In the aftermath of the Sandy storm, I was given a rare week off from work. I researched, wrote and cooked most of each day. I read before bed, then fell asleep quickly. For the first time in years, my sleep was heavy. I woke up rested. I remembered my dreams.
My restful sleep may have had something to do with the fact that I did not have to go in to the office. But writing during the day also meant that my mind was far more peaceful at night.
As a result, I've decided to make a significant shift; to reverse my writing life. To write in the morning after I rise with the sun (well, in these days, before it.)
It's only been a few days since I began the experiment. I'm not sure it will be an easy transition. I have always written very late at night. Since I was a little girl. My parents would go to sleep and I would turn my light back on. Writing has always been a secret in the dark. Just for me.
But since I began, I realize the ritual is symbolic. Writing is the first thing I do. Not the last. I wake up happy, knowing I have given myself the time to be with my secret, to do what I love.
We'll see how this goes. I don't know how I'll feel at the end of the week, how my body will react to new hours of sleep, how I'll fare for the hours I need to be at the office and the freelance work that awaits me when I get home. But we'll see.
What time of day do you write? Have you ever made a significant adjustment to your writing schedule?
