When do you feel the most creative?

Summer Solstice Sunrise in Krakow by Raffee

I've started to wonder about this since I re-started The Artist's Way. There are times that I expect myself to feel really creative, like when I'm writing my morning pages, but I find that I'm just...not.

I suppose, just because I tell myself "write, right now" doesn't mean that the creativity comes along with it. For some people scheduling time to work on art everyday is helpful, and I've certainly  found it to produce results in terms of number of pages written, but it's not always as fun as when I'm feeling inspired or moved or just ready to create some shit.

What I have noticed...is that I feel creative at night. Late at night. This sucks, because that's a time that I like to spend sleeping.

I think I come up with some of my best ideas as I'm falling asleep. Sometimes I actually get up and write them down, but it takes a lot to get me out of a warm bed, so frequently my night insights are left with a "I hope you're still there tomorrow" as I fall asleep.

Feeling creative is different than feeling productive. I feel most productive in the morning. If I can get it together to get out of my oh-so-comfy bed early - I get shit done. But, rarely is it creative shit. It may be mildly creative shit because the things I'm getting done right now are usually homework assignments for grad school, but if I complete something like that in a productive mood, it gets done in a productive (rather than a creative) way.

Starting to hone in on this daily creativity cycle can be helpful. If I can find an ounce of productivity to get me away from the tv or computer late at night, then I can do creative shit when I'm feeling creative. This is also great to know in terms of rehearsals or even auditions - plan them to my advantage. It's like working out to maximize calorie burn. If you work out at a certain time after you've eaten, or at a certain time during the day (depending on which studies you read) you will burn more calories than if you don't. I want to give myself time to be creative when I'm feeling creative.

Also interesting to notice - when I don't feel creative. The morning, wow, the morning. The morning pages are especially difficult when I do not feeling like writing at all! Also, when watching TV. I'm sure this is obvious to some, but I have often tried to write or look over a script or draw while watching TV and it just doesn't work. Watching a movie can be great, but TV...I don't know. Maybe it's the commercials.

Has anyone else noticed this? Do you often feel creative at certain times of the day? Or is it just me?

Nocha de luna llena by Luz Adriana Villa A