If you're thinking of startng a blog one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is: When will I write? It's an important question and not just from a time management perspective. Good writing is clear thinking, so you have to know when your mind works best, when your thoughts and imagination are most lucid.

The easy answer is whenever you feel like writing. We all have our own bio-clock. I write best in the morning, when my mind is clear, my energy level is high and the possibilities are endless. I’ve always been a morning person. I wake up early and widely. New day; let’s go!

Shortly after lunchtime my to-do list mind kidnaps me and I tend to scurry about from one short task to another. The mix of phone calls and emails clutters my cerebral-closet. Staying focused is a bear by late afternoon. It’s NOT my most productive time. By 4:00 I miss my morning and my writing world.

Many people can’t concentrate until the responsibilities of their day are met and the house is quiet. The night is their muse. To them, nighttime is built for dreaming, scheming and reflection on what might have been or what could be. It is a perfect time to write.

I read about a writer (can’t remember and couldn’t locate her name) that said she didn’t consider a story finished until she had a chance to edit it at different times of the day. She needed to see the story from all perspectives. I believe “All her selves,” is what she said. She was a full-time writer, unlike most of us.

My advice is to spend one week writing in the morning and one week writing in the evening. See what feels best and what produces the best work. Similarly, spend a week writing in the morning and editing in the evening and then reverse the approach. Learn by experimenting. Once you’ve settled on an approach, you’ll have more confidence in your ability to produce your best work.

Confidence is a requirement to motivation and success so nurturing your own (confidence) is important work.

Steve