This past week I've been sick with the flu. Right now, my body feels like it wants to hibernate. If I weren't a writer, I would let it. But my story won't leave me alone. So I sit at the computer pumped up with flu medicine, tissues to the left, water to the right, cold-air vaporizer in the corner. For the past week, I woke up early every. Single. Morning. To write. In my sweatpants and socks, tissues crammed into my nostrils. Instead of sleeping in, instead of taking an extra long steamy shower to break up the phlegm. Instead of eating a good breakfast. Is this insane?
So, my question is: What is the craziest thing you've done in order to write? Post anonymously if you have to. Just tell me I'm not insane.
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K, so I've been up for over 30 hours now because I realized some changes that needed to be made, oh, 50 pages ago. Naturally those changes affect the rest of the 50 pages...so my story won't let me alone until I at least start correcting my error.
ReplyDelete30 hours? That's pretty serious. So...does that mean I should hold off on the new ch. 19 too?
ReplyDeleteHi Anna! Ha! You remind me of myself. In fact, I've spent TWO stints in the hospital over the last two weeks (pregnancy complications) and both times, I brought my pj's, my People magazines and my laptop so I could write. The nurses kept telling me to rest, but I was so compelled. And to be honest, the time away to focus was kinda nice. Anyway, great meeting you!
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely not insane. I totally understand that burning urge that makes you forget almost everything else... I've been feeling it incessantly for the past two weeks straight.
ReplyDeleteI really hope you feel better soon!
Hey Erin! Guess you showed those nurses, huh? :)I mean, sick time equals free time right? And what ELSE would you be doing??? Congratulations again (on your book AND your pregnancy)!
ReplyDeleteWriting Nut-Yep, me too. And for about the same amount of time. So that makes me, you, Heather, and Erin who all mentioned that frenzied feeling to write. Is it that weather change or something???
I'm not sure how far is too far. I find that I dream about my stories when they reach critical mass. There I am at 2 am staring at the ceiling thinking about firing up my laptop. I've done it a few times, but I can't recommend it. Sleep is the ambrosia for the mother of a two year old.
ReplyDeleteIn truth though, my most extreme writing was when I was finishing my master's thesis. I locked myself in the closet to finish (no seriously). It was brutal, and nothing like the power that drives me to write fiction. But that was definitely the most extreme.
Okay latunda, locking yourself in the closet beats out my flu writing. Period. I've lost sleep thinking about my story and how stupid it is to be staring at popcorn ceiling when I could be documenting some great dialogue. But I've never, EVER locked myself in the closet. So far, you get the trophy!
ReplyDelete(But the real prize was finishing the thesis, right?)
Yes, finishing the thesis was definitely the prize. It was better than that feeling after you've just made a deadline, or finished a final exam that you know you aced.
ReplyDeleteI wrote 8 days straight for countless hours, and started and finished my debut novel. We had company over during that week who played Rock Band and watched movies while I sat in the corner typing away. At one point, my husband had to pry me away from the computer to go next door to socialize. I was twitching, and finally we all went back to our place where they resumed Rock Band while I went on typing like a maniac, ignoring them all. I was jobless at the time, but I still went to my meetings. I started typing the minute I could, barely eating, ignoring my husband and his hunger pangs, and late into the night when my eyes were hurting from the lack of good light. But it was worth it! =) And that's how I know that I'm a real writer, I'd much rather be in my world than this one! =P
ReplyDeleteAppreciiate you blogging this
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