Why Don't I Sleep on It?



After waking earlier than usual yesterday morning, I decided to tackle all household duties first. That way I’d have a solid block of time left in the day for plotting and writing. Dust and dirty laundry were my enemies. Harsh realities determined to put a good deal of distance between my latest fiction project and me. But it takes more than them to daunt this woman and keep her from the pleasurable pursuit of writing. Once I took aim with my cleaner of choice, dust didn’t stand a chance. I wiped every visible speck from surfaces it dared cover. Buffed tabletops and whatnots as though they were my rough drafts. The vacuum whirred to life and I showed no mercy. I preened the carpet and pondered the black moment, as yet unwritten. But what was the matter? Usually my creativity flourished once I trotted out the cleaning routine. Not a single idea sprang to mind. Trips to the laundry room to load and unload the washer and dryer didn’t work. Neither did my spur of the moment cupboard cleaning. None of these activities brought the slightest scene details. Suffice it to say, I never got a chance to return to some extra hours at the keyboard and plotting board. Life interrupted in more ways, and I somehow found myself at the bedtime hour with nothing else accomplished on my manuscript. Putting off sleep until a later time wasn’t wise. After a short period of lights-out pondering, I drifted off thinking of the build-up to the story’s black moment and what my characters were doing. On waking to a sunshine-filled morning, I grabbed the tablet from the bedside table and jotted the details of my dream. Robins chirping beyond the bedroom window had nothing on my giggling as I inked the storyline details that had eluded me prior to Morpheus’ arrival. A good morning? Without a doubt? I got out of bed, toted the tablet to the kitchen, started the coffee and booted up the writing computer. Once again, my dreams had delivered me a solution to my plotting dilemma. Life was good, no matter how much dust had settled while I slept.

Have dreams ever delivered you answers to questions or solutions to problems?


Feel the heat in erotic fiction,

Shawna Moore
ROUGHRIDER – Ellora’s Cave
HELLE IN HEELS – Ellora’s Cave
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6 comments:

Vonda Sinclair said...

I'm not sure if they come from dreams, but I have sometimes come up with story ideas or scene ideas upon waking. I love it when that happens. I believe the subconscious does its best work while the rest of our mind/body sleeps.

Elen Grey said...

LOL - This is just so sad. You and I do not wake up the same way, Shawna. I just called morning the M-word over at CBAB.

Yes, I have had a revelation or two in the morning, but mostly I have them at night right before sleep, which means I'm actually getting up again!

Much cheer.

ShawnaMoore said...

Hi, Vonda!

I'm with you--the subconscious is a hardworking miracle when we're sleeping :) Here's to creativity and a good night's rest!

Happy week wishes,

Shawna

ShawnaMoore said...

Hi, Elen!

Here's to rising, shining and creativity :) May your sleep be restful and your dreams delightful :)

Happy week wishes,

Shawna

Carol Burnside aka Annie Rayburn said...

Vonda and I are in sync in this. I too wake up abruptly at times with a vivid scene running through my head. Not so much a dream, but it's like my brain came up with the perfect solution while I slept. I LOVE THAT!

ShawnaMoore said...

Hi, Carol!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic :) I agree, it's wonderful how the sleeping brain brings details so vividly. If only there were some way of storing those scenes and snippets permanently for future reference :)

Happy week wishes,

Shawna