Writing Rituals

[alexvss]

I realized I developed an addiction of writing while driking cold water from a shaker cup and having mentos mint gums, and I also reconfigure the word processor so that the page is black and the words are white. Some famous writers have weird work rituals, like George R.R. Martin who (allegedly) only writes on MS-DOS.

So I was wondering, do you guys have rituals that you absolutely must do in order to work? Do you only write at a specific time of the day? Do you keep a waterproof notepad on the shower? Do you have a taste for word processor in particular, or only write by hand? Unusual fonts? The weirder the better!

 

[Venusian Broon]

Well, it's difficult to be exact, because the rituals I require are tied to the phases of the moon, the position of the Sun in the zodiac, the venerable lore of Babylonian apantomancy, divination via Virgils Aeneid and the completion of six (not less, not more) games of chance.

However I have to say, that when all of the above calls for the blood ritual, it does make typing on the keyboard a rather messy and sticky process.

 

[Flaviosky]

Hahaha, now we're going to see the real freaks we all are in terms of writing XD

I'm currently using Google Docs, for I can review and sometimes correct a few things from my phone when waiting my turn to enter any shop. But now that you ask, I usually give a read to my chapter titles before starting to write or edit.

 

[Montero]

Turn off email.
Turn off the browser. Having first refrained from logging into SFF Chrons "for five minutes."

Byeee

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I dream of a life where I could have rituals….

 

[alexvss]

I dream of a life where I could have rituals….

Maybe they became so recurring you don't even notice them anymore

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Maybe they became so recurring you don't even notice them anymore

Fraid not. I write when and where I can, including at till points between customers (that’s currently beta reading time though), in the back room of a shop, kitchen tables, cars, anywhere at all. If I have my ideal environment it’s with the dog snoring, an empty house and a clear kitchen table but, honestly, the very ideal is mocking my life

 

[Brian G Turner]

I used to wear red socks all the time I was writing my chronicles series, on the grounds that Byzantine Emperors used to wear them, and the period inspired me.

 

[Toby Frost]

None, really, although I tend to listen to music.

 

[Astro Pen]

I must have silence. Especially no music and no radio when writing, ever
Students used to write in the college library with ipods on and I would think "there's a 2:2 in the making.* Turn that thing off and focus all attention on your thesis!"

* I never verified this but it would make an interesting research project.

 

[alexvss]

I used to wear red socks all the time I was writing my chronicles series, on the grounds that Byzantine Emperors used to wear them, and the period inspired me.

I tend to listen to music or white noise related to the setting I'm writing about. But you just took it to the next level. I'll consider wearing cosplay next time

 

[JS Wiig]

@Astro Pen

I must have silence. Especially no music and no radio when writing, ever

Same here, I don’t do background music. If I’m listening to music, I'm listening to music.

 

[BlueDragonSapphire]

I realized I developed an addiction of writing while driking cold water from a shaker cup and having mentos mint gums, and I also reconfigure the word processor so that the page is black and the words are white. Some famous writers have weird work rituals, like George R.R. Martin who (allegedly) only writes on MS-DOS.

So I was wondering, do you guys have rituals that you absolutely must do in order to work? Do you only write at a specific time of the day? Do you keep a waterproof notepad on the shower? Do you have a taste for word processor in particular, or only write by hand? Unusual fonts? The weirder the better!

For me, I have to listen to a certain type of music, it depends on the project and if I really want to get focused, the music can't have lyrics because while I'm in the zone I end up typing out some of the song lyrics without knowing lol.
I mainly pick classical music or those six-hour-long study music videos as I just really need background noise.
I also can't have a beverage or food as it distracts me and becomes all I think about, then I stop and 'promise' I'll start again after I finish eating/drinking, I never do.
I also like the brightness on my screen turned all the way up so I can see everything.
I need silence so headphones are a must.
Other than that I'm pretty ok with writing wherever and whenever, I try to be flexible so I can get more writing done in more places other than at my desk.
If I had to choose I would defiantly pick typing on a keyboard as my favored form of writing but I don't mind writing it down on paper or typing on my phone, it's just that sometimes I can't read my own handwriting lol or my phone autocorrects everything and it's hard to edit certain parts.
well, that's how I work, it's really interesting to see how other writers get in the zone, it makes me want to try some just to see if it helps