Aunt Flo Writes
Boy, does she ever. Men, I’m not sure you’ll want to read this post. Don’t mind if you do, just sayin’: be forewarned.
The ease and speed with which Aunt Flo writes is an ever-increasing source of exasperation to me.
WHY CAN’T I REPRODUCE A TENTH OF THAT PRODUCTIVITY THE REST OF THE MONTH? MUST EVERY WORD BE WRITTEN ONE LETTER AT A TIME WHEN AUNT FLO IS NOT VISITING?
I’m just saying. (Or screaming in frustration, however you want to look at it.)
Another thing that annoys me (because, clearly, irritability is in full-force at the moment): If I wake up at 4am or 5am and write in between dozing and waking, I get a lot of good ideas and writing done. If I stay up late and write while falling asleep at my computer, I get tons done.
You know, the thing is, I’d really rather sleep well, get up and workout. THEN write. I’d really rather be done with writing at 5 or 6 and kick back the rest of the night.
But no. The universe has decided I must write late at night and early in the morning. (Don’t get me started on how that screws up my sleeping.)
Alright, look: I’ll make the universe a deal. I will write early in the morning and late at night, if it promises to keep my creative level up to Aunt Flo’s standards throughout the month.
That’s a fair deal, isn’t it?
Is your writing at the mercy of your cycles, sleeping or otherwise? How do you turn that situation upside down? I want an instant creative-flow pill.
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
I wish I could dictate when I’m in the writin’ mood. I gotta get up at 4:00 – 4:30 in order to ANYTHING done. Its the only time its quiet enough for me to concentrate. However, there are times when I’m at that half-dozing moment at night when ideas strike and I gotta get out the legal pad and scribble. I actually love those moments. They don’t happen often.
Liz, I swear, that’s a magical writing time for me, too! I’m the exact same way! I just… I hate getting up when I’m so sleepy!
It took me a minute to realize what you meant by Aunt Flo. I never called it that. I wonder if it’s regional term, because no one I knew called it that.
I used to be a morning person, but now I write off and on all day and into the evening. It would be nice if I wrote until I finish my goal pages, but I seem to need a break between my bouts of writing.
LOL, Edie. I’ve only known one person to call it that, and it totally cracked me up. I’ve used it ever since.
I might be the same way about writing. Spurts with daydreaming in between. Hmm…
I keep tinkering to find a way to get this creative thing to work at peak capacity. I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever figure it out!
That’s so funny! I couldn’t figure out what you meant at first! Maybe you could keep a tampon in every time you write, simulating a visit from Aunt Flo. Who knows? It could be a Pavlovian thing.
LOL, Robin! You know what’s funny? I had a GREAT writing day yesterday, and I was like… hmmm, I bet Aunt Flo’s gonna come tomorrow, LOL!
Aunt Flo retired a few years back. Now it’s just me, alone with no excuse for mood swings.
Awww, Kath! I sure wish my hormones weren’t so crazy!
I write best first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee by my side.
Never noticed if Aunt Flo had anything to do with it. Hmmmm, it’s almost too late to know now but I’m going to have to see…
When I get depressed poetry flows…unfortunately its usually kind of gloomy. When I’m happy I can’t do any poetry.
That’s interesting, Aimless! I’m never any good at poetry, although I wish I were. I’ve never tried, but I take one look and get extremely overwhelmed and think I could never be good enough, LOL.
And when menopause kicks in?
I know, Barrie! I’ve got to get this fixed before then!
LOL! I think that explains my production from a couple days ago.
Isn’t it weird, Janna! LOL!
I tend to write best later in the evening and this becomes a problem for me when I work because I need to go to bed right at the time my creative juices are starting to churn
Yes, me, too! Well, not because I have to work in the morning, but because my juices seem to churn at night, and in the morning before it gets light.
Geeze, maybe I prefer the darkness!
My problem is that my brain seems to need several hours of writing before it begins to produce any interesting ideas so I have a hard time putting in an hour now and then. I need to set aside chunks of time, which can be difficult when there’s other work to be done. Maybe it’s just my excuse