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Have you ever experienced sleepness nights where you are caught between dreams and reality? Your mind is spinning as thoughts weave in and out filling the crevices of your mind.
Have you ever thought about writing being a curse, as well as a gift? Recently I was contacted by a fellow writer, Ron Lemco. Ron has published a compelling book, Rest Stop, that is scary in a sense because it could happen in real life – in fact, it DID happen. While the language is rough, the way difficult, the result frightening, the way I look at it, it’s life! Reading his book left me with the impression that I might not want to take advantage of the convenient ‘rest stop’ on my next vacation.
He shared with me a writing that definitely got me thinking about the writer’s world being both, a gift and a curse.
THE WRITERS’ CURSE
by Ron Lemco
A thought about what a person is writing enters into his head.
It becomes a vision and then, like magic, he begins to see a dialog.
He is trying to sleep but words are escalating taking control.
Jumping from his bed he writes notes he needs to contain.
All too often an image is lost and recollection is not the same.
Notes no longer satisfy the thoughts that must be transposed.
After a fix here, a fix there, he climbs back in bed. . .
One thousand words later.
Share your thoughts…have you experienced The Writers’ Curse?
catnipoflife 
My mistake is not jumping out of bed, assuming it is so important that I will remember it all.
No way I could be solely dependent upon my memory! Notepad on the nightstand. . .LOL:>)
It is nice to see my thoughts posted. But they belong to every writer. Thanks to Sharla who seems to know what I was trying to say and say it for me.
Those were your words, Ron! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me:>) Wishing you continued success on your book!
Oh, yes. We do this all the time, but perhaps one day, if it hasn’t already, it will all be worth the loss and/or interrupted sleep.
At least single people (wherever they are out there) don’t have to worry about getting crossed with their hubbies for these random acts (smile).
Love it, Cherrye. Thank you so much for visiting and leaving comments. Since I am not single, I must say to my husband, my soulmate, who inspires me in so many ways and still remains able to sometimes get a good night’s sleep, all is not lost in my dreams:>)
It happens to me very often Sharla. You see, when I write, it’s past midnight, and although I tried to sleep, it was words that marched through my head. So I get up and write.
Apparently, that is common nature to us writers! LOL:>)
Quite peaceful morning. It is like it belongs to me
The distractions have faded and I own the moment,
It is during these times the genie comes out of the bottle.
I am presented the visions and the magic to turn to words.
Hi Sharla ~ This happens to me all of the time. Fortunately my brain doesn’t work very well at night and I fall asleep pretty easily. My writing muse generally wakes me up at 4:00 am. I hop up and start writing. Unfortunately, I have to start getting ready for my job that pays the bills by six so if I’m on a roll it can be frustrating.
Oh, do I remember those days before I retired! Even in retirement I still get up by 6AM…what is wrong with me? UGH!
I didn’t write when I had a “poet” sharing the bed (a king; bought so she could be in a different room than me without announcing it). Now that a cat shares my bed, I have a very appreciative writing partner!
Ah-h-h! The joys of a cat! Now, if it is a female, you know she is only a tiny woman in a fine fur coat! Meow:>)
This has never happened to me. the thought has, but not the 1,000 words! Now THAT would be nice!
LOL! Me either on the thousand words!
I love when that happens! I often have insights in that twilight time between sleeping and waking in the morning, or between waking and sleeping at night. Luckily, I’ve learned to force myself to write down my thoughts in enough detail that I’ll be able to decipher them later. Once I read what I’ve recorded, the idea or solution comes back. I believe it’s my subconscious churning away at the problem and then revealing the solution when my conscious mind is receptive.
Sounds like you need the SmartPen! I read about it recently on Jen Owenby’s blog. After the reactions to this post, I may just have to reblog hers or at least link to it. LOL:>)
I think I spend most of my nights mulling plots, dreaming dialogue and even editing and rewriting. Seldom do I have to move my head from my pillow to get my next day’s work outlined.
Whoa! Now that is heavy! Definitely approaching overload:>)
This used to happen to me all the time and I began leaving a flashlight, notepad, and pen next to my bed. It doesn’t happen as much any more–my brain is probably letting me know it’s already on “overload” and needs its rest!
Ditto on the overload! Sometimes thoughts pop into my head during the night and I say them over and over thinking they will be memorized until the morning. When I wake up, now what was I thinking? Better go back to the notepad or get the SmartPen I mentioned to Sandy N. The problem with the pen is that it is a recording device and my husband would think I was talking in my sleep, which would wake him up thereby not leaving him a happer camper. LOL:>)
I’ve been having dreams lately that would make great novels, but when I try to jot it down, I can’t read my own handwritng in the morning . .sigh. I started to believe in the ‘Muse” –our subconscious mind– while writing the Whippoorwill. There’s no way I could remember exact dialogue from 30 years back when I can’t remember what I ate for supper–but in that book I did, and I know it’s all accurate. The only other time the muse strikes is when I am trying to catch an hour nap before facing the PC with all it’s work. Just when I am in a dreamy light sleep, the muse tosses wonderful words into my head and refuses to stop until I get up and write them down quickly before they leave my overcrowded brain. Oddly, my muse is a male.
Micki
Micki, I hate it when a really good thought comes to mind and I cannot find a pen or pencil! When I do find one, I have written many a note on a napkin or paper towel only to ‘blow’ it away unintentionally. We NEED the SmartPen!
I think a lot of us do this – get up in the middle of the night to write something down. I usually take my pen and paper into the walk-in closet (very quietly) where I can sit and write in peace and without waking my husband up. He would have an absolute fit because he isn’t too supportive of my writing.
I’m a night owl and would rather just stay up until 3 am, if I’m on a roll, but he gets real grumpy about that and is not a happy camper at all. To keep the peace I have to go to bed “at a decent hour,” hence my quietly moving to the closet. That and when a thought hits me in the middle of the night. Parts of many of my dreams have made it to my stories. I have some crazy ones.
If I’m not careful, I can’t read my writing either, but can usually make out enough so my thoughts aren’t totally lost. I’ve been known to fill up 3 or 4 notebook pages this way, before quietly sneaking back to bed to get an hour of sleep before the alarm goes off. I’m ALWAYS sleep deprived.
I also think as far as schedules go, it would be much easier to be single. I can see why some authors never married. There is no way a spouse can understand the need to write when the thoughts are in your head.
OMG Sunni, you hit the nail on the head! But, the walk-in closet? Um-m-m-m? Haven’t tried that one! Definitely join you as being the night owl and hubby hates it when I do not go to bed the same time as he does. Can’t tell you the number of times I have layed still until I know he is asleep to slip quietly out of bed. LOL:>)
I suppose long practise helps..Over fifty years of writing to order, for newspapers and magazines means that now when I experience writers curse, it’s such a joy that I practically write the whole thing in my head, and wake up in the morning knowing exactly what I’m going to write – give or take a few facts to be checked!
WOW! Are you blessed to write in your head and remember the essence of the writing!
OMG, this is exactly what happens to me. The first paragraph is exactly how I feel in the morning, as soon as I wake up. I also jot down notes on Evernote, an app on my phone. However, I always thought that writing is a gift and it will be so.
Thank you for visiting, Aditya:>) I just heard about Evernote. Have you been introduced to the Smart Pen?
Nope, Is it available on android? I’ll check it out now.
I never see writing as a curse. I love it. If an idea springs to mind and I can’t stop writing, I am happy, even if it is late at night, that is when I write best anyway. Writing is a gift and a blessing and I am so grateful for it. I will never take writing for granted.
That was quick! Isn’t this virtual world of ours amazing? I just let you a message on fb. Thank you for the visit and especially for leaving comments. I, too, see writing as a gift but sometimes I think all of the different social media might be the curse!
I have to admit, I am up late replying to my fans and followers on social media, that is a full-time writing job in itself!
This happens to me all the time. I’ve often jumped out of bed in the middle of the night, or stopped eating, because a new thought for one of my stories enters my mind. It’s not frustrating; just invigorating.
Hi, Chief! Glad you stopped by for some catnip:>) Invigorating! Love it!
[…] Have you ever experienced sleepness nights where you are caught between dreams and reality? Your mind is spinning as thoughts weave in and out filling the crevices of your mind. Have you ever thoug… […]
It is now 8 months after I wrote ‘The writers curse.” that I came across this page I am commenting on. It is nice to know that words I wrote can bring about so many thoughts.
You have all honored me. Thanks.