When should I write?

When is the best time for you to write? Writing is not one size fits all. Find out when you are most productive and write then. If you have a regular job, you going to have to write early in the morning or in the evening or quit your job. If you’re the single parent for little kids, you’re going to have to write when you can. Toni Morrison used to write during their naps. I worked at home during my son’s nap when I was writing my dissertation. Back in those days I used a typewriter.

Now, and for many years, have I written in the early morning. I find that by noon I am usually “written out.” decisions no longer come easily. Inspiration is dicier. Whether I should I use this word or that phrase. Should I move this paragraph to later in the chapter, or should I strike it out altogether? It takes me longer to decide these things in the afternoon, but not always. I occasionally find myself eager to write later in the day. In that case I go ahead and do it. The only thing I don’t do when I feel like it, is get up before 4:00 a.m. Once in a while I wake up at 3:00 and think about getting up. I ignore it and go back to sleep.

Some people prefer to write late at night, from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. That’s not me. I try to be in bed by 8:15 PM, and up by between 4 and 5. Every day. The going to bed time I can control, just not stay up and see that one episode of some TV program. I wake up when I wake up. I haven’t used an alarm since I quite my last real job.