Tuesday, February 18, 2014

A few words on writing

Usually, it is my habit to make a cup of tea before I start writing, and lounge around with some music.

Today? I didn't make my tea. Some days, I get so caught up in my "writing rituals" that it makes me procrastinate. In order to get into the 'writing mood", I get caught on doing the things that relate to writing instead of writing itself. 

And here's the truth:

Writing doesn't need to be done to a big pot of coffee or a soundtrack blasting in your ears.

Writing doesn't need to be done with scrumptious tea or kittens lounging by your side. 

Writing doesn't need to be done with Scrivener or fancy plotting cards, even though they help.

You don't need an outline, but you can have one.

You don't need five thousand Stickies and a to-do list to prove that you're a writer.

Some people will tell you their processes and methods, their exact "methods of success" to writing.Some people have perfectly organized methods that I frankly envy and admire, but I have realized that it's just not me.  

And their organized processes can be perfectly effective, but every writer's process is unique. Sometimes, when I get too caught up in my own rituals, I just like to sit back and think and completely take myself back to the essentials.

Because you don't need "proof" that you're a writer. Scratch that; you need one.

You need to put words down on a page. One word after another. Then you're a writer.

And everything else--coffee, kittens, gin and tonic, stacks of writing books, even outline--that comes second.

Just words on a page, and you are a writer. What you do next is completely up to you. 

4 comments:

  1. I agree with this so much! When I was first starting to get serious about writing my book, I visited writers' blogs and read about their "processes." So many mentioned rituals they had--things that had to be a certain way for the creativity to flow. I've caught myself using these same excuses to procrastinate! Such a wise post :)

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    1. Thank you so much, Hannah! The exact same thing happened to me--I would waste so much time looking stuff up on "How to improve your writing" or posts that basically boiled down to How To Be A Legitimate Writer. So I basically wanted to go back to the basics and say, "Hey, I got a computer and I have words in my head that I want to put down. What else do I actually need?" :)

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  2. I love this post so much! It's easy to get caught up in rituals and forget that all you need to do is sit down and write and there you are, being a writer. Great post.

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  3. Melody! Hey! Thanks for your input! :)
    And yes, I've found myself (and still find myself, some days) caught up in all the "rituals" of writing (carefully pouring myself a perfect mug of tea, meandering through soundtracks of potential writing music)--I was delaying myself and the rituals I set became a form of procrastination. I've realized that sometimes, you just have to dive in, and the words will come. Thanks for stopping by!

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