The Writing Ritual

By Jessica Harrington

When I sit down to write, or attempt to sit down and write I should say, I usually think of a million things that need to be done- now. I have never been able to just write, it’s a process. My ritual consists of checking my various e-mail accounts, browsing social media sites, which inevitably leads to nonsense on YouTube, and then watching hours of music videos from various 90’s bands because they are the last ones who truly made good music. After depressing myself with the current state of the music, art, etc., industry and reminiscing about the “good ol’ days”, I find one or two more things to do that is not writing. This could be doing the dishes, taking my dogs for a walk, or perusing websites for new home decor because something needs to happen with my blank walls.

Only after all these things have been completed can I write. This process of procrastination has always baffled me, I don’t understand why I do it, but I do. I find that when my head is clear and I am streaming creativity or insight it is always late in the evening, around midnight, after I have had an entire day of completing tasks and wasting time. Thankfully I am not the only one. Courtney Maum is doing a great two-part piece titled Super Sad True Habits of Highly Effective Writers for tinhouse.com. It’s hilarious and comforting to hear what some authors must do in order to write, my favorite excerpt being from Roxane Gay (author of Ayiti and co-editor of Pank), who states that “Writing and Internet fuckery, they are practically synonymous”, how sadly true for me. Follow this link, http://www.tinhouse.com/blog/14981/super-sad-true-habits-of-highly-effective-writers-part-1.html, to read the article then tell us what your rituals before writing are.