Do you ever find your writing keeps you from sleeping?
There's so much going on inside my head that sometimes it's hard to turn it off when it comes time to sleep. It's not always writing. A lot of the time, it's every day stuff. Things I have to do. Things I should have done. But once in a while, my writing keeps me up with mental discussions about what I need to change to make it better. If I get up and write about it, I'm exhausted the next morning. If I don't, I'm likely to forget it by morning.
Guess what I usually choose? Sometimes, writing down my ideas is more important than sleep.
"Do you find your writing keeps you from sleeping?" TOO MANY Times!! Gotta' get a handle on this. Lately, I've found if I shut down a couple of hours ahead of time before I go to bed, it helps, but there's that one more page of revision or the outline I'm still working on or research that's stacked up beside me on the couch or....anyway, some mindless TV before bed, anyone?
ReplyDeleteYes! Especially when I'm having plot problems, I've stayed up way too late in bed, tossing and turning. Only to pay the next day!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes indeedy. Thought it happens more at the beginning of my novel when I'm brainstorming plot points like crazy.
ReplyDeleteI keep a notebook by my bed for moments like this. Some of my best ideas come in the dead of night. So I'm with you if I have to choose between a groggy head and a lost idea -- I'll take the Groggy Head for $100 Alex! :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, Karen, I really hate losing ideas that come to me at times when I'm not able to write them down.
ReplyDeleteLydia and Laura, interesting that it's always working out the plot that keeps you awake. Same with me - usually something that's not working or a different approach I want to pursue.
Kenda, I'm all for mindless TV!!
That happened to me last august. I thought I wrote down some of my best work during that time.
ReplyDeleteficklecattle.blogspot.com
Yes, but lately I'm experiencing it the other way around: Skimping on sleep makes me foggy and dozy at the keyboard. I really have to sleep enough (plus exercise and eat well) to make sure my writing time isn't just "stupor time."
ReplyDelete