Tips For Successful Early Morning Writing
As you may or not be aware, I’m a fan of writing at various times of the day but one of my favourite times to write is very early in the morning,
This means that you can sometimes see me typing merrily at times as early as 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning while the rest of Britain sleeps soundly in their beds.
To get as much out of my pre-dawn writing sessions as possible I ensure I prepare well to save me time during the precious early hours and wring out every drop of my creative juices and get them down onto the page while I am at the keyboard.
Here’s some of the things I find most useful to do
1 – Clear the decks of social media the night before
Have one final catch up with your social media feeds (Facebook, Twitter etc.) last thing at night so you know that when you wake early the next day things will barely have changed so there’s need to even open social media until your early morning writing session is complete. If you really must check social media or emails before you begin to write set yourself of a limit of no more than 15 minutes, remember this is your valuable writing time you planned for.
2 – Prepare well the night before
If you’re planning an early morning writing session you will want to spend as much time as possible writing produc-tively as you possibly can.
This means to set an alarm to ensure you wake up at your chosen time, it’s easy to over-sleep and miss out on the precious early hours and simply sleep the opportunity away.
Be sure to prepare what you plan in your mind what your are going to actually write about and have all the required equipment and supplies ready to go, this includes everything from resource or research materials to having your computer ready to switch on and get going.
Note* Avoid being tempted to check Google for some unexpected last-minute ’research’ or you may find yourself surfing the web and wasting your writing time. Try and ensure your research is pretty much complete the night before.
You should also decide what you are going to wear the next day and have it laid out ready to put on when you are ready in the morning.
3 – Have a wash before you start
Clear the cobwebs from your night’s sleep by taking a wash or shower before you begin. You’ve washed the sleep from your eyes, you feel refreshed and now you feel awake and ready to write.
While washing remember to brush your teeth; If your mouth feels fresh it is one less distraction to your writing. Even if you plan to have a cup of java by your side as you write, starting with a fresh clean mouth sets you on the right track.
4 – Get dressed before you start
While it may seem attractive being able to work in your dressing gown it’s not sending the right signals to your brain. If you’re going to write very early in the morning (pre-dawn), putting on some clothes (laid out the night before ideally) tells your brain, “Okay, it’s time to go to work.”
5 – Have a light breakfast before you begin
Even if it’s just a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal it will boost your energy levels and kick-start your brain ready for the task ahead.
Avoid heavy breakfasts such as fried foods or lots of baked goods. As well as taking valuable time to prepare these may leave you feeling bloated and lethargic – nothing heavier than a small bowl of porridge. Porridge is actually a great breakfast to have due it to slow release of energy throughout your early morning session. You could always have a more substantial brunch later when your writing is done. At this time we’re just looking to start your brain and remove any pangs of hunger that may become a distraction while you write.
Well, these are my tips to get the most from writing early in the morning. It’s good to write at various times of day or night and when you get it right early mornings can be surprisingly productive.
© Colin Lawson Books