Let all thy joys be as the Month of May -- Frances Quarles
I'm not a morning person. Words generally do not fly from my fingertips until after noon. When forced, of course, I can string together some sentences. However, they will not be good sentences.
Writers who are morning people intrigue me. They rise before the sun, chirping like birds after their worms ... er, I mean, words. They love to talk about the quiet, the coolness of the hours before sunrise, and the joy of watching the first sunbeams strike the earth. Ah, bliss. You can hear it in their voices and see the proof of it in their feverish eyes.
Good for them, I say. Let me have the noon hour and those lovely hours after it. Even when I go fishing, my line doesn't get wet until eleven at the earliest. Other anglers shake their heads and show me the baskets of fish they have already caught by the time I get bait on my first hook. Yeah, yeah. By dusk, I will also have a basket of fish and a nice disposition.
What are you? Morning or night? Have you ever tried to switch? How did that experiment go? Any success?
When I worked for other people, I had to arrive at work early and begin work. I must admit that the work done by me before noon was along the lines of straightening my desk, drinking coffee, looking at e-mails, visiting the bathroom, and drinking more coffee. Finally, noon would make its appearance and I would hunch over my keyboard and let 'er fly. I would get as much or more written and accomplished than anyone else on staff -- and I did it between noon and 5 p.m. Oh, and I took a lunch break around 12:30!
I am a firm believer in doing things the easy way. Why make it more difficult? You like to write in the afternoon or the dark of night? Go for it! I'm also a big believer in progress over perfection -- especially for writers. It's more important to write as much as possible than to write perfect sentences. Spew out that first draft and then get out your editing pen to make it pretty and spell things correctly.
New Novella Alert!!!!!
My novella is available on Amazon Kindle now. It is titled "The Madcap and the Miser" and it is a quick, delightful read if I do say so myself. If you like sentimental romances with a touch of humor, check it out. It only costs a buck, I think -- and worth every penny! In fact, it's a steal, considering the hours I put into it.
So, go ahead. Buy it and read it and then check back here and let me know what you think.
Until then, may your May afternoons be lovely and productive!
