> Skip to content

Article  •  6 September 2018

 

The creative habits of 8 famous writers from history

Including cigarettes, scrolls, and sewing up poems.

Writers can be curious creatures, and some swear by peculiar routines and superstitions to help them put pen to paper or fingers to keys. From Vladimir to Virginia, dive into the writing routines of some of history’s most famous novelists and poets.
 

Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)

Where’s the fun in writing the beginning, middle and end in the right order? Vladimir Nabokov wrote on index cards, using hundreds of cards for each novel. He started writing once the “pattern of the thing” was clear on his mind. Rather than writing linearly he would “pick out a bit here and a bit there, till I have filled all the gaps on paper”.

He would rearrange the cards, and not until the work was finished would he number them. Then he dictated them to his wife, who typed them in triplicate.
 

 

Gabriel García Márquez (1927–2014)

Ever pulled an all-nighter to finish a project? Imagine this: An obsessive worker and notorious chain-smoker, García Márquez reported that he “did not get up for 18 months” when he was working on One Hundred Years of Solitude. Even if he’s exaggerating just a little bit, that’s some serious dedication.

 

Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

New England poet Emily Dickinson wrote about 1,800 poems, most of which weren't published until after her death. Dickinson wrote in private, organizing her poems in bundles that she sewed together.
 

 

Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)

Standing desks might be new to modern offices, but standing writers are not! Ernest Hemingway would sometimes write on his feet, and often on his favoured machine: a Royal typewriter.


 

Alice Munro (1931 – )

As well as a Nobel Prize winner, Alice Munro is a proven multitasking pro. By the age of 21, Munro was married, had moved from rural Ontario to Vancouver, and had given birth to her first baby. Over the next 15 years she produced short stories for magazines and radio, writing frantically through her pregnancies – and then during her babies’ naps, school hours, and into the night – for fear she would never get the time again. Thankfully for readers worldwide, she did. Now that’s stamina.
 


 

Jack Kerouac (1922–1969)

When you’re the poster child of spontaneous prose, not a moment can be wasted! To allow himself to write without interruption, Kerouac stuck sheets of paper together in a single scroll to feed through his typewriter. The manuscript of On the Road measured an astonishing 36 metres (120 ft).
 


 

Charles Dickens (1812–1870)

Don’t mind writing on any old napkin? Dickens could not relate. The quintessential Victorian author was very particular about his writing supplies, and in his letters often referred to the quality of the ink and quills at his disposal.
 


 

Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)

Don’t feel so bad about your messy desk! Virginia Woolf wrote at a wooden table in a lodge in the garden of Monk’s House, a cottage in East Sussex owned by Woolf’s sister Vanessa and her husband. Woolf commuted to the lodge daily, and would even sleep there on occasion. Visitors to the lodge in Woolf’s day reported that it was always strewn with books and papers.

Feature Title

Writers
Incredible stories about the best loved writers
Read more

More features

See all
Article
How to throw the perfect Bluey birthday party

Everything you need to throw the perfect Bluey birthday party!

Article
Your guide to writers’ festivals in May 2025

Check out some of the Penguin Random House authors who will be at upcoming writers’ festivals.

Article
How to save money on groceries: 6 innovative budget tips

Food shopping on a budget? These tips from Money-Saving Meal Plans With Chelsea will help you spend less on food.

Article
Penguin Picks: 4 books to escape with this long weekend – no travel required

Check out the long weekend reads Penguin employees are loving.

Article
Penguin Noir 2025 was a criminally good showcase

Our 2025 Penguin Noir events have wrapped up for another year – featuring four cities, four days, seven authors and a whole lot of crime!

Article
Two Penguin authors make the shortlist for the 2025 Stella Prize

Congrats to Samah Sabawi, author of Cactus Pear For My Beloved and Jumaana Abdu, author of Translations!

Article
Lynette Noni is touring Australia in 2025!

Find out where you can hear Lynette Noni speak about her upcoming book, Wandering Wild.

Article
Two thrilling adaptations of Candice Fox’s bestsellers are coming to screens near you

High Wire and Fire With Fire are both in development for series adaptations.

Article
Maurice and Maralyn wins Nero Gold Prize, Book of the Year 2024

We’re thrilled to share that Maruice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst has won the Nero Book Awards Gold Prize, Book of the Year.

Article
Award-winning and shortlisted books of 2025

Discover some of the best Penguin Random House books of 2025 with this list of award-winning and shortlisted titles this year.

Article
CBCA Book of the Year Notables 2025

We're thrilled to share that fourteen books have been named CBCA Notables this year. Learn more about them here.

Article
The Making of The Limestone Road by Nicole Alexander

Learn from author Nicole Alexander how family history and the South Australian landscape shape this compelling tale of war, identity, and resilience.

Looking for more articles?

See all articles