An author in the Reddit writers group posed the question: “When do you feel the most inspired or productive in your writing?”
They went on to ask is it morning? Afternoon? And they asked if we ever dream about our characters and get up to write more.
I had a good laugh out loud at that. I would love to dream about my characters. I used to dream about work all the time. Why can I not have a lovely nocturnal fantasy about the ever-fascinating characters I want to create?
The truth is, I am most productive two times during the day.
I am very productive early in the morning with a clear head and no distractions when my mind has not yet been cluttered with the minutia of daily life.
But many times, I’m super creative when I’m just about to fall asleep. From a very early age, that has been a time filled with fantasy. I have a long habit of creating other worlds in my mind as a way to erase the clutter and dream.
The more complex and detailed these ‘nocturnal daydreams’ are, the faster I will fall asleep. Now that I am writing regularly, this is a time when I grab my dictaphone and start rattling off dialogue or descriptions. To produce the best work, I can’t have anything else in my head. I immerse myself in the mindset of the characters, and that happens best when there are no distractions.
DEE HARPER LEWIS 