I am a creature of the night …

Feb 17th 2007
Karen RoseOn Writing!

29 Responses to “I am a creature of the night …”

1. Judy on 17 Feb 2007 at 5:46 am #

   Hello Goddess’, you guys are awesome (shameless bit of flattery, but it doesn’t hurt, right?)

   Anywho, I’m a night-owl, through and through, and it drives my family absolutely batty. I can’t help it, everything comes to me at night. And, frankly, I just work better at night. And I’ve also heard that maybe cutting down on caffeine might help reduce the night-owl syndrome (and since I’m a Coca Cola addict, I can’t help but wonder if this has some truth to it) but being the addict that I am, I absolutely refuse to cut down on my dosage. So I’m basically a walking zombie for the first half of the day and finally join the living around the afternoon, it may not be the best thing in the world but it’s working….

2. Karen Rose on 17 Feb 2007 at 1:20 pm #

   Hi Judy. Well, I’m one of little faith. I didn’t actually expect anyone to be awake during the night and reading my blog!

   Hey, we’ll take your flattery any way we can get it! We goddesses thank you!

   I remember when I was writing at night and teaching high school during the day. One morning I was in that zombie-like state you describe, but unfortunately had to teach PHYSICS first period. Evil genie of a course scheduler always gave me physics to teach first period. Anyway, I zombie-shuffled to the front of the class, stared at my carefully prepared notes, which looked like ancient Greek and said “There was this guy named Isaac Newton and he was really important. Give me a minute to remember why and I’ll tell you.”

   But most of the time a good cup (or four) of strong coffee and a couple of cans of Tab got me through the day with remarkable coherency. Where would we night-owls be without caffeine? I shudder to contemplate it.

3. Erica Ridley on 17 Feb 2007 at 1:36 pm #

   Hi Karen! Aren’t you a hottie with your teeny bikini and marble skin! =) Love the blog. You crack me up. Will respond to random phrases below:

   I’m not even one of those weird ballerina dudes from that Laura Branigan video back in the 80’s.

   This KILLED me. I loved Laura Branigan in the 80s. I even have a few guilty mp3s now, two of which I was singing along to yesterday afternoon. But maybe I should’ve kept that part to myself.

   Keeping on task is, at times, like herding cats.

   I love this. I am SO going to use this when explaining why I get new pages written and no dishes washed.

   Get a comfier bed so I can sleep in the night.

   I vote yes with this. For Christmas, I treated myself (well, OK, my mom flew down to see the new house and helped me treat myself) to a memoryfoam mattress. Then a friend of mine (who does the medical supplies thing) hooked me up with some good memory foam pillows. I am loving life now. Or, at least, sleeping. I’m getting good sleep (instead of the usual wake-up-thirty-times and synopses-firing-too-fast-to-sleep issues) and not waking up all achy, like I used to do. Not saying memoryfoam is right for everyone, just saying comfy bed is an absolute must.

   If you can’t sleep because you’re worrying, setting an earlier time to worry (during the core hours of 8 – 4) just gives you bonus worry time.

   LOL, and I agree. Ish. I’m not sure I can worry on cue. It’s one of those things that sneaks up on me when I should be doing something else. If I set extra special worry time, probably I’d sit around dreaming up stuff that wouldn’t even have occurred to me if I dealt with that crap as it came.

   Any suggestions for other ways to combat creature-of-the-night syndrome? Or at least any boring videos?

   Well, I used to be a creature of the night. Then I put myself on a rigid, rigid bed-by-midnight, up-at-7:30 routine, from which I didn’t allow myself to deviate even for weekends, holidays, etc. (You have kids, so this may not work for you.) It took several months, but now my internal clock has realigned and I wake up at 7:30 on my own, even if I was up past midnight squirreling around with my story (or, more probably, reading blogs and email, like last night g*)

   Failing that, boring videos. Just don’t watch ‘em in bed, ’cause psychologists say then you’ll teach your brain that the bed and bedroom are for wakey time and not sleepy time. (In the new house, there’s no TV in the bedroom anymore. It’s in the guest room, so if I must lay down to watch, at least it’s not in MY bed. I have no idea whether that counts as following psychologist recommendations, but hey.)

   Here’s another thought: Sleep second shift. I used to work thirds, and everybody said, just sleep from 8-4, which didn’t work for me for all the reasons you outlined, such as sunshine and the bank/post office/doctor/etc not being open. So I slept from 3-11pm, which let me work midnight-8am and have the rest of the “real” day for getting crap done. (Again, you have kids and a husband that expect to see you for special family functions like ‘eating dinner’, so this may not work for you.)

   Last thought before I sign off… (cripes this is getting long. It’s going to look like a freaking blog post!)

   Blog made me register before I could comment. Don’t know if you’re not allowing non-registered comments for a reason (in which case, ignore this comment) but just in case it was an oversight, thought I’d mention.

   Have fun tonight!!!! =) k, peace out

4. Karen Rose on 17 Feb 2007 at 1:53 pm #

   Hey Erica! You crack me up. “Just don’t watch ‘em in bed, ’cause psychologists say then you’ll teach your brain that the bed and bedroom are for wakey time and not sleepy time.” Husbands all over the country will want to run you outa town on a rail. The conversation will go something like this.

   “Honey, it’s Tuesday.” Brows waggle seductively. “Let’s make nookie.”
   Wife shakes her head sadly. “Don’t I wish I could? But I’m sorry, dear, beds are not for wakey time, just sleepy time. Erica said so on the Goddess Blog, which has replaced The View for me.”
   Husband growls ominously. “I’ll get that Erica, and her little dog too.”

   I don’t know if you have a dog, but I’d be careful if I were you. Did you notice that little goddess plug? Sorry View Ladies, the goddesses have arrived.

   Now I must go get some coffee and fix my hair. The sun is now up and the rest of the house will soon be waking …

   Oh, and on the registration - we’re fixing that. Soon we won’t require registration but we’re still working the kinks out of Mount Olympus.

5. Erica Ridley on 17 Feb 2007 at 2:09 pm #

   Rather than re-word my original wakey/sleepy comment, let me suggest this: As the husband of a romance writer, prompt him to think outside the bed. =) (Erica’s brows wiggling even *more* suggestively)

6. Karen Rose on 17 Feb 2007 at 2:20 pm #

   Okay, I should stipulate, that is NOT my husband. It is a representative husband somewhere out in America. Or maybe Canada. My husband would have replied, “So what’s wrong with the kitchen?”

7. krissyinva on 17 Feb 2007 at 2:31 pm #

   I wouldn’t really say I’m a creature of the night. I usually stay up to about 12:30 or 1 am and after that I’m useless for anything, but I also get up at 6:30 and pretty much drag all morning long. I have 4 kids ages 5-12 and after their bedtime it is so quiet, hubby will usually go to bed around 11pm. So from about 11:10 to 12:30 or 1 am that is MY time. I can read uninterrupted. When I was working at the hospital year ago I found the best hours for me were 3pm to 11pm, which had me leaving the hospital near midnight. When I did work from 7pm to 7 am I couldn’t stay awake, I was like the walking dead. I would like to wake up at about 9am everday and go to sleep about 1 am those seem like the perfect hours for me!!

8. Julia London on 17 Feb 2007 at 2:55 pm #

   I think the first thing you need to do is correct your assumption that core hours are 8-4. I have the official memo that says they are really 10-ish to about 2-ish, give or take an hour on each side. Does that help any?

   TAB cracks me up. It brings back memories of my parents bridge parties–crystal bowls full of nuts and those confectiony, pastel colored mints, and then empty cans of TAB discarded around a giant and empty bottle of bourbon. That was the drink of the day–TAB and bourbon. Hahahahaaa….(hmmm….TAB and bourbon…..might have possibilities).

9. Claudia Dain on 17 Feb 2007 at 3:06 pm #

   I’m neither a night person nor a morning person. I’m one of those never referred to Afternoon People. Although I could live with being referred to as a Core. The problem with being a Core is that, while I’m at my peak efficiency and creativity, the world also expects me to be engaged in world stuff. Like answering the phone. Like doctor’s appointments. Like facials—okay, I don’t mind the facials.

   But I never could develop a taste for Tab.

10. Sabrina Jeffries on 17 Feb 2007 at 3:49 pm #

    krissyinva, I think that’s exactly my reason for staying up till 1 or 2. It’s the time when my husband (Mr. Early Bird, who goes to bed at 9 pm, if not earlier) and my son (who goes to sleep about 10 pm) are not around, I’m not at the coffeehouse writing, and I can just do as I please. My time.

    But I AM a night person, mostly. Just an early night person (1 a.m. is my optimimum bedtime). I start answering e-mail when everyone else is in bed. Unfortunately, my husband is even more a creature of habit than I am and he comes in to get ready for work at 8:30, rain or shine, even though he doesn’t have to be there until 10:30 (at least he doesn’t start getting ready at 5:30, when he generally gets up–he is SUCH a morning person). So I can’t really stay up much later than 1 without losing crucial sleep.

11. Vicki Lane on 17 Feb 2007 at 3:53 pm #

    Karen, I love the site. I’ve added it to my fav’s You look great in your bikini. I wish I was that brave…nope never will happen, for me that was the 70’s and 80’s.

    I used to be a night person all the way but this past year something has changed. I’m wanting to hit the bed by 10:00 pm. Which has made me a morning person up between 4:30 and 5:00 am. Now one would think this is great for an unpublished writer who also works a full time job. I should be able to get that cup of coffee and sit down and write, right? Not so much. I keep trying because Kelly Remick inspires me as she is so good at doing her morning time (she finished her book:).

    I agree with Erica, get a more comfy bed. Not to say that you will get lots more night sleep but some anyway. I’m sure you’ve had that talk with your muse. Telling him/her that real everyday life you need to have some nighttime sleep. Okay, so that was probably a bit lame cause if yours is anything like mine he comes and goes as he pleases, I just try to catch up with him.

    The tab takes me back. One of cutest guys I knew drank that all the time. Trust me back then guys didn’t drink diet soda but this guy was so hot that we didn’t care what he drank, just wanted to watch him drink it.

    Anyway, I love the site. Have a great day and try to stay warm. It’s cold for Florida weather.

12. Karen Rose on 17 Feb 2007 at 4:15 pm #

    I like Julia’s point. My new core hours are 10-2. Unless I win the lottery or my kid is sick. Vicki, my muse is as uncooperative and untrainable as my brain. They shack up together and conspire against me. I could try to talk to him, but without gifts of chocolate my muse says “talk to the hand.”

    I used to have a boss that hadn’t missed a day of work in 30 years and was in his office every morning at 6am. His email was done, his reports written before I ambled in at 8:00, still shell-shocked from dropping two kids off at day care. I always suspected he’d made a pact with Satan.

    My trouble is that my whole family are creatures of the night. During summer vacation (my hubby is a teacher so he’s home too) we all become nocturnal.

    Claudia - I’m with you on the facials! I could rouse myself during the day for that. But with all my luck, I’d fall asleep during the facial and a) miss the pleasure and b) snore, embarrassing myself.

13. Rachel Gibson on 17 Feb 2007 at 4:23 pm #

    I do my best and most writing at night, too. I think it has something to do with writing habits. When I first started writing, I wrote after I put my children to bed at night. Also, I think there is less distraction at night. The telephone doesn’t ring and I can’t run to the Mall, vacuum or flip mattresses if I’m stuck and procrastinating.

    To cope with my erratic sleep habits, I never schedule anything before one in the afternoon, and on those nights when I can’t turn off my brain, I read something horridly dull. Hawthorne and Melville work wonders at inducing sleep. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tried to get all the way through The Scarlet Letter and Moby Dick.

14. elsiehogarth on 17 Feb 2007 at 4:24 pm #

    Well, I have to say that I am one of “the children of the night”. Must be something from my Goth Chic/Club Kid era. Don’t you just love the 80’s. Sorry Karen, I can’t say that I have Laura Branigan, in my brain, but most definitely Billy Idol, Metallica or U2.

    How I function with the “day people” is that I actually don’t require too much sleep. I’m good with 5 hours a night of uninterrupted sleep. I notice that I am more creative, at night, for my ideas about crafting, beading, painting, cross stitching etc. plus sometimes I wake up because I’ve had a thought about something and start the project right then and there.

15. Ladytink_534 on 17 Feb 2007 at 5:36 pm #

    I’ve been a creature of the night a lot too but mine is because once I start a book I HAVE to finish it. This often leads to me staying up till 4 in the morning. Thankfully for the past two weeks I’ve been on a “normal” sleep schedule. As long as I was in bed at about 6-7am, then I would wake up at 12 or 1pm and be ok and functioning for the rest of the day. I’m a caffeine addict too (my poison is Mt. Dew though) and I know that it is one of the reasons I could stay up so late all the time. I’d finally go to sleep thanks to a hot shower or thanks to my soft CD mix (sometimes instrumental) that I would listen to, or sheer exhaustion. If you can’t figure out a way to get on a normal sleeping schedule (staying up a full 24 hours works for me, but you will probably get a headache) then go get some thick, dark curtains and make yourself a nice comfortable cave. Those sleeping masks are VERY uncomfortable.

16. Nicole Jordan on 17 Feb 2007 at 7:37 pm #

    Well, I used to be a COTN. My fave pastime would be staying up till 4 a.m. reading. But when I started writing, I realized I couldn’t stay up late working anymore cause my brain was in such overdrive when I finally went to bed that I couldn’t sleep. Plus I learned, regrettably, that my most creative writing time is in the mornings….I can go about 3-4 hours intensely before my brain peters out and I have to break. So I now I zealously protect my morning work hours. But I sure miss those late-night reading binges!

17. Adrienne on 17 Feb 2007 at 8:01 pm #

    I wish I were a night person, but I do my best work early in the morning. The problem is I hate being up that early. I keep thinking of all the sleep I’m missing and how warm and snuggly my husband would be. I set the coffee maker the night before so that it’s already made by the time I stumble into the kitchen, but even with the promise of coffee it still takes a lot of willpower to get my butt out of bed and in front of the keyboard every morning.

18. Suzanne Enoch on 17 Feb 2007 at 8:20 pm #

    I’ve found that if I want to sleep semi-normally — 12ish to 7ish — I have to stop work by about 8 at night. Otherwise my brain’s still working, and I can’t go to sleep. Of course half the time my brain never works that well even when I AM working. Sigh.

    And I laughed about the TAB references. My grandmother always had Fresca in the fridge for us when we came to visit. That or Cactus Cooler. I always used to think that CC was made from actual cactus juice.

    SuzieE

19. Karen Hawkins on 18 Feb 2007 at 3:36 pm #

    Ohhh! What a fun post.

    Well, I’m a creature of the day but only because after I had children and was CRUELLY forced to rise with the dawn for nineteen years, I lost my creature-of-the-nightness.

    What’s sad is that my kids, one in high school and one in college, are both becoming creatures of the night now.

    What’s good is that now, in revenge, I get to wake them at six a.m. and say in an oh so cheery voice, “What? Aren’t you up YET?”

    And SuzieE, what the heck is a Cactus Cooler? Does it have rum in it? Cause if it does, I want one.

20. Sandy M on 19 Feb 2007 at 3:37 pm #

    Sorry, I’m one of those horrid “day people”, lol.

21. winddancer on 19 Feb 2007 at 7:10 pm #

    I am not a child of the night but I married one and genetically reproduced four. School mornings around my house was like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. I would shove back packs in their arms and the bus driver would hit a large pot hole just before they got off.

    None of them really came “alive” until about six thirty at night. they all managed to get A’s in class so there is something to this osmosis thing.

    my eldest daughter is now a mother. She gave birth to an early bird. Must have been a recessive gene. So she is forced to function in the day light.

    My husband now works 8-5 and again forced to function in the “real” world. He can move around with a large cup of coffee and several soda’s. He starts fucntioning around five in the after noon and hits all eight cylenders about ll pm.

    I have learned to take a nap in the evening to try to keep up with him.

    They do their shoping at night. Walmart is opened twenty four hours. Clean at night and go to school at night. One of these days they may actuall work. At night?

22. Anita M on 19 Feb 2007 at 8:05 pm #

    I am a night person my best reading time is from 9pm to about 1nish or 2ish and if the book is really good i might go a little longer , but my body will suffer the next day it does make it for a longggg day at work , thank God for coffee is all i have to say !! I am not a morning person at all ( like you couldn’t tell ) it takes about an hour and 2 cups of coffee before anyone can say “Good morning ” LOL

23. Shelly on 20 Feb 2007 at 12:51 pm #

    Hi Karen,

    I’m a creature of the night myself. Too bad all of us couldn’t just band together and create our own “normal” hours.

    However, since I too have to try and be wakeful in the hours the rest of the world insists on working with, I do have a suggestion. After working at night as I prefer for a long time, I’ve worked slowly and progressively towards almost being able to write in the AM hours (not often, but occasionally).

    What it meant was slowly trying to work somewhere between noon and six on my writing with a required word count that I had to reach. At first I had to “catch up” at night, but it really does get easier. Now, I can write as easily during the day as during the night … well, most of the time.

24. Judy F on 20 Feb 2007 at 9:28 pm #

    Hi Karen, just wanted to pop in and say hi… Loved your last book. I bookmarked your blog and will check back often…

25. dbrown3400 on 20 Feb 2007 at 11:22 pm #

    First of all you are working under at least two misconceptions. 8 AM has never been in any core hour of the daytime. It is still in the middle of the night. This was true even when I was being forced to go to first grade at that hour. The second is that you are dating yourself with Laura Branigan. I say this while humming Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) - 1972 and The Worst That Could Happen - Johnny Maestro and the Brookly Bridge from somewhere in the 60s. I myself use Mt. Dew. I read books that you ladies write until my eyes will no longer stay open rather than Ambien. On the flip side I did commute many years to Manhattan and learned to fall asleep on the Path train while standing up (at 8AM).

26. Susan K on 21 Feb 2007 at 5:03 pm #

    I’m not sure what I am. I am definitely NOT a morning person (just ask anyone who comes in contact with me before I’ve gotten some Pepsi in me). But I also can’t stay up all night. I’m usually in bed between 11 & 12. So maybe I’m an early evening person. (Is there such thing?)

27. Helen G on 21 Feb 2007 at 6:55 pm #

    Definitely not a morning person - at least not until I’ve had at least 3 cups of coffee when I at last become half human. Much prefer the night time hours, when I become more mellow and sociable - probably the coffee wearing off!

28. TheNightPoet on 22 Feb 2007 at 12:06 am #

    I am a night owl! I can stay up late and sleep in as well. I am not a morning person either. I’m a grouch when I have to get up early. Basically I do not talk to anyone until I am fully awake. One of my managers at work makes comments about it at our morning rallies and she always seems to get an attitude from me. (note: she’s been warned I don’t do mornings, but she still insists on talking to me in the morning.) lol Granite there are some mornings I wake up and I have gotten plenty of sleep and then I actually feel like socializing and I feel awake. That’s a rare occasion though. haha

    I think why I am a night owl is because the night is quiet and peaceful. I love those beautiful nights when the moon is full or shining enough to give off a glow. I can sit for hours just listening to the breeze (if it’s warm enough outside) or staring into space and daydreaming. Or should I say nightdreaming? lol I tend to read a lot at night too. Sometimes I can’t put the book down even thought it’s getting later and that means less hours of sleep for me.

    ~Andrea

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