Getting into the writing zone

Trouble is, if I manage to write something in the middle of the night and stagger out of bed or usually write it down after grabbing pen and paper off bedside table,,,it makes no sense what ever when I read it in the morning.

CS

Writing is something you can't force. The ideas come or they don't and when they do it's not always a convenient time. I've had that middle-of-the-night-revelation thing too, usually when I wake up at 4 in the morning and I'm trying to fall asleep again. Usually it's a bit of dialog that explains an essential plot point that I'm struggling with.

There's plenty of room here!

Didn't mean to be snippy or whine. But at least there's good company here in the corner!

A basic idea for a story may come to me at any time, influenced by something that I see, or some quirky thing that has happened that a flash through my mind will say THAT WILL MAKE A GOOD STORY !!!! Sometimes I have to think about it for weeks, running through the plot in my head all the time. I think especially well when I am driving, which I realize could be dangerous, but I can't always help myself.
I never take notes. I just sit down and start to write. I never work out dialog before starting to write, those are details that have to come as I go.
I think everyone goes about it in their own way, just like we all have differnt styles of writing, we have different ways of writing.

You're right! All the fun crowd hangs out here. You can even get a spanking if you want (and maybe if you don't)


That's how I work out the major details for my stories, as well - in my head before I start writing. Every once in a while the characters take over and something different happens. I need to know, though, where I THINK the plot is going before I start writing.

It sounds like 'somebody' jumped up to write something in the middle of the night and jumped up on the wrong side of the bed. ah hem!!!! ahhhh, gail!!!!

That is what is happening to me now. I think I'm going to have to write a part 2 to the story I'm working on just to get to the original plot and main character.

I find that there two very inventive times. First is that time between sleep and wakefulness, just on waking.
Unfortunately if I drift off into fictional spankoland, then my wife often gets annoyed.
The other time is walking the dog on my own in good weather and in pleasant rural surroundings.
My best work has come from this time. The problem is to find peace and quiet to write it down!

That has happened with my competition story.
Initially it was going to be a tongue in cheek shorty, but now it's going to gain a part two.
I shall only just have time to get it in!