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Consider a Writing Ritual (Especially Great for Artists)
By Thea Fiore-Bloom, Ph.D.
“Every writer I know has trouble writing.” — Joseph Heller
Are you having trouble getting your sweet self to write a little every day?
Girl – have I been there.
But, I stumbled onto a major cure.
No, it doesn’t involve amphetamines, Tony Robbins, or even “my fab, new two-thousand dollar workshop.”
Here it is.
It’s a free, tiny but mighty ritual you can do for yourself before and after you write.
This ritual is grounded in my belief that writing is not only an intellectual and artistic discipline but also a spiritual path (and a way to serve others.)
Of course, the same can be said of painting.
So consider using this ritual to help you paint or write for even fifteen minutes a day. Miracles may unfold.
“Some very good things have been created in fifteen minutes a day.”
I got the idea of doing a daily ritual like this from a prolific writer/professor, Richard Tarnas, who mentioned it during a 2007 writing workshop at Pacifica Graduate Institute (my Alma mater.)
Let me share the version of it I practice with you.
A Writing Ritual: In Two Acts
Act One: Before Writing Part
“The scariest moment is just before you start.” — Stephen King
First thing in the morning I trundle down in the dark to my studio with a hot cup of something.
I begin by taking a breath and striking some sort of chime.
As I ring the chime (or light a candle) I ask the powers that be to please allow me to get the heck out of my own way today.
My pre-writing ritual, allows me to switch out of my insane “I’m so scared of disapproval”- mode and into “Who can this be of service to?” – mode, and begin to write.
Next, I press play on the free, beautiful, meditation timer app on my phone and begin to type. (For details on how to download my other fave, free, writing-helper apps, go here.)
Doing a pre-writing or pre-painting ritual only takes a minute but it will support your confidence and creativity throughout your session.
After the virtual gong on my app sounds my session to a close, I blow out the candle, try not to knock one of my two cats off the desk, and head across the room to my little writing altar for part two.
Act Two: After Writing Mini- Ritual
I assembled the altar last year on top of a low bookshelf.
Here, I take another big breath and say thanks out loud to the muses that ran alongside me today and kindly tried to help me tell a story.
Requiring myself to perform this post-writing ritual forces me to bask, even for thirty seconds, in the wonderful feeling of being done with the writing.
I usually thank Spirit. Currently, Spirit is represented on my altar in an image of the Hindu elephant God, Ganesha. (I speak more on the importance of naming a writing guide for your work in my post: How to Outline Your Book, Without Stress, in Just 7 Days, With 7 Cups of Tea.)
To finish, I ring a Tibetan bell over photos and special objects on my altar.
These are objects and photos of my heroes and mentors and other supportive folks (who were kind enough to believe in my work) have given me over the years.
Extremely Non-Sacred Sticker Step
Oh, Oh, the very last thing I do is walk over to my wall calendar and give myself a sticker for the day.
(Unlike those of you who are adults, I will still do almost anything for a good sticker.)
I was relieved to recently find out that I’m not nuts and that my kooky sticker ritual is an example of “habit tracking.”
James Clear (author of Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results) says studies show habit tracking is an effective, addictive behavior that can get you to the top of your Everest.
I highly recommend the audio version of this book for any artist or writer who has a dream they want to come true.
Add Your Own Custom Touches
The stickers personalize the ritual and make it work for me.
What will make your writing or painting ritual work for you?
Into crystals? You may want to have a beautiful blue throat-chakra supporting crystal like an aqua aura on your writing altar to help you express yourself clearly.
Love aromatherapy? Maybe your writing session begins by pushing the button on your essential oil diffuser so that the tiniest essence of good quality but affordable Spruce or Rosemary wafts through the air to fire up your focus. (Visit my Five Essential Oils Artist and Writers Shouldn’t Be Without post for more info.)
In closing, don’t underestimate the heavy benefits of light ritual.
Here are four reasons why ritual supports writers:
1. Writing Rituals Help You Battle Down the Beasties of Self-Doubt
A self-created writing ritual serves as a powerful antidote to the self-doubt that plagues us modest, non-narcissistic, heart-centered types.
Because by taking a minute to do a small closing ritual (before madly running off to fold laundry) we honor the fact that we’ve put our head into the lion’s mouth again and emerged to tell the tale.
We come up out of our creative homework chiming, ringing, sparkling, and shining.
This good noise naturally scatters our fears to the four winds a little more each day.
“Fear is our natural reaction to moving closer toward the truth.” — Pema Chodron
2. A Small Writing Ritual Lets You Legally Love On Yourself
You are a glorious limited edition.
If you are one of the scattering of creative people who subscribe to this blog- trust me- they broke the mold when they made you.
Your chiming, lighting, and spoken intentions may be a great way to give yourself a reinforcing, cosmic hug.
Each mental hug you grant yourself (or bestow on your muse) will incrementally strengthen the mental association between writing and a feeling of pride and accomplishment in your big, beautiful brain.
3. Your Writing Ritual Builds a Fairy Beacon
Many folks (way smarter than me) have written volumes that answer this one question:
Why does ritual persist throughout human history?
I feel compelled to sully the canon by adding one trite but true explanation:
Ritual persists… because … it’s fun.
And your internal creative fairies are drawn to fun like butterflies to Milkweed.
Your ritual will make your desk psychically sticky, transforming it into a fairy beacon that gathers your creative angels to your side.
“Only when we are at our most playful can divinity finally get serious with us.”
— Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic.
4. Writing Ritual Gives You a Swanky Helipad for Gratitude to Land On
By performing this ritual we can start giving thanks for our creativity and its connection to Spirit— each and every day.
And we can stop taking each small but essential step towards our big sacred dream, for granted.
A dream, by the way, which when unleashed into the world will inspire at least one other person to pursue their dream.
Not bad, right?
“The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.”
— Maya Angelou
This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon.com. I appreciate you buying books or other stuff via these occasional links. There is no additional cost to you and it helps me defray for some of the costs of running the Charmed Studio and keeping it ad-free. Thank you!
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Over to you. What do you think?
Do you have a mini-altar anywhere in your home?
What’s on it? Flowers? An object?
I would love to know in the Comments below.
You may also like:
How To Write More Often: 1 Realization That Can Change Everything.
How to Recover From a Harsh Art Critique
51 Blog Post Topics for Heart-Centered Artists
How Visiting Famous Artists’ Home Museums Unleashes Wild Magic For Creatives
Meditations for Artists: Reduce Fear, Ignite Creativity
Free Resources
Great ideas as always! Thank you!
Oh thanks Denise. Do you ever have a little ritual to help you before you go on stage?
Thanks Thea, for your charming blog, and for posting my artwork, “Caribou”. Music and nature through the window are always a source of inspiration and encouragement for me in my work. Also being in touch with other artists 🙂
Hi Leigh, Thanks for your comment and it was a pleasure to share your work. I love your art. Yes, nature through the window is a wonderful source of inspiration and encouragement. I wrote a little post about Hopper, Matisse and the Importance of Daydreaming and a Good Window for Artists, here: https://thecharmedstudio.com/matisse-windows-daydreaming
Re: Daydreaming, windows….Another great article – thank you! I so appreciate your wonderful words!
That made my day, thanks Leigh.
Oh Karen, Holiday cards are such a smart way to take the plunge. What a good idea that would be for new artists out there who are nervous about putting toes into waters. It also allows you to voice- not just to friends and family – but the universe at large that you are an artist. Thanks so much for your answer.
I LOVE this post Thea. I have used a similar chime in the past, whenever i wanted to create something magical. I always thought the sound cleared the energetic deck, leaving an open space for creating. Now I have to remember where I put the darn thing.
The idea of creating a sacred space to write in is genius. Call on the muse and you’re good to go. FAB!
I think closing it down with gratitude is really important too. It signals a step back into ordinary space/states where you can look back on what you created while dancing with your creative force.
Thank you so much for another brilliant post. Going to go and search for my chime…..
Thank you Laura!! I love how you expressed the essence of this post in such a wonderfully worded way. Yes, I completely agree that “Sound Clears the Energetic Deck, leaving an open space for creating.” Well said, it is such an ineffable process all this that is hard to put into words but you’ve nailed it. Maybe that is why music can heal us, it’s sounds clear our body’s and mind’s energetic decks? And also transport us to better places. 🙂 Maybe chimes are the sonic version of saging a space? I appreciate your thoughts and support. Send me a photo of your chime when you find it.
Such an incredible post. This is one of my all time favorites. Really helps you focus on your process and connection to writing. The audio is so warm and filled with humor. Thank you for the warmth and light today Thea. 🙏🙏☺☺
Thanks for your kindness and support Gale!I was thinking of you often as I wrote this post, especially since it was your gift of the beautiful tiny Tibetan singing bowl to me that inspired the idea to tell others about what I do on a daily basis to help the writing along.
The journey into creative magic land can be mysterious and sometimes daunting. Sometimes it is hidden like some hardware parts at our local Ace Store. Suddenly it appears in full view. I believe using a daily ritual to create can be a remarkable experience. Instantly visions can come forward.
One of the daily rituals I use is to sit in a chair I have sitting in my studio area and drink a cappuccino or tea. It gives me time to reflect on what I’m currently working on. And also making plans to create.
My wife likes to call it the King’s chair and sometimes sits in it to poke fun at me.
We do enjoy burning sage in the studio to help dispel negative energies. I will have to check out the book Big Magic.
ooooh Kevin now I want to get a King Chair too. 🙂 Just the idea of sitting for a minute, just sitting- before the day starts whirring about you, is a wonderful ritual indeed. I would like to give that a go – I wonder if I could be that calm? Doubt it. My Dad was a fan of that wise sitting still thing though. And Kafka once supposedly said: “Simply wait, be quiet, still. The World will freely offer itself to you.”
Oh if you don’t want to buy the Big Magic book you can get a lot of the same info for free from Gilbert’s Ted Talk on Creativity. https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_your_elusive_creative_genius
Thea, what a magical way to start off the New Year ! If your rituals don’t send you into an altered state I don[t know what will! Reading about your wonderful practices evoked memories of church rituals
Sorry my WordPress comment processing cut you off so rudely like that Sylvia. Thank you for all your encouragement, I am so thankful for you.
Hi Mineke, great ideas in your comment. I forget about beautiful music. And yes to all the other lovely sensory stimuli you mentioned. Switching from typing to writing longhand with beautiful colored pens and back to typing again always helps me stir up good ideas in my brain. I think color stimulates and revivifies some dusty section of my mental cabinets. Enjoy your resting period for now, periods are so valuable too right?
Great ideas! I love little rituals involving sensory objects, like your Woodstock chime, the smell of tea or coffee, incense, or a piece of beautiful music. They immediately pull you out of the mundane and into a more expansive, creative space. I’m definitely going to borrow some of these ideas and adapt them to my own practice once I’m ready to start my drawing and painting routine again.
I was excited when I saw your email in my box. I couldn’t wait to listen to your next podcast. You always have such great advice and your voice is so calming. Thank you for posting my painting. How fun to see my artwork on your site! Your site is an inspiration to me and your advice is well taken. Thank you for your hard work and for the heart and soul you put into it. Karen
Hi Karen,
You just made my day. I love your painting “Rose,” it just is oxygen for the heart. Thank you for taking the time to tell me you enjoy the podcast. I was so terrified to record podcasts in the beginning (about 7 months ago I think) but now you couldn’t drag me off my little audio stage with a crook. LOL Did you feel nervous when you first put your creativity out into the world?
Anyway, I appreciate you and believe in your work. Stay in touch. Warmly,Thea
Hi Thea. Yes, I was very nervous about putting my artwork “out there”, especially since the only people who really ever saw it were my husband and Mom. I started making all my Christmas cards several years back and that helped break the ice for me, but putting it on Social Media?! That was an entirely different story!!!!