Every writer is different. Every writer has their own style, their own way of doing things. And every writer has their own little quirks and habits. Some of them are about comfort. Some are about finding ‘the muse’. Some are just because they are fun or pleasurable.
What are some of the strangest?
Standing
Although the abiding image of a writer is of someone frantically tapping away at a keyboard (or typewriter), sitting at a cluttered desk on a squeaky old chair, some of the most famous and well-loved literary legends actually chose to do their writing standing up. Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Lewis Carroll, and Charles Dickens are just a few of the many who preferred and prefer to write in this way.
And it’s not a bad idea.
It may not help the mind particularly, but it certainly helps the body. Standing at a desk has been proven to reduce the risk of obesity, reduce the risk of type II diabetes (and other problems that relate to metabolism), reduce the chances of getting cancer, and generally offer a longer life. This could well be a writing habit to emulate.
Lying Down
It sounds like an uncomfortable prospect, but many writers have found that lying down focuses them and gives them an extra boost of creativity. Perfect for when writer’s block strikes. It may not be exactly possible to lie down and type (although technology moves in mysterious ways, so perhaps in years to come it will be the norm), but with a notepad and pencil, jotting down the bare bones of a story or article is something that perhaps should be given due consideration. Mark Twain was a proponent of writing whilst lying down, as were Edith Wharton and George Orwell. Woody Allen swears by the process to this day!
Hanging Around
If you thought writing lying down was a feat, what about writing whilst hanging upside down? It’s what best-selling author Dan Brown does (and no matter what you think of his writing, you have to admit, he’s done well). He says he does it because it allows him to completely relax, and in doing so his creativity is allowed to flow. The more he does it the more creative he feels, and the more he writes. Brown has a few little foibles that he can’t do without though. Another is that he always writes with an hourglass on his desk. When the hour is up, he gets up to do exercise. Which, when you think about it, is an entirely sensible thing to do.
Looking At A Wall
A wall. A big, blank wall. No pictures, no photos, no notes. Nothing. Just plain and boring. It’s perfect. It may not be inspiring to look at, but when it comes to sparking creativity and keeping a writer in their seat (or on their feet, or in their bed, or whatever) for extended periods of time, having something that is entirely dull and blank straight ahead is a great idea. It means there are no distractions. Writing is a delicate balance, especially writing fiction, and any tiny distraction can stop the creative flow in its dainty tracks.
Being Naked
Yes indeed, some of the finest writers who have ever existed wrote in the nude. Why? Well, why not? But also they felt it was freeing and allowed for that all-important yet all too illusive creativity to strike. In the case of Victor Hugo, however, there was an entirely different reason for writing without clothes. Whenever he had a looming deadline, he told his valet to take all of his clothes away. The only way to get them back would be to hit his targets. It meant he had to write quicker because he was cold, and it also kept him in the house.
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