Writing at night helps because by then the events of the day have piled up to inspire you, the house is quiet, nobody needs you, and ideas tend to come when you stop chasing them. Here is why the late hours work for so many writers, and how to make the most of them.
When you start out as a writer, writing can feel like an all-day event, and there is no magic hour that all writers agree on. But as you grow and work at inspiring yourself, you will notice a pattern in your creative moments. One of the most common: you are heading to bed when ideas start popping into your head that simply must be jotted down.
The problem is this: even when you devote a lot of time to writing, you can easily lose track of how many pages you really wrote and how many of them are any good. A writer can crank out page after page without ending up with great pages.
Clear your head
Many freelancers, writers, and bloggers choose to write late at night. Most of them agree on why their late-night writing turns out well: the events of the morning, the afternoon, and the evening have stacked up to inspire them.
Feel the silence
This may sound daunting to some and strange to others, but it is true. Writers and poets can build a very loud and bright world in their heads if you give them enough room for it, and silence gives them that room. Late at night, when the whole world is quiet, is the perfect time for a writer to reach all their creative ideas and thoughts.
There are no distractions in the middle of the night
Writing at night produces valuable work because there are no distractions. Some writers even say that late at night, on an empty stomach, their head is at its clearest. Your family is asleep, nobody needs you to look after the children, and night is often the only time of the day when you are free of responsibilities. So make yourself a hot drink and get started.
Ideas come when you stop looking for them
This is human nature. Think about it: every time you go to bed, your brain reminds you of the ten things you forgot to do that day. The same happens with ideas for a story. When you stop thinking about it, the idea you were looking for often comes on its own.
Once you have finished the first draft, get the sleep you deserve. Writing and proofreading are best kept apart (see don't lose your inspiration), so the next morning, read your work with fresh eyes and run it through the Spell Checker before you call it final. For more ways to fit writing into your day, read how to make time to write.