I’m not sure if I’m sold on this new writing schedule of mine. I’m doing some more tweaking and deleting on my novel right now, and I’m feeling sorta bleary-eyed. I’ve been trying to block out the hours of 9-11 p.m. for writing, but tonight trying to stay awake has been a challenge. I guess I need a bit more than 7 hours of sleep (our oldest Drew likes to wake up around 6 or 6:30, though we’re strongly encouraging him to sleep ’til at least 7 a.m.!).
I’ll figure something out. It is nice, writing later at night, when everyone’s asleep, though I’ve been writing on the laptop lately, at a tiny table up in our bedroom, and the ergonomics are killing me. The table is not a writing table, but more of a knick-knack table or something — it’s tall and narrow, just wide enough to fit the laptop on. What I need is a comfy chair where I can put my feet up and type away…
The other drawback to writing at night is that I really have to scrounge for reading time. I started reading K.J. Bishop’s Etched City, which has been great so far (I started reading it a few years back, but never finished it for some reason), plus I wanted to read a novel by some writer friends of mine. Finding the time to read is a challenge. I can usually get 4-5 pages in at 11 p.m. before I start to drift off…
Such are the challenges of a part-time fiction writer. I’m sure those full-time fiction writers have their own set of challenges, too. Right? Right???
Michael Jasper 
I hear ya, dude.
And then pre-school starts, and all the writin’/readin’ time disappears in a river of snot. (See, that metaphor is what happens when I have no outlet for creative urges.)
7 hours, though . . . . I’d been getting more like 5.5-6. No wonder I succumbed to the pre-k crud. I’m sleeping in until I’m better.
LikeLike
I can relate! Writing at night only works when you’re getting enough sleep. I’m getting about 4 hours every night, so I haven’t been very productive either. Fortunately, I have weekends! \O/
LikeLike
Lee — say it ain’t so! Actually, Drew is in preschool now, so we’ve got that hurdle of phlegm leaped already. He’s got some good immunities going now. We’ll see about Mr. Mitch in a year or so…
5.5 hours just ain’t enough, I agree — I think having kids forces you to be a streaky writer — a sprinter instead of steady, daily writing.
Joya — Weekends! I remember those! We usually spend ours catching up on chores and stuff ’round the house and chasing kids.
4 hours of sleep??? Whoa. And ouch.
LikeLike