The Strangest Writing Routines of Some Famous Writers

Do you have any strange or unusual habits you do before or while writing? I don't think I do (as I deeply ponder my own writing habits)?

I keep a now battered notebook to jot down any ideas I have and I do have a particular pen I need to write with. I also go for walks to think of new story ideas or to help develop a plot.

The habits we partake in before or during writing -  the unusual and not so unusual ones - enhance and bring out our creativity. We have our own quirks with coaxing that sometimes all too elusive creative muse out of us. 

Here are some of the strange and unusual writing habits of some well known writers. 

Virginia Woolf Only Wrote While Standing Up

Many of us sit comfortably at a desk or on the couch while we write. In today's society, most of us writers have a laptop that sets on our lap as we curl up on the couch writing. 

Not Virginia Woolf. Instead of sitting down at a desk to write like most other writers, the author of Mrs. Dalloway chose to write at a standing desk instead. 

Other writers that preferred to write standing up include Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, and Philip Roth. 

To get ideas, Dan Brown hangs upside down

Dan Brown, the author of the well known series The DaVinci Code and a mass of other well known mysteries and thrillers seeks his creativity in an unusual way. In order to prepare, Dan Brown will hang upside down from a frame while wearing a pair of gravity boots. Doing so helps him relax and give the utmost focus on his writing and come up with new ideas. 

Agatha Christie Ate Apples While Bathing

One of the most well known and prolific writers of cozy murder mysteries such as Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie had quite an unusual habit when it came to coming up with ideas for her stories before she wrote. 

While she was bathing in a warm bath, Agatha Christie would eat apples. With each bite she took, she'd ponder over the plot of her murder mysteries and the ideas she had of them. 

Vladimir Nabokov wrote his stories on index cards

Many who write by hand might likely do so in a notebook or writing pad. Vladimir Nabokov the writer of Lolita wrote on index cards. Writing his story on index cards allowed him to shuffle the cards as he pleased as his story progressed and changed. 

That's actually not a bad idea …

Victor Hugo wrote while naked 

 The author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo took meeting his deadlines very seriously. Just how seriously?

Well, for one thing, to kill the temptation of procrastinating writing his stories and venturing out of his house, Victor Hugo ordered his servant to hide all of his clothes so he couldn't leave the house. Sounds a little extreme! If it was cold enough, Hugo would wrap a blanket around him and continue writing. 

Aaron Sorkin acted out his stories

Do you read your stories out loud? Well Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter of the TV series, The West Wing and the film, The Social Network took it a step further. 

Instead of just reading his story out loud, Sorkin acted out his story's dialogue in front of a mirror. I can just imagine how his tone and personality changed as he switched back and forth from character to character. He has even admitted that he'd gotten so in character while acting out dialogue that he accidently headbutted the mirror breaking his nose. It must have been an intense scene!

Sources:

https://publishyourpurpose.com/blog/habits-famous-writers/

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/9-weird-habits-that-famous-writers-formed-write-better.html

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/9-weird-habits-that-famous-writers-formed-write-better.html