Your writing ritual

[lovecraft68]

Not so much where you get your idea or the entire story writing process, but something you do when you're ready to sit down and start-or continue-a story.

Mine is simple, make a cup of coffee(regardless of time of day) put on some music which is some form of metal or anything hard and heavy because the noise serves to drown out any distractions other than the idea. Light a candle next to me, even if its daylight, then I rest my fingers on the keys, close my eyes and whisper "Tell me a story"

Then I let it rip, usually without typing a title to it or occasionally I don't even do chapter one, I just go into the first words and run from there.

The tell me a story comes from my theory every story we will ever write is already written deep in our minds which is why-at least for me-they may start the way I envision, but then just change direction and when I allow that it flows so much better, so I guess I believe in a literal muse, but its our own subconscious so I believe I'm telling the story to myself as much as the reader.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm a morning person, so my most productive time to write is in the morning, but if I get on a roll I can keep cranking away during the day as well. I seldom write at night. I'm starting to fade and just not as on the ball.

I don't like to listen to music when I write. I prefer quiet.

Coffee: check, but only in the morning. No coffee for me after noon.

I write exclusively at a computer desktop with a big screen so I can read easily.

I always plan first, to at least some degree. Always. I never just "start writing." I haven't done that once in 58 published stories. But after planning I often deviate from the plan as I write. But almost always I have a pretty good idea what the ending before I've written much.

When I'm on a roll I can write fast. The trick is in getting myself on a roll.

 

[MrHereWriting]

Procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate, and then, and only then, do I procrastinate some more.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I typically write on my days off, unless I'm crunching for a deadline, then I'll write literally any time I can...

Coffee is always a must, no matter the time of day, when I'm writing. I cycle through many different playlists depending on my mood. Beethoven, Sibelius, Mozart or Vivaldi are my go to composers if I have no specific mood or am not writing for any specific character (quite a few of them have playlists of their own with songs that remind me of them, with everything from alt rock to black metal). I'll also put on certain scores by John Williams or Danny Elfman if it's matching a mood or feeling I have--anything to help my muse wake her ass up.

Ambiance is usually quiet otherwise. I'm a fan of incense, and minimal distractions, because I can get pulled away far too easily. Sometimes I have to log out of Lit entirely, otherwise I'll find myself reading through AH threads, or through my ever expanding list of works by authors who've intrigued me.

 

[Altissimus]

Think about it until the ideas are begging to be put down on paper. 2-3 weeks to think about it, 1-2 days to write it.

I know from experience that if I don't do it that way round it takes me 4+ weeks to write it.

 

[Altissimus]

Procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate, and then, and only then, do I procrastinate some more.

Don't you find all the procrastinating blends together? How do you know when you've procrastinated enough to get to the point where you procrastinate some more?

...Asking for a friend.

 

[MrHereWriting]

Don't you find all the procrastinating blends together? How do you know when you've procrastinated enough to get to the point where you procrastinate some more?

...Asking for a friend.

Whenever I decide it's time to write and I get my tools ready and setup, but then I turn away to do something else for who knows how long, that's a new session of procrastination.

If I never return to my computer to write, then that's just me blowing off my writing time.

 

[Voboy]

I just sit down and type.

If I’m in the mood to write, it doesn’t matter who else is there, or whether the TV is on, or whatever. It can be any time of day. It can be at work, or at my in-laws’ house. At a public library. At my kids’ karate practice. If I’m in the mood?

I just sit down and type.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I just sit down and type.

Thank goodness. I was starting to think I was the only one.

 

[Seadog777]

I grab something to drink. Coffee, Livewire, Faygo Grape, Water, whatever I'm in the mood for.

I turn everything off. No TV, no radio, no lights on.

I bring up the story and reread what I have down.

Then I go from there.

 

[HeyAll]

None. I always open a ton of tabs when I start in the morning, the main sites in the same order, then I alternate between the tabs throughout the day.

When I hit a stride in writing and have great ideas, I try to keep going. If not, I write a few words and then look on twitter and youtube, etc...

If the internet was cut off, I'd be writing a lot.

 

[AchtungNight]

Sit down in a quiet dark room and hum Kate Bush’s song A Deal with God. Or do some other equivalence to get into the heads of my characters.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

I guess my stories start anything up to a few months before I actually start writing them. Each begins with the the genesis of the two main characters and before I ever put pen to paper, I get to know them, allowing their personalities to form and become sentient and individual. As they grow, I imagine a scenario that will allow their paths to cross and that, soon after, leads to ignition. The imperative of visualising their meeting and interaction then takes over and the story begins to write itself.

Sadly some of my characters miss their moment and go their separate ways back into the ether before their story can be told.

 

[Dearelliot]

I get up at 6am, make coffee for both of us, but not poured for her...she sleeps til 9 or 10. I write fore 2,3 or4 hours however long until she gets up..I'd love to incorporate music, but not easy...

 

[lovecraft68]

I typically write on my days off, unless I'm crunching for a deadline, then I'll write literally any time I can...

Coffee is always a must, no matter the time of day, when I'm writing. I cycle through many different playlists depending on my mood. Beethoven, Sibelius, Mozart or Vivaldi are my go to composers if I have no specific mood or am not writing for any specific character (quite a few of them have playlists of their own with songs that remind me of them, with everything from alt rock to black metal). I'll also put on certain scores by John Williams or Danny Elfman if it's matching a mood or feeling I have--anything to help my muse wake her ass up.

Ambiance is usually quiet otherwise. I'm a fan of incense, and minimal distractions, because I can get pulled away far too easily. Sometimes I have to log out of Lit entirely, otherwise I'll find myself reading through AH threads, or through my ever expanding list of works by authors who've intrigued me.

I had a feeling you'd be a black metal sort. I'd not really gotten into it until my daughter turned me on to Cradle of Filth

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I had a feeling you'd be a black metal sort. I'd not really gotten into it until my daughter turned me on to Cradle of Filth

Cradle of Filth is definitely the place to start, and Danny Filth is such a sweetheart when he's not screeching bloody hell into a mic, it's hilarious to me. I don't discriminate though, I'll listen to Bathory just as quick as I would Pantera, or Morbid Angel. Thrash has a special place in my heart. I hung around with a Slayer cover band in my late teens, that's really what got me into metal in the first place. But my go to is almost always Cradle, or Satyricon... I like my coffee black, just like my metal!

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Steal time.

5 minutes whilst working out, get something down.

30 minutes during lunch, writing playlist (music only, no songs, lots of film soundtracks) get cracking.

Time alone? Get writing. Use what time I have.

That’s my ritual, sad but true, but it does mean that slowly and steadily I get the job done.

 

[MillieDynamite]

My father puts on instrumental music from a genre that fits what he's working on. He has little hard candies and a ton of coffee. Pops blocks out the outside world by listening to his music with headphones on. I have copied this, but of late, I can't wear the headphones unless Jo is home. Between Donnie and Cat, writing has lots of breaks now. My most productive time is 5:30 am until around 8:00 am and 10 pm to midnight before bed.

 

[lovecraft68]

Cradle of Filth is definitely the place to start, and Danny Filth is such a sweetheart when he's not screeching bloody hell into a mic, it's hilarious to me. I don't discriminate though, I'll listen to Bathory just as quick as I would Pantera, or Morbid Angel. Thrash has a special place in my heart. I hung around with a Slayer cover band in my late teens, that's really what got me into metal in the first place. But my go to is almost always Cradle, or Satyricon... I like my coffee black, just like my metal!

This is the video she sent me, preying on me being a huge Maiden fan.

I got to return the favor when I took her to see King Diamond in Boston which is the tour he did Abigail start to finish.

Between music and the fact we go to all the new horror movies together, we have the bonding thing down pat.

 

[Ian_Snow]

Less a ritual than a kind of self-imposed schedule, I guess. I spend the mornings catching up on emails, doing marketing, or whatever business-end of things need to be done. One to five is my prime writing hours in the afternoon, so I'll generally settle in at that point with something to snack on and tea or coffee and get to work. This repeats itself at night, and I generally get a lot of work done until about midnight. I used to buy myself something as a reward on launch days, like a Pepsi or a bag of chips or something, but I haven't done that in a long while.

 

[djrip]

I hope not to sound like a nagging aunt, but when it comes to drugs and biology, there are no free meals. I limit myself to one cup of coffee in the morning.

Caffeine has a half-life of approximately six hours, which means that if you, for instance, consume coffee at noon, by midnight, a quarter of the caffeine still lingers in your brain. Regrettably, caffeine has adverse effects on both the duration and quality of our sleep, which, in turn, plays a fundamental role in our overall health, gracefulness, and, especially, our creativity!

Did you know that increasing women's average sleep duration by just one hour can boost their libido by 14%, while medication can increase it by 24%?

I used to drink coffee all the time. I'd have some right before bed and then fall right asleep. But one day I didn't feel like being the one to make it at the office, *again*, and didn't have it, and have barely had any since. No real intent behind that, pretty random. It is harder to stay up late now. Maybe I should have a little tonight.

 

[ronde]

I tend to be a night owl so most of my writing is done between 10 PM and 1 AM. The house is quiet then and I can think. I seldom listen to music unless I'm writing a story about an older bar. Then, I might listen to some soft jazz because it sort of sets the mood.

I've always planned my stories, from who the characters are to the general plot to how the story ends. It's often that my characters change the plot a little, but generally I follow my plot. I don't do storyboards or even write down my plot. It's in my head and it's easier to change my mind than change something relatively permanent. I do make notes about the names of my characters and I keep track of ages of the characters if the story spans several years.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I hope not to sound like a nagging aunt, but when it comes to drugs and biology, there are no free meals. I limit myself to one cup of coffee in the morning.

Caffeine has a half-life of approximately six hours, which means that if you, for instance, consume coffee at noon, by midnight, a quarter of the caffeine still lingers in your brain. Regrettably, caffeine has adverse effects on both the duration and quality of our sleep, which, in turn, plays a fundamental role in our overall health, gracefulness, and, especially, our creativity!

Did you know that increasing women's average sleep duration by just one hour can boost their libido by 14%, while medication can increase it by 24%?

Thank you for the information. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, caffeine doesn’t affect my ADHD brain quite the same way as the average person… I have zero problems falling asleep after a few cups! It typically has more of a calming effect and increases my focus marginally… though you might be on to something when it comes to getting more sleep in general. I can attest to some very strange dreams if I lay down a few hours after a cup of coffee.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only writer who doesn't drink coffee, lol.

Nope. I've never been a coffee guy. I do drink a shocking amount of OJ though.

 

[dadadadiox]

I typically don’t plan a time to write. There is no routine. It just happens. I’ll have an idea for a story or an epiphany for the story I’m currently working on and must get it in writing. This could lead to manic keyboard abuse as the fresh idea sparks creativity and I keep writing until I’m out of gas.

There is rarely a writing plan. It just happens. I try to be flexible and not confine myself to a schedule or a story outline. My favorite moments are when I have an idea where my story is going but an epiphany changes everything.

This is low stakes hobby. I try to not overthink it. I write for fun.