UFI welcomes Kate Baray Author of Lost Library. Thanks for Joining us!!
The Ritual of Writing
A comfortable spot, the best time of the day, a favorite computer—perhaps a typewriter or pen for those luddites out there. These are some of the components of my writing ritual. Getting in the right frame of mind can be helpful when you sit down each day to write. Following a ritual can even make one more productive. When I first started writing regularly, writing very quickly became an important part of each of my days. It wasn’t until after I’d been scribbling daily for several weeks, however, that I started to notice I have my own rituals.I’m not particularly superstitious—even if some of my characters may be—but I do believe in the concept of rituals. For those who haven’t read my bio, I’ve been a dog trainer and have a trailing dog. It is very common in trailing to have what many trailing folks call a start ritual. There are certain steps that I follow each and every time I take my trailing dog out to train. Out of the crate, 3-5 minutes of walking around and sniffing, a systematic method for checking the area where he’ll be starting his trail, harnessing him the same way each time, presenting the scent article, and then providing him with the same start cue each time. Why do I and many other trailing dog handlers do this? Because it mentally prepares the dog for the upcoming task. It allows the dog to become more and more focused as the process unfolds. It also generates a good amount of enthusiasm for most dogs.
Why do I, or you, care about a trailing dog’s start ritual? Speaking for myself, I can say that I am that excited bloodhound. Because having a start ritual for writing prepares me mentally for the task, invites focus, and generates enthusiasm for the story and writing. While I may not adhere as strictly to my writing routine as I do my hound’s start ritual, I do try to be aware of the components of my ritual. Doing so allows me to help myself if I get stuck. If I’m having a hard time working, I may need to change location, tool, or schedule.
One of the interesting facts of my writing ritual is that I’m most productive early morning, evening, and late-night. The interesting part? I am not a morning person. I struggle to get going in the morning. But I can roll out of bed and write before I’ve had coffee, breakfast, a shower, or any of those other things that I routinely rely upon to get me started in the morning…if I incorporate some of other parts of my writing ritual.
So if you’re interested in writing, already writing, or have some other task that a ritual might aid—give it a try! And if there’s a ritual you practice to invite creativity or productivity, then tell me about it :) You can post responses in the comments
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Kate Baray is a paranormal romance and urban fantasy writer. She lives and writes in Austin, Texas with the help of her spotty dogs and hound. Kate has worked as an attorney, a manager, a tractor sales person, and a dog trainer. All exciting and interesting jobs, but none so much as writing!
Find Kate and her books
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Lost LibraryAuthor Kate Baray begins her new paranormal romance series with Lost Library, a tale of werewolves, magic, adventure and romance.
John Braxton arrives unannounced on Lizzie’s doorstep. Little does she know that when she invites him to a drink on the porch, Lizzie opens the door to a secret world of werewolves—oops, they don’t like that name!—Lycan, magic, spelled books, and power hungry evildoers. Caught up in one man’s search for power, Lizzie soon begins to uncover surprising secrets about her own past and powers.
And romance with a serious but sexy Lycan? It might just happen…
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