Last week, I listened to an interview with an artist who was talking about how to free yourself from a creative block. She gave lots of great tips but one in particular struck a chord with me. Rituals.
You’ve heard me mention many times that I didn’t write novels for almost a decade after my dad’s passing. I’ve often thought about what helped me find a way back. I especially try and draw upon exactly what I did when a student needs help keeping their writing schedule.
It wasn’t until I heard this interview that I realized I’d used a ritual.
I’d write at the same time every day and that way I knew it was time to write and do nothing else.
I also turned on the TV, didn’t watch it but had the comfort of knowing it was there in the background and that also meant time to write. (This served two purposes and the second reason is ideal for another post, so stay tuned!).
I’d write in the same place every day. I’d switched from writing at a desk to using the laptop while sitting on the couch.
Another part of the ritual was to make myself a mug of tea so I had something to sip while I wrote.
A notebook also sat nearby where at the end of each writing session I’d record the date and how many words I’d written so I could track my progress.
The final thing was to make an offer of gratitude that I’d made it through that writing session without the fear and distractions that had plagued me for the last ten years.
All creatives have blocks or slumps and if you’re in one, or somewhere down the line, face one, try putting together a ritual and see if it helps.