Whimsy: A Nature Photo Shoot

Date: 21st April
Time: 16:00
Place: Stromovka Park, Prague
Subject: L. Pruente
Photographer: Mar von Zellen

Weird & Successful Writer Habits

Truman Capote could only write while horizontal, preferably puffing on a cigar or nursing a glass of his favored wine. He also wrote all first versions by hand.

John Cheever wrote in his skivvies.

Haruki Murakami writes every morning at 4am then goes for a swim or run.

Francine Prose writes in her husband’s flannel shirt.

Hemmingway wrote every day, at least 500 words, but he understood that 90% of it would be utter shit that he’d later throw away.

Faulkner drank a lot of whiskey and smoked from his pipe.

Flannery O’Connor wrote for 2 hours every day, same place, same time.

Vladimir Nabokov wrote on index cards whilst travelling.

Thomas Wolfe writes on a typewriter every day, 1200 words, no matter how long it takes him.

James Clear says in his blog post The Daily Habits of 12 Famous Writers (And how they can help you succeed): “When you look at the top performers in any field, you see something that goes much deeper than intelligence or skill. They possess an incredible willingness to do the work that needs to be done.”

William Faulkner enjoying his pipe.

Daily routines and familiar devices help connect a writer to the task at hand. Otherwise there’s too much to think about. One of the most difficult things for me as a writer is basic focus—I daydream extensively, which is a good trait to have, but you must learn how to rein it in when you need to do the work. You have to train your brain to desire the work and be ready for it.

Instead of using the word “routine,” which I personally despise, I would use the word “ritual.” Create a daily ritual for yourself. Wake up at 11am if you like, as long as you get started at the same time and in the same place every day. Wear a “lucky” pair of socks.

Basically, we can all make the excuse that the lighting wasn’t right, or that the inspiration just hadn’t struck us correctly, or that we had a tummy ache and couldn’t concentrate that day. Waiting for the ideal condition is the worst possible thing a writer can do. There is no ideal condition—you must create it yourself! Use your skills of make believe and pretend that glass of scotch on your desk is your “ideal condition” and that once you have that, you’re good to go, no matter if you’re speeding on a bullet train across Tokyo or sitting in a barn loft in the middle of Nebraska.

To be frank, I often find myself grateful to be distracted from my work. When the phone rings, or when I get a Facebook message, or when the cat jumps in my lap, I feel an odd sense of relief. Writing is hard. Writing is scary. I’m an editor as well as a writer, and my inner editor never fails to scrutinize every sentence I put down. So finding an excuse to turn away—even for five minutes—is a welcome surprise. 

Another one of my issues is that I have many more interests other than writing. I play music, paint, draw, edit, read, take photographs, travel, talk to people, walk, study, research, and climb trees. Some days I wake up and the only thing on my mind is theoretical physics and I can’t possibly sit down and write until I study the concept of black holes for a few hours. My mind is all over the place, which, if I’m not very careful, could be my downfall. If writing is your chosen career path, then you have to make it first on the list, no matter how many other things you enjoy doing.

I’ve noticed how many successful writers write in the morning, usually very early. Now, I hate getting up early, but I can still make writing the first thing I do every day. Getting the work done before life gets in the way is essential. Even if you’re a night owl and like to write at night, that’s fine, but you’d better be prepared to turn down all those invitations to play pool or go out for drinks with the gang till 3am.

So, what have we learned? Create a “ritual” that works for you. Repeat it every single day without excuses. Make writing the first thing you do every day, even if you don’t get up until 4pm. Find that one thing that puts your head in the right place, whether it’s a favorite pencil, an old pair of jeans, or a barrel of organic coffee, don’t let the need for “inspiration” push you away from success. When it comes down to it, being a writer is about doing the work, and, well, writing stuff.