You can find the list of those participating at Alex J Cavanaugh's blog right here. I'll be off to check out some of the blogs right after this!
I haven't been particularly insecure lately, but I do still have a bit of a problem. Having spent a lot of time working out how to cope with my life/work/writing balance, I feel a lot less stressed than I did this time last year, but I still haven't got it quite right!
I find it so hard to wind down. With a day-job, my only option is to write during the evening (and at weekends, but that's not the problem). I aim to stop by 9pm so I can unwind before I try to sleep, but I find I still spend so many nights TRYING to fall asleep while my mind churns over what I've written/what I need to write/what I should be writing/what I shouldn't have submitted... Gah! It's as though my brain doesn't have enough time to mull all this over during my official waking hours! I feel more and more exhausted, which makes it harder to write in the evenings, and so the cycle continues!
Anyone got a magic wand?
Credit: everydayat8pm.com
21 comments:
I try to put my laptop away, but a lot of the time I find I've still got it on my lap during the Ten O'Clock News. My work/life balance is bad.
No. I was up until 1:30 last night trying to work a new thread of plot into a story. We're a bit obsessive, huh?
I do this too, which is why I started getting up at 5 to write instead of going to bed late. My mind is clear, I get everything out of my system then I can cool myself down before bed. Good luck, I hope you figure out something that works for you!
It's a miracle when I get to sleep before midnight, and I'm up at 6 every morning, so I got nothing.
One thing that did help when I was more stressed than I am now though is to only try to fall asleep for set periods of time. I'd look at the clock and say, okay, if I'm not asleep in forty-five minutes, I'll get up and read a chapter from a book. Then I'll come back to bed. It seemed to work for me...
I try to stop doing computer stuff by 9 p.m. as well. Sometimes it works, sometimes I lost track of time completely and throw my hands up in despair because I'm not quite finished.
If I can't fall asleep right away, though, I have to just sit up and read or something until I feel tired enough.
If you're going to be awake thinking about the writing then maybe you should get up and write? It wouldn't help you feel less tired but you'd get more done and might feel less frustrated.
Welcome to the life of a writer.
I keep a notepad next to my bed so I don't have to try and remember things for the next day. Writing it down make the voices stop. Sometimes. :-)
I'm no help. I get up very early in the morning to write or life gets in the way. My problem is breaking away so I can get ready for work.
By the time I'm done at the end of the day, I'm exhausted. Wild horses couldn't keep me awake sometimes!
Wine works for me. :P
Seriously, I'm just like that too. My mind just keeps humming along for an hour after I lie down. I always go over my novel in my head -- the characters, the plot, the next scene. It helps me write the next day, but it also deprives me of sleep. I'm lucky if I can catch up on the weekends.
I had a similar experience recently. One blogger suggested waking at 4:00 a.m. to write. She said it took some getting used to, but worked really well. This way you'd be writing when you're refreshed, or at least had SOME shut eye. Also, you'd have all day to mull over plot twists, etc. Wishing you all the best on your novel.
I've been off work for several months but certainly need to get a day job. And I'm terrified of how to fit writing in around that.
Have you considered writing at the early end of the day, instead? You'll probably want to hit the hay much earlier, to compensate.
And, I also liked Patsy's suggestion: just get up and write. You'll probably feel awful the following day, but that should help you sleep well the next night, especially if you then allow yourself an evening off from writing. Of course, I don't know if you have the kind of day job where feeling sleepy is going to be dangerous... it probably only works if you have a desk job and can be off-form for a day... not if you're a brain surgeon. :)
Oh, and not to get too personal, but I've been having some trouble sleeping recently and I think it might be a dreaded female + age combination.... Ughh.
Ooh, that's a bad feeling. Your body wants to shut down, and your mind is REELING! I hope you balance out soon! <3
It may not be a magic wand, but try one of my techniques. http://herbal-lady.blogspot.com/2012/12/sleep-disorders.html
Hahaha I love that tip list. I'm a horrible insomniac. One of the benefits of having lost my job is being able to put my insomnia to work. But then, I don't have a job bringing in the money and my husband get all sad that I don't come to bed like ever. The life of a writer is full of catch 22s.
I have yet to solve this problem myself. I struggle to fall asleep, then I wake up later and have less time in my day to write. I wish they would make a magic wand for this problem.
Also, I've tried a few of the things on that list. The note on the bottom is 100% correct. They never work.
-James.
Have you tried waking at 5am and writing before your day starts? That way you'll fall asleep for sure at night. I've found that my brain is much more creative before dawn and my whole day goes better having written early. :)
I could have written this post myself this morning- finding the right balance and knowing when to write and when to stop has always elluded me too.
It seem like when I'm ready for bed, a great new idea will strike and I'll want to flesh it out "real quick" (three hours later...) And I don't fall asleep until 3. Then I'm struggling to make it through the next day. OY!!
Not sure how to tackle this problem either. Let me know if you figure it out? LOL
Juggling work and writing is tough and many have managed to find a balance, not me.
I've stopped writing with mag publication as the goal, focusing more on getting my stories done, for now.
Thanks so much for your helpful advice, everyone! It seems I'm not alone in this. I have tried getting up early to write, but I'm not a morning person and find it really hard to stay awake during the afternoon at work. I can't really get up when I can't sleep either, as my husband has to get up at 5am and it disturbs him if I get in and out of bed, so I have to find a way to wind down and to chill out about the whole writing thing!
Lauren - I tried making my mind flit last night and it seemed to work!
Thanks again for all the comments x
When you find that magic wand can you pass it this way honey? ;)
There just aren't enough hours in my day :(
Xx
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