Ways To Romanticize Writing (And Why You Should)

Writing isn't glamorous. We spend a lot of time hunched over our computers, staring at blank screens with a mug of lukewarm coffee. A lot of us are in sweatpants and t-shirts with hair in messy buns not for the aesthetics but because it needs to be out of the way.

Writing is early mornings with the 5 AM writer's club (or staying up incredibly late if you're a night owl writer like me). It's rewriting. Grappling with negative feedback and rejection and self-loathing at times. Balancing so many spinning plates behind the scenes. Doing your darndest to squeeze it into the corners of your day. Despite what so many think, it's not a lucrative pursuit—at least, not monetarily speaking, unless you're an astronomical bestseller.

Meanwhile, the media has cultivated the writer's aesthetic, a cousin of dark academia, that makes us seem more like reclusive, brooding masterminds who have it all figured out than creative souls locked into a world that doesn't always support our ambitions unless we've found the avenue to prove ourselves worthy to the masses. So many writers don't receive the recognition they deserve.

That's one of the reasons romanticizing the writing process can make a huge difference. Keeping that sense of wonder and whimsy alive in your writing can make it more enjoyable and something to look forward to, even on the hard days (because, believe me, there are PLENTY of hard days). Plus, it's another way to make your writing feel like yours, something that's feeling increasingly important lately.

In this post, I'm sharing some of the things I currently do to romanticize my writing process, along with a few I'm hoping to try in the future.

First, though...

What Does "Romanticizing Your Writing" Even Mean?

When we talk about romanticizing life, it's often regarded as a mindset shift. The difference between saying "I have to do this" vs "I get to do this." Online, it's often accompanied by cozy lighting and aesthetically pleasing coffee as you go about your day-to-day, sometimes compared to leaning into your main character energy in the opening montage of your TV show.

That's only part of it, though. Romanticizing your everyday habits is also a matter of bringing mindfulness and intentionality into the ordinary.

As for romanticizing your writing process, it's also about making it feel genuinely unique to you. It's adding and enhancing tiny details to make even the mundane things exciting and creating small rituals for yourself to make it all more manageable.

Ways To Romanticize Writing

Romanticizing the writing process looks different for everyone. The things that work for me may not work as well for you, and vice versa. That's okay! The very essence of romanticizing life is discovering what best suits you.

If you're looking for ideas, here are some things I've been doing lately and want to do in the future!

Focus On Rituals Over Rules — The intention of romanticizing your writing habits is to add joy and whimsy back into the everyday, to make writing something you "get to do" instead of something you "have to do." The most important tip I can give when it comes to romanticizing your writing is to focus on creating small rituals for yourself instead of rules. Focus on what makes you feel like a writer and chase those vibes.

This might include making your coffee, tidying your desk, putting on a specific playlist, or meditation. Having a ritual or pre-writing routine can make it easier to immerse yourself in a writing session because it allows you to prepare your space and your mind.

As you're finding your routine, give yourself the freedom to test out different things and see what works for you (and remember that these rituals can change over time).

Remember That Word Counts Aren't The Only Accomplishment — Word counts absolutely have their place when you're setting goals as a writer. However, they're not the only ones.

Romanticization is about finding the joy in the smaller, seemingly unremarkable things. But instead of waving them off and moving on, let those unremarkable things be remarked upon by celebrating writing wins apart from word count milestones.

Maybe you've written for three days in a row or have finally figured out how to fix a scene that's been bugging you. When you've checked something off your to-do list, give yourself that well-deserved pat on the back. We reach our greatest achievements by a path of smaller steps.

Dress The Part — We've all heard the adage of dressing for the job you want. When it comes to writers, that's usually portrayed as the aforementioned cousin of Dark Academia or the combo of messy buns, pajama bottoms, and lukewarm coffee in forgotten mugs.

But what if neither suits your writing style? Embrace that!

There's an episode of Remington Steele that involves a romance novelist, and the first time we see this character, she's sprawled out in her bed with her WIP in frilly lingerie just doing her thing. That is the epitome of what I mean here.

This doesn't mean you need to do an entire wardrobe cleanout, but it might be worth adding a couple of pieces that make you feel more like a writer (or the kind of writer you want to be).

Manuscript Manicures — You may recall from my bucket list post last year that getting my nails done to match my book cover for release day is a dream of mine—but why wait?

Writing is quite literally at our fingertips. Painting your nails to match your WIP's vibes can be an aesthetically pleasing reminder to write. I have a few bottles of nail polish in my collection that I bought or use more frequently because the color just feels like my WIP.

Nail art is also a form of self-care for me, so combining it with my writing process is perfect.

Write With A Pen Name — As a writer with a pen name, I can attest to the whimsical trace it brings to my writing. There's something intriguing about creating this alter ego of sorts and, especially for genres like fantasy or romance, a pen name can have you feeling even closer to your writing. It's participating in a longstanding tradition.

Find Your Aesthetic — I briefly touched on aesthetics at the top of this post. And while you don't need to fit into any particular aesthetic to be a writer, cultivating your own aesthetic can add a personal touch that makes your writing feel like home.

Given the look of my blog and social media posts, it might come as a surprise to learn that my favorite color is blue (Tiffany Blue, specifically). In recent years, however, my writing setup has become increasingly pink from my keyboard to my editing binder. Overall, my writing aesthetic is in the vein of cottagecore, with dashes of the Regency Era—a stark differentiation from the spooky-season-is-always-in-season vibe I often bring to my job at the escape room, which helps my brain recognize when it's meant to be in writing mode.

Some might say that developing your writer's aesthetic can translate into branding consistency, but that's not necessarily the objective of this post, now, is it?

You don't have to have your writer's aesthetic sorted out in an instant. For one, your budget may not allow it. It's also more fun to build it gradually and see how your style and space evolve. Start with something small, like finding stationery or pens in a color that feels like your current writing project or how you envision your dream writing space, and branch out from there.

Themed Computer Desktop — Your computer is your hub for writing. Whether it's working on your book, researching, marketing, or communicating with fellow writers and industry pros, your computer is an essential tool (even if you prefer handwritten drafts like I do).

One thing I've been getting more into lately is changing my wallpaper to match the vibe of my current WIP. Right now, it's stormy waves off of Dover, since A Tided Love's Breamport draws some inspiration from the coastal town. You could also use photos of celebs or models you're using for character inspiration—or character art if you have it, your world map for a quick reference, or a mood board capturing the vibes of your project. Depending on your system, you can put these images on rotation so they don't become stale.

I've also changed my browser homepage to match the damask motif of my blog!

This can help put you in the writing mindset as soon as you fire up your computer.

Turn Writing Into An Adventure By Writing Somewhere New — If you're anything like me, you'd love to embark on a writing retreat out in the great wide somewhere. And if you're also on a budget like mine, that's not always going to be feasible.

What's what makes mini retreats in your region so wonderful!

I've written more extensively about writer staycations here, and one of my favorite adventures from those suggested outings was visiting cafes in your area.

A lot of my writing happens on the go. It started out of necessity, but I've found that writing in different locations helps rekindle my creativity when I'm in a slump.

When you're out and about, you don't the (albeit necessary) distractions of housekeeping or other temptations; that's not to say you won't be entirely free from distractions when you're writing on the go, of course, but may not feel compelled to engage with them in the same capacity.

And you may find that being surrounded by others encourages you to stay on task.

A change of scenery like a favorite coffee spot or your local library can offer a new perspective on your writing.

Speaking of coffee...

Writing-Specific Drinks — Writers and cozy drinks pair so perfectly, and adding one to your writing routine can help romanticize it.

I'm an iced-coffee-year-round-New-Englander, but I've been on an iced dirty chai latte kick lately and go for the occasional matcha. And come springtime, lavender cold foam becomes my entire personality.

As a bonus, you could also designate a writing mug or two for at-home sessions.

Set The Mood With A Playlist — Writing playlists are something I've written about at length in this post, and they're such an essential part of the process for me.

Content about romanticizing your life is often accompanied by a little background music, which in part makes it more enjoyable to watch someone make their bed in the morning or do their skincare routine at night, and that's easy to apply to your writing habits.

As you're getting ready to sit down to write, you might be making a cup of coffee or tidying your space. This is a great time to search up some music to play in the background. And, of course, you can keep this playlist on as you're writing.

End On A High Note — Romanticizing your life is all about making the most of things and feeling good, even about the less exciting bits. At the end of your writing session, I highly recommend taking some time to reflect on the day's progress. Maybe this is done through prayer or meditation, vlogs, or journaling. Take note of what you're proud of, even if it's a smaller victory.

Some folks find it helpful to write down their goals for the next day as they're getting ready for bed, so you could try writing down one or two tasks you'd like to get done the next time you write.

What are your favorite ways to romanticize your writing? Share your best tips in the comments and let me know if you'll be giving some of these ideas a try!