Sunshine and Rainbows

In an effort to reset my sleep schedule I got up really early this morning, and now I am regretting that decision. I am TIRED. But I haven't been tired enough to fall asleep until 11 at night or later lately, despite work and other demands on my time, so hopefully tonight I will be able to go to bed at a decent hour.   

I am at that stage in my book where I am really excited about everything and thus, am hyper and bouncy. This is one of my favorite phases of writing, where I know enough about the plot to be uber-excited, but I haven't nailed everything down yet. The broad horizon of possibility stretches out before me.

I could add dragons! I could set it on the moon! That could make the book so much better!

This lunatic optimism never fades with each book. I have three completed and three half completed manuscripts, not to mention dozens of false starts, short stories, and ramblings under my belt, and this phase never diminishes despite how many times I start a book. 

I tell myself *this* time the book will be easier. It will flow out of my fingertips like water from a river, and it will be inspired and poetic, and perfect. Editing will then be a breeze, all my beta readers will weep with joy and sorrow at the appropriate parts when they read it, and I will know exactly the right final touches the book needs, and be ready for querying in record time.

Shiny rainbows!

 All of the agents I query will love it, and want to represent me. They will be kind and wonderful, ready to have a great working relationship with me, and I will start a friendship that will last me for years to come. My book will be a commercial and literary success, I will sign a multiple book contract with a wonderful publishing house with an editor who is also wonderful.

Riiiiiiiiiiiight.

It's like a defense mechanism. Sure, I remember the horror of editing my last book, not to mention the several dozen occasions that things went splat while writing said book. The same thing happened with the book prior to that one, and the one before that. 

But this time will be different! My lunatic optimism tells me. This time it's all sunshine and rainbows!

ALL SUNSHINE!

 

 

As a result, I lay awake at night, trying to fall asleep while my voice chatters to me about my book. Some of the stuff I think about is useful for the plot, but mostly I just lay there and quiver, like an over-excited Chihuahua on the night before Christmas.

Am I the only one who does this? Or are the rest of you just as crazy-optimistic for a period of time while writing, before reality crashes the party? 

*thanks to wikicommons, http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/, and http://www.dragonartz.net for the clip art and photo. You've made my blog more vast, sunny, and rainbowy-er.