How Being Tired Can Make You a Better Writer



Fully awake or tired does not make a difference. I don’t know if I am either. I have to be inspired to begin with and like my English Composition teacher in Junior College said, “Just let the thoughts flow without understanding them or trying to use proper grammar and spelling.” I earned an “A” in that class and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. He actually read my papers. In high school I did not do well in English classes.

 

Now, after I write I have to take several naps, and get back to it some time later. Like this comment, I had to rely on what I knew, go back in time to the 80’s, and that is mentally exhausting.

 

I had to use my conscious mind to program my subconscious mind to write computer programs, trouble shoot hardware and software problems, and do Research & Development. I was good at this. It was amazing. All I had to do is gather all the facts or thoughts. Then I would sleep on it. The answer would pop into my conscious mind. The only problem is when I turned to writing what I did could not translate into a novel, but thoughts. I was part of a Think Tank. All I did was complete a thought that would work. When I consulted all my company needed was the missing pieces.

 

I have written thousands of pages that are just thoughts pretty much like replying to leaving a comment. Before I started writing a woman on the job said to call them SHORTS. It is a work of art to me and requires programming my self consciousness mind.

 

When I write I use my conscious mind to gather facts and pass them on to my subconscious mind. This is a practice I have done for years. Then all of a sudden my subconscious mind has a break through with something to say. Maybe keyed off a topic or a phrase. All the related bits of information come to the surface of my consciences mind where it is assemble as a single or many thoughts.

 

Some people have a problem understanding my thought process because it is not necessarily linear. I don’t mind. You have to follow my train of thought. I had that problem on the job also. My Lead had me do a presentation on a project I was working on to the others she led. I used colored erasable markers on the white board. I was so motivated by their interest and happy to explain it to understanding ears. She told me afterwards they had no idea what I was talking about. I welcome questions as this makes for a more cohesive thought. Mostly I have to do this myself.

 

I will never be able to write a novel. Nothing personal but I can’t handle writing all that superfluous information (being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.). I have to try to scale back already. Sergeant Friday used to say on the TV Police show, “Just give me the facts.” We both have an investigative personality.