Don't you people sleep?

jennifer75 · Aug 31, 2007

Is this why I'm still at 30,000 words? Because I go to bed? Do writers sleep? Do they stay up after the kiddies are asleep into the early hours of the morning plugging away?

How does one convert? I enjoy my shut-eye. Do I need to be harder on myself? Is lack of sleep what it takes to succeed at writing?

Azraelsbane · Aug 31, 2007

Sleep is important for most people, but sleep and I tend to not get along very well. If I'm dry for ideas, I make sure I get a good long night of sleep. This usually leads to some pretty disturbing dreams that have me pumped and ready for another day of writing.

On average I sleep about 5-6 hours a night. I don't think that's the norm. I've never really slept much. I used to have horrendous nightmares as a child, and I convinced myself that if I stayed up until 1am, I wouldn't have enough time to dream. So I would lie in bed at night waiting for my Mickey Mouse clock to hit 1, so the monsters wouldn't get me. This went on from about age 7-10. I haven't slept much since.

maestrowork · Aug 31, 2007

I sleep way too much. That's why I'm still at 65K.

On the other hand, I look younger than I am.

scarletpeaches · Aug 31, 2007

What's sleep?

JoNightshade · Aug 31, 2007

I'm at 130K. I'm a big sleeper. Gotta have at least 8 hours a night or I'm wiped out for the whole day. If I'm tired, I can't write coherently.

Azraelsbane · Aug 31, 2007

JoNightshade said:
I'm at 130K. I'm a big sleeper. Gotta have at least 8 hours a night or I'm wiped out for the whole day. If I'm tired, I can't write coherently.

Writing coherently is overrated.

JoNightshade · Aug 31, 2007

Azraelsbane said:
Writing coherently is overrated.

Well, see, I have two different tired modes. Tired because I didn't get enough sleep is the bad tired. Tired because it's midnight and I NEED to go to bed is entirely different. I write very well under the late-night tiredness. It's the morning getting-up that I find objectionable.

celeber · Aug 31, 2007

Sleep's a crutch.

OverTheHills&FarAway · Aug 31, 2007

I don't sleep. Not very well, at least.

I'll stay up into the wee hours writing, and try and get my sleep in the morning. Doesn't work very well. Full of tossing and turning and dreams.

Every night for the past week I've dreamt of my WIP. That I'm the character, going through the motions of the story. Every night. It's bizarre.

But then again I never finish anything, so the amount of sleep probably has nothing to do with the amount of writing that's accomplished in a day.

Jen_D · Aug 31, 2007

I'm one of those non-sleepers. Literaly have had insomnia since the day I was born. Not healthy, but it makes for some very interesting stories.

KPfeif · Aug 31, 2007

I'm in college. 'Nuff said.

CaroGirl · Aug 31, 2007

I'm still catching up on sleep after having two babies. I think that takes about a decade. Then you start losing sleep due to teenager. Looking forward to that, uh-huh.

The more sleep you need, the faster you have to write. If you want to finish anything, that is.

sunna · Aug 31, 2007

I'm at 115K on one - and very proud of cutting 13K out in the editing process

- and at 52K on the current one as of last night, when I started putting scenes together.

I don't sleep much, but I'm a bit of an insomniac.

Robert L.B. · Aug 31, 2007

I sleep on average about 5-6 hours a night. But what I really like is my unique "need-to-sleep" mode. I start writing, don't even think about I'm doing, and when I wake up the next morning and boot up my comp I see a page or so of writing that's WAY higher quality than anything I do when awake.

So sleep-deprivation is actually beneficial to me. :tongue

JimmyB27 · Aug 31, 2007

Sleep is for the weak.

ishtar'sgate · Aug 31, 2007

I'm a morning person. When my kids were young I'd get up at 4:00am to write a bit before taking them to the sitters and going to work. I was too exhausted to write after a long day fighting with lawyers and clients, picking up my kids who promptly cried when they realized I'd been gone all day, attempting to cook supper with one kid slung under my arm then doing the whole bedtlime routine - I'm thirsty, I have to pee, I'm too hot, there's something under my bed, I need the light on. Hubby helped but I was still too pooped to do much but veg in front of the tv or read a book. Now my kids are grown, I write when I please and I sleep when I please. It took me a long time to get that first novel finished and sold. Take heart, it gets easier with time. You may need to go without a little sleep for a few years but eventually there'll be an end and you can do what you like.
Linnea

MidnightMuse · Aug 31, 2007

I'm a sleep-whore. I love to sleep. When I'm not sleeping, I look forward to naps on the couch. I've completed 12 over 100k novels, and working on #13 now with #14 waiting in the wings.

You find ways.

Now, when they invent that write-by-osmosis thingie, I'll be set!

Jaycinth · Aug 31, 2007

If I don't get enough sleep I cannot together two string words, see you?

Haven't sleep recently I much gotten, so written much haven't I. A-plenty have ideas I.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

moth · Aug 31, 2007

I sleep all the time -- underactive thyroid makes me uber tired. Naps during the day and everything. But I write in the evening -- first hubby puts the kids (both preschoolers) to bed, then he does his follow-up work from the office while I finish up my writing time, and then we have some time together before bed. It usually works great, and I can adjust it as necessary (like I now have a pt job three nights a week, and I allow for that either by getting up early the next day or scribbling in a notebook on the job).

Basically what everybody else has already said -- you find ways. Whatever works for you will eventually manifest itself.

Oberon · Aug 31, 2007

Two in the morning, go to bed. Two in the afternoon, take a nap. That's when most of my trickier paragraphs get dreamt up. (Sorry, that's a King's English dream, there). Age has a few benefits.

WriterInChains · Aug 31, 2007

I'll sleep when I'm dead.

Seriously, as long as I exercise daily I don't need more than 5-6 hours -- & everyone's shocked to learn my age (in a good way

). Wasn't true in my 30s though -- so just wait, you'll need less as you age. When my grandma was in her 60s, she only slept about 3 hours a night. I can't wait for that!

Raiyah · Aug 31, 2007

Sleep is not the issue people. It's the time. The only reason why I can whip out three thousand words in a single day is because I have the time. However, when the semester starts, it's an issue of time and sleep.

Sometimes, you'd rather sleep than write.

icerose · Aug 31, 2007

I have to sleep or I'm incoherent and get nothing done. I write during their nap times, first thing in the morning after husband is gone and oldest kiddo is gone and while the kids are still happy enough to entertain themselves. I take a notebook with me when I take them to the park or outside to play, so when they're board of me and happily playing tag or whatever, I can jot down whatever comes to mind.

You fit it in if you truly want to. It's like people saying "I don't have time to read." Everyone has the same amount of time, it's all in the management.

wee · Aug 31, 2007

icerose said:
You fit it in if you truly want to. It's like people saying "I don't have time to read." Everyone has the same amount of time, it's all in the management.

I stopped in my tracks a few months ago when a lady I have always gotten on well with here said, "I love to write [she didn't know I do as well]. I have a filing cabinet full of story ideas, but just never can find the time to write." A lady who, bless her heart, is unable to tell anyone NO and so spends all her time helping other people, whether she really wants to or not.

That same day, I started telling people NO and I've been typing away nearly every day since then. Why spend my little spare time involved in things I don't really believe in, and then have no time for one thing that brings me joy? No way!

wee

jennifer75 · Aug 31, 2007

Islaitha Frost said:
I sleep on average about 5-6 hours a night. But what I really like is my unique "need-to-sleep" mode. I start writing, don't even think about I'm doing, and when I wake up the next morning and boot up my comp I see a page or so of writing that's WAY higher quality than anything I do when awake.

So sleep-deprivation is actually beneficial to me.

I pounded out the most in one sitting than ever before because of the booze. Not only did I lighten up and start to enjoy my evening, but you know how drunks just can't shut up? Well...case in point.

Don't you people sleep?

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