How to Stay Creative When Writing - Whether Moonlight or Sunshine, Find Your Right Time

What time of day did the girl in the introduction start her writing? In the morning. Was there anyone else around when she started writing? Just her! Discovering the time of day when you are most ready and willing to write and set a time to do it with the minimum distractions can help you refrain from not staying focused (Carpenter).

Keep track of when it’s the best time of day for you to write and when you are most creative. Is it morning, when your mind is open and refreshed? So many writers write in the morning so they can get their ideas out while their mind is clear and before getting into the hustle and bustle of busy life.

Possibly your time to write is in the afternoon, when you have finished the most important things on your to-do list, whether at work or at home, and you have some time to reroute your thinking to what matters to you? Afternoon may primarily work best with those who work from home at another employer or one who doesn't work at all. I would not recoommend working on your novel at the office, peeking over your shoulder every five minutes to make sure the boss isn't coming down the hall.

Or perhaps your best writing happens in the evening, when everyone is doing their own thing and your mind can finally focus on what you want instead of filtering through your career tasks, homework, kids’ activities, etc. Getting all of the most important stuff done in the day and sitting to write certainly may feel more productive, because you've tackled, or at least dabbled, in all the necessities on your to-do list.

Finally, there are many people who get their best ideas while sleeping. Maybe your time is in the middle of the night, or just really late at night. Many times have I had a thought that randomly woke me from my sleep, and I had to write it down – whether a dream or an inspiration or even an object to write about. Sleeping is when your mind is most clear and it can reveal great ideas for your inner thoughts.

If you are like me, you don’t really have a specific “time of day” where you are most creative. Your mind works throughout the day, and it’s tailored to a more specific matter of when you are less stressed, less tired or have a stimulating environment. Often, creativity sparks with a mere thought. This type of “time of day” moment is more fragile, but still works. I personally believe honing in those times, along with finding your time of day where your ideas best surface, is the best discipline to give yourself when trying to find your creativity.

Works Cited

Carpenter, Courtney. "The Top Ten Tips For Finding Motivation to Write."Writer's Digest. 09 May 2012. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.