THE DAILY RITUALS OF FAMOUS WRITERS

by Jason Hellerman on September 12, 2014

What do you do to get in the writing space?

There is a rumor that Michael Jordan (supported by Space Jam) wore the same pair of undies at North Carolina through March Madness then kept them to wear during the NBA Playoffs. Though most writers are not sports stars we do find that rituals or habits are great ways of getting us in the writing mood and mind-frame.

Whether it's a certain latte, coffee shop, or kind of notebook each writer has something they rely on to get them going. One maxim we hear over and over again is the need to write daily. For me, it's getting up at 6am, getting that cup of coffee, and going until noon hits or the blog needs to be updated :).

I often play some Philip Glass or some sort of crazy ambient music to keep my mind working. I tend to stay away from music with lyrics just because the next thing you know you'll be the karaoke champ of the coffee house and not the writer.

No matter what floats your boat developing a routine will make you more productive and relaxed. I find the best writing I do to be in the middle of the week, when I hit my stride, in my comfort zone, and to the Koyaanisqatsi soundtrack. Everyone is a little bit different but learning to embrace what works for us is part of developing as a writer.

JANE AUSTEN

Jane was a morning writer. She's make breakfast for her family then retire to a study where she'd crank it out. No matter what her day threw at her she would try to write into the afternoon, but then her duties in the house (lack of feminism back then) kicked in. Still, it seems like she got a ton of great stories out of life and you can bet she utilized the people she met to inspire her characters.

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MARK TWAIN

Mark Twain supposedly ate a huge breakfast then went to a chamber with an open window where he'd write until the maid knocked for dinner. He was also said to have wandered on long walks to get his ideas straight. I can definitely support the long walks idea. Sometimes when I need to break a story in my head I do the Hollywood Walk Of Fame strip. Lots of people, good listening, and tons of coffee shops / bars to write if an idea strikes.

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STEPHEN KING

This is the schedule I most envy. King wakes early (6am) and writes from 9am-noon. He uses the rest of the day as he wishes. He'll outline, watch baseball games, run errands, or brainstorm. It's totally laid back but I can't imagine writing some of his stories at night. That's terrifying.

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CHARLES DICKENS

Dickens was a bit of a wild card. The only thing he really wanted or needed to write (besides paper/pen) was total silence. He'd lock himself in a room at odd hours until he tired. It's said he worked a lot by candle light because most of his windows were closed or had drapes over them so he could focus entirely on his words. Social Media would have driven him nuts.

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As you can see there's not one right way to do it. Hunter S. Thompson wrote 12pm - 6am on booze, cocaine, and lots of ludes. His final days were spent repeatedly listening to Elton John's Candle In The Wind and drinking Wild Turkey.

Whatever gets the job done!!!