Last night was quite fierce in the weather department. It rained and it blew, and after I went to sleep, the power went out for a couple of hours.
I woke up knowing something was wrong. Then I realized I wasn't getting any air through my CPAP machine mask (I have sleep apnea), and it was pitch dark. I tried to get to sleep again, but tossed and turned and slept fitfully. Usually, I don't move around at all, but this morning I awoke with twisted bed covers, a testimony that I'd been quite restless during the night.
The lives of my characters can be compared to my unusual night. If I do my job right, they will be highly uncomfortable in the circumstances into which I throw them. They need conflict and troubles, maybe even some bouts with fitful sleep, or you won't continue to read about them.
Here's hoping I can remember my discomfort and transcribe it into the right words for my work in progress.
Great when the characters are uncomfortable with conflict- hate it when I am repeating a true story to find their conflict. I prefer all the conflict to be with the characters –me, I like to be relaxed, comfortable and rested. Our weather looks like a turn for the worst tonight—snow coming in, I would rather have rain. Hope I sleep like a baby.
ReplyDeleteIt's dreadful when you can't sleep, isn't it? My suggestion, I suppose, is to use the experience in your story. A character would benefit from your bad night! Something good might come out of it anyway!
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