In a recent meeting of a writers’ group, where the youngest member was in her early fifties, the conversation turned to the idea of having a writing ritual. Did we have one? What did it look like?
Most of us got a good chuckle just thinking about the steps we take to get the writing process going—and how that process has changed over the years.
Since my college days, sitting down with a yellow legal pad and a blue ink pen has been part of my writing ritual: start with lined yellow paper covered with cross-outs and finish with a clean, typed page. Even though my starting point has remained remarkably consistent over the years, the path to the finished page has evolved dramatically.
What seems humorous now is typing college papers on a manual Royal typewriter. I don’t think my hands have been as strong since. When the IBM Selectric appeared on the office scene, it almost felt like cheating because it made typing and correcting mistakes so much easier. Next came the Mag Card, then the IBM PC, the Apple Mac, and today we have smartphones, dictation apps, and AI.
Needless to say, the methods for getting the words out of my head and into a cohesive written form have changed many times.
Researching the topic. Creating the structure. Checking spelling. Refining grammar. Improving readability. Every part of the process looks different than it did years ago.
Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters offers a fascinating glimpse into John Steinbeck’s writing process. Steinbeck wrote in pencil in a bound journal. On the left-hand page, he wrote a warm-up letter or note to his editor, Pascal Covici. On the right-hand page, he wrote his novel. Every Friday afternoon, Covici would stop by, pick up that week’s journal, share a drink with Steinbeck, and leave him a fresh journal along with a new set of sharpened pencils.
Today, I marvel that Steinbeck handwrote his novels in pencil and had none of the editing responsibilities that today’s writers routinely assume. His editor handled spelling, grammar, readability, typing, and much more, while also offering suggestions on plot and character development. I often wonder how Steinbeck and Covici would approach the writing and editing process today.
When I began writing a newspaper column, the prospect of having an editor thrilled me. Finally! Someone to help me become a better writer.
Alas, there was no editor.
Over the years, I’ve learned to research, outline, edit, rewrite—and rewrite again—and tackle all the other mundane chores of writing. The work of bringing clarity to my thoughts has been both a challenge and a joy. I love it.
Today, I sat down with my yellow legal pad and blue ink pen and jotted down a few ideas about what I had done this week, what I had read, and how I might bring greater focus and clarity to those experiences.
What I now enjoy most is having an editor who is available all day, every day. An editor who checks my writing for spelling, grammar, and readability, while also suggesting ideas that bring greater clarity to my thoughts. This editor has access to all of my books, my more than twenty years of articles, and my online workshops, and brings that accumulated knowledge into our conversations. My editor also knows the books I regularly reference in my writing.
That is an amazing gift.
My writing routine still begins with a yellow legal pad and a blue ink pen. I type on an Apple computer using a word processor. I ask ChatGPT to edit my work. And after so many years, I am delighted to finally have a full-time editor to help me.
I think of it as HI (Human Intelligence) using AI (Artificial Intelligence).
The tools change, but the ritual remains consistent: sit down, wrestle with ideas, and write.
How, I wonder, would Steinbeck approach his writing today? What would his writing ritual look like? And would Steinbeck still be Steinbeck?
Find out about my new workshop…
