Welcome to the latest edition of the “Longhand” column, featuring deeper dives into writing craft topics. This column is a benefit for paid subscribers of Footnotes.
When does the work of writing begin and how or why does one invoke a writing practice? Writing is a discipline and like any discipline it requires practice. But unlike yoga or martial arts, simply showing up on the mat, or at the keyboard, is not always enough. Does the work of writing begin when you sit at the desk? When you boot up your computer? When you open your writing software or your notebook and poise your fingers on the keyboard or grab your pen? Or does the work begin when you ready yourself to create, and if so, how do you achieve that state of readiness?
A ritual is defined as a religious or other solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. It’s habit, elevated to the level of the sacred, and many writers have them.
When looking for inspiration, we often seek it in learning about the rituals of great and beloved writers and artists. Ernest Hemingway claims to have written every day, as does Steven King. Haruki Murakami, when at work on a manuscript, awakens at four o’clock in the morning to write, then runs six miles or swims 1500 meters, or both. Dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp famously begins every day with a trip to the gym and a two-hour workout. According to her, the ritual is not the exercise, it’s getting into the cab.
Why do artists and writers need these rituals?
For those like Tharp, the habitual, oft repeated act is much like Steve Jobs’s repeated wardrobe—one less thing to think about. It’s a way to avoid decision fatigue, which is a type of mental overload that occurs because we each have a limited capacity to make decisions each day. Try to make too many and you can become stressed and exhausted. Take away a choice and you remove a point of failure in your day, freeing up your mind for other tasks.
For many, the routines help them tap into creativity. Murakami has said that he keeps to his writing and exercise regimen every day. “The repetition itself becomes the important thing. It's a form of mesmerism. I mesmerized myself to reach a deeper state of mind.”
Creating a habit, a sacred ritual, and then sticking to it normalizes the act of creation and forms a kind of muscle memory. This is very helpful for those struggling to find time to write and further their creative goals.
When I decided I wanted to write novels seriously while still juggling running a business full time, I started waking at six o’clock every morning to get my words down. This (difficult for me) habit was key in not only finishing my first novel, but eventually in meeting aggressive publication deadlines set by my publisher.
Discovering the exact cocktail of activities, items, or customs you need to enter your writing practice is a process. We all cannot write daily. Few of us will run six miles a day. For many, coffee is a must have, for me it’s tea, and for others nothing will get written without their favorite fountain pen. Just as with a religious or spiritual practice, our rituals are very personal and we must each find our own path forward.