What's your best time of day?

MonkeyNuts

MonkeyNuts

Do you find you write better in the morning, during the afternoon or at night?

josiehenley

if I'm really in the zone I'll work like a steamroller from early in the AM. I've done this a few times, setting my alarm early and getting an hour in before having to get ready for work. It feels great to get 1000 words written before doing anything else in the day, helps keep the motivation going. If I'm not in the zone at all, I'll faff around all day and delay, delay, then finally get something written in the evening... like now!

M. Welshman

Early mornning for me. Pets in Prospect was written with a strict routine otherwise I'd never have got it completed. I started at the beginning of Dec 2005,getting up to begin writing by 6.00am and working for a minimum of two hours. I set myself a deadline of completing the novel by the end of Jan 2006, working on the premise of a total of c 85,000 words hoping to complete 3-4000 over a three day period = one chapter. I'd get a 'third day buzz' if I found I'd done more than the allocated amount. I wrote down the number of words written each day and did a running total. This reminded me of the good sessions when the writing wasn't going so smoothly or I had to take time off for some research ( in the penultimate chapter I had to phone a fire station manager to discuss how they would tackle a cow stuck in a gravel pit using up-to-date equipment. He was really intrigued by my story.  Couldn't stop him talking). Oh there was Christmas and New Year to contend with as well. I finished the novel with three days to spare and remember staggering into the kitchen at 8.30am for breakfast, a foolish grin on my face and saying to my wife 'Done it'.

Butterfly

I work partime and write before I go in to work, and again in the evening. At weekends I write only after the chores are done. I do them quickly and probably not as well as I should.

Carol

Weekday mornings at the computer until lunchtime, about one o'clock.
Sometimes I might look at work in the evening, but not often.
With the family all at home at the weekend, there's not enough quiet to work.

Jay Mandal

When I was writing ‘All About Sex’, I aimed for 100 words a day, written in the early morning. It doesn’t sound a lot, but it adds up to 36,000 words in a year – and the novel is 40,000 words. I wrote the scenes when they occurred to me. When I finished, I had nearly 70 scenes to put in the right order.
“I really enjoyed it” – another Talkback member.

Neph

I get the kids and hubby off to school and work and then do any little jobs that need to be done (or sneak off for a coffee with one of the other mums). Then about ten I settle down and either research, write or paint until at least lunch if there's nothing else I need to do (ironing, running errands and the such like). If I've not got anything else on I try and do more until I pick the kids up at half-three, even if its only reading.  The only thing that goes on is the radio or sometimes one of the music channels on the telly (although Im not in the same room).  Then of course once the kids come home its chaos until bed at nine-thirty (theirs not mine).  Which is when I catch up with anything good on the telly and chill with hubby.  So late morning, early afternoon is the best time for me.

Crazy Horse

When I was young I was a night person, often going to an all night cafe at three in the morning. During forty years of marrige I changed to early rising and winding down to bed at half ten. Since I lost my wife (2005) I am steadily reverting to being a night owl, strange or what

Alana

I have managed to write at any time of the day BUT do have a time that is best.
When I wind down for the day and my mind has become clear for some reason ideas just keep filling the empty space in the evening and I don't want to stop writing.  So it is always best from 6.30pm+.
Alana

M. Welshman

Maybe, Crazy Horse, your brain is telling you that with your wife no longer there to share your life and its many routines then there's no reason to stick to those behaviour patterns. So subconsciously there is a 'release' which is making you revert to being the owl of your youth. The power of the mind is such that if disciplined, it can establish a pattern of behaviour which you cannot do without or at least feel uneasy if you don't follow.  Everyone - esp as you get older - becomes set in routines as these make you feel more comfortable.  A routine for writing is essential to really get a sufficient body of work accomplished - I'm excluding 'dabblers' here. As the routine establishes itself, the brain locks into this. You feel comfortable; and the work acheived provides a sense of satisfaction which feeds the need to continue.

brownfox

I don't have a favourite time of day for writing, but I tend to run through ideas in my mind as I'm trying to get to sleep.  I've been advised against this.  'Doesn't it keep you awake?'  No, it doesn't seem to, quite the opposite in fact and the ideas are still there in the morning.  (Boring ideas, I can hear you all saying - you may be right!)  I do have a preference, or rather a need, to be alone in a room when I'm writing.  I don't like anyone else's presence, even someone who is concentrating on their own work and not bothering me.

Jan

Whenever opportunity allows, fitting in around work commitments and family needs (it's amazing how much time seems demanded by offspring once they have set up their own homes).

Ideas, events and scene constructions mentally composed during such idle moments as commuting; office, site, client meetings etc.

*SA*

i'm quite lucky really. my call centre job is easy peasy, and in between calls and on breaks we're allowed to email all day, play on the internet (i'm in work now as i'm writing this post!!) and do what we like on our computers. due to this amazing leniency, the last 7 short stories that i've written have been done in work. i can't think of a better way to pass the dull 9 to 5 than to let the creative juices flow.
i'm too lazy to get up before 6.30am, and my evenings and weekends are completely taken up by family and friends (and when i have a minute's peace, a bit of telly!) so i don't write as much as i'd like to when i'm at home.

starpanda

wow, that is lenient.  A friend of mine is a receptionist, she has the same policy at work, she gets tonnes written.  Me...I need coffee and the clock to strike noon before I get creative.  Most of my work is on-line and part of my job is to search around and see what is out on the ether for writers...I can chat to you and call it work...yay!...but my own stuff waits until I get home.

scribe

It depends on what I'm writing. I'm a lit student and I also review poetry. For this kind of writing, mornings are best for me because I haven't yet been distracted by the day.
For poetry or shorts, it has to be evening. It's as though I need the experience of the day to awaken that side of my very small brain :0)
It's an interesting thread - good to see how everyone differs.

MonkeyNuts

I have to confess I'm a night owl. Work takes up most of my day and I'm not in the right environment where I can write, not from the heart anyhow. The problem I have is that because I really am not 'in tune' with my job, it zaps my energy and by the time I get home, I physically and mentally cannot do a thing! I try really hard to make myself write but I often end up falling asleep, only to wake up hours later with a pen lodged in my back and a note book stuck to my face!

M. Welshman

Monkeynuts.  It sounds from what you say that you should re-evaluate your writing schedule and try a morning routine, getting up with the lark. It will really be hard to start with, esp this time of year.  But at least give it a go for a couple of weeks. If your brain does get into gear with the routine you will find yourself waking up ahead of any alarm clock. And there's great satisfaction in going through the day knowing you've already got some writing under your belt. I know it might not work for everyone but it's worth a try.

Crazy Horse

Thanks M.Welshman I think you have probably got my tming just right.. Now a widower and getting on a bit the fierce spirit of adventure still burns brightly. Despite having no ties or depndants and being fairly well off i still seem to be on the rails that I was on when my wife was with me. This was geat when we were together but not now. I know at my age although currently fit and active my departure date must be quite near.Despite being aware of this I still trundle on in the same old way. Yes I can go where ever I want, first class but it is as if my feet are glued to the ground and I feel y writing will never just flow until I can break the spell. Any ideas?

Island Girl

Sorry to interrupt, boys but CH have you tried just taking the bull by the horns and making yourself sit down to your writing and perhaps stay there until you've written for a designated amount of time? 10 mins, an hour or two? I know that sounds like I'm simplifying matters (because it's easier to say than do) but sometimes I find when there's absolutely no inspiration, it helps just to force yourself to write something, anything, even if it's complete babble (and most of mine is). Might help to get those creative juices flowing, though.

By the way, I'm defintely a night person. Can't even think of getting anything done unless it's after 10pm. Oh, woe is me.

Smaug

I often write on the bus on the way into work (have noticed an increasing proportion of poems that mention buses in my portfolio -hmmm), then again at lunchtime and in the evenings on the nights the other half's at table tennis, but day's like today when I'm waiting around for deliveries/quotes etc come in quite useful too.  I've always got a notebook with me and have been guilty of appearing to be taking notes in meetings when really I'm working on a poem that won't take 'wait' as an answer.

M. Welshman

Hi Crazy Horse. Island Girl's advice re getting into gear with your writing is good.  Making yourself sit down at the computer or infront of a writing pad and actually getting some words down can thaw that frozen brain and melt some prose onto the page. Keep doing in at a set time each day and soon you'll be skating along, snowed under with ideas.
If you want to ge motivated in style and get out of that rut you mention,  and it seems you've the money to do it, then treat yourself to one of those courses in an exotic location - say on a Greek Island. There'll be the inspiration from the landscape and the company of others trying to be creative.
Back home here there are several Conferences which can steer you on the right course.  The Winchester Writers Conference in July for one. What sort of writing is your forte?  If features, then come along on  Sat 7th. I'm giving a talk to get writers going on the write road. I'll make sure I kick start your creativity for you.  <g>

Kangaroo

It looks like I'm in the same sort of boat as monkeynuts. I'm exhausted after I get home from work at the winery (moving several hundred bottles a day; boxed and unboxed takes it out of you) I try and do some writing on the weekends, as to the time of day; that varies.

Fleur

Good question! I'm defenitely a 'morning person' so my best writing is done in the morning. However...I work full-time, so I'm hardly ever able to actually do some writing at that time of day. So I write during the weekends and holidays of course...which I have plenty of because I'm a teacher. I wonder what it's like to be able to write full-time. Do you miss co-workers? Do you miss chatting to people? Is it very lonely? I think writing full-time would be HEAVEN....but maybe I'm wrong...please enlighten me!

Howard

I get into work an hour early and have 60 mins quality time with only a cook and a caretaker to disturb me. I then do my thinking while slaving away at the day job and come back to it in the evenings. As mentioned in another thread, I'm currently attempting to write in Spanish. It's proving amazingly rewarding and I'm motivated to return to a previous routine of getting up at 5.30. I couldn't write at the pace of MW, I'm more like Jay. I've written 3500 words so far in 3 weeks. At 5000 (2 chapters) a Spanish colleague is going to read it and give me an honest appraisal of my language. My fingers are crossed that this is not all for nothing.   

TaffetaPunk

I usually write best in the evening, as I have nothing to disturb me, but just lately the mood has been taking me during the day, which is unusual for me.  Not a bad thing, though.

So I suppose I have no best time, really, it just depends on what I'm writing, how tired/lively I'm feeling (ginseng tea is great for waking up),  things like that.

Grannylonglegs

Jan and I have things in common!
Fitting in our writing around other's needs means we never get several hours in which to really settle down - unless we get up at dawn (not my bag!) or start late eve (when I want to go to sleep), so I am a p/t writer but enjoy it.

Jan

Morning Grannylonglegs,

And isn't it frustrating when the light bulb switches on, in the middle of a totally unrelated event, when the inspiration has to be memorised for future development?

Tessa Tangent

Writing sometimes in the quiet phone-call-free hours has meant I've written a lot but then it all needs editing.  I have, therefore, in that case, over-written to a mild extreme.

Now, I'm doing 5.00AM - 6.30AM (allowing for p.c. log-in etc.) and 3 out of 7 whole evenings.  I have seen nothing on television lately that interests me, apart from Top Gear, or watching our old DVDs or videos.  Unless, that is, someone's going to put me right and tell me I should watch others losing flab/decorating homes/swapping families/etc every night.

No, don't think we're missing out, here.

Tessa Tangent

Or, come to think of it getting as depressed as a depressed thing watching depressing t.v. when have a few minutes left of life to live...

My buddha tells me so.

Grannylonglegs

Tessa - one prog I shall NOT be watching this week is of a man dying, they filmed him up to 48 hours of actual death, apparently.
It's bad enough having to watch someone you love die....

Soobdoo

I write most mornings.
Family stuff usually stops me on a couple of days a week.
I can't think why I don't do a bit more in the evenings because as has been pointed out there is rarely anything worth watching on TV.
Sitting down in front of the TV in the evening has become a bit of a habit.

Lauren

I'm a night owl. If I try to start writing before 8 in the evening I just end up deleting more than I actually write. After 8 though it's like my brain clicks into "writing" mode and I'm away. It's quite ususal for me to write straight through til two or three in the morning when I'm on a roll. However, when it comes to research I'm the complete opposite. All my fact finding and information gathering is best done on a Sunday afternoon, or the afternoon of my day off.