Chapter 1: Discovering Your Optimal Writing Hours

In a recent interview, bestselling author Dan Brown, known for The Da Vinci Code, shared his routine of rising at 4 a.m. to write.

4 a.m.

While that time may work for him, I cannot imagine waking up at such an early hour to begin my writing. Many writers advocate for the early morning as the ideal time to write, as the world is still quiet, allowing for uninterrupted focus. The calm atmosphere can create the perfect backdrop for channeling creative thoughts onto the page. The idea of being productive before the day begins is certainly appealing, yet I find myself waking up around 7:30 a.m., still groggy and not fully alert.

Until I've had breakfast and my essential cup of coffee, I don’t feel ready to tackle my day. Once I've fueled up, I dedicate a few hours to freelance editing and writing. The evenings, however, are when I finally carve out time to write, typically after 7 p.m. That’s when I can settle down to work on my blog posts and aim for my weekly goal of producing 1,500 words for my novel.

I'll admit that this late hour isn’t when I feel most energetic. Fatigue often sets in, and the comfort of my bed can be a tempting distraction. Previous day’s stress sometimes lingers, and family or social events can further diminish my writing time.

Interestingly, I feel most alert between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Unfortunately, that’s also when I’m engaged in my paying job. I often wonder how my writing schedule might shift if I could write full-time. Would I dedicate my peak alertness to writing, researching, or perhaps reading? I’ve caught glimpses of this during weekends, but even then, my most focused moments are often consumed by chores I couldn’t manage during the week.

Ultimately, the best way to determine my ideal writing time would be to experiment with full-time writing during weekdays, rather than just on weekends. I can’t help but speculate how that might enhance the quality of my novel.

For now, evenings are my prime writing hours. What about you? When do you find yourself most productive in your writing endeavors, and do you think those times are optimal for you? I invite you to share your experiences in the comments.

Chapter 2: Exploring Expert Insights

In this section, we’ll delve into expert opinions on the best times to write.

This video, "When is the best time to write?" discusses various strategies to find your most productive writing hours.

Another insightful video, "The Write Question #113: When is the best time to write?" offers additional perspectives on optimizing your writing schedule.