The Insecure Writers Support Group is a marvellous group set up by Alex Cavanagh. On the first Wednesday of every month, members post thoughts, fears or words of encouragement for fellow writers.
The link above takes you to details about the group and how to join. You’ll also find a list of bloggers signed up to the challenge – do check them out.
The awesome co-hosts this month are Feather Stone, Beverly Stowe McClure, Mary Aalgaard, Kim Lajevardi, and Chemist Ken!
This month’s question – Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the ZONE?
The only thing that works for me is nailing my backside to a chair in front of a keyboard and staying there till I either find the idea, or to allow the germ of an idea to flow out through my fingers. In normal circumstances, I feel rather lucky this is all I need.
In the past, I’d stay at the keyboard until I’d either finished, exhausted the idea, fallen asleep at the keyboard, was forced to move due to a prior commitment, or my back complaining bitterly. But I’m now limited to a period of less than an hour at my keyboard, for I must get up and pace about for at least 5 minutes – without fail, each & ever single hour of the day – to prevent my knee seizing up completely. And that usually seems to take place just when the words start to flow which, as you can imagine is hugely frustrating. Re-capturing that flow takes time, each time I return to my desk. So, progress is slow.
But like everything about our lives at the moment, I know that patience and acceptance is the way forward – so I am practising that mindset. I often fail, but I keep returning to it – much like I return to my keyboard after a session of pacing … with hope.
I could do with something to keeps me in the zone while I pace – any & all ideas would be most welcome!
© Debra Carey, 2020
debsdespatches.com 
I do a twenty minute mini meditation to clear out my mind. Cup of tea and a glass of water. I flip the page on my page a day calendar and I read a page from my simple abundance book….
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I’ve found a few authors who write in a style that is, in my opinion, similar to my own, or at least similar to the style I’m aiming for. So if I need a little help getting into the right mindset for writing, I’ll spend 30 minutes reading one of those authors. It doesn’t always work, but more often than not, it helps push my mind in the right direction (a.k.a. the write direction).
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I’ve read it’s healthier to get up and move like you are. I know it’s frustrating if you’re in a groove but it sounds necessary for your knee. And we could also use to learn more patience and acceptance.
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Sorry about your knee. You’re absolutely right about butt in chair being the key. Whether it’s thirty minutes or thirty hours, the book gets written. Great IWSG post!
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Hi there,
Have you tried voice notes on a phone while walking? It takes some getting used to, but might help keep your head in the WIP. It is nice though that you don’t need to wait for the muse the rest of the time.
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I do my thoughts while swimming, so I imagine you could do something similar while pacing, ready to write it all down when you get back to your computer.
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I’ve been doing a daily meditation but I tend to do it before going to sleep as it helps my mind to quieten. I think I’ll need to fit in another one during the day to heighten the senses. Thanks LA 🙂
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Ooooo, that’s an interesting option James, thank you – I shall give that a try.
PS: I liked your pun 😀
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You’re so right Natalie, it is the best thing to do – it certainly helps keep the old body & the joints mobile. I keep practising that acceptance … hopefully it’ll get better the more I practice 🙂
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Thank you kimlajevardi – the knee is up & down, and I’m learning to accept that’s how it’s going to be now. But I am grateful about the butt in chair bit working (generally). Nice to see you & thanks so much for visiting 🙂
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Hi Donna, d’you know, I’ve not tried that – I’ll give it a go, thank you so much for the suggestion 🙂
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Interesting Sue, I tend to do my thoughts while in the shower or while driving. I think I’m going to try doing some mindset work to persuade myself that pacing is my new thinking space. Thanks for the push in the right direction! 🙂
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The morning one is lovely. I close out my day by journaling….which is meditative in itself
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I don’t have any rituals to get me into the writing zone. I sit down, write what I can think of, edit, edit, edit– then usually delete 80% of what I write. That’s not a ritual as much as a process, I guess. No help here.
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Thanks for the recommendation. I find nighttime very rushed, hence why I started with the meditation habit then. But no reason to think I can’t do both. I keep meaning to try journaling – in the past I’ve only used it to express & get negative stuff off my chest.
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Ally, that’s a process I’m very much with you on. I tend to bash stuff up & leave it to percolate to a while – even when I’m on a deadline, I try to find a little breathing space. Then I go back & edit like mad.
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Journaling is great no matter what you use it for….I do a combo. I write down three gratitudes (and why) highlights and things that made me calm. I write one happy moment and one bad one. I just tried something new with a quick journaling prompt such as “write a thank you note to yourself”. I like having routines to begin and end the day…
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That sounds very similar to a process I’ve seen recommended by the irish author Marian Keyes, so you’re in the best of company. 😀
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I keep thinking “what if?” while pacing and then quickly writing it all down when I’m allowed back to my desk — maybe that will help you 🙂
Ronel visiting for IWSG day Notes on the Women in Publishing Summit 2020
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Oh Ronel, I like that idea – I shall try it immediately, thank you 🙂
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That chair must be getting lots of nail holes! I find my mind works on posts and I just try to make a quick note on my phone so I can come back to the germ of an idea. Sometimes I look back and like the idea and sometimes it gets deep sixed. – David
Thank you for your interest in my blog. Much appreciated.
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Ha ha! 😀 Blog posts tend to come relatively easily, especially as I build them up in advance. Then any ideas I feel have more immediate relevance can jump the queue. It’s the fiction writing that needs the discipline. I absolutely love it, but without having a set routine, sometimes the nailing to chair discipline needs to be applied. Good to see you here too David.
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