The Writer, the Workspace, and the Quest for Productivity

Have you ever wondered how your favorite author or writer managed to write such magnificent books? Do you sometimes wish you can write about your dreams too than just dream about writing? Because I do. I’m guilty of too much daydreaming and never having the time to write.

I admire Haruki Murakami’s dedication to writing 1Q84 for three years. I also marvel at how Ray Bradbury finished Fahrenheit 451 in just nine days. How did they do it? What are their writing habits?

Whether you’re a bookworm, an aspiring author, or just curious, you will find the habits of history’s beloved writers interesting.

Indulge the Senses

Beethoven popularized the Ode to Joy, but a German poet named Friedrich Schiller originally wrote it as a poem. Biographies reveal that the smell of decaying apples usually stirs the poet to write. If poetry can inspire music, then scent can inspire writing.

Attached to the Furniture

Fountainhead author Ayn Rand writes properly at her desk. If she’s uninspired, she remains at her desk. When taking breaks, Ayn Rand stays at her desk. When she’s smoking, guess what? She’s at her desk.

Contrarily, the mystery writer Agatha Christie needs not a desk but a bathtub! Sometimes, when we get in flow repeatedly in a specific place, it’s implicit we adhere to it. Or else, risk losing our good ideas to distraction.

Vertical or Horizontal

The novel In Cold Blood is a gem in the history of non-fiction novels. Its writer, Truman Capote, admitted that he was indeed a “horizontal author.” He means he can’t think unless he’s in bed or lying on a couch. The poet Edith Sitwell is of a similar disposition, who often wrote in bed too.

On the other hand, Thomas Wolfe wrote his autobiographical books while standing up. At 6’6″, he finds it uncomfortable in the ordinary chair and desk. Comfort does play a significant role in getting our ideas on paper.

Quiet or Quite Busy

Pride and Prejudice was revised for publication in Jane Austen’s busy household in England. Despite constant interruptions, she was able to finish new novels in their sitting room. Nathaniel Hawthorne worked the opposite, shut in his room from morning till night, working on his short stories. Some people need absolute quiet while some work to music. Maybe you’re in between and find white noise conducive.

Everything in their place

Charles Dickens requires a precise arrangement of everything on his desk – up to the last quill. Through this, he was able to write the classic Oliver Twist. Meanwhile, Haruki Murakami follows a strict writing schedule starting at 4 in the morning. Many of us work better in a tidy workspace or an orderly lifestyle altogether – as an organized schedule for the day. Take it from Anne Rice when she says, “clear all distraction.”

You are your own place

There is no single approach to productivity. Our favorite writers prove how diverse places and situations lead to the best literary works. What is more important is the message of what we’re writing about.

E.B. White, who gave us Charlotte’s Web, once said, a writer who “waits for ideal conditions” before working “will die without putting a word on paper.” So write and write and write. Because when you do, you won’t always have to find one place first. Sometimes, the place grows on you too.

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Note: If you want to know more about more writers’ habits, you can check out Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. The writing habits of famous artists, philosophers, and composers are included in the book too.