Summary

The web content emphasizes the importance of establishing a writing ritual to enhance productivity, discipline, and writing quality.

Abstract

The article "Three Reasons Why Every Writer Needs to Have a Writing Ritual" underscores the significance of a structured writing routine for aspiring full-time writers. It argues that writing rituals help overcome the common issue of not feeling like writing, suggesting that such routines can be tailored to individual preferences and productivity patterns. The piece references British journalist Anthony Lane and author Mason Currey to illustrate the effectiveness of writing rituals in achieving professional writing goals. The author shares personal experiences of how a writing ritual facilitated the completion of their book "Self-Mastery: a Beginner’s Guide to Self-Improvement & Personal Productivity" and contributed to their success on Medium, including earning over $100 in a month and writing an average of 3,000 words daily. The article outlines three key benefits of a writing ritual: transitioning into a state of flow, building positive writing habits, and producing quality content through consistent practice.

Opinions

The author believes that discipline, achieved through a writing ritual, is crucial for writers who dream of writing full-time.
It is suggested that writing rituals are not one-size-fits-all and should be personalized based on one's most productive times and habits.
The author disagrees with the notion that spontaneity is preferable to ritual, asserting that without a writing ritual, they would not have accomplished their writing goals.
The article posits that rituals can help change one's state of mind from unproductive to creative and willing to write.
It is emphasized that routines, when consistently followed, become habits that make it easier to engage in the act of writing.
The author advocates for starting with small, manageable writing sessions to build up to longer periods of writing.
The opinion is expressed that quality content is a direct result of frequent writing, which improves over time with practice.
Engagement with other writers and readers on platforms like Medium is seen as beneficial for receiving feedback and improving one's writing.

Three Reasons Why Every Writer Needs to Have a Writing Ritual

“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine” — Mike Murdock.

Like many of you, I aspire to one day make a full-time income from my writing. I dream of the luxuries: waking up in the morning without stressing about the potentially overcrowded freeways, the angry customers, the talkative customers, and the extreme forms of micromanagement.

Yet, to achieve my dreams of becoming a full-time writer, I’ll have to face the hard facts; paid writers are only paid because they write — a lot. So to one day achieve my dreams of becoming a full-time writer, I’ll have to develop a routine, or for a better choice of words, a writing ritual.

Let’s be honest here — even though you might want to write (and make a full-time income doing so), most writers don’t actually ever feel like writing. Maybe it’s from a lack of discipline. Maybe you’ve got other priorities — but the dream of becoming a paid writer still hangs around, begging you to take action. So take action. Start now, and the easiest way to do so is by designing a daily writing ritual.

Be unique. Are you most productive in the mornings or evenings? Do you write better with coffee? Or does your writing tend to become bland, repetitive, and convoluted, resulting from the high caffeine intake? Do you write better after a brisk morning jog? Or do you have to sit down and write before doing anything else, less forget or procrastinate?

Find what works for you. Anthony Lane, a famous British journalist and film critic for The New York Magazine, once said, “I do have one very brutal writing ritual. If I’m working in the morning, I don’t allow myself a cup of tea until I’ve written two paragraphs. It’s harsh.”

Mason Currey, author of Daily Rituals: How Artist’s Work, says, “The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind.” He also says that “inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us show up and get to work.”

Interestingly enough, numerous writers will claim to avoid rituals and routines, rather preferring the act of spontaneity and “being in the moment.” As much as I’d love to agree, I’ll also have to disagree. If I chose to write only when I felt like writing, I’d never accomplish anything. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to compose my latest book, Self-Mastery: a Beginner’s Guide to Self-Improvement & Personal Productivity — I can’t recall a single time when I felt like writing the damn thing. Still, I did it because I made it a habit. Without a writing ritual, I definitely would not have been able to make over $100 on Medium in a single month or produce an average of 3,000 words every day. In fact, the only time I actually feel like writing is when I’m already an hour or so into the act of writing.

Besides all of that, here are my top three reasons why you should have a writing ritual.

To Change (and maintain) Flow

When I first wake up in the morning, trust me when I say that the last thing I want to do is write. Usually, it takes me a few minutes to get up while I bathe in the temporary solace — besides the occasional snoring from my wife and newborn, that is. After a few minutes, I’ll waddle out of bed — miserably, pour a cup of coffee (premade from when I fed the baby just hours before), and then I’ll slump into my chair and follow the breath for a few minutes. Some call this meditation; I call it getting out of a funk because that’s how I feel first thing in the morning — funky. Usually, after a few minutes of quiet breathing, I’ll start to feel relaxed, yet aware and more awake. Lastly, before getting to work, I’ll spend a couple of minutes writing in my journal, preparing for the day ahead, while viciously slurping down one — sometimes two — cups of coffee.

Once all’s said and done, I’ll usually feel awake and confident enough to break out the laptop and get to work. In the beginning, first thing in the morning, I don’t feel like doing anything. Yet, by adopting a morning ritual, I’ve found it easier to switch flows. I go from grumpy, miserable, not wanting to do anything, to a place of bliss, creativity, and a willingness to create.

“Rituals help us change flows.” — Barbara DeMarco

To Build Positive Habits

A ritual is just a fancy word for a routine, and a routine— if done enough — becomes a habit. Routines, then, become the backbone for any writer, i.e., the more you write, the more likely you are to write the next time around.

Without a routine (or ritual), I’m much more likely to slump into the couch and play some Cyberpunk or Skyrim — which is far more enjoyable and takes minimal effort. Yet, the goal is to become a paid writer, escape the 9–5, build passive income, and then I can play all the videogames that I want.

To do the hard stuff consistently, you have to make it a habit. Just like brushing your teeth or tieing up your hair before bed, writing can become a habit. How? By developing a daily writing ritual, sticking to it, and refusing to let anyone (or anything) distract you. Turn off your cellphone, block off a certain time each day and inform friends and family that you’ll be unavailable, and — most important of all — start small.

Even though you want to write 3 hours a day, start with 30 minutes, and then work your way up. It’s important to understand that it doesn’t matter how long you write. The only thing that matters is that you choose to show up every day. Writing for 3 hours isn’t a habit. Cracking open your laptop or picking up a pen and paper is the habit. Whatever follows is merely the result of the habit.

“The most difficult and complicated part of the writing process is the beginning.” — A. B. Yehoshua

To Produce Quality Content

It’s a proven fact that the more you write, the more improved your writing will get. Ernest Hemmingway didn’t just pick up a pen one day and write a bestseller. Charles Dickens first-ever book, The Pickwick Papers, only sold 500 copies in 1833, yet after years of practice — and a thorough revision — the same book sold nearly 40,000 copies in 1847. My first book, Live a Little, barely sold a dozen copies at launch. After a few years, I decided to revise and relaunch Live a Little, which then sold over 400 copies in a single week!

It wasn’t until I started writing on Medium that I adopted a consistent writing habit. If you looked at my work over the last six months, I could almost guarantee that you’ll see an improvement in my writing. The more I write, the easier it becomes. Plus, Medium is a great platform for receiving feedback. Engage with other writers, write daily — or as much as possible — and expect to receive quality feedback from other engaged readers and writers on the platform.

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” — Octavia E. Butler