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[twofaced]

So I'm just curious, do other writers find it easier to write when their life is in total chaos, or is it nearly impossible?

For those who find it easier, how do you separate the two?

For those who find it harder, how do you get back to writing?

Thanks!

[RokofAges75]

I definitely DON'T find it easier to write when life is full of chaos!  I can usually only write when I have lots of free time to devote to it and nothing else on my mind to distract or bother me.  That's why summers and holiday breaks are my golden writing times.  The rest of the year, I really only write on weekends, and only weekends that aren't busy.

I can think of one exception, a weekend when I was really upset and worried about something going on at work and desperately needed a distraction.  I ended up starting a new story that weekend, and not only did it help, but I was really productive on it!  But usually it doesn't happen that way for me LOL.

I usually have to wait for life to calm down to get back into writing.  If there's no chance of that happening, then reading or talking about it (like on here) sometimes helps, but if I don't have the time and energy, I just don't write.

Is your life in total chaos lately?  This is the first time I've seen you on here in a long time.  Hope everything's okay or getting better anyway!  

[Sakabelle]

When there is chaos happening in my life, I've found that writing can be a very nice distraction from it. I had a breaking up with my boyfriend a couple of months ago, and I churned out 25 chapters of a new story during that time just because it gave me something to do and think about other than dealing with him moving out of our place. I'd just take my computer to the Starbucks across the street and write. It was really nice to remove myself from that situation and hang out in a totally different world for a little while. But the key was to actually physically leave the scene of the chaos because when I did stay in the apartment, I found it hard to write. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.

I hope things are going okay for you as well! I had the same thoughts as Julie when I saw this topic on here.

[twofaced]

Life's been chaotic since November of last year, honestly. Every time I get a plot bunny, I think, "Oh goody!!! Something to take my mind off of it!" then I get like 2 sentences in anthing I was working on, or even started, and everything is gone... I haven't been able to pick up any of my past stories or even start any new ones. I even took a cue from Purpura and tried to right a story loosely based on what I'm dealing with, but even that's not helping at all.

[Sakabelle]

I hope things get better for you! That's a long time to have to be dealing with chaos.

Branching off of what you said about writing a story based on what's going on, I have actually written a story based on something I was dealing with at the time, and I found it really hard. I didn't get to escape the situation that was happening in my real life by writing that and the worst part was that when my real life had sort of moved on, I was still writing the story, so I found myself having to constantly revisit the past in a way. It was really hard for me to do and I don't even go back and re-read that story because it's so closely tied with how I was feeling at the time of all that.

On the flipside though, I guess being so closely connected with the characters and their emotions was a good thing for the story itself because a lot of people really seemed to like it, and I actually think it's the story of mine with the most reviews and favourites. so in that sense, it was good.

[mare]

When my life is in chaos or a shambles I find I can't focus enough to write or do anything for that matter. I'm like Julie, during the school year I could only write on the weekends. Now that school is out I'll be curious to see if I want to write this stuff again or not lol

[Carter-Orange]

When life's chaotic I tend to not be able to write, or not have the time to write.

I hope everything is OK with you

[usako]

Writing is my escape.

During my university's days, I couldn't write though. Time was used only to study and writing my graduation thesis seemed to litterally kill my inspiration. But it was a BSB concert that made me come back to the writing and now I use every little time I have to write. (even during my lunch break. lol) It helps me when I'm sad or when things are chaotic and just hard: even if it's for some minutes, I don't think about my troubles or what is bothering and I'm in another world, my little world.

[Pengi]

I tend to write in the "aftermath" of chaos. Most of my stories echo that as I include the stress I'm releasing or the fears or experiences right into the fabric of the characters. For example right now I'm working on Bodyguard and releasing the stress of being chased by the almighty deadlines I was facing in school last month. I'm burning that feeling off with Nick's character being chased by the villan in my story. I'm just glad my deadlines weren't psycho hillbillies with shotguns. 

[usako]

lol That is so true! lol