Writing Rituals

Writing about writing rituals

Instead of actually writing my book today, I decided to write down some ideas for writing rituals that get me into that writing state.  Boy, do I have a lot of rituals to deal with before getting those words on paper. Like:
1.    Begin at a certain time. I’m a morning person so I need to get to work early, before I run out of energy or life gets in the way.
2.    Nest. Instead of working in my office, I cozy up on the family room couch, put my feet up, wrap myself in a blanket, adjust all the pillows, and get to work.
3.    Look out the window. There’s something about gazing into my backyard that seems to help when I’m working on a particular sentence or story. Perhaps I think I’ll find the answer out there.
4.    Clean house. I can’t write if my surroundings are messy. It seems to make my brain messy. Granted, if someone walked in and saw my coffee table full of papers, notes, to-do lists, calendars, pens, and files, they wouldn’t think I had a clean mind at all.
5.    Take a walk. Usually I take a walk around Target or the Mall, rather than just a random walk around the block. I figure I can do some errands while getting some exercise and taking a break to work out a problem.
6.    Listen to music. I can’t listen while I’m writing, but I listen before and after, to get myself in a particular mood – Gangnam Style if I need energy, You Picked Me if I need romance, Zydeco if I need a mental break.
7.    Use a favorite pen. There’s only one kind of pen I like—a fine point marker. I feel like I’m drawing my words rather than just writing them. Love the way they feel on paper.
8.    Drink coffee. When I need a moment to reflect, I like to reach over and sip from my mug of coffee—a mocha, actually. Makes me feel like a writer.
9.    Be comfortable. I have a writing uniform—jeans, soft fluffy socks, and a Life is Good t-shirt. I can’t wear pajamas or I’ll go back to bed. And why dress up when it’s just me and the computer?
10.    Read. When I’m done for the day, I refuel by reading other people’s work. That usually inspires me to write better and keep at it!

So what are your writing rituals?