I often feel the need to write. I have found it is usually when I am depressed or upset. The more life gets me down, the more I have this urge to write.
I can never write when I feel this way, however. When I want to write is when I have the hardest time writing. I have found I write best when I am alone, in a place surrounded by people I don't know. For example, when I travel, especially by air or bus, I can just sit down and the words come pouring out.
One such occasion was when I was alone flying back to Seattle from Phoenix. We were diverted to Portland and had to spend the night there. The next morning the airline elected to bus us up to Seattle rather than fly us. I suppose it was quicker and cheaper - I had no problem with it. Never-the-less, I found myself sitting on the bus for a couple of hours with time to spare. I had nothing but a notebook and a pen.
I always try to carry a small notebook and a pen with me, especially when I travel. On this particular bus ride, I knocked out several poems. I was reflecting on my family and life and the words just came. I thought the poems were of good quality - at least in the sense they reflected my feelings - if to no one but myself. I have yet to really try them out on others to see if they like my writings or can relate to them in some way.
The only other time words come so easy are when I am really pissed off and frustrated - this usually occurs late at night. On such occasions I go down to my office and pound out the frustrations into some pretty good recaps of the issues that have got me frustrated.
This particular night is one of those times.