A big problem for me as a writer is that some of my greatest inspirations come right as I’m about to lay down for the night. Or the moment my head hits the pillow. If I heed the call to write at that moment, then what could have been a reasonable bedtime around 10:30 can turn into an all-out blitzkrieg of production until I crash and burn around 2 in the morning. This is okay every once in a while, but it’s not sustainable. Even if writing was the only thing I had to do on this planet, this kind of schedule wouldn’t be good for my health.
So, what’s a writer to do?
What I Try to Do Instead
The best thing I’ve found so far is to jot down some notes about whatever it is that’s keeping me awake and then let it lie until the next morning. Doing this allows me to have the thoughts still fresh in my head when I wake up the next day and also gives them a chance to percolate a bit before I throw them all down on paper. Sometimes after a crazy late-night writing session, I’ll go back the next day and look at what I thought was some brilliant output and find it could have seriously benefited from a less-tired brain. But dropping some quick notes before bed and getting a good night’s sleep before writing usually allows me to think more clearly for my first pass at some text. More importantly, a good night’s rest helps me remain more productive during all hours of the day, every day.
The breakdown of events usually goes something like this: I’m brushing my teeth, or just walking through the house, when I get a great idea for a chapter in my book (or a poem, or a new book idea, or anything at all). Rather than write the whole thing out, I write down in large arcs what will happen. This character will go here, discover this person or thing, take this action, etc. The most important part of this, though, is making sure to write down some quote or line that serves as the inspiration for the story—the part that brings it emotional depth. A sentiment that holds the action together. This piece is crucial because it’s the trigger that helps me remember everything else I want to write about the next day.
A Positive Practice
I’m not saying it always goes like this, but this is the rhythm that works best. It doesn’t have to apply to just the moments before bed either. A lot of my best ideas come when I’m driving, and I certainly can’t start writing then. But I can record audio notes and will ask my phone to take some as I’m motoring down the highway. That way when I get home, I can easily reference those thoughts and transfer them to Microsoft Word.
But at night, I don’t record audio notes because I don’t want my family to think I’m completely weird. I also don’t want to wake anybody up. So having a little journal by my bedside is usually my go-to method for releasing last-minute thoughts so I can get some rest. And not only does it help with the projects I’m working on, but it’s a positive meditative practice as well. If inspiration hasn’t struck, a bedside journal gives me a chance to express some gratitude for the day, and keeps my thinking open and developing. It’s a habit that helps me grow as a writer, and as a person.