Writing rituals are little habitual behaviors that writers establish to help get them in the mindset for their writing sessions.
Consider this scenario:
You want to write. But…
- You can’t make the writing time you’ve chosen work.
- You’re too distracted.
- You’re not sure how to start.
- It’s hard to get into the writing zone.
Have you tried a writing ritual?
Writing rituals are something that you DO as a part of your writing process that isn’t actually writing. A ritual is different to a writing routine, although your rituals are a part of your writing routine.
I’ve had different writing rituals at different times in my life. Years ago, I was playing around with writing in the high fantasy genre and at the start of each session, I would don a particular ring and chime a small bell that had a certain inspirational relevance to the story. Once that bell sounded and I was wearing that ring, it meant I was about to start writing that particular story. Silly, perhaps, but it worked. And it was fun!
These days I don’t really do anything so theatrical.
The writing rituals that go with my writing routines: in the morning, I’ll stagger to the kitchen, brew a coffee. I’ll do some stretches and think about what will happen on the page today. It’s all a ritual.
On Sunday nights, I clean off my writing space. A ritual that readies me to write the following morning. And that’s what a writer’s ritual is – a signal that engages the writer’s mind and says, “Right, let’s go to work.”
A lot of writers say their writing ritual is also a way of helping their minds relax into the creative state.
By performing a basic task such as tidying a desk or performing a few stretches, the senses and body are engaged automatically while we free the mind. It’s the same reasoning as why walking, running, doing the dishes and taking a shower are goldmine activities for having creative ideas.
Enacting a writing ritual can also be a way of gaining control, of manipulating time and space to help release your writing as best as you’re able to.
Writing can be a tricky process. Sometimes the words come, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they do and they suck. The writing ritual gives the writer the permission to go into that inner space of “writer” and let whatever happens happen while you’re doing everything you can to make it happen.
In this sense, a writing ritual can also be a kind of good luck omen that once that writer’s hat is donned, that the words will come and come well. A literal writer’s hat is another idea for a writing ritual!
Enacting the ritual is also fun and playful. Or it can be, depending on what you do. And creativity, play and fun make excellent partners.
If you have a writing ritual, I’d love to hear about it. Email me, or leave a comment on this post.
