Trying to write at the dance club
I like to write in the moment. One example is when I'm at the dance club.
The motion that I feel in my body. The thud of the speakers that I can feel in my chest. The lights that flash different colors all over the walls. The energy and emotion of the people around me. The taste of carbonated beer in my mouth. The feel of the glass bottle against my lips. The sound of the music. The intermittent silence.
There's so much to write about in moments like this, so much sensory input. It's easier to write the moment when it's happening rather than trying to remember it later. In the moment, all the inspiration is right there. Later, it's just fuzzy memories.
But for the same reason that there's so much to write about, it's difficult to actually write when you're in the moment. All the sensory input is there in the moment, so you can easily access the inspiration and the content to craft into words. But then again, because all the sensory input is there in the moment, there are distractions and impediments to actually getting the words down.
At the club, it's impossible to write with a pen and paper. There's no desk or hard surface to put the paper against when you're on the dance floor. It's too dark to see what you've written. I can't speak out loud to my transcriber because the music is too loud. And it's somewhat awkward to ignore the people around me because the situation is inherently social.
The best way I've found to write in the club is by typing on my phone, but typing is slow. Whenever I'm really in a moment, my preferred way to write is by speaking out loud to a transcriber. I can get the words out faster and with less second-guessing when I'm speaking. I rarely do this because I worry about what people will think of me as I speak nonsense out loud. Sometimes I go off into a corner where nobody can hear to speak a piece quickly. Maybe I'll get more brave about just doing it on the dance floor. I have to hold the microphone close to my mouth or speak loud enough that the microphone can hear my voice over the music coming from the speakers.