What habits did the world’s greatest writers use in crafting their classics? From Ernest Hemingway to Toni Morrison, the world’s greatest writers didn’t just rely on raw talent to write their masterpieces. What sets them apart from the rest isn’t just their ideas but their ability to harness those ideas through disciplined habits. While each writer’s method is unique, there are common practices many successful writers share that allow them to tap into their creativity day after day.
1. They Establish a Writing Routine
The world’s greatest writers had writing routines.
Ernest Hemingway was known for his disciplined writing routine. He woke up at dawn and wrote in the quiet hours of the morning. “When you stop [writing], you are as empty, and at the same time never empty but filling, as when you have made love to someone you love,” he once said.
Hemingway had a daily goal of writing 500 words. His habit of writing early in the day allowed him to work without distractions, setting a daily goal of writing 500 words.
Similarly, Toni Morrison would rise before the sun to write. As a single mother working full-time, Morrison had to find pockets of time in her busy schedule, and she chose the early morning hours when her mind was clearest. “Writing before dawn began as a necessity—I had small children when I first began to write and I needed to use the time before they said, Mama—and that was always around five in the morning.” she revealed.
Both Hemingway and Morrison understood that routine was essential to maintaining a steady output of writing.
2. Great Writers Set Small, Achievable Goals
The enormity of writing a novel or completing any large writing project can be overwhelming. Many great writers broke down these massive tasks into smaller, manageable goals. Rather than focusing on the end result, they concentrated on achievable daily targets.
Take Anthony Trollope, a prolific 19th-century novelist, who wrote for three hours every morning before going to his job at the post office. He had a simple system: 250 words every 15 minutes. With this method, he was able to complete a novel every few months.
Graham Greene followed a similar routine, writing exactly 500 words each day. Greene understood that small, consistent progress over time leads to great results. “In time of struggle, I wrote 500 words a day. For me, writing is a craft, a trade,” he said.
By setting small, achievable goals, you not only avoid the pressure of perfectionism but also ensure steady progress. Even if you can only commit to writing for 30 minutes a day, the cumulative effect of these efforts adds up.
3. Great Writers Write First and Edit Later
One of the habits of the world’s greatest writers is to write first and edit later. The tendency to edit while writing is a stumbling block for many writers. The impulse to perfect each sentence before moving on can bring the entire creative process to a halt. The great writers know this and make sure they only edit when they are done with writing.
Anne Lamott, in her book Bird by Bird, talks about the importance of writing “shitty first drafts.” The key to unlocking creativity, she argues, is giving yourself permission to write badly. “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere,” she said. Once the words are on the page, you can return and refine them, but not until you’ve let the creative juices flow without judgment.
Stephen King, too, believes in writing quickly and without overthinking. He advises writers to get the story out as fast as possible without worrying about polishing it. “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open,” King famously said, suggesting that the first draft is for the writer alone, while the second is for the reader.
The takeaway here is simple: let your first draft be messy. Editing is a separate part of the process, and it’s much easier to fix a rough draft than to create something perfect on the first try.
4. Great Writers Embrace Rituals
Many great writers use rituals to signal to their brains that it’s time to write. These rituals act as triggers that help the mind switch into writing mode.
Maya Angelou had a very specific writing ritual. She would rent a hotel room, strip it of any distractions, and write from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Angelou needed a quiet, solitary space where she could focus. “I keep a hotel room where I do my work… I go there at about 6:30 in the morning, and I work until about 2 p.m.,” she explained. The hotel room became her creative sanctuary.
Haruki Murakami starts his day at 4 a.m. and writes for five to six hours straight. Afterward, he runs 10 kilometers or swims 1,500 meters. This physical routine helps him stay mentally sharp and ready for the next day’s writing session.
Rituals, whether simple or complex, act as cues for the brain to prepare for the task at hand.
5. They Read Voraciously
Great writers are often great readers. Reading widely exposes you to different styles, genres, and techniques, all of which can inspire your own work. Many of the most successful writers advocate reading as much as you write.
William Faulkner, when asked what aspiring writers should do, answered, “Read, read, read. Read everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master.” Faulkner’s point is clear: reading isn’t just about finding inspiration; it’s about studying the craft and learning from the masters.
Zadie Smith has also emphasised the importance of reading. In an essay for The Guardian, she advised writers to be “voracious readers.” Smith argues that it’s impossible to develop as a writer without first being a passionate reader.
The more you read, the more you learn about structure, pacing, dialogue, and character development. Reading broadly also introduces you to voices and perspectives outside of your own, which can deepen your understanding of storytelling.
6. They Practice Solitude and Reflection
Writing is an inherently solitary activity, and many great writers embrace this solitude as a part of their process. Time alone allows for deep reflection, which is needed in writing.
Virginia Woolf, in her famous essay A Room of One’s Own, argued that women, and writers in general, need a space of their own to think and create. “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction,” she wrote. Woolf understood that without solitude, it’s difficult to produce meaningful work.
Joan Didion, another master of introspective writing, often spoke of the importance of being alone with her thoughts. “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means,” she once said. For Didion, writing was a way of processing her internal world, a practice that required isolation.
In our fast-paced, hyper-connected world, solitude is harder to come by, but it’s necessary for any writer who wants to go beyond surface-level work.
7. Great Writers Keep a Notebook for Ideas
Great ideas often strike at unexpected moments. Many great writers keep a notebook or journal on hand to capture thoughts, images, and snippets of dialogue that come to them throughout the day.
Joan Didion was a meticulous note-taker. She had a habit of always jotting down observations and impressions in her notebook. In an essay titled On Keeping a Notebook, she wrote, “We are brought up in the ethic that others, any others, all others, are by definition more interesting than ourselves; taught to be deferential, eager to please, interested in others, we grow to be adults unsure of our own motives. Keepers of private notebooks are a different breed altogether, lonely and resistant rearrangers of things, anxious malcontents.”
Keeping a notebook allows you to capture fleeting moments of inspiration before they disappear. These notes may not seem important at the time, but they often serve as the seeds for larger projects down the line.
8. Great Writers Belong to a Community
While writing itself is a solitary act, many great writers rely on a community of fellow writers for support, feedback, and encouragement.
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were part of a literary group known as The Inklings, where they shared their works-in-progress and offered each other feedback. These meetings were crucial to the development of their iconic novels, The Chronicles of Narnia and and The Lord of the Rings. The camaraderie and constructive criticism they provided each other not only improved their work but also fostered a sense of accountability.
A supportive writing community can offer diverse perspectives and insights that enrich your writing. They remind you that you’re not alone in your struggles and can reignite your passion for storytelling during challenging times.
9. Great Writers Embrace Rejection and Failure
Every writer faces rejection, and the ability to cope with it can significantly impact your growth as a creative individual. Great writers understand that failure is an integral part of the writing process, and they use it as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block.
Take J.K. Rowling’s experience, whose Harry Potter manuscript received numerous rejections before becoming a success. Instead of giving up, she persisted and ultimately created a beloved series that has captivated millions. Rowling’s experience illustrates that rejection can often precede great success.
Similarly, Ray Bradbury famously encountered numerous rejections early in his career. “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you,” he advised. Great writers recognize that every “no” brings them one step closer to a “yes,” and they leverage these experiences to refine their craft and grow.
10. Great Writers Prioritize Self-Care
Writing can be an emotionally taxing pursuit, and maintaining mental and physical health is essential for long-term creativity. Many great writers prioritize self-care to sustain their energy and inspiration.
11. Great Writers Take regular “brain breaks”
Great writers throughout history understood the vital importance of stepping away from their work to allow their minds to rest and recharge. These “brain breaks” weren’t simply periods of inactivity; they were active pursuits designed to refresh perspective and unlock new creative avenues. Some, like Ernest Hemingway, famously engaged in physical activities like boxing or fishing to clear their heads and return to writing with renewed vigour. Others, such as Jane Austen, would take walks in nature, allowing the rhythm of their steps and the beauty of the landscape to untangle mental knots. Even seemingly mundane activities like taking a leisurely stroll, listening to music, or engaging in conversation with friends could serve as potent catalysts for creative breakthroughs.
12. Great Writers Practice Freewriting
Freewriting, a practice embraced by many renowned writers, offers a powerful method to unlock creativity and overcome writer’s block. This technique involves setting a timer, often for a short duration like ten or fifteen minutes, and writing continuously without pausing to edit, censor, or even think too deeply about grammar or structure. The goal is simply to let words flow freely onto the page. Dorothea Brande, in her influential book Becoming a Writer, argued that this style of writing tapped into the subconscious mind in a way other methods didn’t. Ray Bradbury famously used freewriting to generate story ideas, often writing a stream of consciousness before shaping it into a cohesive narrative. This unfiltered approach allows writers to bypass their inner critic, access raw inspiration, and discover unexpected connections that might otherwise remain hidden.
13. Great Writers Read their works aloud
Great writers through history understood the power of the spoken word. They didn’t just write; they listened to their writing. Reading aloud offers a crucial perspective often missed when silently scanning text. This practice allows writers to catch awkward phrasing, identify repetitive words, and fine-tune the rhythm and flow of their sentences.
Virginia Woolf famously read her drafts aloud to her husband, Leonard, and used his feedback to refine her prose. Similarly, poets like T.S. Eliot relied on oral readings to ensure their verses had the desired musicality and impact. This simple act reveals hidden flaws and enhances the overall quality of the work.
14. They are inspired by Music
Music serves as a powerful emotional trigger, and many writers harnessed this power. Marcel Proust, author of In Search of Lost Time, famously used specific musical pieces to unlock memories and emotions that fuelled his writing. He described how a simple musical phrase could transport him back to specific moments in his past, providing rich material for his introspective novels.
Similarly, Haruki Murakami often listens to jazz while writing, believing it helps him find the right rhythm and flow for his prose. In an interview with the New York Times, he said, “Practically everything I know about writing I learned from music. If I had not been so obsessed with it, I might not have become a novelist.”
15. Great Writers Observe Mindfully
Great writers possess a keen eye for detail. They don’t just see the world; they observe it with an almost scientific precision. Charles Dickens, known for his vivid portrayals of Victorian London, spent countless hours walking the city streets, absorbing the sights, sounds, and smells. He meticulously recorded his observations in notebooks, which he then used to create incredibly realistic and immersive settings in his novels. Virginia Woolf also emphasized the importance of paying attention to the “moments of being,” those fleeting sensory experiences that reveal deeper truths about human existence.
16. Great Writers Embrace Imperfection
The fear of writing badly can paralyze even the most experienced writers. However, the greats understood that the first draft is rarely perfect. Ernest Hemingway famously said, “The first draft of anything is shit.” He embraced the messiness of the initial writing process, knowing that revision was where the true magic happened. This acceptance of imperfection allowed him to push through creative blocks and produce a substantial body of work.
17. Great Writers Found Solace in Nature
Many famous writers found solace and inspiration in the natural world. Henry David Thoreau‘s two years spent living at Walden Pond directly influenced his seminal work Walden. He found that immersion in nature fostered introspection and clarity of thought, which directly translated into his writing. Similarly, the Brontë sisters found inspiration in the wild moors of Yorkshire, which became a powerful backdrop for their novels.
18. They Use Prompts and Exercises
To combat writer’s block and explore new creative avenues, many famous writers employed prompts and exercises. Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, famously advised writers to write a short story every week. This constant practice helped him hone his craft and generate a vast number of ideas. Other writers used specific prompts, such as writing about a particular object or from a specific point of view, to stimulate their imaginations.
19. Great Writers Tackle Difficult Subjects
Great literature often explores complex and challenging themes. Writers who fearlessly confront these difficult subjects create work that resonates deeply with readers and leaves a lasting impact on society. Toni Morrison serves as a powerful example. Her novels, such as Beloved, unflinchingly examine the brutal realities of slavery and its enduring legacy of trauma, not just on individuals but on entire communities. By refusing to shy away from these painful truths, Morrison’s work forces readers to confront uncomfortable aspects of history and human nature.
This willingness to address difficult subjects is important because it allows literature to serve as a mirror to society, reflecting both its triumphs and its flaws. Writers who tackle challenging themes, whether they be related to race, class, gender, or other sensitive issues, often face backlash and criticism. However, it is precisely this courage to speak truth to power that gives their work its power and resonance. They provide a voice to the marginalized, challenge dominant narratives, and spark important conversations that can lead to social change. Without this fearless exploration of complex and often painful realities, literature would lose much of its power to move, challenge, and ultimately transform us.
20. Great Writers are Driven by Curiosity
A deep-seated curiosity about the world and the intricacies of the human condition served as a potent driving force for many famous writers. They weren’t content with surface-level observations; they probed deeper, asking “what if?” and meticulously exploring the potential answers through their writing. This inquisitive nature led them down diverse paths of inquiry and resulted in works that continue to resonate with readers across generations.
Jorge Luis Borges stands as a prime example of this intellectual curiosity in action. His philosophical short stories delve into complex themes like time, infinity, the nature of reality, and the very structure of the universe. Borges’s curiosity wasn’t confined to the tangible world; he explored abstract concepts and philosophical questions, often blending them with elements of fantasy and metafiction. In “The Library of Babel,” he imagines a universe conceived as an infinite library containing every possible combination of letters, raising profound questions about meaning, order, and the limits of human understanding. This relentless pursuit of knowledge and exploration of complex ideas defines Borges’s work and exemplifies the power of curiosity in shaping literary output.
Conclusion
While every writer’s approach is unique, the world’s best writers have relied on similar habits to bring their ideas to life. From establishing a regular routine and setting small, achievable goals to embracing rituals and allowing themselves the freedom to write imperfectly at first, these practices have empowered them to tap into their creativity consistently. This teaches us that their success was not just due to raw talent, but their discipline and commitment to refining their craft over time. It shows that if aspiring writers adopt these habits, they can build their own creative framework and stand out in the literary world.
Great article! This is very insightful. Looking forward to
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