When I’m writing, I can spend the entire day trying to get those voices in my head to talk to me, tell me their stories. Whether or not it works, the moment I turn out my light and try to fall asleep, the characters inevitably come out to play.
I’m never sure whether to be delighted or annoyed. My ultimate reaction usually depends on how comfortable I am and how many sleeping cats are pinning me in place. Then there’s the spouse factor: after the final goodnights have been mumbled and we’ve lived in silence for several minutes, it’s just cruel to turn the light back on, no matter how great the dialogue in my head and how convinced I am that I will not remember it in the morning unless I record it right then and there. (Naturally, I still haven’t remembered to stock my flashlight in my nightstand, although I’ve learned never to be without a notebook and a pen. Which is why this whole thing was written in the dark. See?)
Of course, just because I succumb to pressure from my chatty characters or Dolores, my on-board narrator, it does not mean that the words were worth the shuffling and fumbling required to capture them on paper. Even if they are legible (at best, my handwriting is a poor imitation of cursive), when I’m in the zone of near-sleep my ability to judge writing quality is questionable.
Take, for example, the night when I absolutely, positively could not sleep no matter how I tossed and turned. If anything, my desperation only pushed that blissful unconsciousness further away. Finally, I settled into thinking about my book. You see, I had a character to name, and this seemed the perfect time to do so. In my sleep-deprived state, I decided that I wanted something unique, so I reached around for the most beautiful, unusual first name I could find. Once I settled on it, I was so happy that I knew I needed a last name to go with it. And so I thought and thought and finally came up with the perfect companion to that first name. It was so lovely, so wonderful, that I couldn’t wait to assign it to a character the next day. Since this was before I learned to keep a notebook handy, I committed it to memory, rolled over, and promptly fell asleep. When my alarm rang the next morning, I had the nagging thought that I was forgetting something. So I fished around in my memory for a while, and came up with it: the name. Only in daylight did I realize that I had, with no sense of irony whatsoever, named my character Dream McKnight. Sure, the name could work, but it would be the bane of the character’s existence, not something of which she could be proud.
With incidents like that, it’s no wonder I record my nighttime ramblings so reluctantly, even if I’m usually glad that I did so.
Too funny, and Dream is a cool name! I had a pen with a light on the end, and it gave such a soft glow hubby never moved. And yep, I lost it and now no matter what booklight I get, it looks like sunrise on my side of the bed. I do under the covers on my side now, and that works pretty much. Luckily, the whispers and great ideas have hit me during daylight lately.
i like the name. at girl’s graduation last week there, listed in the directory of college grads, was the name, summer loving.
can you imagine what she went thru? or maybe her cohorts were too young to remember grease….
I’ve been eying those new book lights at Barnes and Nobles. They’re so small now that I could see hooking one up to a blank notebook to let me scribble away. I also feel badly about waking up my husband.
Like you and Steph, the biggest problem for me is that I start thinking about something, which jumps my mind to another idea, and another… and then its nearly impossible to fall asleep. And then the next day, I’m sleep deprived.
Maybe we all need to work on some meditation techniques or something.
Ideas always come when its most inconvenient – trying to sleep, showering, driving, right before dinner as it begins to burn…
The picture of your midnight scribbling is so priceless that I cannot say anymore for fear of tarnishing a perfect image. *kisses fingers in French fashion*
Ohhh, Caryn, these middle of the night epiphanies are the only way my writing ever gets done! It is now 10:40 p.m., and suddenly my novel is just soooo calling to me, whereas all during the day it just hid. WHY? WHY? WHY can’t I be one of those early morning writers, the type of person who is all done with writing by noon because the ideas just came tumbling out during the perfect, wide-awake morning hours? Nope. I’ve learned to get up and go into the other room, turn the laptop on, and write when the inspiration hits. Often I see the sun come up….(yawn)
That’s the thing, LaDonna — I actually kind of like the name Dream. But when paired with the last name? No way! I just thought it was funny that I didn’t even realize how much my desperation for sleep affected my character naming.
Ooh, Patti, what a mean, mean thing for parents to do! Even if they don’t remember Grease, I’m sure she was teased plenty. Here’s hoping she had a better nickname to use instead of her first name.
Kpinco, I have that problem, too. And when I’m not thinking of characters, I’m listing all the things I should have done that day or worrying about things.
Thanks, Pam! I’m certain you’re able to picture it because I have a hunch that you do the same thing from time to time, yes? 😉
Sandi, I’m like you — I’d love to be a morning writer, but it rarely happens that way for me. All my best stuff happens in the afternoons or evenings. Sleep well — and soon!
I don’t know if you’re a member of RWA, but at the national conference last year I bought a pen that doubles as a flashlight. Perfect for those midnight notes! Unfortunately, I don’t know who makes it and I even tried to find one online to give as a gift, but no luck. If you go to San Francisco this year, look for it again at Moonlight Madness.
Like you, I have to have a pen and notepad by the bed and often jot down ideas. The problem I have is remembering to look at the notes again the next day when I’m working on that scene. I’ll come across them months later and either think it would have been brilliant, or WTF? LOL!
I can relate. Sometimes I feel as if I’m the only one with that problem. I lay down with my husband and he’s fast asleep in a matter of minutes. Soon the chainsaw fires up and there I am. My mind races, I stare into the darkness, toss and turn, and pull myself out of bed. I get the opposite too, awakening from weird dreams and night terrors.
My two cents on Dream McKnight: I love it! Abstract first names are cool and memorable, and I’d most likely buy the book just because of the name. What better way to find out the character’s background? I mean, there has to be a really great story attached to the name.
I’m a sleeper. No great ideas come to mind as I doze off; most hit me first thing in the morning and I’ll rush to jot them down. I don’t carry a notebook with me, but when ideas come to mind I find myself rooting around for a scrap to scribble on.
Great blog, Caryn!
Kelli, I’m a member, and for the first time ever this year I’M GOING TO THE RWA CONFERENCE! (Sorry. Got a little excited there. Am calming…calming…Okay. Better.) And you have an excellent point — if I don’t find something that works in the meantime, there has to be something I can pick up there, esp. since this seems to be a common issue among writers. Thanks for the tip! Oh, and if I do the same thing — if I don’t transcribe my notes the next morning, they lose all meaning for me. Which can also be kind of amusing, if frustrating, too.
Muse, that’s exactly what happens! He falls asleep almost immediately and I’m left there, alone with my thoughts. And I have some pretty vivid dreams, too. Wonder if it’s a creativity thing?
Thanks, Kath! Until I wrote out that story yesterday I’d pretty much forgotten about that name, but I think now that it would be fun to use in a book because, as you said, it tells us a lot about the character — and her parents!