinogenics is more likely to result in rubbish than deathless prose...

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RebelGoddess

Haha, I agree. One of my best friends was stoned a few months ago and wrote a story (he's not a writer, so who knows what inspired him to do this) and it was the weirdest thing I've ever read.

Anyway, I guess what I meant was more along the lines of using alcohol and drugs and such to get ideas, or to help you focus or something.

Not for the actual act of writing, although the results do tend to be hilarious!

Racheal

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Writing is life.

Writers' block doesn't exist. It's actually called work avoidance procrastination.
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RebelGoddess

Yeah Jim Beam! He and I are good friends, lol!

I'm going to narrow down my question. I'll edit the original post, but I'll also put it here for those who read just the new posts.

Do YOU use anything to help you write or come up with ideas? Have you thought about it/tried it?

Racheal

__________________
Writing is life.

Writers' block doesn't exist. It's actually called work avoidance procrastination.
-Jasper Fforde

Mallignamius

I'm relying entirely on my natural, unaltered resources. I wouldn't like knowing that a favorite author relied on drugs to tap those talents.

missmojorising

Heartbreak.

This is a perfect example. I lalalove this girl.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5zOyFr7j61s

AMY WINEHOUSE LYRICS

"Wake Up Alone"

It's okay in the day I'm staying busy
Tied up enough so I don't have to wonder where is he
Got so sick of crying
So just lately
When I catch myself I do a 180
I stay up clean the house
At least I'm not drinking
Run around just so I don't have to think about thinking
That silent sense of content
That everyone gets
Just disappears soon as the sun sets

This face in my dreams seizes my guts
He floods me with dread
Soaked in soul
He swims in my eyes by the bed
Pour myself over him
Moon spilling in
And I wake up alone

If I was my heart
I'd rather be restless
The second I stop the sleep catches up and I'm breathless
This ache in my chest
As my day is done now
The dark covers me and I cannot run now
My blood running cold
I stand before him
It's all I can do to assure him
When he comes to me
I drip for him tonight
Drowning in me we bathe under blue light

His face in my dreams seizes my guts
He floods me with dread
Soaked in soul
He swims in my eyes by the bed
Pour myself over him
Moon spilling in
And I wake up alone
And I wake up alone
And I wake up alone
And I wake up alone

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lin

Powerful central nervous system stimulants.
Tequila
Toll house cookies
Prayer

missmojorising

Looking to collaborate?
Tequila and Tollhouse? I thought I was the only one...

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ClancyBoy

Cigarettes, unfortunately, are a fantastic synaptic enhancer.

I try to apply it in patches though, not orally. Try.

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lisajane

I haven't used anything like alcohol or pills or whatever to help me write, but I think it would be interesting to do so, just to see what ideas I wind up with.

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ClancyBoy

I did a screenplay on meth once. I should post it.

I don't recommend doing this, by the way.

__________________
"Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons wait for you down there. Little pets they are, little little little pets. Cute little things, they say. Don't you believe it. No man ever saw them and walked away alive. You won't either. That's the final dash, flash. That's the utter clobber, cobber." --Cordwainer Smith, Norstrillia.

RebelGoddess

Thank you all for your comments!

I think it's really interesting to know what people have tried in the past and currently do.

Personally, I never used anything to write for many years.

I was a social smoker for about a year and then this past November I picked up the habit full time (ICK, I know, but sometimes you just need it).

Whenever I pull an allnighter for any reason, including school related stuff, my own personal writing, a party, or any number of reasons, I always smoke.

More recently (like in the past 6 months or so) a friend of mine gave me adderall because she knew that I was having a lot of trouble studying.

As bad as it sounds, it's become my companion for when I write and study.

When I take it, it's like nothing in the world can distract me from what I need to do. I'm able to focus so well.

It doesn't exactly have an effect on what I write, but I think it helps me to focus more on what I'm writing, so that it comes out clearer in a faster time.

Bad, bad, bad, I know. But I do think I might really need it, so I'll be chatting with the doc soon.

But anyway, ciggarettes, adderall, and coffee are my drugs of choice for when I write.

Thank you all again for responding. It was great to hear so many different opinions!

Racheal

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Writing is life.

Writers' block doesn't exist. It's actually called work avoidance procrastination.
-Jasper Fforde

J.S.S

I get inspired at night when I'm tired but then when I wake up it mostly all seems stupid so I tear it apart and re-build it. Also as mentioned before heartbreak can be quite inspiring, it leaves you bitter allowing you to write some pretty twisted things.

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pangalactic

For me, it's a lack of sleep. I have bouts of insomnia, and I tend to do my best writing after two or three nights of no sleep. The lack of seratonin gets my mind buzzing, and it helps put a creepy edge on things I write (I write horror, for the most part.)

As the drugs, the closest I get is caffeine. I don't do any hard drugs anymore, and I'm trying to cut down on my drinking. Also, I just can't write when I'm wasted.

lisajane

Caffeine is my drug of choice too... mainly just to wake me up though.

My OH used to go on acid trips rather frequently and he used to scribble down any ideas he had on his whiteboard during the trip. Of course, once he came down, he had no idea what on earth he'd meant when he tried to read it.

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'Beauty stands and waits with gravity to start her death-defying leap. And he, a little charleychaplin man, who may or may not catch her fair eternal form spreadeagled in the empty air of existence.' - Laurence Felinghetti, 'The Acrobat'