Lisa Weiss

January 30, 2026

The supporting structure

Inside: On ritual, structure, and making work possible

The great short story writer and novelist Flannery O'Connor attended Mass every morning, then went home to write. Her brilliant work came from this daily ritual.

I saw the power of ritual two weeks ago at the American Writers Museum, where I led an Object Diaries session tied to their American Prophets exhibit. The gallery held meaningful and spiritual objects from writers' lives: Flannery O'Connor's rosary, Shabbat spice boxes used in the weekly Havdalah ritual by novelist and dramatist Sholem Asch, a statue of the Santo Niño de Atocha from songwriter Louie Pérez's childhood home.

Often, the objects themselves found their way into the writers' work. Pérez wrote "Saint Behind the Glass" for his band Los Lobos, inspired by the statue in his childhood home. Some were used daily, others weekly or simply kept close, but each had an anchoring presence.

Meaningful work depends on more than just grit and motivation. Because it's hard to write and create alone.

Below is a short practice for identifying the habit, object, or sequence that makes starting easier.

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In this issue:

Practice The way in Inspiration Why write? Plus Join me in April

Practice

The way in

Think about one thing you do before you begin something that asks for focus: work, thinking, exercise a difficult conversation, or even rest. It might be making coffee or tea, taking a short walk, filling your water bottle, opening the same notebook, or touching an object you keep nearby. ​ Ask yourself: What is the other thing that makes starting easier? What happens if you skip it? What does it quietly prepare you for? ​ If you want to write, jot down a few lines about when this habit entered your life and why it stays with you. If you don’t, just notice it the next time it happens. ​ How can you use one of your daily rituals to support a big, meaningful goal in your life?

Inspiration

"I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say."

—Flannery O'Connor

Join me in April!

Join me on April 25th at the Newberry Library in Chicago. I'm offering a special Object Diaries writing workshop: "Writing Through the Things We Keep." Gain a deeper understanding of how objects unlock memory and story. In person!

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