Creativity — it’s such a tumultuous concept, right? It morphs into numerous forms and shines through artworks, novels, music, dance, and so much more. It’s all around us, and yet no one truly knows its source. It seems to originate from the depths of a marvellous mind, almost like a superpower of the subconscious. It often begins with a single idea, one that slowly plants a seed and grows into a pulchritudinous field of flowers.
The true magic of creativity, however, is that it means different things to different people. It sparks a new fire in each individual. And just like each protein is synthesised through a new combination of amino acids (for all the science enthusiasts), each creative piece is ignited by a plethora of unique sources.
Many renowned authors have revealed their quirky, peculiar habits and tricks — rituals they believe boost their writing. While it’s fascinating to learn about the practices that may have contributed to some of our favourite literary works, it’s essential to remember that creativity cannot be derived from a single habit, formula, book, or method. While it’s beneficial to take inspiration from your role models, it’s far more important to find what works for your own, unique voice.
Time to dive into the extraordinary routines of extraordinary minds!
1. Honoré de Balzac – 50 Cups of Coffee a Day
Balzac was notorious for consuming up to 50 cups of coffee a day—sometimes brewed, sometimes spooned straight from the grounds—believing it kept his creative juices flowing. He would reportedly write for 15 hours straight, fueled entirely by caffeine.
“This coffee falls into your stomach, and straightaway there is a general commotion… ideas begin to move like battalions of the Grand Army on the battlefield.”
So yes, his masterpieces were a result of admirable talent paired with a major adrenaline rush. However, it’s important to recognise that this number is widely debated and would be dangerously high by modern health standards.
2. Friedrich Schiller – Rotten Apples in His Desk
The German playwright kept rotting apples in his desk drawer because he believed the smell helped inspire him. His wife even reported that he couldn’t work unless the aroma of decay was present, possibly acting as a trigger or stimulus to initiate creative thinking.
3. Dan Brown – Hanging Upside Down
Dan Brown uses inversion therapy—he hangs upside down using gravity boots—to clear his mind. He also writes in bursts, using an hourglass to remind himself to get up and do push-ups or stretches every hour. Clearly, gravity doesn’t just keep our solar system intact; it also contributes to the creation of revolutionary literary pieces.
4. Maya Angelou – A Rented Hotel Room
Angelou preferred writing in hotel rooms rather than at home. She rented a local hotel room where she kept nothing but a dictionary, a Bible, and a bottle of sherry. She wrote lying on the bed with only a yellow legal pad.
5. Truman Capote – Horizontal Writing Only
Capote insisted on writing only while lying down—on a couch or in bed—with a cigarette in one hand and coffee or a cocktail in the other. He even described himself as a “completely horizontal author.”
6. Edith Sitwell – Writing in a Coffin
The English poet reportedly climbed into an open coffin before beginning her writing for the day. She said it helped her focus and sparked her creativity. While it sounds strange, it’s possible that the eerie environment helped her introspect and come up with impactful poetry. However, this was more of a theatrical or symbolic act than a verified daily practice. Even so, the unexpected source of inspiration remains quite puzzling.
7. Charles Dickens – Furniture Alignment & Long Walks
Dickens was obsessed with precise desk alignment and carried a compass to ensure his bed and furniture faced north, believing it improved his creativity. He also took three-hour walks every afternoon, claiming they helped him invent characters and plots. He clearly adored organisation and structure, which may have helped him maintain a clear, focused mind while writing.
8. Gertrude Stein – Writing in the Car with Cows
Stein wrote just 15 minutes a day, often sitting in her parked car in the countryside while looking at cows—whom she considered excellent muses. It might have been her own unique way of connecting with nature.
9. James Joyce – Giant Blue Pencil and a Mirror
Joyce used a crayon-like blue pencil and wrote lying on his stomach in bed while wearing a white coat. Because of his extremely poor eyesight, he used a mirror to reflect more light onto the page and guide his hand. This oddly specific method clearly worked—sometimes the weirdest habits bring out the best.
10. Agatha Christie – Plotting Murders in the Bathtub
The Queen of Crime often plotted her intricate mysteries while eating apples in the bath. She claimed warm water helped her think clearly and come up with her signature twists.
11. Marcel Proust – Writing in a Cork-Lined Room
Proust wrote In Search of Lost Time from his bed, in a soundproof room lined with cork to block out noise. He rarely left his apartment and often wrote at night, fueled by coffee and occasionally opium.
12. Ernest Hemingway – Standing Up
Hemingway believed writing was more energetic when done standing. He worked on a typewriter placed on a tall shelf, often barefoot, and tracked his daily word count with precision.
13. Isabel Allende – Only Starting on January 8
Allende begins all her novels on January 8—the date she started her first book. She believes the day holds spiritual significance and brings both creativity and discipline.
14. Franz Kafka – Writing at Midnight
Kafka had a demanding day job, so he wrote late at night, usually between 11 PM and 2 or 3 AM. The silence and solitude of those hours fueled his eerie, surreal style.
Learning about the differing strategies of authors is truly captivating, and it makes me ponder how each book, short story, poem, and literary marvel has countless stories behind it. We’re not robots typing out words spontaneously — we’re human. We each have our own quirks and personalised habits, and that’s what makes us distinctly special.
Each word is etched through emotion, each unusual ritual fuels imagination. So whether it’s blue crayons, cows, caffeine, or apples that get your neurons firing like gears in a machine, why not try figuring out what your secret to creativity is?
Authored by: Sanjam Kaur Saini