Never thought how my habits effected how I write until checking out this picture. š
This covers the habits of famous writers from what time of day they found themselves writing to if they were a cat person. This made me want to share my writing habits with you, and maybe help you think about where you fall in this picture chart. š
Night owl or Daylight Dove?
I’m a night writer. I write more during the dark hours of evening than I could ever during the light of day. Daytime is distracting, and makes me wish I was doing something else. The other point of this, most of my life I was in school or at work during the day… leaving night the only time for me to write.
So, as a night writer I join writers like T.S. Elliot, Danielle Steel, and Robert Frost.
Coffee or Tea?
I will have a coffee if I must stay awake or need that extra boost, but if I have a choice I would go with a sweet tea. I like the taste of tea, and find it enjoyable to drink even when it’s cold (a bonus if you forget about making it).
With this, I join other tea drinkers like Stephen King, Jane Austin, and C.S. Lewis.
Type like the wind or like a snail?
When starting a project I normally type fast. I find myself doing at least 2000-4000 words in one sitting (or more). My mind races through ideas fast, and if my hands don’t keep up I will lose that idea.
I edit like a snail though… but that isn’t the point of this section.
Other fast writers are Stephen King, J.R.R Tolkien, and Charles Dickens.
Cat or Dog?
I grew up with dogs and love man’s best friend to the end. I don’t mind cats, but I’ll take a dog any day.
Other dog loving writers consist of Emily Bronte, Virginia Woolf, and Dorothy Parker.
Writing while laying down or moving:
If I’m not laying in my bed or laying on the couch I am not writing. I have to sit to focus on my work. Ideas come to me when I walk about, but they flow easier when I’m stuck in one place. My goal is to have a basket chair so I can make that my writing nest. š
Other laying down writers include William Wordsworth, George Orwell, and Edith Sitwell.
Now it is your turn. What habits do you have to follow to write? Comment below. XD
November 3, 2015 at 4:18 am
Well, to answer these different ones, I am more of a daylight writer. While I can sometimes write during nighttime, I discover most of the ideas I come up with occur to me during the day. Not in the early morning, mind you, but later.
As for being a coffee or tea drinker, I don’t drink either. The smell of coffee gives me an immediate headache and tea doesn’t appeal to me either. I don’t know if this really means anything other than this question can’t really apply to me because I don’t drink either of them at all. If I drink anything to get the juices going, it’s either soda or milk, sometimes water.
I would say I’m more like a snail typer because I need time to think my thoughts out and find the more time I have to think of things, the more likely I am to have my ideas fleshed out. My normal typing speed is pretty fast, but when it comes to my own writing, I prefer working at a slow pace with what I’m creating than just writing the first thoughts that come to mind, unless I am doing a free writing exercise.
I don’t have a favorite between cats and dogs honestly. Most of my childhood I spent growing up with dogs. However, we currently have two cats at my house because our dogs have passed away. And while I haven’t had cats in my life very often, I’ve found that I enjoy having cats as pets just as much as dogs. Both animals form different functions and each have their own quirks that make them enjoyable to be around. So I have a difficult time picking one of the two because I’ve had positive experiences owning both and don’t place one above the other.
I would have to say I have to be laying down in order to write. While I don’t mind moving around whenever I’m stuck on something to gather my thoughts, I don’t feel comfortable moving around while I’m trying to write. Doesn’t help the writing process for me.
So yeah, those are my answers to these questions. Probably very different from a lot of people’s, I’m sure. But interesting to think about, nonetheless.
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November 3, 2015 at 4:35 am
Everyone approaches writing in a different way. The way you find writing, is different from how another finds writing. That also works with styles of writing or genres. Everyone is unique and is motivated to write in their own habits/comforts.
Thanks so much for sharing. It was interested in hearing your choices to these questions. ^.^
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November 3, 2015 at 5:38 pm
I normally write during daylight hours, so I guess that makes me a morning writer, like Sylvia Plath and Ernest Hemingway. Oh, and I’m glad Kurt Vonnegut is in this category because I loved him in the movie Back To School.
Whenever I’m at Barnes & Noble, I order unsweetened passion tea. It’s nice that Immanuel Kant is in this category. In a college philosophy class, I wrote a paper on Kant, breaking down his arguments as if they were foolish and calling anyone who followed his philosophy an idiot. My instructor was a follower of Kant’s philosophy, which is why I did that. To this day, he still hates me.
I’m a slow writer, like Norman Rush. Are we sure his last name is “Rush?”
I’m totally a cat person, like Poe and Gaiman. I do think that dogs are so adorable, though, and if I was with someone who would take care of the dog, I would have both. But I prefer cats because they bury their crap.
I don’t lie down while writing, but I do move my hands and arms, miming my characters’ actions while talking, when I write. So even though I’m sitting, I guess we could say I write while moving. Thoreau, Dickens, Frost, we’re all in the same company here. Good to be with you.
Anyway, great stuff. It’s nice to know what type of habits I share with famous authors. Although I have to wonder if I’d be flattered by people wanting to know my habits or if I’d just find that to be somewhat creepy. For now, we’ll say it’s not creepy. When I’m famous, then it’ll be creepy, for no good reason at all. š
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November 6, 2015 at 10:22 pm
Dude! This is an awesome photo (even though I’m not familiar with half the people on there >.>)! Still, it’s cool! I like looking at it! ^.^ It’s also interesting to see where people mix sides. Like some author are opposites on some things, but then similar on others. I wonder if their habits determine their style and voice. Oo! (So don’t have time to research this, nor am I into researching literature. Heh. but it’d be cool to see.)
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November 7, 2015 at 12:10 am
I think mine has had to evolve over time because of life. I used to be a night owl (still am at heart) but now with the kid’s things have to be done during the day. So if I write at night, I’ll never get any sleep. Coffee or tea…whatever is in my cabinet these days and right now the situation is dire…no coffee, no Earl Grey, no Lady Grey. It could get ugly soon. š Typing? How about like a winded snail? No really, I’m a fast typist, but that’s not how I write. I am an old fashioned pen and paper gal. I just can’t type on a blank page. I go blank. I’ll write a chapter and then I type it. I actually write pretty fast. I’ve done about 2000 words in an hour, but the story was there in my head just begging to get out. The typing part goes fast. The second draft/revision part…not so much. Cat or Dog…both. They’re both good. Writing while lying down or moving…oh my gosh…moving is the only time things come to me…or I guess I should say when I’m busy. Because a lot of times I’m in a place where I can’t write. Driving while we are traveling at night…so many ideas…I can write a whole story in my head, or in the shower. Seriously, I’ve gotten out of the shower to write down a scene because I knew I’d never remember it. But for me to just sit down and write? It doesn’t happen. It’s like I have to be doing something else so that I’ll forget all those great ideas!!
This was fun!! You always post great things like this!
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