Tips
for staying up late!
I’ve
been blamed for a lot of late nights and lack of sleep. They’re not all related
to people staying up past bedtime reading my books either. Oh, years ago
best-selling NA author Brenna Aubrey mentioned how I had her up reading one of
my Vampire, Witch & Werewolf
books, but for the most part, I’m talking about getting stuff done.
When
Sabrina Sol, a friend from college, asked if I had advice on writing with a
busy schedule of a family, working and volunteering, I offered one thing:
You’re going to get less sleep. Most of my work happens after the family goes
to bed.
Recently,
I got the funniest message from a friend who had to forgo sleep in order to
solve a technical problem:
“Late last night started
thinking, if Louisa can stay up this late, so can I.” – Linda Borders Killian.
(Used with permission)
5 Tips for Staying Up Late
1) Plan ahead. Yes, it may seem like cheating, but
seriously if you know you’re going to be burning the midnight oil sneak in a
catnap. It’s amazing what a solid 20 minutes can do for you. Saranna DeWylde
and Dorothy F. Shaw swear by them. Real adults are not afraid to admit they
nap!
2) What are your goals? I find it’s easier to do with lack of
sleep for short bursts of time, like if I’m on deadline. OCC/RWA President
Nikki Prince balances an amazing amount of obligations, including a master’s
degree program. You know what, though? It’s not forever. And that’s what I tell
myself. Once I finish this book … well, another deadline will soon follow, but
sometimes *shhh* I also lie to myself.
3) Don’t stay stationary. If I’m doing late-night writing, I need
to get up and move around every half hour to forty minutes. Once the sleepies
kick in, if I wash my face and take out my contacts, I’ll get refreshed for one
more sprint.
4) Get a support group. If you know others are foregoing rest to
get ’er done at the same time, it builds incentive to stay up late. For those
who write at night, we’ve got Night Writers.
(Watch out for the likes of Sascha Illyvich who has a big – supportive – bark,
and Sidda Lee Rain, who’ll outpace you.) Then there are those other people in
the world like Laura Drake, who get up SUPER early to do the work.
5) Caffeine. Did you think I was going to forget the
magical elixir? (For some, ahem Christine Ashworth, it may be a glass of wine).
Those days I run out of Red Bull, oh my. It’s beddy-by-time early.
There are plenty
of other tricks not listed, like good music and a low-calorie snack – I go for
pumpkin seeds, jelly beans, cereal. Something I can eat with one hand and keep
typing with!
Tell me: Any advice you
might offer?
Until next time,
Louisa Bacio
<< -- Staying up way late to write this blog post.
