Find your writing rituals
In the years when I struggled with writing my novel, I was convinced that I needed specific rituals and little aids to get the writing process going. I heard that from other writers, so I tried to prepare myself the way they did: getting that certain tea from Canada, diffusing a special essential oil in the air, wearing particular clothes that were “just for writing”… I tried it all, but it never got me to write.
I didn’t see that preparing those special rituals and hoping they’d hold some sort of magic was not only fooling myself, but also a way to procrastinate.
And when all was perfectly set… still I didn’t write. Not even when I finally found that special notebook made in Italy at our local art store! In purple!!
Eventually, I learned that the only ritual needed is to get that bum in the chair and do the work.
It’s not glamorous, but efficient. It’s how I eventually did it.
At first, I wasn’t even aware that I had altogether let go of props & preps that were supposed to help me write. I was too determined, too focussed on finally getting my story out.
Only when I was deep into writing, I noticed that I had unintentionally developed my own writing rituals.
Those were: putting on the heater underneath my desk, because I wrote in the cold fall (sitting at the coldest spot in the entire house, brrr!), wearing my computer glasses, drinking a cup of “dragon well” green tea with goji berries, because it felt strengthening, and eating crackers with German cheese as a quick snack in the late morning when I got hungry. Occasionally, when it was very gray outside, and I needed some internal light to keep me going, I lit a beeswax candle that I had brought from Germany. These things became my personal rituals as I was writing my book.
Doing the work naturally produces the rituals that support your process, not the other way round.
And this way, it took me exactly two months to write my first draft.
What are the necessary rituals that work for you as you’re concentrating on a big task?
Much inspiration to you!
