Nightwrite

Nightwrite is a made-up word about making things up.

It’s a tiny dose of creativity
each day
before bed.

The idea is to take a brief moment
as the day draws to a close
to let your mind wander
and make room for the smallest expression
of something that doesn’t yet exist.

Maybe it’s a rhythmic line of poetry
an incomplete lyric
opening scene
or snippet of dialogue.

Write a few sentences. Maybe doodle or sketch.

No need to polish. No need to title the future novel.

Each night, that moment belongs to you.

And what you do next does, too.

You might take these small creations and
post them for the world to see
or throw them out
or tuck them in a safe place.

Maybe you’ll fill the front of your fridge or text them to that friend who so enjoys this part of you.

It's tempting to see creativity as a means to an end, a way to check a box or accomplish a goal.

“What are you working on?”

“What's it for?”

But, sometimes the purpose isn't a product. It's to find a way to say what you couldn’t say any other way.

Sometimes, it’s just for you.

It came without ribbons.
It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.

Creativity remixes people and ideas and moments with our truest selves. The result is something unique and valuable, regardless of whether others see it as mundane or magical.

For me, nightwrite is a small reminder to embrace the made up and frivolous, unpolished and poetic. Maybe it will be for you, too.