Tip No. 2: Best Place and Time to Write?

This decision is highly personal and circumstances-specific, that is, it is a mixture of preference and what’s possible. I know more than a few full- or part-time writers, and below are examples of the range of preferences and circumstances.

Best Time to Write
In general terms, the best time to write is when you feel most alert. For example, I’m a “night” writer, when I have a choice, as I find that I function at a higher level during the late afternoon and evening hours. I have a sister who gets up at 4 am to write because that’s when she gets the most done. My husband likes to write between breakfast and lunch and after dinner because that seems to be when his creative juices flow fastest. One of my friends works a straight nine-to-four schedule, as she can concentrate only when her children are at school. Another friend finds the hustle and bustle of a house filled with kids and pets to be inspirational, and she writes whenever she has a free minute.

Best Place to Write
The best place to write is the one in which you feel that you function best. As for me, I can write anywhere, as I sometimes must in the course of my consulting duties, especially when traveling. I prefer, however, to write in my office, which is set up very specifically to serve the way in which I can work the fastest and most efficiently. My sister writes at the desk in a corner of her kitchen. My husband likes to sit in a swing, with a ruled pad on his knee. A friend writes in a hut she built in her back yard that holds nothing but her writing desk, her computer, a small bookcase, and her internet connection. Another writes in the guest bathroom of her home, as that’s where she has the most privacy and is least likely to be interrupted.

It’s Up to the Writer
The next time you’re “on a roll” with your writing, take a second to notice the situation. What time is it? Where are you writing? With what tools or implements are you writing? What was your mindset when you began? If you do this several times, you’ll probably begin to see a pattern.

Whatever works for you is “right” for you.

© 2009, Gail Hewitt. All rights reserved.

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