Bernadette Benda

Writer’s need routine because…well, routines are just helpful in general. When we talk about routines for writers, the question usually comes up “when is the best time of day to write?” 

There is a theory (meaning: I have read a few “prestigious writers” that have said this) that the best time of day to write is in the morning, before you have done anything else.

They (the prestigious writers) say you should always write in the morning, because your brain is empty and closer to your unconscious because you just woke up. Nothing has yet happened to fill up your brain.

Is it true? Should you write in the morning??? Do I really have to become an early bird to get the worm??? Let’s take a look *dons spectacles*.

To start things off, there may be actual science behind this, meaning, there may be a certain time of day when your brain is scientifically most active and creative but I have no idea someone can send me an article about that please.

I just know me. And me….well, my brain in the morning is neither empty nor close to my unconscious. The moment my eyes open, my brain is ticking and ticking fast. A thousand thoughts are running through my head. So I never get that morning “emptiness”.

Another thing is, though my brain is ticking really fast it’s also very foggy. It’s basically a freight train heading at top speed blindly through the fog until at least two cups of coffee have been acquired.

Example:

The other morning, as I was thinking about existential things and the fabric of the universe,  I was making my coffee and pouring my cereal. I got the milk and creamer out from the fridge.

Poured that creamer (instead of the milk) right into the cereal bowl. See? Foggy.

My brain is just not sharp enough in the morning, nor creative enough. I rarely get good plot bunnies when I first wake up. (Actually, I have never get them).

So, if you are one of the writers like me, who just can’t write in the morning, don’t feel bad and don’t feel pressured to do so just because some big kahoonas said you should.

If it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t. If it does work for you, than it does. (Hold this thought. I have something contradictory to say about it later).

What about nighttime??? 

AH YES. THAT GLORIOUS TIME OF DARKNESS WHEN ALL THE MAGICAL PIXIES COME OUT AND THE MOON IS OUT AND EVERYTHING IS QUIET IT’S TIME GUYS. IT’S TIME TO BE CREATIVE.

Another prestigious writer  said that nighttime is similar to the “morning is closer to your unconscious” theory. And I most certainly agree.

BUT, here is the catch.

The majority of us aren’t just writers. We’re parents, we’re in school, we have three other jobs (*raises hand*), etc.

In other words, our time is not our own.

If I had my way, I’d write all night. But fortunately that doesn’t work. I have to write when I have time to write. That’s just the way it is. You know what that means??

Uh….I still don’t write in the morning. Nope. Can’t do it. I’ll get something else done.

But remember that thought I told you to save?? Alright, time to get it out again. What works for you, works you for. What doesn’t, doesn’t.

Well….sometimes we have to make it work. For instance, I hate writing in the afternoon, but that’s actually the best time for me to write. So I do it because I have to. I don’t stay up all night writing because I have to wake up for work the next morning and I turn into a very grumpy monster and may pass out at any moment if I don’t sleep.

What I’m trying to say is (guessing this convoluted ramble didn’t make any sense) is that while there may be an actual scientifically proven best time of the day to write, most of the time we don’t have that luxury. We have to write, we have to get the writing done. And whenever we can get it done is the best time to write.