Wednesday 20 July 2011

Midnight Writer

'Midnight' is the the GBE 2 topic for this week:


I’ve always been a night owl, never a morning person.  When I was a child, I used to read under the covers with a flashlight long after my parents thought I must be asleep.  Maybe not until midnight but certainly much later than my supposed ‘bed-time’.

As a teenager, I’d turn off my light, wait until my parents went to bed (probably about 10.30 or 11pm) then switch on my light again and either read or continue writing the next chapter of my current story, for my friends to read avidly the next day.  Okay, those early romances of mine were very corny but my friends enjoyed them!

For a lot of my adult life, I had to cease burning the midnight oil.  Baby era - 10pm feed, get some sleep before she wakes again;  25 year teaching era – gotta get up at 6.30am, need to get to bed early.    
Not all the time though.  When I worked backstage in amateur musical theatre, rehearsals were held at a local sports club which, being a private club, could stay open long after the statutory closing time for licensed premises. We stayed too, often until midnight, although that made it doubly hard to get up the next morning. 

Show week itself was even worse.  Adrenalin-fuelled, we needed time to unwind after the show, so it was often well after midnight before we left the theatre bar. 

I never had any problem staying up late, the problem came the next morning when I had to get up early to go to school.  To my credit, I have to say, I was never late for school, although not necessarily alert and raring to go!

My colleagues got wise to me.  It was summed up by one of them:  “Never ask Paula a question before 10.30am if you want a sensible answer from her.”

Then came retirement.  Oh wow, freedom.  To do what I want, when I want!  And that included staying up as late as I wanted, because I didn’t have to get up at (to me) some silly o’clock time in the morning.  I usually get up about 8am (which I claim is my 'natural waking-up time) but most of my friends still know not to call me until after 10am. 

I discovered long ago that I do my best writing at night.  I may have a whole day free (sometimes!) but day-time writing doesn’t work for me.  My mind works so much better from about 10pm onwards.  My muse is obviously a night-owl too.  

I’m full of admiration for people who can get up at 6am and start writing.  But me?  No way!  I’m a midnight writer. 

19 comments:

  1. Great post and I'm in awe of night owls! Actually, I'm neither a morning nor a night person; I think my best time is afternoon!

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  2. We are peas in a pod! This is my story and you told it! lol
    Going out to Amazon shortly and get your book for my Kindle. I am loving it, so far.
    I am so jealous of all of you who have been published, but I am also proud to know ya Missy.
    Great job on the post and the book!

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  3. I'm a night owl too. It doesn't work very well with getting up early to see my kids off to school, but my body won't be told :)

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  4. Jen, I'm still up here and it's 12.45am. Maybe I'll call it a day at about 1 or 1.30. Can't write in the afternoons, at least not the first draft, though sometimes I can do revisions or editing in the afternoon.

    Jo - after reading your blog, I KNOW we are peas in a pod! And thanks so much for wanting to read His Leading Lady, hope you enjoy it!

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  5. Sarah, know exactly what you mean! Can't tell you how many times I stayed up late and then regretted it the next morning when I had to get up early.

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  6. I am the same way paula and it made me laugh when you said what your co-workers said. I was the same way, my co-workers used to tell my clients I was not in until 10a because I was not ready to deal with anyone at 9a! I was born at night and I will always be a night owl! thanks for a great read!

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  7. This is a description of me as well! Even my kids knew not to talk to me in the morning until after I'd had my first cup of tea. :D

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  8. Great post Paula--I'm amazed at how many night owls we have in GBE2!! I love it ;)

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  9. It must be the quiet of the night and knowing the day stuff is done. It really is a great time to relax in the late p.m. This was a very nice blog!

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  10. I am so looking forward to retirement. I'll be right with you (going to sleep after midnight and getting up after 8).

    Joyce
    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  11. After I retired, I started sleeping till 9. I get to sleep about 1 a.m. Love it.

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  12. I am an anytime kind of person. It must be the borderline insomniac in me. I will either go to bed really late, or get up very early. Great post. =D

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  13. Wow, I didn't realise so many of us are night owls. It means I'm not the freak I thought I was (since many of my friends are early birds) and don't understand how I can stay up so late! I'm glad my post rang some bells for you all.

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  14. WOW how the gift of writing was embraced by you SO YOUNG! : ) bet your parents knew about your flashlight under the sheets..and would giggle about their precious girl. Ever ask them? GREAT memories..thanks for sharing!

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  15. Brenda, if my father had known about the flashlight, it would have been confiscated (he was very strict), so I guess they never knew!

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  16. Hi Paula

    I'm a nightowl too - I could quite happily write from midnight to 3 am or later. Unfortunately my hubby is a lark, so although we're both retired too, I have to compromise and it's 'lights off' by 1 am, which doesn't really suit my muse who igets sulky and easily distracted when she knows she's not allowed to stay up late!

    Looking forward to seeing you at the Author Roast tomorrow.

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  17. I'm definitely with you on this. Monday-Friday, my alarm goes off at 5:30. Five-freaking-thirty. I look forward to the day when I can toss that thing in the trash.

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  18. Hi Lyn - yes, I've sometimes carried on writing until VERY late, and as I live alone, I can do my own thing. It has its advantages at times!

    Hi, Word Nerd, 5.30??? Sheesh, does that time actually exist?? Oh yes, I forgot - when I was in Egypt, we had to get up at silly o'clock times like that to do the sightseeing tours before it got too hot. But that was only for one week!

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  19. I used to be a night owl but things have changed for me. I can't imagine being productive after around 8pm.

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