The Way You Do the Things You Do

Today's guest author is Sophie Athens. Sophie's new book will be released with Cobblestone's new Vampire Oracles series.

Things that help put me in the mood to write.

As a writer, I'm always desperate for new things to put me in the proper mood. Here are some tips and tricks I use to evoke the atmosphere I need to put pen to paper (or more appropriately, fingers to keyboard):

• 1--Scents are often one of the most overlooked senses, and yet the human mind has scads and scads of memories associated with scent. Think of an emotional memory that ties in with a particular scent (perhaps one that makes you laugh, cry, or long for someone), and use that scent when writing to evoke those particular feelings in yourself. You'd be amazed how much easier it is to transfer those emotions to the page. For example, if you're trying to evoke a feeling of home, maybe pop some chocolate-chip cookies in the oven (then bonus, you have cookies to reward yourself, too! hah)
• 2--candles (scented or unscented). I love the flickering of candles off the objects around me. When I'm trying to write something dark or romantic, I find candles help pull that mood out of me.
• 3--music. If there's a mood you're trying to create, there's a song that can help. Some people love music without lyrics, while others love the lyrics. Play around with it and see what works for you.
• 4--sexy clothing. If I'm trying to write a love scene, I find I feel more confident and aware of my own sexuality if I dress in a more provocative manner.
• 5--watch a movie that has a similar feel to what you're trying to evoke before writing. Visual stimulation is a fantastic aid when going to write a scene. It helps make things more tangible in your mind.
• 6--act out a scene before writing it, whether just in your mind or with someone else. This can apply to sex scenes, as well as any other. Go through the dialogue in your mind and let yourself feel the emotions so you can accurately transfer them to the page.
• 7--a little alcohol can help. I love sipping on a glass of wine while writing. Too much will make your writing sloppy, but just a little bit can help relax you enough to let you tap into your sensory emotions.

If anyone has any good tips or tricks, please share them!

You can find more details about me at http://www.sophieathens.com and more about my novella, The Vampire Oracle: Hunger at http://www.cobblestone-press.com/cat...pireoracle.htm.