Michelle Griep

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What's the Best Time of Day to Write?

Some authors swear by writing before the sun is up. Others are nocturnal. And lots don't have a choice, squeaking in words whenever a spare minute flares up. Which begs the question: is a certain time of day better than others to write?

Short answer:
Yep.

Long answer:
The best time to get your word count in is before decision fatigue sets in. Before you start mocking me, yes, this is a for-real thing. Decision fatigue is the state of being emotionally or intellectually exhausted from making too many decisions.

I'm not talking huge decisions like should you or should you not push the big, red nuke-the-world button. Stop and think about all the choices you make every day. What to wear. What to eat for breakfast. Which email to answer first -- or which to delete. All these little decisions add up to suck the creative juice right out of you.

So the best time of day to write is during a period when you've recovered from decision fatigue. Usually this will be in the morning, before life drains the bejeebers out of you. But if that's not possible, then shoot for a time immediately following when you've had an opportunity to relax and recharge.

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