By Jennifer Blanchard
One of my good friends recently introduced me to her writing “ritual.”
Every time she’s about to start writing–whether that be for her job or for the writing she does on the side–she follows this routine:
- Sits down in front of the computer, closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
- Visualizes the outcome of her writing session (whatever her goal is for the time that she’s sitting down to write).
- Then she opens her eyes and starts writing.
This ritual, she says, helps her to get into a writing mindset.
I find it interesting that my friend is so successful (always hitting her goals) and that she also has a writing ritual. I don’t have a ritual. And I tend to sometimes hit my goals, and other times not so much.
So does this mean having a writing ritual equals goal-meeting success? Possibly. It’s all about what works for you.
But why does having a writing ritual work? Here are my thoughts:
- Having a ritual that you continually do before you start writing will train your mind to focus on writing.
- Getting into a routine of any kind helps keep you on track, without even realizing it.
- Establishing a habit of writing begets additional writing.
Do you have a writing ritual? If so, what is it and how has it helped you?
About the Author: Jennifer Blanchard is founder of Procrastinating Writers. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.
