Getting the Worm

Will Self wrote about his writing in The Guardian recently:

When I’m working on a novel I type the initial draft first thing in the morning. Really: first thing ... I believe the dreaming and imagining faculties are closely related, such that wreathed in night-time visions I find it possible to suspend disbelief in the very act of making stuff up, which, in the cold light of day would seem utterly preposterous. I’ve always been a morning writer, and frankly I believe 99% of the difficulties novices experience are as a result of their unwillingness to do the same.

I am known (and teased) at work for being up and doing stuff at the crack of dawn and, although I don't aim to wake up early, when it happens I do aim to take advantage. I really do like working (or blogging, or reading) at this time. I feel fresher, more creative, less distracted.

I wouldn't be as aggressive as Self is about others who don't graft along with the sunrise (but he's not alone; even at bedtime I don't have to look hard to find articles like Why Productive People Get Up Insanely Early) because, for me, there are any number of reasons why novice writers, or testers or managers, or others experience difficulties. And I doubt more conscientious attention to an alarm clock would help in most of those cases.

Also, it's known that people differ in chronotype. I came to terms with my larkness a long time ago and now rarely try to go against it by, say, working in the evenings.

How about you?
Image: https://flic.kr/p/4a3yKL

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