Writing at 2am is sometimes an interesting adventure when I go back to edit the next day. Everything at the time seems to make perfect sense. Like this scene, which I wrote with my eyes closed and half way to dreaming.
Let me set up the scene so you can understand why it is really confusing to me, or anyone who might have been reading the novel. Jamal, is a detective who is investigating a case that involves a rich man abusing his step-daughter. For some reason, that was not explained to him, the case was ripped away from him, and as he’s leaving the station very frustrated, he finds two men waiting for him by his car. They look like FBI (black suits and serious), but he gets a funny feeling in his gut that they aren’t what they appear to be. They are trying to get a name from him as to who has pulled him off the case, claiming that person is corrupt. Without creating any more spoilers, this is how the scene ended. Keep in mind, Jamal is not drunk, nor is he a week man. And there are no mountains involved with any of these characters in any scene in this book.
Jamal thinks about it for a moment and then he decides to give them one more try, “What Agency did you say you worked for?”
Larimore smiles and places both guns into the holsters hidden in his jacket and says, “We didn’t, but if you must know, we are tied to the NSA and CIA.”
Scott stares at Jamal as he empties his stomach suddenly and then wiping his mouth he says, “Come inside, I’ll see what I can find about the origination of the mountain.”
WTH? I remember my eyes closing after I typed Jamal’s question. The next sentence makes sense because Larimore did have his guns out at this point, but his response was way off what I had planned and the last sentence just makes no sense at all. I don’t even know if Scott or Jamal is puking!
I always double check my writing the next day to make sure my half asleep ideas still fit. I’ve done this a dozen times writing this novel, another time I write about a fight in a prison, and by the end of the fight, the two men were walking down a beach hunting for bodies that might have washed up.
It’s the weirdest thing. Like my mind goes on autopilot and then starts writing a whole different story. I never really know what I’m going to find. One of these days, I’m going to just start a blank page and just start writing and let the dreams take over. Would be interesting to see what kind of craziness my autopilot typing comes up with.
Has anyone ever tried writing asleep? IF you have, I’m interested in how it turned out?
Too funny! I've never had this happen, but sometimes when I'm half-drunk, I'll write and tell myself it'll be total crap later, but it's actually kinda good (once I get past all the typos and figure out exactly what I was trying to say, hahahaha!).
ReplyDeleteYou should start a brand new manuscript that you're only allowed to work on when you're super tired and just let it flow. That would be awesome!
Hahahaha! I haven't written while I was asleep, but often when I go back and read something I wrote the night before, I have the same WTH moment that you had. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about creating a special MS for my sleepwriting as I was setting up this post. Could be great for using as blog material later. Like a Sleepy Sunday type thing.
ReplyDeleteWriting (cut: at 2am) (add: after drinking) is sometimes an interesting adventure when I go back to edit the next day.
ReplyDeleteWith my small revision, I totally hear ya. ;) I am not much of a drinker, so it doesn't take much for me to get a buzz, and I've written some creative scenes under the influence of port or margaritas.
Perhaps I should not admit this in public?
I'm no good at writing when I'm drunk. For some reason, I just don't write. The more I drink the less I want to write. It's weird. Good thing for me that I don't drink much anymore. I've been told many a writer does some of their best stuff when they are writing, so admitting it in public should be ok. ;)
ReplyDelete