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Q&A Does writing in a certain mood change how a writer writes?

I am reminded of the anecdote about Dustin Hoffman torturing himself for Marathon Man because he was a "Method" actor, so he'd look as tortured as his character. Lawrence Olivier looked at him and ...

posted 11y ago by Lauren Ipsum‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-13T12:00:16Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/7822
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T02:51:26Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/7822
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T02:51:26Z (about 5 years ago)
I am reminded of the anecdote about Dustin Hoffman torturing himself for _Marathon Man_ because he was a "Method" actor, so he'd look as tortured as his character. Lawrence Olivier looked at him and said, "My dear boy, that's why they call it _acting._"

Whenever we write, unless we're writing an autobiography, we are _always_ putting ourselves into someone else's mood, experience, mindset, etc. So while you can [take notes when you're in a particular mood](https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/7460/effective-techniques-for-describing-pain/7461#7461) to use for later, just because you're depressed doesn't mean you'll write brilliant prose from the POV of being depressed. You may just be too depressed to write anything.

That is, in fact, "changing how a writer writes," but not, I think, in the way you meant.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2013-05-06T09:58:32Z (over 11 years ago)
Original score: 7