Classical too! I have weird preferences depending on what I write, and they make non sense at all (Scientific papers HAVE to be written on Peter Grimes, no discussion possible. Fiction is a bit less specific, although I like things sounding a bit harsher for that - Ligeti works well).

I learned how to write before personal computers and I still don't like typing in the first stages of a work, it shuts down my inspiration. So I have a variety of papers and pens to match whatever mood I'm in and I'm also very rigid about that (if I don't have the right pen I may not be able to write anything, grr).
I still use fountain pens. Nothing nicer than fresh ink on smooth paper

The weird thing is that I get a lot of inspiration from metal, including the more extreme subgenres.
But that's before the writing starts. At the momemt I'm sitting down to write I would find metal distracting. Yet I like listening to Ligeti, that's even more distracting! I don't think there is much logic to be found

Music works wonders for my imagination.(While brainstorming and plotting mostly.)

Nordic/Euro Folk music and Classical when I'm writing Fantasy.
80s-90s Metal and Classical for Sci-Fi and Action/Adventure.

Heavy Metal and Classical music are two sides of the same coin - the composition, time shifts and chord progression are more often than not very similar. And equally inspiring for escapist world building.

I'm really weird. I watch medical documentaries on Youtube while I write or draw. Preferably really sad ones about chronic deformities. I like to cry a little while I create.

I say all the dialog as I'm typing it in the characters tones/voices in the expressions and tones I'm trying to portray the line as.

I didn't really realize I did this... I mean... I know I did it but didn't??? I duno... until I had to share a work space with someone.

It really really really really hard to write now cause I try very hard not to do this when they are here.

I make faces and show the emotions, to the point of crying sometimes.

Hubby has had to ask many a time when I had a few tears show up if I was ok and did someone do something and I'm like "My character is having a bad day and I'm writing about it!"

I've mentioned it before, but I'll very bluntly mention it bc it'll sound more absurd and possibly funny. I role play as my characters and force myself to cry sometimes for realism in dialogue. It sounds crazy, but hey, it works for me xD

Uhh, what else do I do. I listen to a variety of music, including metal, lo-fi hiphop, dreampop, indie rock, chillstep, orchestral, and video game music, film and TV scores.. but mostly it's something sad so there's that. I tend to love working in colder temperatures, I'm a big boy living in California so I'm practically warm or burning up like 80% of the year. I tend to go all in on one project at a time until I either give up or just lose interest and find something new to work on. I.. don't get a lot done lol

Except... I also like writing music for the stuff I write, like depressing music for a zombie novel I gave up on2 or experimental anime OST styled music for a comic series I wanna work on1. I'm a musician first and writer second, so music's much easier for me to get done lol Sometimes I go back and listen to these while writing to get in a mood with it.

I listen to Death and Thrash primarily while drawing. The musical aggression helps me to shut off the analytical side of my brain and opens up the avenue to let my creative side run free. Less thinking = better drawing.

While writing, I'll listen to just about anything Metal. Metal just makes everything better for me.

Besides that, I've not been writing all that long, so I don't think I've developed any weird quirks yet, at least that I'm aware of.

I find it easier to write when I'm doing it in a notebook or on paper

I have a very hard time writing a scene or dialog when I'm typing on the computer.

I don't know why, it's just the flow of ideas keeps going when writing with pen and paper, but is constantly pausing, stopping or coming out of order / place when I'm working on the computer.

Phasing out writing on paper was not an easy thing for me to do, I still have these same problems even though I can't write on paper anymore. (arthritis)

It varies for me, oddly enough. Sometimes music helps, other times it's just getting out and going to Starbucks. And then there are times I write while I'm tired... It's weird how I don't have one specific quirk.

I tend to write on the third floor of my university's library! It's silent and super cold. It's all where the majority of the books are in the library, so I usually scout around to find a book with lots of pictures for inspiration.

I'm writing an entire novel (not the one I'm currently posting on Tapas) on my phone. The small screen forces me to write in an abbreviated style that works for this new story. When I tried writing it on my larger, laptop screen, the style morphed into something that wasn't working.

Let's help you acquire the taste.

You could start off with some vintage metal - Sabbath, Priest, Saxon or dive into the 90s bestsellers - Metallica, Megadeth, Testament and then there's the current crop of headbangers - Slipknot, Korn, Lamb of God, Rammstein.

And there's some good blended metal, especially from Mongolia - The HU Band

If all that's a little too much, you can recover with some of this folksy groove from Omnia

CHEERS!

I'm flattered! XD
I'm interested. I'd have to make playlists. Lots of playlists. Metal 101 has a nice ring to it. It'll take me a bit to get them together.

A few months ago I did make this thread.

As for music, it depends on what I'm working on. For some things I just need silence to really focus. For others I put on something like Fleetwood Mac or a podcast.

I like to pace around while thinking about my story/characters. Sounds silly and I certainly don't do it in public but... well, it works for me haha. It has always helped me visualize my worlds for some reason.

I write with a music playlist, each song a chapter to my story.

So I uh...act out scenes from my novel. Like rehearsing a script shall we say, I find it works surprisingly well to help move the plot forward. XD

I'm not sure if this is really the type of quirk you meant, but in my writing I always use four periods in my dotdotdots because the spacing of less periods gives me anxiety. I also can't write well if the music I'm listening to has lyrics, but can't draw well if it doesn't have lyrics.

Oh no, I don't mean the spaces between the periods, rather the spaces between the words before and after the periods. I'm very strange like that ^w^"

Actually since posting in here originally, I've discovered a quirk in my writing.

Forests.

I always write forests into my work. My comic started in a forest. In several separate settings I've created for an RP, there's always a forest section. In a DnD campaign I made, there was a forest setting.

I unconsciously go back to writing forests constantly.

No I'm too smol and weak ;_;

I actually work best in dead silence, which is probably why I write best between 3-8am. Luckily I work from home so I can do that lol
I also make faces...like as I'm writing, if someone is asking a question I'll tilt my head like how I think they would or move my lips as if I'm asking.
Um...I also use google docs and sometimes make the background black and the words white. This is more recent, but it hurts my eyes less when I write in the mornings lol

I have some of the weirdest sentence structures, it drives my beta-reader insane! What's worse is now they're totally used to it and I think I broke them. I get my chapters back and they'll underline parts saying that normal people won't understand this or to confirm that one of my made up words is correct. I really need to start paying them.
I also write best when I'm either highly emotional or bored out of my mind. Some of my best work has been done while on mute during conference calls or on my low days. I try to write a little each day but every now and again inspiration kicks in my teeth and demands I write a little more.

I can't write dialog unless everything is completely quiet. I can't listen to music or YT, because it messes with my brain. I have Auditory Processing Disorder. I feel like listening takes a lot of brain power because it feels like everything is running through a verbal to nonverbal filter.

I also write everything by hand instead of in a word document. I usually write a short sentence that gives a general idea of what I want them to say. When brining the dialog into Photoshop, I will add onto it to make it sound more natural. Sort of like a dialog version of a sketch.

I would recommend listening to "Celestial white noise". I use this when I cannot focus at all, especially when people are being really loud. Plus it has a great comments section!

I pre-write everything in my head, sentences and all, then in two 15 minute sprints, I blurt out a 1000 word chapter into google docs that is fully formed in my head!

I also just started listening to my novel played back to me via a robot reader that was shared with me, and it helps me catch so many repeat words, crutch phrases, and awkward bits of prose...Though listening to it read dirty scenes makes me cringe so hard I might die.