It’s 3AM. This is not unusual for me…I’m a natural nightowl. Actually, I’m a second-shifter. Wake up around noon, get stuff done and be active in the afternoon and evening, then have time to myself when I can concentrate uninterrupted late at night.
WordPress just wished me a happy anniversary. I didn’t realize it was that time already…
I’ll have to write a blogaversary post later. For now, my ROW80 update:
The ROW80 Goals this week:
- Do something writing-related every day: Nope. Definitely failed this one. I was sick, then getting caught up on non-writing commitments (like teaching, doctor appointments, etc.) didn’t leave much time. That, and my brain is freshly fried from being sick.
- Do some actual writing every week: Hardly any. The deadline for an anthology I want to be part of is coming up, and I need to finish that story.
- Engage with other writers every week: When I was sick, I hardly posted on social media at all. I did my SciFi Questions of the Day most days, because that takes very little effort and the questions are the main source of my following. I’m even 6 days behind on my turns in “Words With Friends” and I usually play that twice a day. I’m editing for another friend, but again, the brain-fry isn’t good for that.
- Stay away from the NaNo story for at least a month: This goal has transitioned to…
- Now that it’s been six weeks, return to the NaNo story for edits: Yes, I dove into edits, but then brain-fry and other commitments got in the way. But it feels good to be back at this stage.
- Get sleep: A huge challenge. Fortunately, I have a hubby who understands me and helps me sleep when I need to, even if that’s a weird time. Unfortunately, the rest of the world isn’t so agreeable. I hate explaining myself, and I hate making excuses. If I had a day-job…er…night-job…where I worked the graveyard shift (I used to, and liked it. I prefer swing, though, like 3-11PM) it would be easier to tell people “Oh, I can’t ____ then. I’m working.” Or… “I have to sleep during the day. I work nights.”
How do you tell people “I can’t ____. That is during my writing time.” ?
Or do you have as much trouble saying “no” as I do?
AmyBeth Inverness 
Hadn’t heard of ROW80 before. I may have to take on the next challenge!
It’s great because writers set their own goals and encourage each other.
And if you don’t make your own goals, instead of feeling like you’ve permanently fallen, you can easily reboot for the next round.
I just jumped in to whatever’s left of this round. I have a bit more time this week (spring break) but then have to be back at work after this. We’ll see how that goes!
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Howdy to a fellow second shifter/late nighter! Your first paragraph pretty much describes most of my days.
My son worked afternoons/midnights for seven years. He didn’t mind it except when he had time off. When he slept, family and friends were awake and vice versa.
My daughter functions best if she sleeps until 10:00. I don’t mind as long as she gets her required number of freelance hours in each week . . . and walks the dog before she goes to bed so he doesn’t get me up super early.
All the best as you get back into the swing of things.
See you in Round 2?
I definitely be here for Round 2! ROW80 works for me, and I’m sticking with it.
Good for you. See you there. 🙂
AmyBeth,
I married a chef! He goes to bed before me, and gets up earlier. The kids vary, cycling through all the hours, and sometimes it’s three straight days of someone always being up. The house gets scary, then, but there are other times when things all seem to come together and we get our tidy on…so I try to surf the waves.
I have a built in excuse. We homeschool. Like you, I do my most intensive and focused writing most often in the way late and way wee hours, because, even if the kids are up, they tend to be quieter and I have more minutes to rub together than during other people’s active learning hours…
I’ve also cultivated relationships mostly with people who “get” that I keep what manywould consider strange hours…I actually have worked overnight jobs, and loved them!
I have several very chaotic pantsed drafts in my queue ahead of this year’s plotted NaNo. It’s so much tighter than the pantsed ones, it’s providing great incentive to move through those…
May your editing be merry and bright!