Thursday, February 18, 2010

endless thoughts

I wake up most mornings with several ideas and thoughts in my mind, I have found that the best time of day for me to write is in the mornings, and then right around
6pm (central time) I know it's funny to have it mapped out like that, but that is normally when the air has been cleared and I am able to focus solely on writing. That is often why you find the latest post in the morning, because I've written it that evening or first thing in the morning.

Is it the fact that we are writers that our brain never stops? I could be in full conversation with a friend, but at the same time I am currently allowing a story to marinate in my brain until I'm ready to write. Before bed I have several thoughts and my mind is never clear. Is that also why I could be a little crazy?!

One thing I love about my husband is he gladly puts up with it, I will rant about how my writing hasn't gone well, or I'll rave about the wonderful bloggers (YES YOU!) that I've met (I call you friends... he calls you followers... what does he know!) or just the several stories I have decided to write! Another thing I love about my husband is that he doesn't mind my evening rituals, which is simple, I talk as I drift off to sleep it could last anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes, sometimes they are real thoughts, other times they are about pancakes and riding horses (which I've never done) and he doesn't mind!!! I also talk in my sleep, so it only proves my mind never rests!

So I ask you, what is your favorite time to write? Do you talk in your sleep, or talk as your drifting to sleep? Any crazy... weird... yet loveable quirks?!

29 comments:

Amanda said...

While my best time to write without being interrupted is the morning, I write much better in the afternoon. Some of this time is uninterrupted, but some of it is after I bring my boys home from school. It's a good thing they can generally look after themselves! After about 5, it's pointless for me to try to write.

I don't see blogging as the same as my fiction writing, though. I can blog, comment, write book reviews, etc at any time of day. Most of my blog posts are my book reviews for The Zen Leaf, which go up 5-6 times a week, and those I just write up as soon as I'm done with a book. I don't post them right away, but instead post them in the mornings, but I write them whenever I feel like it. The two types of writing aren't at all the same for me. I wish they were, because I can spill out like 5000 blog words in an hour without thinking, but I'm a slow fiction writer, weighing every word before it goes down.

Amanda said...

PS - Friends, not followers. I've met so many great friends through blogging, and have actually met several of them in person by now and will be meeting more soon. Some of my best friends in the world live all around the world, NY, Portugal, New Orleans, Wisconsin, etc. ONLINE does not equal NOT REAL.

Bish Denham said...

Mornings. I definitely do most of my writing in the morning.

Tara said...

I was going to comment. Then I read Amanda's first paragraph. So, ditto. Except boy and girl, not boys ;)

2-3 is always my best time of day for starting anything really. Don't know why.

Lisa Miles said...

I love that you talk as you drift off to sleep. That's great! My peak time is in the afternoon, which is pretty much impossible for me to write because of my four year old. Boy, do I miss nap time! I've been getting a half hour or so to myself when my husband gets home from work. Actually, I get until my son realizes I'm missing and he comes into the room.

What you wrote about your husband could have been about mine. He's extremely supportive and lets me talk out my ideas, and even offers helpful ideas back.

Artemis Grey said...

LOVE. THIS. POST.

I love to write early in the morning. I'm always up because I've got horses and chickens to feed, and I love coming inside after they're taken care of and sitting down with a cup of coffee and my notebook. I wake up thinking about writing most mornings and by the time I've done the animal, my thoughts have coalesced into patterns I can translate onto paper.

I also love writing late at night though. I can't really control that. Sometimes I'll just sit up in bed and have to write something down, then then I'm writing for two hours.

My biggest, most embarrassing,quirk is that I will either accidentally call people by a character's name, or I'll throw out words or dialect from a story I'm working on. I do occassionally talk in my sleep, but there's nobody but my cat to hear. I only know I do it because I'll sometimes shout and wake myself up. :)

Michelle Gregory said...

i *should* write in the early morning before my kids get up, but my brain is still waking up and usually isn't ready to organize its thoughts. what usually happens is i'll let the idea for the next scene stew in my head for a few days, and then when it's finally ready, i sit down and write it out. the time of day doesn't matter.

i love that your husband is so supportive. mine is too. what would we do without that support?

Unknown said...

I don't find the time of day has much sway on writing. For me it is more locations. I can write any time and for extended hours when I am in my Grandmother's house in the Lake District.

In my day to day life I write whenever I can find time (and clarity of mind). Lately that has only been at my monthly writing group.

I loved that paragraph about your husband, he sounds lovely, I hope I find one like that, because yes, I believe all writers are a little crazy. :P

Summer Frey said...

Nothing wrong with being a crazy person, Jen! Nothing at all...You're in good company. :-D
My mind is always going too. The only times it slows down is when I have several projects that I'm really interested in finishing, like now--maybe it's some kind of safety measure for my sanity. :-)

Since my only obligation these days is PT, I try my best to write all day, from around 10am--7pm, when Evan gets home. Doesn't usually go well. During NaNo, I could get my best activity from 10 until 1, take a lunch break, and then until 3. I'm neither a morning person nor a night owl, so I guess that makes sense.

I talk in my sleep all the time, and so does my hubby. :-)

Arlee Bird said...

I don't think I usually talk in my sleep.

I think I write better at night, but I like to write sketches, ideas, and blog comments in the morning. Once I get started on writing though, just about anytime becomes good as long as I an not being interrupted or distracted.
Lee

Windy said...

Aside from the fact I've been sleeping through my normal prime writing time lately (10p-2a Mountain), I generally do write better at night. The house is quiet, kidlets asleep, no neighborhood noise, just me and quiet. And my iPod, but that's a different story.

And yes, I totally talk in my sleep. Husband has said he's had full on conversations with me and I don't remember anything!

Crystal Cook said...

Morning for me. After my hectic days I have a hard time thinking straight at night once the kids are in bed, also I usually paint at night. I don't have to think as much when I do that, after about 10 years it just kind of flows now. . . Most of the time, I'm hoping that's what happens with my writing down the road. And love those supportive husbands, my husband helps me with plotting, he's great at it.

kanishk said...

I love that you talk as you drift off to sleep.

Work from home India

Carolyn V. said...

Yay, you call us friends. I love that Jen!

I write best at 10 am. It is weird, but there is something about that time when thoughts and words start popping in my head.

Anonymous said...

I call my blogger friends my "friends" as well, and my husband thinks that is so strange. He'll say "you don't even know these people." And I say, "I know them in the way that it matters."

Writing is such a solitary, schizo world sometimes! LOL! We're walking around with these imaginary people talking to us all day long, and only other writers know about that! I treasure my online writer friends, we are all in this crazy business together!

I write whenever I can. I work full time and my family demands the rest...so I write longhand requiring thought in my living room chair/car/work/bed whenever possible and then type it in while we watch whatever's on DVR. :)

Unknown said...

A. Grey you are too kind! I'm glad you love it!

I do find that writing happens whenever I have an excellent idea, though at times with the full time job it cannot be at the greatest time!!

The writer world is very solitary and schizo Sharla! I'm glad most of you agree that we are all friends, and it is weird to actually have it written out that we have imaginary people talking to us all day long, but then again I find it refreshing that I have so many people to look at for help and inspiration!

The blogger world is amazing!! You guys rock!

Raine Chasing said...

My best time to write is between 12am - 4am EST. I struggle during the day to push out words onto the screen. But I can sit between those 4 precious hours (when allowed) and the words pour out of me. Not sure why.

lisa and laura said...

My best writing time is late at night when I'm so tired I can barely think. That's what works best for me--the not thinking. If I think too much, I can't get it out!

But the rest of the time I am constantly brainstorming story ideas, scenes, character traits, etc.

Whew. That's a lot of thinking...er not thinking.

KA said...

I know what you mean about always thinking. I sometimes wish my brain had an off switch.

krystal said...

Since I love your blog so much, I tagged you in an award :) http://krysta1.blogspot.com

John said...

I actually enjoy writing in the middle of chaos with headphones on with the music going. Most of my best thoughts that go on paper are transcribed from a digital recorder I carry with me and when I get those thoughts, I record them and then write them.

Dawn Simon said...

I have an awesome husband, too. Our hubbies would totally relate to each other, having wives that talk about writing (A LOT). ;)

My favorite time to write is when the kids are at school. Quirks? I really like mechanical pencils. I like to know I have lots and lots of them. Isn't that weird?

* said...

My fave time to write is the middle of the night, when things are cool and quiet and my thoughts curl around my like a tiger's tail. I love it then, writing and me. We are lovers, lost, together as the night spins.

Kimberly Franklin said...

Well, I can write anytime. But it seems I usually get the most done late at night. Usually the later the better. I don't know what it is about sitting in bed, head phones on, and everyone else asleep that sparks my creativity. It's crazy!

Oh, and hubby's don't know anything! LOL ; )

Crystal Cook said...

New to this blogging I may be, but I consider you a friend Jen, and those of you I haven't met yet, I look forward to it! I love to hear how passionate others are about writing. And none of you are crazy! Just borderline strange. Just kidding :)

Ashley Stone said...

I usually post by blogs at like 2 AM! It's when I am most creative. ; )

Unknown said...

I'm jealous of all of you who can write that early in the morning!!! I'm not even awake! I get up too early to want to be awake at that time!!! I dream about my MC's and such during that time :)

roughterrain crane said...

Interesting post.
I was surprised to know so many people love writing.

Theresa Milstein said...

Yesterday, two different conversations led to them turning into an idea for a book when I was sleeping. I woke up and thought hard about it, so I wouldn't forget (Too lazy to look for pen and paper or computer). The next part of my dream was about me typing the story on the computer. I woke up with a good part mentally written.

So, if you're crazy, we both are. Let's be quirky instead.