As writers, we need to determine the best time of day to write. The answer hinges on when our words flow best, balanced with when we encounter the fewest distractions. For me, this is the early morning. This is my prime time to write.
If we fail to capitalize on our best time to write, our writing will fail to be its best, or at least, it will take much more effort to get there.
Similarly, we need to find the best days to write. The best advice is to write every day. Short of that, some writers can only work on the weekdays and others only at the weekends. For me, I write every day, working on a project during the week and blog posts on the weekends.
Another consideration is the time of year. For me, writing is easier in certain seasons: spring, followed closely by summer and fall, but not winter. With the recent surprise of an early season snowstorm, I posted on Facebook, “Winter is my fourth favorite season.”
This isn’t to imply I don’t write in winter. I do. Even though it’s harder, I maintain my regular writing schedule throughout the winter months. What I must keep in mind, however, is that my production levels drop during this time of year. What might take thirty minutes to complete during the embrace of spring, may take an hour during the assault of winter.
Also, in winter I may need to allow more time for rewriting. During the winter months, it often takes additional effort to rework my words into an acceptable package.
Last, I know that winter is not the time for me to start a new project. I save those for other seasons when my energy is higher and creativity blooms. In winter I labor to move existing projects towards completion and don’t add new undertakings to a bulging workload.
You may share my seasonal struggles with winter, or perhaps your “winter season” is actually a metaphor for a different time of year. If you have a seasonally low time, learn how to deal with it. And if not, celebrate that you don’t.
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Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is a full-time, career author. He’s published scores of books, hundreds of articles, and thousands of blog posts, with experience as a publisher, editor, and commercial freelance writer. A passionate wordsmith, his goal is to change the world one word at a time. Learn more at PeterLyleDeHaan.com.
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