Comments on: Learn from the Greats: 7 Writing Habits of Amazing Writers

By: bil

bil — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:22:51 +0000

Hemingway was a stand-up typer. In his preseved Cuban studio, the high table his typewriter sits on has two depressions on the floor in front– evidence how a great man’s steps can leave an impresson on this world.

By: Bobby Casella

Bobby Casella — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:49:19 +0000

I really enjoyed this post because it highlights one key point: consistency. The best writers all seem to have a daily output goal (more or less). Emphasis on daily. I’d read a few similar articles in the past, and borrowing from some other famous writers this is the plan I developed a few years ago:

(1) Consult my Roadmap from the day before.
(2) Get to the office early and crank out about 250 words before anybody else arrives.
(3) After work I go to a coffee shop and plug in the headphones. I begin the session by going over and editing what I wrote earlier that morning. Then I continue writing for no less than an hour. If I’m in the mood, I’ll shut down the coffee shop and skip my workout that day.
(4) Consult my master outline and draft the next day’s Roadmap. The Roadmap is a treatment of the scenes I plan to write from my master outline. That way I can pick up right where I left off the next day.

As an outline user, this system works for me. However, being an outline user, in between projects I must be adaptable to if and when the creativity comes. I take a month or so in between projects to plan the next. This can be at bars, on the subway, in the airport…

By: Danise

Danise — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:30:39 +0000

Interesting habits. The one that impressed me the most was that Hemingway said he never wrote while he was drunk. Wonder if he was drunk when he died?

By: Carol Gordon Ekster

Carol Gordon Ekster — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:11:44 +0000

Tamara, you should be proud of yourself! I didn’t start writing until my daughter was grown. I teach all day and struggle to write/or deal with writing at night, but do work on the weekends. Just keep at it and do it when you can. Obviously, from all the great writers you can see different approaches. Some only work a few hours a day, and it’s their only job. Doesn’t that sound heavenly? I also wonder when the great writers deal with the promotional aspects of writing, or if they have their agent deal with that. I’m finding that with my first book having been published this fall, I spend some of my writing time dealing with marketing. Interesting post! Thanks.

By: Dita

Dita — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:02:18 +0000

Thanks for the great ideas. I enjoyed reading the different comments too.

My dad was a writer in India- Narayan Sanyal. He wrote 139 books in his life time . Won several awards and had some of his stories into movies too.

I saw him writing lying on his bed always. He wrote whenever he found time. Once I asked him -where do you find all this time? See my style is more like Charlie Brown’s one.

He replied – just do it…don’t waist time.

I like to write in the morning if my muse shows up. If it’s a good day I might keep going and have my morning tea and breakfast at 2 pm.

But I do have to pray for my muse, I say. Dita.

By: Tedel

Tedel — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:51:07 +0000

As for me, I need to write in pencil and paper. On a computer, my writing is just not the same. Now that I do copywriting, literature and journalism, it is quite important to be relaxed as well.

By: Alain

Alain — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:32:51 +0000

I am fairly new at the ‘craft’ and was inspired first by reading Kings On Writing. I continue to receive inspiration by other authors and blogs like this one. I too prefer the mornings, and with some discipline have been able to stay on course. thanks
Seize the Day!
Alain

By: The Litopia Writers’ Podcast » Litopia Daily 119: The Blue Flower

The Litopia Writers’ Podcast » Litopia Daily 119: The Blue Flower — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:53:16 +0000

[...] Links: The Write Report, Write to Done [...]

By: Marisa

Marisa — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:36:03 +0000

What are my writing habits?

Uhm.

I google. Then I pace around. Rubbing my nose, intensely. Then I feel.
Finally, I write.

By: ROBERT OKEMWA ONSARE

ROBERT OKEMWA ONSARE — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:59:27 +0000

Yes, writing should be done as oppossed to dreaming about it, talking endlessly how you’re aspiring to become one… write and write till you get it right is the secret notwithstinding that there is no set means of doing it: it indivitualistic at best.