Mind Mush

This post was supposed to be about characterization. I had it all planned out in my mind. I should’ve written it early, but I didn’t. Still, I started the post and got about two paragraphs into the post. And my mind was total mush. Of course, having a migraine at the time didn’t help. I can write with a bad cold or any minor illness, I can’t write (at least not well) with a migraine.

But the migraine didn’t cause the brain mush. It was a result of mind mush, stress, and really tired eyes. But the point of this blog post (am I making sense or is post-migraine fog interfering with my thought processes) is mind mush. Mind mush is that state of brain where you’ve been writing/editing/revising way too long and the words you’ve written look like Swahili. Normally, I’d take a break. Do something fun. Watch a movie. But this time I can’t. Gotta get this revision finished.

Oops, I forgot about the point. Here it is: How do you deal with Mind Mush? How do you sharpen your mind? Yesterday I tried the move-to-a-new-writing spot and read aloud. It worked until the end of the day, at which I was reading aloud and wasn’t even sure what I was reading. And I’m not asking only other writers, I’m sure students have suggestions. (Sadly when I was in college I was one of those students who kept regular hours and never pulled an all-nighter or even a past-midnighter so I have no experience to draw from.) Please do not recommend twenty cups of coffee—I do have to sleep afterwards.

I’m looking forward to your suggestions!