by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Out of all the different things I’ve done to make my writing better, practice has benefitted me most outside of pure reading.
I’ve taken classes, I’ve read craft books, I’ve read many, many posts on improving my writing in interesting and creative ways. But practicing has been the best approach for better writing.
The key is writing as often as we can. There are some days when writing is harder than others. Sometimes it’s totally me…I just don’t feel as if I can bear to look at my manuscript. I’ll still write on those days, but it will be a fraction of the amount I usually write. Sometimes it’s a sick child, travel, or other things that get in the way.
I’ve found that I do best and get more written if I write first thing in the mornings before any demands are made on my day by other people. I pour my coffee, take a quick glance (quick is vital) at my phone to make sure that no family emergencies have happened overnight (although I know I’d more likely get a phone call on my house phone if that were the case), and then I hop right into the story.
If I write at the same time, in the same place, and after the same routine (getting up, putting contacts in, going downstairs, getting my coffee), it’s almost as if I’ve got muscle memory with my writing. The writing happens automatically. I don’t mean that the text seems robotic and automatic, only that it’s produced efficiently and on demand. I don’t have to force myself to it…it’s just what I do at that point of the day.
I love mornings, I admit it. I love that smug feeling after I’ve knocked out the biggest thing that I’ve got to do that day to meet my goals. If you’re interested in becoming a morning writer, I read an interesting article recently called “Win the Morning, Win the Day,”by Bec Evans, which expresses better than I’m doing here why this is a helpful approach for so many of us. She states:
“By making your morning routine a habit you can conserve your willpower for other more important activities. President Obama famously limits his suit and tie choices so he doesn’t deplete willpower deciding what to wear.
It’s not easy to make good habits or break old ones, but it can be done. Having a set of activities you do on rising makes it more likely for a habit to become established. The best advice for setting a habit is to start small and attach it to something you do already, like making your first cup of coffee, and slowly increase the time spent. You’ll be surprised how quickly it becomes routine.”
Although I do love the mornings, I always feel sort of bad for the night writers. For one thing, I feel like they get a bit of short shrift among other writers. Writing in the morning is popular…night writing not so much. But some writers have morning obligations, odd schedules, or are just unable to write in the mornings before work. For those writers, I’ll mention another article I read recently with tips for night writing. It’s by Daphne Gray-Grant for PR Daily: “5 Helpful Tips for Writing at Night.” I think one of her best tips is where she’s essentially recommending that we be realistic with our nighttime writing.
“Make your writing time late enough that it won’t compete with social or family obligations. If your writing time is 7 p.m. you’re essentially committing to never going out to dinner with friends, never seeing a nighttime movie, never going to a concert.
Make sure your time is going to work for you at least five days per week.”
Are you more of a morning writer or an evening writer? Or are you a writer who fits writing in when you can (I’ve had years when that’s been true)?
Morning writing vs. evening writing: what works for you? Click To Tweet
If that time is your best, do it.
I have to get up between five and five-thirty to go to work. I am not a morning person anyway and getting up earlier to write is just out of the question.
Actually, when I am writing, around seven o’clock is my writing time. On the weekends it’s earlier and I’ll adjust for social outings. But a couple hours in the early evening before my brain turns to mush works best for me.
Alex–My husband isn’t a morning person, either. I think he’s probably at his best after lunch and even up late at night. It fascinates me the number of people who are so productive in the evenings…that’s when I’m starting to really fade and am only good for rote tasks (packing lunches for the kids the next day, making the coffee, pulling a load of laundry out). I’ve written at night when I *had* to (on deadline), but it never seemed as sparkly as what I wrote in the mornings. I liked what Daphne had to say about carving out time in the evenings…I think night writing has its own unique set of challenges.
Good morning! Definitely a morning writer here, even though I could probably write whenever I want to. My writing gives me something to get up for, and just like you I have the make coffee/quick check/then write routine. It usually starts around 5 or 5:30 AM. I write, with breaks, until at least noon. I try to schedule appointments, domestic activities, and socializing for the afternoon, but when there aren’t any, I will write or edit until 3 or 4 PM.
The first time around as a writer, in my 20s and early 30s, I usually wrote at night, when the day was over. Can’t imagine doing that now, when I feel ready to clock out at 10!
Meg–That’s a good long writing day! I’m with you … can’t imagine writing at the end of the day unless the circumstances are pretty dire. I’m just not on top of my game at that point.
I’m more of an afternoon writer. I have so many business demands on my mornings. Not to mention a long to-do list. Evenings I’m just to tired to think creatively. And if I have a drink with dinner, forget it.
Diane–I’m sometimes a little sleepy right after lunch, but I do some writing in the afternoons on days when I want to double up on my writing goal. I probably need to review what I’m eating for lunch!
Yeah, I can’t drink and write. Well, I *can*, but the outcome is less than spectacular. :)
I think you’re absolutely right, Elizabeth, that writing becomes a routine if we make it a routine, and include it in every day. For me, anyway, the morning is best. But that doesn’t mean it is for everyone. The key, I think, is to pay attention to your body clock (and of course, your other obligations), plan (not just find) a space of time during your productive hours, and just do it.
Margot–Good point about paying attention to our bodies! It’s easy to try to force something that really won’t be best for our bio clock.
Oh, I’m definitely a morning person gal. I start to fade by 7 pm, but manage to stay awake till 10. I’m lucky that I’m home alone pretty much all day, so I can write whenever I want without distractions, but, like you, I find early morning works best before my mind gets going on other things.
Karen–Another early to bed person! Ben Franklin would be pleased with us. :) I can stay awake until 10 some nights, others I’m out like a light at 9. My teenage kids are amused by me. :)
I’ve been a morning writer for years, but recently I’ve started working out in the mornings as part of a get-fit plan I’m on.
I write during my lunch hour in work, and after get the kids up on the weekend. I’m also one of those night-time writers, particularly when I’m behind target or close to finishing.
Paul–Ah, the working out! I’m doing that on an every-other-day sort of basis, but the times I go are not very standard (could be early a.m., could be early p.m.). Maybe I’d go more if it were built into my routine better.
I like the idea of lunch hour working! And admire your ability to write at night.
I’ve got little kids and a nursing baby right now, so although I love writing in the mornings, it doesn’t often happen right now. I get more done in the evening, after everybody’s in bed, and I can sit down with my headphones.
Kessie–Good point about young kids! One of mine was up at 4 a.m. each day for a year…no way was I getting up earlier than him! Nice reminder that we need to keep things flexible.
Late into the night. I need the events of the day to be settled to focus on the horrors in the lives of my characters.
Regular writing has been a big help to developing stories – even at the expense of my poor neglected blog. The story is the thing: content.
I can let my demons out of their box to run across the page tormenting my characters when the house is quiet and the sky is dark. I’m less distracted. I’m less anxious.
When I’m at peace, I make the best trouble for others.
Glad you’re holding down the first watch.
Jack–Makes sense that you feel more empathy with your characters at night. And quiet is important. I can write when the house is silent or I can write in a noisy place with strangers…but I can’t write in a noisy house with family. :) Funny how that works. And good to hear that you’ve been busy writing!
I am an afternoon writer, though I long to be a morning writer. Every time I read about how writers love working on their craft in the morning, I feel a twinge of jealousy and vow to give it a try myself. But…for most of the year I’m busy starting at 6:00 a.m. and I’m not willing to work too much before that. You wrote a great post and I’ve opened the post by Bec Evans in another browser to take a look. Maybe I’ll give the morning-writing thing another try!
Amy–I’d say to start really slowly with it…maybe try waking up just 5-10 minutes early and move incrementally earlier every few days or so? Honestly, even 5-15 extra minutes of writing time can really make a difference for our story (especially if we have just a short couple of sentences to remind ourselves what we plan on writing today).
I love that idea. I’m always reminding myself that it’s not all-or-nothing. Baby steps!
Amy–And, in 5 minutes, we can do a lot with our story (says Elizabeth, warming to her subject. :) ) Sometimes I can’t get my scattered thoughts together for 5 minutes, but I can make lists: 5 ideas for ending the story, 5 surprising traits of a character, 5 words to describe a particular story setting, 3 ways our main character can grow through the story.
As a matter of fact, I think probably some of my best work is done in 5-minute increments. What this says about my ability to focus…well, that doesn’t bear thinking about, ha!
I like it! I can also pour a glass of wine and have several big sips in five minutes. Might have to do that first. :)
An even better idea! ;)
Hi Elizabeth – I’ve always admired your ability to get up early and write – mind you I’m that way inclined – the inclination seems to have gone though .. but I must get my act into gear and set the ball rolling again … cheers Hilary
Hilary–You’ve had a lot going on lately! Old habits die hard and I bet you’ll be an early writer again when the dust settles. :)
I am an Indiana Jones writer — making it up as I go along wherever, whenever I can. Mornings, afternoons, late evenings — sometimes all three. It would be nice to get up early and do it, but life as a rare blood courier is not willing there! May your latest novel be all you wish it to be, Roland
Roland–Being adaptable like that is probably the *best* way to get a lot of writing done! Thanks for the kind wishes and the same for you!
Early morning, noon, and evening. And whenever else I can fit it in. Usually not much after 9 p.m., so that’s when I work on editing, promoting, formatting, etc.
P.D.–You bring up a very good point. I *can* *edit* in the evenings. I’m just not as *creative* in the evenings. I forgot to make that distinction. I’ve been known to edit (especially when I’ve gotten edits back from editors) at night.
[…] Writing Routines: When to Write? – Elizabeth Spann Craig […]
Thanks for the great suggestions in this post. One more idea I’d throw into the mix: Hemingway’s practice of forcing himself to quit for the day in mid-thought–even mid-sentence–has been extremely helpful for me. It takes discipline, but I’m always grateful the next day because I jump right into it!
Adam–A good tip! I usually forget to do that when I get carried away in the story, but it’s always helpful the times that I *do* remember!