Sleep Writing

The other day, I was having a bit of a laugh with someone about sleepwriting and how funny some of the output is when reading it the next morning.  Naturally, I got to thinking about whether writing anything while too tired to form coherent sentences is a waste of time.


My unscientific conclusion is: no writing is ever a waste of time.


I can think of plenty I would consider a waste of time.  Putting down a fresh layer of mulch a week before the windy season - waste of time (and money, but I've already kicked myself and learned from that mishap).  Steam cleaning the carpet with three kids and a dog (needs to be done anyway).  Going to the mailbox (has the level of junk mail tripled in the last year or so?).


No matter what gibberish lays on the screen in the morning after two cups or so of coffee, I find I can always salvage something.  A thought, a phrase, an emotion needing to be expanded on.  After I finish erasing the embarrassing prose I wouldn't even let my husband read (and he likes most of my stuff), I look at the potentials left and get back to work.


I find, however, all of the above does not apply when writing intoxicated.  I bow to the myriad authors out there who are/were slaves to the drink and produce masterpieces.  I'm not even sure I can get a noun/verb thing going together.


Things that distracted me on the internet:
~  Wealth, and I mean potential to be distracted for days wealth, of information to read on agents, the publishing industry, and more with tons of links thanks to Teresa Nielsen Hayden, courtesy of Neil Gaiman.  I'm in research obsessed heaven right now.  Here's the linky.  It's from 2005 but hey, it's new to me :)  It might be new to you.
~  Revising my novel means putting my characters in something other than white space.  While I can visualize a house layout, sometimes it's nice to look at a picture of something while I write.  Home plans on the internet rock.  Home plans (in microscopic print) for 10k + sq ft homes are drool worthy.


Non-internet distractions:
~  Two of my three kidlets are back in school after a mid-winter break.  'Cause two weeks off around the Christmas holiday and a week in April isn't enough.  I believe this may qualify for accomplishment rather than distraction.


Accomplishments:
~  Three days this week/end of 3k plus words written.  A two scene chapter has morphed into four when realization struck me that I was leaving a lot of stuff out.  All good things have gone in.  Very pleased.