Can’t Stick to Your Writing Routine? Try This.
A quick Google search will bring up countless examples of writing routines from some of the most well-known authors out there. Seeing how dedicated they are to their craft is inspiring. They’re living the dream, writing until they can’t anymore, relaxing for a while, then doing it all over again. They have schedules that they stick to, and it pays off; they write thousands of words a day, they publish their novels, and readers gobble them up.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably looked at all of these examples and thought, ”Hey, if waking up early to write was good enough for Hemingway, Maya Angelou, and Vonnegut, why not me?”
So you decide to carve out an extra hour of your morning to devote to writing! After all, there’s something very appealing about getting up and being creative in the quiet hours before others are stirring. Like a mini New Years, that resolution is motivating, and you write more consistently than before.
…for a while.
Eventually, something happens that throws everything off. Maybe you need a little more sleep one day, or someone in your family is sick—that’s all it takes for the routine you crumble.
And, like a New Year’s resolution, once that habit is broken, getting back on track is way harder than it was the first time.
Here’s the thing: Unless writing is your full-time job, that “dream” routine is going to be very difficult to maintain.
All the creative passion and motivation in the world won’t go to your other job for eight (plus) hours a day. Someone will still have to take care of your kids, walk your dog, and make sure your home is clean.
That “professional” schedule can be your dream! But you’re not there right now. So you need something that fits your life where you are now. Of course, writing can still be a priority in your life. You can make the time to do it, and you can be successful!
But you need a more flexible and sustainable way of pursuing that goal.
And that’s where writing rituals come in.
What’s the difference between routines and rituals?
Routines and rituals are both ways to classify habitual actions; they’re similar, but the difference between them is a very important one.
A routine is like what you do when you wake up in the morning. An alarm blares at you, you brush your teeth, you take a shower, all while half-asleep. You’ve done them so much that they’ve become mindless habits and your body is on auto-pilot.
Rituals, on the other hand, are done more thoughtfully. There can be a habitual nature to them, but they’re more intentional. And they’re flexible; you can modify them without the whole thing falling apart.
In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear talks about five habit triggers: time, location, preceding event, emotional state, and other people. He also advises to get specific when you’re creating an action plan for the habit you want to bring into your life. For example, if you want to start writing in the morning, you could say something like: “Once I’ve made my coffee, I’ll sit at the dining room table and write for half an hour.”
You have a preceding event, a semi-specific time, a location, and a clear goal. If that’s not enough for you, you can add in other triggers. “Once I’ve made my coffee, I’ll sit at the dining room table, start my inspiring playlist, tell my writer friends my goal for the day, and write for half an hour.”
It’s easier than copying a famous author’s goal and routine; the timed goal instead of a word count one is flexible. And accountability is a huge part of success.
For some of you, this would be a perfect way to add a writing habit into your life.
But what if your schedule is always changing? What if you can’t give up an hour of sleep, but you still need to make time for creativity?
What if having a place devoted to writing is impossible because all the flat surfaces in your house get cluttered the second you turn around?
What if you’ve figured all that out, but when you try to write, you’re overwhelmed by life and can’t get inspired?
You need a few little things you do before you write, some triggers that will get your brain in writing mode before you even start to put down words.
You, my friend, need a writing ritual.
how to create a writing ritual that fits your life (no matter what)
No famous examples required! This is all about you.
Step One: Imagine your ideal creativity time. You can create a vision board (like this one!) or describe it like I will in just a second.
Step Two: Ask yourself what you need to be the most creative you can be.
Here are some things you might ask:
How can I make writing feel like a treat instead of a chore?
Do I need accountability and encouragement?
Do I need ambient noise or quiet?
What time of day do I feel the most inspired?
When do I (usually) have time to devote to writing? How can I protect that time?
What other activities make me feel inspired?
Step Three: Combine and condense those things down into a few simple triggers that will nourish your creativity.
Step Four: Pick three triggers and try them out!
It’s as easy as that!
For real, your ritual can be as simple as:
telling yourself an affirmation
scooting your chair closer to the table, and
opening your writing program
It doesn’t look like much, but over time, your brain (and imagination!) will start to associate those tasks, in that order, with being creative.
— let’s give it a try! —
This post is mostly for you, but I’m also using it to get myself back into a more regular rhythm of writing. Life, schedule changes, and health that’s always fluctuating has meant that all of the routines I’d established are gone…so I have an opportunity to build new habits into my life.
To decide what I want my writing rituals to look like, I’ll first imagine my ideal writing scenario.
Ideally, I write in the morning, but I nourish myself first. I stretch my body, get something to eat, and put on something cute and comfortable—emphasis on comfortable.
Once I’ve taken the time to slowly and gently wake up, I make sure I’m in the right mindset to create. I journal, putting all of my worries and responsibilities aside so they aren’t cluttering up my mind. Then I create the right atmosphere, making a hot drink and bringing a nice smell into the space I want to work. The gentle bubble of the diffuser or crackling of a candle wick is peaceful, just the way I want to be when I sit down.
Wherever I decide to write, it can’t be the desk where I do my freelancing. My work and creativity go hand in hand, but they require different things from me.
Once everything is set up, I turn on a playlist; it doesn’t have to fit what I’m writing, it just has to be loud enough to keep distractions away. I set an intention or goal for my writing session (that I may or may not share with my writing group), put my hair up, and make sure my eyes are protected from the blue light of the screen…then I write.
Thanks to all of the prep work I did ahead of time, it doesn’t take long for me to find that state where the words just flow out of me. I write until my goal is accomplished, maybe longer, then make note of the progress I made. I’ll watch the word count climb with each writing session, even if it’s only by a few hundred words, and it will motivate me to keep coming back to add more.
I’m excited to write, but I keep my goals within reach so that I can take any necessary breaks without guilt. My writing space is clean and cute, with a colorful keyboard and a drink in my favorite mug. There are plants on my desk just because they make me happy. Sometimes I write by hand if I’m feeling stuck or just want a change. I feel more fulfilled when I chase after my creative dreams, so I make it as much of a priority as I can.
And here’s what I might do on a day I need to take things easy or I’m pressed for time.
Have a drink or snack within reach
Turn on a playlist
Silence my phone
Get my hair out of my face
Put on my glasses
Write
Breaking this down into action steps would look like this:
Make sure I’m in comfy clothes
Get rid of distracting thoughts and worries
Make a special drink (hot or cold)
Set up away from where I do all of my freelance work
Light a candle or turn on my diffuser
Turn on a playlist
Jot down my goals (and maybe share for accountability)
Put my phone on silent
Get my hair out of my face
Put on my blue-light-blocking glasses
Write
Reflect on my writing sesh and share my progress
Priority number one in my writing time isn’t word count, it’s staying focused. With the chronic pain I have and a dog who is constantly begging for attention, focus is hard to come by. This is why turning on music and silencing my phone are non-negotiables even in my simple ritual. And notice how those last few tasks stay in the same order. This will help them really be triggers; one leads to the next, always, and they’re the steps I always take before I write.
I’d love to always be inspired and motivated, but I know that that won’t always be the case. Some days I’ll take a break from writing altogether, but there will be other days that I push through, and those are the times when treating creativity like a treat instead of a chore will be a big help. That’s why being comfortable, yummy smells, and having a tasty treat are all important!
I also didn’t specify a place, time, or goal. Those are all things that I want to be flexible. And even though my ideal writing time is in the mornings, I won’t restrict myself to those hours.
If I put too many expectations on my creativity ritual, it will start to feel overwhelming. And if something needs to change, I might begin to feel like I’m failing. I don’t want that.
Just a tip: I do think it’s wise to choose a time of day to write. And it can be as vague as "morning" or "afternoon." This is so you don’t fall into the trap of pushing it off until “later.” Writing is a lot of work, so procrastinating is normal, but that’s how you go weeks without touching your story.
When I asked some of my followers about their writing rituals, a few of the responses I got included eating Twizzlers, playing their writing playlist before they write instead of during, and writing from bed.
The way you create doesn’t have to look the same as your favorite creator. You’re you. What you create is unique—and so is the way you create.
Tell me all about your writing time in the comments down below!
Do you work well with a strict schedule and routine, or do you need flexibility?
Do you have a special writing-time snack?
do you want a writing ritual planner I made
just for you?
You can download the basic version of it right here! 😊
But heading over to my Patreon will get you the full thing! Joining any tier will give you access to it! Not only that, but you’ll also get access to my Discord server, voting on what content you want to see next, and more!
