There is no one best way to write. Each writer has a different process. Stephen King, in his memoir On Writing, shared that his day is divided into three parts: mornings for writing, afternoons for correspondence (and naps!), and evenings for reading. Since I’m kind of useless in the evenings (and enjoy television, something King isn’t a huge fan of), evening reading doesn’t work for me. But the rest pretty much holds up (apart from the naps – I’m not a napper!).
But that doesn’t mean that’s the right recipe for you. Each writer has to find what works for them. If you have a day job that is not writing (the writing you want to do, that is) then you might have to write in the evening or get up extra early. If you’re a parent, you might have to work around your children’s schedules. It doesn’t matter when you write, or even how much you write (more on that below). What matters is to find some time to write, on a semi-regular basis, and then cut yourself some slack when it doesn’t work out that way.
Personally, I am most creative in the morning. But I’m like an airplane, I need some runway in front of me to take off. If I only have 30 minutes of time, that usually doesn’t work for me. Instead, I might use that time to edit something I’ve already written or research contests/publications where I can submit my work. I like to have a couple of hours to really get into writing new material – that all important first-draft of a story or something longer. When I’m really on a roll, then I will sometimes pick up where I left off after lunch. Most often though, my afternoons are focused on edits (I like to take out old, unpublished stories and see if I can improve them), on reading other people’s writing, and on walking the dog!
Where and with what should I write? Wherever and however works for you! I like to write at home, in a quiet corner, with my laptop. I am not one of those people that can write in a café. I would be too busy people watching, which is useful, but not writing. Some people like to handwrite their first draft, like Margaret Atwood. I love that idea (and I do write by hand in my diary), but I find the flexibility of writing on a computer too alluring. Did I mention that I’m a compulsive editor?
So how much writing should I do? Again, that’s up to you and dictated by the constraints of your life. If you can only squeeze out 200 words, that’s okay. If you’re like Stephen King and don’t stop until you’ve written 2000, then that’s okay too. There is no one right answer. But if you want to call yourself a writer, then you have to write. It’s not about how fast you write or how much you write. It’s about getting the words out of your head and telling the story you want to tell.
Some people say ‘all writing is hard’ or ‘writing should be joyful’. I think it’s both. Somedays, I’m frustrated because what I want to write is not coming together. Other days, the time flies by because I find that creative zone, and instead of taxi-ing around the airport, I take off!