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For the last couple of weeks, I've been waking several times during the night with new story ideas or the solutions to problems I've had with poems, stories, etc. from the past. One "short short" story had a few problems, and I woke with the correct language to give it a jazzy spin. Last week, I embarked on a new project. I have the first four chapters planned. The end can go anywhere. I will not divulge too much, but Reenee thought it sounded like an interesting idea. She has been such a good sounding board with many of my outlandish ideas. I think she will keep me reeled in close, should I start to drift away - which has happened before in my more obsessive writing phases.

An aggravating thing about my writing is that I often only write after I see my ideas in movie form in my head. I usually have to wait until I can actually cast my characters, which takes time. Also, if I am stressed, I am more apt to write fiction. Poetry doesn't do what it used to for me, so I've almost abandoned it entirely. And I keep writing stories and plays instead of studying for the GRE.

I need to read more. For some reason, when I read fiction (and sometimes non-fiction), the characters in my head start to bug me. They don't leave me alone until I write about them. Some still don't leave me alone. Does this happen to anyone else? It's not to the point of schizophrenia, but who knows where it will lead as I get older? I guess the really worrisome part of this is that I am not bothered with the idea of being schizophrenic.

Anyway...I am in need of a break here. I just need to focus on the GRE.