IWSG: In The Zone . . . Getting There Is Half the Battle!
Happy May!! Our Insecure Writers Support Group question for this month is: Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the Zone?
My rituals have evolved over the decades I’ve been writing. The one constant through all these years is the unseen enemy (not children or the time clock) – FOCUS. In order to produce any tangible product, one must first put butt in chair. That chair has changed over the years from a picnic table in the yard while the kids played in the sandbox, bleachers and plastic seats while watching ballgames and bowling leagues, to lunch hours at the work computer, and now, my spacious home office. The setting and seating may change, but not my routine. It begins with the path of least resistance, when I’m least likely to be interrupted, which for the last twenty years has been from 4:30 am to time to get ready for work at 7:00 am. Since retiring, it’s 7:00 am to 10:30 am. Even on vacay, I’m up and at it while everyone else is sleeping.
Since I have ADD/OCD, I can’t function at full speed until at least two cups of java have hit the bloodstream, so my first half hour or so is comprised of mindless Social Media scrolling and the daily news topped off with breakfast. Then it’s time to get down to business. And woe be unto the unwise who think to interrupt me (except cats. They get a pass).
It’s a rare occasion when I sit down to a blank brain, having usually plotted out my next day’s journey while drifting off to sleep. I never had the luxury of waiting for inspiration during ‘work hours,’ so when that WIP pops up, I greet it with a plan: An outline sketch, Post It notes of conversation bites and story snippets, and loose pages of research. I may reread the preceding page to get up to speed but most often, I just start right in, getting it down until I run out of time or am satisfied I’ve finished what’s needed to for that day. Then I’m done.
Writing, for me, isn’t just that next chapter. It’s also the blogs and PR I’m committed to (especially with a new boxed set and the concluding book in my shapeshifter series coming out this spring/summer!). I wish I could claim to be SO organized that I have a day set aside each week to do all that extraneous writing (well, it’s always my PLAN, but it never works out that way!). I calendar my blog topics in advance so I can gather graphics and quotes ahead of time but like as not, it comes down to the last-minute scramble.
Does my BICHOK ritual always work? Most of the time. My OCD keeps things on a tight leash even when a Pandemic rears its ugly head.
Butt in Chair. Hands on Keys. Every day.
Can’t wait to discover what keeps you focused and on task. It’s not too late for this old dog to learn some new tricks.
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the May 6th posting of the IWSG will be Feather Stone, Beverly Stowe McClure, Mary Aalgaard, Kim Lajevardi, and Chemist Ken!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
My rituals have evolved over the decades I’ve been writing. The one constant through all these years is the unseen enemy (not children or the time clock) – FOCUS. In order to produce any tangible product, one must first put butt in chair. That chair has changed over the years from a picnic table in the yard while the kids played in the sandbox, bleachers and plastic seats while watching ballgames and bowling leagues, to lunch hours at the work computer, and now, my spacious home office. The setting and seating may change, but not my routine. It begins with the path of least resistance, when I’m least likely to be interrupted, which for the last twenty years has been from 4:30 am to time to get ready for work at 7:00 am. Since retiring, it’s 7:00 am to 10:30 am. Even on vacay, I’m up and at it while everyone else is sleeping.
Since I have ADD/OCD, I can’t function at full speed until at least two cups of java have hit the bloodstream, so my first half hour or so is comprised of mindless Social Media scrolling and the daily news topped off with breakfast. Then it’s time to get down to business. And woe be unto the unwise who think to interrupt me (except cats. They get a pass).
It’s a rare occasion when I sit down to a blank brain, having usually plotted out my next day’s journey while drifting off to sleep. I never had the luxury of waiting for inspiration during ‘work hours,’ so when that WIP pops up, I greet it with a plan: An outline sketch, Post It notes of conversation bites and story snippets, and loose pages of research. I may reread the preceding page to get up to speed but most often, I just start right in, getting it down until I run out of time or am satisfied I’ve finished what’s needed to for that day. Then I’m done.
Writing, for me, isn’t just that next chapter. It’s also the blogs and PR I’m committed to (especially with a new boxed set and the concluding book in my shapeshifter series coming out this spring/summer!). I wish I could claim to be SO organized that I have a day set aside each week to do all that extraneous writing (well, it’s always my PLAN, but it never works out that way!). I calendar my blog topics in advance so I can gather graphics and quotes ahead of time but like as not, it comes down to the last-minute scramble.
Does my BICHOK ritual always work? Most of the time. My OCD keeps things on a tight leash even when a Pandemic rears its ugly head.
Butt in Chair. Hands on Keys. Every day.
Can’t wait to discover what keeps you focused and on task. It’s not too late for this old dog to learn some new tricks.
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the May 6th posting of the IWSG will be Feather Stone, Beverly Stowe McClure, Mary Aalgaard, Kim Lajevardi, and Chemist Ken!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
No comments have been added yet.
