"I Woke Up At 4:30 am… To Write"
By: Jenaya R. Curry
Yes, you read that right.
After watching this video, I found that many successful CEOs wake up early as part of their daily routine. Rumor has it that waking up 4:30 am opens up a realm of productivity to those who have the self-discipline to follow through with the task. Curious, I put a writing pad and pen next to my bed, set my alarm, and took up the challenge. This is what I learned.
- It’s early. Of course, you know this, but the realization doesn’t hit until you’re waking up when it’s pitch black outside and the stars are still out. Why are you doing this again?
- The inner critic can be quiet. It’s true. Turns out, if you’re merely trying to stay awake to get something down, your brain is too tired to criticize (and ultimately paralyze) you into not writing. Ideas come quicker. You may or may not develop them into pieces, but this can be handy if you’re experiencing writer’s block. However, if you transform an early morning idea into a work, beware…
- These pieces require extra editing. A more relaxed mindset comes at a price. I mentioned before not to post anything you’ve written during this time until you’ve reviewed it several times. Careless errors will be present, and I don’t only mean grammar mistakes. You’ll be surprised at the plot holes, poor structure, shallow characters, and weak descriptions you come up with. Normally, I will write a draft in pen, scratch out/change things as I go, write in notes on the margins, edit it again as I type it up, and read through it two more times before posting. This piece (completed on Day 1 of this experiment), however, required a major overhaul – and I didn’t realize until after I posted it. I read it again on the platform and immediately edited it in a panic. In the end, I cut out paragraphs, moved entire sections around, and ultimately deleted about half of the original piece. And guess what – there are still things I could have done better. Don’t fret. Keep the core idea, but be prepared to rework.
- Writing can become wildly introspective. Picture this. It’s 4 am and for the first time, you realize how quiet it is without other people stirring. The light is low, only bright enough to illuminate pen and paper. It’s just you, alone, with thoughts and ideas in a silent, calm atmosphere. Sounds like the perfect writing aesthetic, doesn’t it? I’ll admit, while it’s not that romantic, your writing can be prone to a personal, reflective quality. You may choose to share the sensitive aspect of your writing with others. Or not.
- Try again. You’re not going to wake up energized and ready to write. It’ll be tempting fall back asleep, and you’ll probably give in the first few times. It took me three tries before I was able to get up, stay awake, and write something. Keep trying, and who knows? You might find your new favorite morning routine.
But you better catch some zzz’s a little earlier tonight.
General
I like the romanticism of getting up early and being awake well before that sun rises. There is a quietness about it.
It is not for the faint-hearted though. And the will of a strong mind must set forth that pace.
The people who are able to go to bed early and rise early are a different kind of person. But there are positives in feeling tired around 7:30 when the rest of the world is on their couch or in their chair relaxing with their comforts.
Both schedules, early risers and later risers are doing their best to survive. But once our genius has manifested past survival, then yes, getting up earlier can allow us to thrive.
My mother-in-law gets up at 5a so she can get ahead of the day’s curve. She doesn’t just get up and “piddle” as my grandmother used to say. She gets up and gets to work, which for her right now is pursuing her MBA and helpfully managing the lives of her five kids, everything from graduate coursework (did you turn this in? you need to make sure you read this thing) to checking on budgets and bill payments.
It’s amazing how much gets accomplished before other people wake up.
I think the most interesting point in your post is the major overhaul in editing your piece needed. In that sleepy fog surrounding your pen as you wrote, it’s so interesting what happens to things you’ve taught yourself, from how to create good characters and plot to unique and challenging puzzles for them to solve; it seems to all go right out the window! I wonder if this gets better with time, whether your brain becomes accustomed to the hour and it kicks “on” that much faster, or if you strengthen yourself through your editing so you remember not to make a similar mistake the next morning.