Photo by Cristofer Maximilian on Unsplash

According to folklore, the witching hour, the time from 3 am to 4 am, is often associated with heightened paranormal activity. It is said to be a time when the veil between our world and the next is thinnest. This is the time when people often find themselves sleepwalking or experiencing night terrors. Of course, science says these strange occurrences can all be explained by our natural circadian rhythm and REM sleep disorders. I find that it is often the time my mind drifts out of its state of deep sleep and is ready to start writing.

My work schedule has turned me into an early riser. Although I set my alarm for 4 am in order to give myself at least an hour to read and write before getting ready for work, I often wake up earlier. Generally shortly after 3 am. I’ve come to value this time as some of the most precious time of my day.

Miami is a busy city during the day. The city’s beautiful tropical veneer is pock marked with noise, crowds, and endless competition. But at night, especially during the witching hour, you can find suburban pockets of peace and quite. This daily shift from intense energy to tranquil landscape creates a cyclical rhythm that is all its own. It is the perfect catalyst for writing.

In the Lit Hub article “Do Writers Need to Be Alone to Thrive?”, Angela Flournoy, Leslie Jamison, and Katherine Towler discuss the need for artistic solitude. There is a general agreement that it is an essential part of the process. However, this solitude is generally used to untangle the thoughts generated from interaction with the world around us.

We need to feel alone with the world—in that lost place where I can immerse myself in the work, and not know where it’s going, and not have much calling me back out. But then, of course, too much of that and you become stuck. So it’s about finding the balance.

Katherine Towler

Perhaps that is the real magic of the witching hour for me. My brain, bombarded by images, conversations, and interactions throughout the day, can take the time to unravel this input and weave it together in new and fascinating ways. It’s a sort of magic.

It’s interesting to note that the old English meaning of the word “spell” refers to a “story, saying, tale, history, narrative, fable” and then later in the 1500s, the same word also indicated a “set of words with supposed magical or occult powers, incantation, charm” (Harper). That sums up the 3 am writing experience for me. Yes, good writing is the result of hard work, of disciplined habits and reshaping a text through numerous drafts, but at the beginning, it feels like an incantation, the conjuring of ideas out of nothingness.

Process-wise, my work has really come to include this oscillation between engagement with a text, with a work of art, with a living human being, and then responding to them. The more solitary part comes in when I shape that response.

Leslie Jamison

The true joy of writing is allowing yourself the freedom to manifest new worlds, new realities. It’s the freedom to populate those realities with whomever you wish. Yesterday’s encounter with the barista becomes the inspiration for a side character, or even a villain. Storylines rise and fall without inhibition, without the critique that will come in the harsh light of day. I embrace that magic, writing with abandon. This is not the time to censor myself. It is time to fly on my metaphorical broomstick. Later it will be time to edit . . . and take a nap.

Works Cited

• Harper, Douglas. “Spell.” Index, 2021, http://www.etymonline.com/word/spell.
• Literary Hub. “Do Writers Need to Be Alone to Thrive?” Literary Hub, 26 Mar. 2019, lithub.com/do-writers-need-to-be-alone-to-thrive/.