By the time evening rolls around your willpower is going to be lower. I mean small, unimportant ones like what to wear that day or what to pack for lunch. And I don’t mean big, life-changing decisions, such as whether to take a new job or hire a new employee. During the day, every decision you make causes your willpower to leak out. Imagine your willpower as a tank with a small hole. Know that your willpower will be lower at night - even if you’re a night owl.Do something to make it your writing space. Or perhaps you have a photo, bulletin board or tzotchke. Or you might simply place a dictionary at your right elbow. You might want to put a special tablecloth or mat on your desk or table. If that won’t work, then figure out some way of “symbolizing” that this is your writing time/space. If possible, make this a space you don’t use for anything else. Have a dedicated writing space, ideally in a room with a door you can shut.(I always advocate taking a two-day holiday from writing each week.) If you read nighttime stories to your kids, take measures to ensure you don’t fall asleep in their beds while doing so. Make sure your time is really going to work for you at least five days per week. If your writing time is 7 pm you’re essentially committing to never going out to dinner with friends. Make your writing time late enough so that it won’t compete with social or family obligations.Just as marathoners don’t run 25 miles on the first day of training, you shouldn’t leave the blocks expecting to hit 60 minutes on the first day. But wait… If you really want to write for 60 minutes, start with something smaller and build up to it. I suggest you devote at least 15 minutes to writing and absolutely no more than 60. If it’s 10 pm, tell your partner and your kids (if you have them.) Let them know they cannot interrupt you for X number of minutes. Declare your writing time and let everyone know about it.If you must write in the evening, here are five suggestions: I also know that many writers are either parents of young children or night owls who - for a variety of perfectly sensible reasons - can’t possibly write in the morning. Note: I’ve never promoted getting up at 6 am or earlier to write unless you really want to do that.īut I’m neither the Queen nor Harry Potter. I’d give every would-be writer the determination to produce at least 250 words (or, better, 500) first thing in the morning, starting within 15 minutes of waking up. Here’s what I’d do if I were the Queen of the World, or had the supernatural powers of Harry Potter. Here’s how to write if you’re a night owl… Even though I mysteriously turned into a morning lark 10 years ago, I’m still sympathetic to those who prefer nights. I used to be a night person who wrote best at 1 am.
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