Joni Mitchell has revealed that she prefers to write her songs at night, describing herself as someone who has "always been nocturnal" and finds the quiet, uninterrupted hours after dark best suited to her creative process. The insight sheds light on how the celebrated songwriter, known for turning personal turmoil into enduring art such as 'Carey', has crafted some of popular music's most vivid and emotionally complex songwriting over more than five decades.

Mitchell has explained that her writing method involves putting down her thoughts extensively before condensing them into song form, noting she does "not so much rewrite as write copiously and then condense" to fit large themes into just a few verses. She has said nighttime offers fewer distractions than daytime, such as phone calls or unwanted visitors drawn by fame, giving her "an expanse of uninterrupted thinking" that allows her songs' immersive, story-like quality to take shape.