Writing Rituals
Nadiah Abdulrahim
July 28
Before I start to work—any sort of work, be it cooking or writing—I must make sure the room I am working in is neat, orderly and tidy. If it isn’t, I must clean and restore the space to its original condition. I can’t cook in a dirty kitchen, thus it follows that I can’t write in a messy space.
When the task of writing this blog post was assigned to me, I panicked. I had to write in a space that was not my own, and therefore I had no right to tidy the office it as if it were my own. My process was disrupted and the words failed to appear. Well, that’s not entirely true. The words that did appear were incoherent and unfit for publication.
It is of course possible that I may possess slightly obsessive-compulsive tendencies at times (that, or I am very, very good at procrastination), and prone to blaming my inadequacies on others, but surely I can’t be alone in this battle?
It wasn’t just the mere fact of not being able to clean prior to working, either. I am a collector, and have become accustomed to being surrounded by things I find beautiful and inspiring. Firstly there was my desk. My beautiful, long-searched for desk! It is surrounded by postcards, images and tchotchkes I’ve picked up from various places. Some are of an inspirational nature—things to keep me going when I just can’t work anymore. Others are there just for amusement, also to keep me going when I’ve had enough. I have to admit, I felt lost without them in the office.
As the day progressed and the Word document dwindled in size due to my wanton deleting, I began to feel childish and unprofessional. A writer should be able to write anywhere and anytime, right? I carry a notebook with me most times, just in case a flash of brilliance hits me. But the contents of this notebook are raw, incomplete and need to be developed further (at my desk, of course).
It’s ten PM as I am writing this, which reminds me: I also find that I work best late at night, when everyone else is asleep and no one is around to watch me as I write. Yet another reason I had such a block when writing: I like to keep my writing process a secret, it would seem.
I got to thinking and consulted Google, naturally. I wanted some consolation, a gentle affirmation that I am not alone. And indeed I am not. It turns out that none of my so-called peculiarities are peculiar after all. The most common things writers require for a successful day at work? Privacy, solitude, a special work space or desk and an internal writing clock.
I feel better knowing that other, greater writers than I have their own rituals, their own special writing spaces and may also feel incapacitated without them. It doesn’t take much to make me feel incapacitated, you see. (It took me far too long to finish that last paragraph and start this one. The Internet is a slippery slope.) That’s why I need my rituals to be able to write. Every little thing counts.
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Comments
28 Jul 11 at 12:23
Now I just feel plain weird. I do my best and fastest writing when I have interruptions. I have managed to successfully write for my blog while simutaneously having a conversation with a friend on Skype or Facebook. The other night my DD was giggling maniacally across the table and Twitter was pinging at me at odd intervals; I wrote three posts. I find that bizarre.
As for pre-writing rituals? If I have any they’re reading forums and blogs, I call them delaying tactics, but I do get lots of ideas from them.
...28 Jul 11 at 13:24
You are not alone. But sometimes I take it to a whole new level where I can’t relax, even when sick, unless the house has been tidied up. If the house is messy and I’m sick, you know that I’m really, really sick.
...11 Aug 11 at 9:28
Geez, I must need some validation, cause I feel all gushy and thankful reading this. I feel so weird that I need so much privacy – I like to write when nobody else is around. It makes me feel like there’s something wrong with me, that I should be one of those people who can write in a cafe etc etc.
That word “should” should be ditched from the vocabulary :)
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