5 Daily Writing Habits of Famous Authors That Every Writer Should Emulate!
Every writer has a different way of doing things during the book writing process. Some writers go to cafes and share their progress with their fellow writers. While some writers prefer to go to the woods and write their work in seclusion and tranquility.
In truth, there is really no set daily writing habit that authors should follow. But if you truly want to reach your full potential, it always pays to emulate the writing habits of those who already gained great success as writers. Here are 5 Daily writing habits of famous authors that every writer should emulate.
1. J.K Rowling
J.K Rowling is one of the most famous and beloved authors in the world. And with good reason, she is the creator of the Harry Potter universe. Her stories have captivated children and adults alike and still continues to do so.
But surprisingly, the famed author does not really have a set writing schedule. According to an interview, she writes whenever and wherever she can. She even admits that she once wrote down the names of her characters on a sick bag while on an airplane.
She also has a penchant for writing in coffee shops because they help her come up with new content. In truth, she even came up with key ideas for her wildly famous Harry Potter series in a coffee shop.
But despite her highly flexible outlook on writing schedules, J.K Rowling is still a planner at heart and meticulously plans out her story before she even gets started on the writing process.
2. Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami has captivated a multitude of readers with his unique writing style for decades. And nowadays he is considerably one of the most prolific writers of his generation. But not many people know that he started his career relatively late at the age of 29. And not that many people know that he is an avid marathon runner.
As a writer Haruki Murakami has one of the most rigid and packed writing schedules ever. He wakes up at 4 am and write for 4 to 6 hours. And in the afternoon, he takes some time off for a 10km run. Then he either reads or listens to a bit of music. He does this every day without fail. He usually does this every time he is writing a book.
Some people may think this writing schedule is a bit too hectic or monotonous, but according to Haruki Murakami, he prefers it this way, because it is a form of mesmerism. In a way, he mesmerizes himself to reach a deeper state of mind. He usually keeps up this work rate for at least 6 months to a year. This shows Haruki Murakami’s perception on the writing process. He does not perceive the writing process as other writers do. For him, the writing process is like survival training. And he is a veteran at it.
3. Ernest Hemingway
If you are looking for a writer to emulate, there are few better than the great Ernest Hemingway. As far as novelists go, Mr. Hemingway is one of the most prolific and influential writers of all time. And like everything about the literary legend, his writing habits were truly unique.
He liked to wake up early. He did not even bother to dress up. He just got started on the writing process right away. He usually did most of his writing in his bedroom, which was littered with a huge stack of books and newspapers. He used a typewriter which was permanently attached to a bookcase. He also liked to write standing up and usually aimed to write at least 500 words a day.
In retrospect, Earnest Hemingway had very peculiar writing habits. But peculiar as they may seem, they definitely worked for him.
4. Stephen King
Stephen King is considered the king of the modern day horror genre and is one of the greatest novelist of all time. But as great as his career has been, he would not have been able to achieve such fame if he did not have a great work ethic and developed the right writing habits.
When it comes to writing habits, Stephen King can be quite specific and routine oriented. He usually starts around 8:00 to 8:30 in the morning. He usually takes a vitamin pill and then listens to music as he writes. His seat, desks and papers are usually arranged the same way every day.
According to the legendary author, it is the cumulative purpose of doing these things the same way every day that seems to be saying to the mind, you’re going to be dreaming soon. It’s not any different from a bedtime routine.
5. Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou was more than a writer, she was the voice of the civil rights movement, and she published a myriad of beautiful poems and wrote three books that enlightened modern society of the plight of her people.
And like the way she lived her, her writing habits were also unique and free spirited. According to the renowned author, she would usually not stay in her house when she wrote. Instead, she would rent a hotel room for six months and use it as a writing space.
When she is writing a book or a long writing project, she would leave the house early. Around 6 in the morning. She would reach the hotel around 6:30 and start working. To write she would usually lie across the bed, and she would never allow the hotel people to change the bed. She usually stays until twelve to one thirty in the afternoon and then she goes home and tries to breathe and relax. She then goes back to look at her work around five in the afternoon. She then has an orderly and lovely dinner to end the day. She would repeat the same routine every day throughout the writing process. She also liked to have a mid-morning drink of sherry every once in a while. All in all, her writing habits were very regimented and helped to keep her consistent throughout most of her career.
These five authors reached the epitome of the literary world. And they all did it with a solid combination of talent, hard work and the right writing habits. If you want to achieve great things too, you would do well to take a feather out of their caps and emulate their writing habits.
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