As to the poll, I said never, because, beyond getting my tea made, there isn't anything that feels like a ritual. I sit in different places, I sometimes I listen to music, sometimes not, I write at different times during the day, sometimes I do timed sprints, most of the time I don't. Not sure what this means. Although I do know that no one has every accused me of being compulsive, although I also don't feel like I am a very spontaneous person either, in that my days, if looked at from a distance, don't vary much, as anyone who reads my posts will no doubt attest to (smile.)
I'm hearing "Tea!" The one constant. I can do anything, anywhere... with my one particular thermos-like mug, an old metal thing from my son's school-days, that keeps the coffee hot-to-warm all morning. (Heaven help us, if he ever asks to have the mug returned!)
But your flexibility otherwise works, based on what I've read of your daily newsletter!
Yes, I loved Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr! It's a complete departure from All the Light We Cannot See except for his amazing writing talent and skill with words, though.
I don't have the discipline for rituals, apparently, much as I've tried to cultivate them over the years, so I had to answer "Never" in the poll, which sounds so assertive, when I really was answering wistfully. Morning coffee is more of an addiction than a ritual for me, so I can't count that, although I do favor certain mugs over others.
Ah, I wasn't seeing a distinction between addiction and ritual; without coffee, I can't write. And mugs are a Thing. Maybe you don't have to be so wistful!
I need a copy of Cloud Cuckoo on top of my pile then. I've suspected so.
I am quite late writing here, but I just wanted to say: it makes me most happy to imagine someone attacking an intruder with a giant book about poetry! I mean, not that having an intruder is a happy event in an of itself, but if you HAD to attack an intruder, it makes me happy to imagine someone doing so with that poetry book, instead of, say, a large spatula or a throw cushion or something like that.
I had to say 'never' as well. I don't even drink tea/coffee while writing as I have that for my break. Sort of my carrot. "Finish this chapter and you can have a cup of Earl Grey tea ." Maybe I need a ritual.
"Finish this... and you can... " Those self-assigned deadlines. Without Earl Grey nothing might get done! Walks might not happen--in my case. All sorts...
As to the poll, I said never, because, beyond getting my tea made, there isn't anything that feels like a ritual. I sit in different places, I sometimes I listen to music, sometimes not, I write at different times during the day, sometimes I do timed sprints, most of the time I don't. Not sure what this means. Although I do know that no one has every accused me of being compulsive, although I also don't feel like I am a very spontaneous person either, in that my days, if looked at from a distance, don't vary much, as anyone who reads my posts will no doubt attest to (smile.)
I'm hearing "Tea!" The one constant. I can do anything, anywhere... with my one particular thermos-like mug, an old metal thing from my son's school-days, that keeps the coffee hot-to-warm all morning. (Heaven help us, if he ever asks to have the mug returned!)
But your flexibility otherwise works, based on what I've read of your daily newsletter!
Yes, I loved Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr! It's a complete departure from All the Light We Cannot See except for his amazing writing talent and skill with words, though.
I don't have the discipline for rituals, apparently, much as I've tried to cultivate them over the years, so I had to answer "Never" in the poll, which sounds so assertive, when I really was answering wistfully. Morning coffee is more of an addiction than a ritual for me, so I can't count that, although I do favor certain mugs over others.
Ah, I wasn't seeing a distinction between addiction and ritual; without coffee, I can't write. And mugs are a Thing. Maybe you don't have to be so wistful!
I need a copy of Cloud Cuckoo on top of my pile then. I've suspected so.
I am quite late writing here, but I just wanted to say: it makes me most happy to imagine someone attacking an intruder with a giant book about poetry! I mean, not that having an intruder is a happy event in an of itself, but if you HAD to attack an intruder, it makes me happy to imagine someone doing so with that poetry book, instead of, say, a large spatula or a throw cushion or something like that.
Now that I think of it, that could actually be a writing prompt: someone attacks an intruder with a giant poetry writing book.
You need to write this... A Poet's Craft could probably do it! You do make me laugh, Kathryn--thank you!
I had to say 'never' as well. I don't even drink tea/coffee while writing as I have that for my break. Sort of my carrot. "Finish this chapter and you can have a cup of Earl Grey tea ." Maybe I need a ritual.
"Finish this... and you can... " Those self-assigned deadlines. Without Earl Grey nothing might get done! Walks might not happen--in my case. All sorts...