When is the best time to write? My stock answer is right now. Don’t procrastinate or make excuses or justify any reason not to write right now.
Of course, I’m not suggesting you neglect your family and work obligations. I am suggesting you look at your priorities. Because it’s all too easy to fall into habits that go counter to our priorities.
I’ll give an example from my own experience. Songwriting is my greatest challenge and greatest joy. Nothing is more satisfying to me than writing a new song. Still, when I come home from my day job, after dinner, I often have an evening or part of an evening free. You’d think I’d go right to my desk or pull out my guitar and work on my latest song. But often I’ll sit down and watch a show on the tube.
Not a huge sin, but one show leads to another and before you know it, I’ve blown the whole evening and lost an opportunity to do what I really love. So take stock for yourself. For me it was TV, for you it might be surfing the net, IM or something else.
Another way to ‘write right now’ is to multi-task. Lots of us are able to write while cleaning house, mowing the lawn and other mindless, but necessary tasks. Try writing while walking or jogging.
Finally, don’t wait until you’re in the ‘mood’ to write. Force yourself to write everyday, even when you’re not in the mood. Soon, you’ll find that a certain ‘mood’ is not a requirement for writing. And the more you write, the easier it will be to write the next time. Don’t expect a masterpiece every time, just keep writing.
