I went out to write with my friends Josh and Andy last night and was able to finish the five hundred words with ease. It is true that writing only gets better with more writing, sort of like forcing yourself to eat something until you like it. I did it with coffee and tea, now the staple drinks of my diet.

When I was young I played a lot of sports. My parents bought many gloves and shoes, cleats and hockey sticks, and many many more clothes and equipment. They usually purchased some of the more expensive equipment when they could afford it.

Now a lot of parents out there might say that this is a waste, for kids tend to grow rather quickly, but they were not concerned with that. My father always told me that you play as good as your equipment. In other words, if you have some of the best soccer boots in the game, you are no longer self conscious about how you look as most young teenagers would be. You believed the commercials and articles and pictures about them, so you could run fast and longer and harder than anyone else.

I think this applies in many walks of life. We dress for many occasions. We dress for business or a wedding. We dress for college or a hockey game with the intent of looking like someone who belongs.

There are times when I am not in the mood to write or don’t have the energy to do so, but need to get something done. This is when I default to my slippers and tea or coffee. The best way for me to get into the writing mood are those two things. Then I feel ready, prepared, and confident.

Do you have any routines you do before writing?

Cheers,

Bob