{"id":19345257,"date":"2025-08-06T17:16:45","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T14:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/?p=19345257"},"modified":"2026-02-12T10:29:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T07:29:20","slug":"thoughts-behind-habits-famous-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/thoughts-behind-habits-famous-writers\/","title":{"rendered":"What Famous Writers Did for Effective Writing: Habits to Follow [Infographic]"},"content":{"rendered":"<body><p>Famous writers attract enormous attention. Not only do their fans try to copy behavior or wardrobe to become closer to the star. Bloggers, content makers, and other writing people try to learn famous writers\u2019 habits and daily rituals to get the source of their inspiration and productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do those habits truly matter for effective writing? Do famous writers themselves consider their daily routine an instrument for\u00a0more productive work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is an infographic that maps out a range of habits used by well-known writers to support their writing process. These routines developed under very different historical, social, and personal conditions, so not every method transfers directly to modern work or <a href=\"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/college-paper-writing.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">college paper writing<\/a>. Still, examining how different authors structured their time, managed focus, and approached drafting can be useful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of treating these habits as formulas for success, it\u2019s more practical to view them as case studies in workflow design. By looking at them analytically, you can identify patterns \u2014 such as consistency, environment control, and revision discipline \u2014 and adapt the parts that realistically fit your own writing practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"145\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/opposite-habits-of-famous-writers1-145x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19350281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/opposite-habits-of-famous-writers1-145x1024.png 145w, https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/opposite-habits-of-famous-writers1-768x5430.png 768w, https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/opposite-habits-of-famous-writers1-290x2048.png 290w, https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/opposite-habits-of-famous-writers1.png 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 145px) 100vw, 145px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Embed Code:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-heading-0\">Morning vs. Night Routine of Famous Writers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What is the best time for effective writing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most authors ask this question, and tons of articles and blog posts live online, trying to answer it. In short, everything depends on your biological clocks and environmental circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus,\u00a0<strong>Tom Wolfe<\/strong>\u00a0wrote at night for better inspiration: \u201cNight-time awakens more alert chemistry in me,\u201d he said. At the same time,\u00a0<strong>Fyodor Dostoyevsky<\/strong>\u00a0wrote at night because it was his only free time when attending an engineering school. But for whatever reason, the results of their night writings were substantive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, we can draw valuable insights from this habit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Circadian_rhythm\" rel=\"nofollow\">circadian rhythm theory<\/a>, famous writers could have the peak of their creativity at night.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The noise pollution is at its lowest level in the night period, making it easier to focus on writing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The chance of being interrupted is minimal, though this point is still\u00a0controversial.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/blog\/lives-the-brain\/201004\/creativity-the-brain-and-evolution\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Alice Flaherty\u2019s model of creative brain activity<\/a>, we have a better chance of coming up with great ideas when tired. This theory may explain the excellent results of authors who wrote after coming home after work\/study.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on the above, mornings must be a dead spot of writers\u2019 creativity. But the research shows that many famous writers were super productive at this time of the day.\u00a0Essay maker\u00a0tools can help provide the creative spark needed to get started in the mornings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus,\u00a0<strong>Katherine Anne Porter<\/strong>\u00a0loved writing in the mornings because of \u201cperfect silence.\u201d\u00a0<strong>Toni Morrison<\/strong>\u00a0wrote early in the morning before her children woke up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most online articles on morning productivity don\u2019t sound\u00a0persuasive enough, so we\u2019ve done our best to come up with the benefits of morning time for effective writing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The morning (natural) light\u00a0stimulates brain activity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The creativity center of our brain (frontal cortex)\u00a0has a peak activity after waking up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u2019s easier to think positively at the start of a day; positive thinking leads to better results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-heading-1\">Drinking vs. Walking vs. Cats and Dogs for Effective Writing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see from the infographic, the habits of famous writers are diverse. But each of them can offer a benefit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tea contains theanine enhancing creativity and\u00a0helping to stay focused.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coffee increases the serotonin level in our brain and\u00a0helps us think more positively, while caffeine\u00a0stimulates our memory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Long-distance walks\u00a0increase brain volume, while travels develop imagination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This research\u00a0proves that a laying position can help with creativity by far.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Owning both cats and dogs reduces stress, anxiety, and the risk of depression.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-heading-2\">When Good Writing Habits Work Bad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What could be a more practical writing habit than acquiring an academic writing skill? We all wrote essays and other papers in college, and we all got A+ grades for our grammatically correct\u00a0critical\u00a0or\u00a0argumentative\u00a0MLA-style writings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But were those writings award-winning? Have we ever thought of anything like,\u00a0<em>\u201cWhom do I write my essay?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More often than not, we wrote essays for teachers and grades:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\u00a0educational system\u00a0teaches a lot of bad habits to students. Yes, it\u2019s natural to create well-meaning and structured academic writing at school, but any famous writer or essayist would use essay language to share their stories with readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Writing for college professors and writing for thousands of people who will read and love your works are two different things. And, naturally, students write differently for academics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>trying to sound more formal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>crafting long paragraphs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>not expressing themselves in writings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>relying on sources, expressing others\u2019 thoughts rather than theirs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>staying unemotional<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal is to please a teacher and write an essay that would look award-winning from the educators\u2019 perspective. The habit of writing like that can play Old Harry with the students who dream of worldwide fame as bestselling authors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Famous writers have different habits, but none learned writing by reading academic manuals, sitting in courses, listening to educational style guides, or browsing writing blogs to find more books on pencraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When students, we write for academics; when writers, we change our writing habits and take benefits from them.\u00a0<\/strong>Yes, even if those habits are awkward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-heading-3\"><strong>Awkward Habits of Famous Writers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some <a href=\"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/famous-american-essay-writers\/\">famous writers<\/a>\u2018 habits are\u2026 let\u2019s call them awkward. And yet, they have an entirely rational explanation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Friedrich Schiller<\/strong>\u00a0couldn\u2019t write without a box of rotten apples under his table. Well, that\u2019s strange, but, on the other hand, Schiller wrote at night to avoid interruptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Edith Sitwell<\/strong>\u00a0had a habit of laying in an open coffin for a few minutes every morning before writing. On the other hand, Edith had notebooks in every corner of her flat (more than 300), collecting all\u00a0writing ideas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Victor Hugo<\/strong>\u00a0wrote naked. The explanation was simple: He locked clothes to resist the temptation of going outdoors. That saved his time and helped him finish his work on time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>William Faulkner<\/strong>\u00a0enjoyed typing with his toes, carrying shoes on his hands. We know him as the author of the words, \u201cRead, read, read. Read everything\u00a0\u2014 trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read!\u201d He learned something and expanded his imagination all the time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Carson McCullers<\/strong>\u00a0made a lucky sweater from rabbit feet and only wrote when she was wearing it. But despite having a paralyzed left arm, she did not stop writing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-heading-4\"><strong>Differentiating Between Benefits and Fables<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As we see, famous writers\u2019 habits (even if awkward) couldn\u2019t stop them on the road to success. They chose the most rewarding routines for effective writing and creative life intuitively. Their habits are the result of their attitude to good writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only tenable explanation for some writers\u2019 most extraordinary habits is that they simply wanted to attract notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example,\u00a0<strong>Hunter Thompson<\/strong>\u00a0asked to\u00a0fire his remains into the sky. Sure, such stories are interesting to tell your friends in a bar, but, unfortunately, we can not find any other practical use for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Black_swan_theory\" rel=\"nofollow\">The black swan theory<\/a>\u00a0by Nassim Nicholas Taleb explains why it\u2019s wrong to judge success by who is a winner. And it\u2019s the reason to opt-out ideas to sniff rotten apples or write blindfolded unless you find a rational advantage of this ritual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-heading-5\"><strong>What Can We Learn From This Info?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The debate concerning the best writing habit is never-ending. But any information is useless without practical insights. Hence, if you\u2019re serious about your writing, here go several suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Take a\u00a0morningness-eveningness test.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve your daily regime according to your morningness\/eveningness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Every detail of your interior or writing process is helpful for your creativity. Try experimenting as much as you can.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid subjective evaluation of your experiments by asking someone else to judge your work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your habits do not need any rational explanations if they lead to effective writing and are resulting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s rarely simple to discover your direction as a writer. Progress often comes slowly, through trial, doubt, and repeated revision, and many well-known authors spent years refining their voice before gaining recognition. This long path is part of what makes strong writing so meaningful \u2014 each finished piece represents persistence, learning, and careful thought. Instead of seeing uncertainty as a barrier, it can be treated as a working space where ideas develop and style matures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Writers use many kinds of support along the way \u2014 peer feedback, workshops, editing tools, and even platforms we are, the <a href=\"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Essay Shark<\/a>, as reference points for structure and research approaches. The process is rarely straight or predictable, but that is exactly what shapes distinctive and thoughtful work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Famous writers attract enormous attention. Not only do their fans try to copy behavior or wardrobe to become closer to the star. Bloggers, content makers, and other writing people try to learn famous writers\u2019 habits and daily rituals to get the source of their inspiration and productivity. Do those habits truly matter for effective writing?<a href=\"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/thoughts-behind-habits-famous-writers\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;What Famous Writers Did for Effective Writing: Habits to Follow [Infographic]&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19350219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"download_url":"","custom_update_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13,3,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19345257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-writing","category-essay-writing","category-other"],"psp_head":"<title>What Famous Writers Did for Effective Writing: Habits to Follow<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"They say, habits define us. So let&#039;s take a look at good writing habits of 100+ famous writers and get some value from this info!\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index,follow\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/thoughts-behind-habits-famous-writers\/\" \/>\r\n","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Effective-Writing-Habits-to-Follow.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19345257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19345257"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19345257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19364251,"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19345257\/revisions\/19364251"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19350219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19345257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19345257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essayshark.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19345257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}