You need to write something, anything. You went to the bathroom, got your glass of water or cup of coffee, sat down behind your laptop and opened Word. And then, nothing…Just a cursor, blinking, torturing you with its mean smirk.
In other words, you’re drawing a complete blank.
A lot of people ask me how I’m always in the mood to write. And honestly, I’m not. No one is always in the mood to write. But over the years I have found ways to ‘get in the mood’.
In this article I’d like to share some of those ways with you. So you can beat that annoying cursor.
1. Set a writing ritual
Rituals are a set of actions performed according to a specific order, to bring you into a certain mindset. We know this very well in a religious or spiritual context, but if you think about it, we have little rituals throughout our lives. Probably the most common one is the bedtime ritual. But you might also have a cleaning or cooking ritual.
At the moment, Wednesday and Thursday are the days that I dedicate to writing. I try not to have any meetings or plans outside of the house so that I can focus on writing on the days I need to create. So let me take you through my ritual before I start my writing days.
6:30 – Wake up & selfcare
7:00 – Walk while listening to podcast
8:00 – Breakfast
8:30 – To-do list & desk prep (water, pen, notebook etc.)
9:00 – Turn on computer & music
9:00 – Catching up with emails, messages, and texts
9:30 – Eliminate all distractions (emails, phone)
9:30 – Let’s write!
2. A playlist that works for you
When I put on my headphones and have the right music playing, nothing can stop me.
The key phrase in that little paragraph right there is the right music. The type of music that will create a wall of sound between you and the rest of the world.
When I first realized that the type of music influenced my ability to focus, was when I was trying to write my screenplay at the New York Film Academy. I was writing a delicate and tender take on a dark story. During research, I came across the backstory of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. I started to listen to the music of Swan Lake while writing, and I found it easier to connect to my main character.
Since then, I have tried to incorporate that learning into my day-to-day work. And I found that classical instrumental music worked best. Especially the soundtrack of Lord of the Rings and the music of Hans Zimmer.
3. A cluttered desk, cluttered mind
The cliché is true: When your workspace is a mess, your work is a mess. Although not part of my writing ritual, but I keep my desk as tidy as possible. Usually, I tidy it up a little at the end of my day.
And on bad days, when I clean, usually the focus starts to kick in.
Now, I don’t have kids or animals, we live small, and my partner cleans up after himself (most of the time). So, I know I’m fortunate to be able to have an uncluttered desk. But I would urge you to find set times in the day or week to clean a little around your writing area.
