Brain freeze

[telford]

Hello Chrons,

So, I'm sitting in front of my PC.
I have spent some time writing and rewriting a piece and it's not bad. But it lacks something, needs something and it's just out of reach. Okay, move on and come back tomorrow with fresh eyes; right?

Some time later that night I have turned the pc off and had a couple of beers. Although I am trying to relax the story is still with me and then it comes to me. This also happens before I nod off to sleep.

The next day I sit down at my PC armed with notes written the night before. Yes, the facts are there, but the essence of the rewrite is gone. It was so easy, and the construction of the story flowed... and then I sit down to work and it's gone. Brain freeze.

So anyhoo, has anyone struck this problem? If yes, how did you get around it. And with respect, don't say that it all comes with time. I might write like an amateur but I've been doing for some years now.

Any ideas, thoughts, speculations would be appreciated.

Cheers.

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Happens to me all the time, often in the middle of working. It's frustrating, to say the least.

[chopper]

sometimes (no, a lot of the time [no, 99.9% of the time!]) it doesn't happen in the first draft. or the second. or the seventh rewrite. that's just how it is. might be an idea to leave that section of what you're writing for longer than just a night or two, and then come back to it much later on.

[The Judge]

Try drinking the couple of beers before you start writing...?

Seriously. For one thing, research has shown that we remember things better when we are in the same environment eg if we smell a particular scent while learning something, having that same scent playing around us will stimulate the memory some time later; the same with music. If you try to recreate the ambience of when the ideas came to you, they'll return, allowing you to get them down on the page.

Plus, during the day you're sitting in front of the screen getting all het up because the words aren't flowing right, and the more screwed up you get about it the less likely you are to write anything which you like. The beers are relaxing you just enough that you're not worrying, so the ideas are flowing freely.

Either that or you're getting so pie-eyed in the evening that you're writing absolute rot and it's no wonder that when sober you can't get the scribbled notes to make sense!!

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Originally Posted by The Judge

you're getting so pie-eyed in the evening that you're writing absolute rot

That describes me pretty well, except that it's not just limited to the evening with me.

I think one problem is that I take too much from within when I want to write and as such, I don't connect with any possible audience as well I should...

[Boneman]

I know exactly what you mean Tel. This does happen to me on occasion, usually when I'm tired, and I assume it's because the tiredness has switched off my logical brain, and allowed my creative brain to surface for a little while. So for you, a coupla beers has done the same thing. I do find I'm more inspirational at certain times of the day, and it's between 11am and about 3pm, and then 7pm until bedtime. If you know you 'flow' better at certain times, then I advise you to look at the notes then, and not before.

The thing that really helps me, is to look at the notes and let the ideas kick around in my head a lot more, before writing. (Okay, some times I take it to extremes, and don't execute the idea for months...) This allows me to flesh out the creativity, expand on it, chew on it, and come at it from all angles, but I try not to analyse it, just see where the idea goes. Naturally if you're trying to get a rewrite finished, this could be frustrating, but in the long run, could be a lot more satisfying.

Good luck with it!

[Ursa major]

You could try recording your thoughts by speaking them into a recorder. Perhaps this would allow you to capture that essence you're losing.

(Continue to write up what you can, though.)

[telford]

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I'm leaning toward the Judge's idea, but will hold off for now. Once more unto the breach. Cheers.