There is a Dutch saying: een dag niet gelachen is een dag niet geleefd. Loosely translated: a day without laughter is a day not lived. A beautiful proverb I fully agree with.
In the context of writing, I’d like to borrow that proverb and say: a day you haven’t written is a day you haven’t fully lived. It may sound slightly dramatic, but it captures just how important writing is to me. In my previous post, Writing for the Sake of Writing: How Writing Can Save You, I mentioned how writing helps keep my emotions balanced and my thoughts in check.
But while writing can be therapeutic and meditative, it can also be intimidating. Silencing your inner critic is challenging once it takes over. I still remember writing my thesis years ago — I was in agony! And yet, I miss it.
If you’re like me — someone who has an affinity for writing and is at the same time intimidated by it — then maybe you’ll benefit from creating a mental and/or physical space that is conducive to writing.
It is also important to note that having that writing space, whether mental or physical, does not guarantee motivation. Experience has taught me that motivation comes after I start working, not before. A writing space becomes useless if you simply sit there waiting for inspiration to descend from the heavens. Still, it is wonderful to have a space in your home — and in your life — dedicated to writing.
Reading inspires me to write
It’s fair to say that reading and writing are intertwined. This is certainly true for me. Whenever I read something beautiful and well-written, where clarity of thought and expression shine through, I feel inspired to write. I think to myself: I also want to write something good.
More often than not, writing even requires reading — we want our thoughts to be informed by other sources. So when you write, you read more. And when you read, you write more.
In other words, reading a book, a newspaper article, or even a simple, well-written blog post creates a mental space in which writing is naturally stimulated.
Fountain pen
Did I choose my fountain pen, or did my fountain pen choose me? Of course, I chose it — and I’ve been using fountain pens since 2015, especially when journaling. But if we’re being romantic, I like the idea that it chose me.
One cannot underestimate the role a writing instrument plays in one’s writing experience. For me, that instrument is my fountain pen. It makes writing more enjoyable and creates the mood and mental state conducive to writing. In many ways, for reasons I don’t fully understand, my fountain pen unclogs my mind and helps me get into flow.
Yes, fountain pens can be expensive — and my latest one certainly wasn’t cheap — but it will be my writing companion for years to come. I’m bonding with it; it has a certain character.
Staring at a blank page
For many of us, that white, empty Word document on the screen can be terrifying. The longer you stare at it, the more it feels like it is staring back. Writing the first sentence is crucial, because once you nail it, the rest tends to follow. But those first few sentences? They are notoriously hard. How many times have you deleted that first line in that daunting sea of white?
And yet, that blank page — whether digital or on paper — is also inviting. It can devour you, and before you know it, you’re filling it with your thoughts.
So despite its intimidating nature, staring at that blankness often brings me into the writing mood.
My writing desk
Perhaps my favourite spot in our home is my personal desk. I say personal because I also have a work desk in my home office.
But this one — this is my writing desk. It’s where I’m writing this blog post right now. It is the place where I make sense of my thoughts and check in with my emotions through writing.
My desk is my point of departure. The moment I sit down, my mind begins to travel, and my world expands. It brings me into that safe space where writing is both encouraged and nurtured.
Establishing a writing habit: A ritual
We often underestimate the power of rituals in our daily lives. A ritual prepares the body and mind for whatever is coming next. At least for me, it changes my state of mind and sometimes even my emotional state.
A ritual doesn’t have to be complicated or grand. Even a simple movement or a moment of silence can be enough to guide you gently into the writing mood.
I follow the “10 minutes of writing a day” rule I learned from Wendy Laura Belcher’s workbook Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks. Before those ten minutes begin, I sit quietly at my desk, focus on my breathing, and keep my text in front of me.
This ritual quiets my inner critic — and brings me into flow.
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