So, someone on the blueboards posted this link to a speech by Elizabeth Gilbert:
I watched it last week, and really enjoyed it. Then, it happened to me!
Last night, I went to bed around midnight. I had to get up at 7am for the first day of school for everyone (me included - I teach 2 year olds). Suddenly, As I was trying to fall asleep, full portions of text and dialogue for my wip popped into my head. I'm not talking about a quick idea or something. I mean two full on word-by-word passages in the story.
Are you kidding me?!?
I seriously contemplated getting up to write, but then I wondered if I'd ever get back to bed. So, I tried what Elizabeth had said in her talk. I actually addressed my muse/inspiration/whatever directly.
"Now is not the time. I appreciate the great ideas, but if you could hold that thought and come back tomorrow afternoon, that'd be fantastic."
I'm about to hit my wip now, so here's hoping it listened! LOL
What do you do when the muse/inspiration appears at an inconvenient time? Do you give in and write? Ask it to come back later? Ignore it and hope you remember the ideas later? Other?
I keep a notebook in my purse and one at my bedside, cuz I don't trust myself (or my muse) to remember stuff for later, lol. Just the other night, a chapter ending that has evaded me for AGES came to me at 2:30 in the morning. I scrawled some notes in the dark, then went back to sleep. Wrote the rest of the chapter the next afternoon. :)
ReplyDeleteI keep a notebook on my nightstand and purse also! I've scribbled in the dark and then laughed when I tried to read it in the morning. I'm always amazed at myself when those epiphanies happen.
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