After a year of poor sleep with a nursing infant, my body is trying to make up for lost time! Waking at 5 a.m. to hopefully get one hour to write feels unrealistic and insufficient. Plus, the kids sense mommy is stirring and wake even earlier! Though my kids’ wake time is earlier than I would like, their bedtime is now early enough to provide me with 2.5 hours of writing time at night. The only problem is … I am not a night owl. My eyes are fluttering by 8 pm after a full day with the kids. Throw in some tantrums, intense emotions, and major clinginess, and I am wiped of all motivation.  
 
Some quick research revealed that (1) early bird vs night owl productivity is genetic, (2) there is more information available on increasing morning productivity rather than evening/night productivity, and (3) there is no “best” time of day to write. This article compares the advantages of morning vs. night writing:

• “Advantages of an early start: clear head, fresh mind, high energy and a full tank of willpower.
• Advantages of the late night session: out of the box thinking, ideas and inspiration from the day, quietening your inner critic, and a relaxed attitude to working.”

 
Sounds like writers need both! A little research led me to the following strategies to maximize my writing time whether night or day.

1. Establish a Routine. My kids have a routine to signal bedtime – dark room, white noise, Roman chamomile, a song, and book (for the oldest). They fall asleep within 2 minutes most nights. Clearly, I need a writing routine to signal BIC (butt in chair) time …  
   • Listen to “Paperback Writer” by the Beatles for motivation.
   • Breathe in doTerra Motivate or a citrus oil for energy.
   • Work at the kitchen table for consistency - until I get a chair for my desk.
   • Turn up the lights at night for alertness.
   • Have materials and task list ready for ease - see below.
2. Plan ahead & prioritize. Finish each writing session by plotting the next day’s tasks. One article suggested stopping in the middle of a task so you’ll want to pick it right back up again the next day. Drawing from a suggestion in Happy You, Happy Family by Kelly Holmes, I am recording 3 writing tasks on a post-it note so I have a plan of attack for the day – both my evening writing time and any spare moments during the day. I’m a sucker for lists!
3. Meditate to create “conditions for insight.” Meditation is something I have used in the past to help with sleep, but I would like to incorporate it into my daily routine each morning. Check out this post for more on “The Benefits of Meditation: For Writers and Other Creatives.”
4. Nap. Though I am all for a 20-25 minute nap during the day if it supplies the energy needed to get past the early evening exhaustion hump, I have not found them to change my energy levels in the evening. Perhaps more testing is needed to confirm!
5. Take a break. If a nap won’t help, I may just need a mental breather. On the nights my eyes glaze over staring at the screen and my brain goes into auto-off mode, I take a break and watch a show or read a book. Then I jump back into writing afterward with a webinar, research, or other relatively easy task.

I have found that writing brings writing. When I feel a sense of accomplishment or get in the flow, it is easier to make the most of my time the next day. Last night was one of those nights that I found it difficult to focus on even the simplest tasks. I put on a movie and afterward, was able to get some work done and prioritize my 3-task post-it list for the next day. I woke up after about 7 hours of sleep and set my timer for 10 minutes to write morning pages, another 10 minutes to meditate, and another 10 for a writing prompt. I felt amazing all morning and looked forward to the writing time I would get later in the day. 
 
If you have any tips on increasing productivity for writers, please share! 

I set the goal this year to review one book each week to support fellow KidLit writers. I am one week ahead with 18 posted on Amazon. I have not, however, been as productive with sharing those reviews here. In fact, I have not been particularly productive with my writing this month. 
​
​What have I been doing?

​I Have a Balloon (2017) by Ariel Bernstein, art by Scott Magoon
My 3-year old’s favorite game is called “What do you like to do?” in which toys ask one another this very question to kick off some imaginative play. My daughter always selects a few toys and asks which I would like to be. Just like the characters in Bernstein's clever, debut book, my daughter always wants whichever toy I choose. After hearing my selection, she says, “that’s my favorite” and gives me a different toy! We also relate to the book’s disclaimer that it is not about sharing as my daughter reclaims all her old baby toys brought out for the new little one. In addition to being relatable on multiple levels, I love the strong character voices that are developed through dialogue only and the illustrations that are perfect for this humorous book.

Go Sleep in Your Own Bed! (2017)
by Candace Fleming, art by Lori Nichols
If only our bedtime woes were as easily solved as those in Fleming’s book! I love the illustrations (those end pages!), onomatopoeia, repetition, energy, and read-aloudability of this guessing game book.

Things To Do (2017) by Elaine Magliaro, art by Catia Chien
​Beautiful, concrete imagery explores unique perspectives of various objects a girl encounters throughout her day. This wonderful collection of poetry begs readers to personify everyday objects and consider what things they might do, which is a great activity to spark any writer’s imagination! With very little time to get BIC (butt in chair) these days, I’m grasping on to any form of “writing” I can – including collecting ideas from everyday experiences and studying the craft by reading as many picture books as I can with my little ones. 

Despite the political and social climate, 2017 was a great year for me both personally and professionally. My most significant accomplishment was born October 28 and my other turned 3 in December! On the professional front, achievements include: