Even the most famous writers of the world sometimes could not bring themselves to work. Lack of inspiration, bad mood, unresolved problems, conflicts with family and friends are the most common reasons that could affect their writing.
Yes, even Pushkin and Gogol lived not only with their works, they were primarily people with their desires and needs.
Of course, many writers would never have achieved such heights if they followed their desires and devoted most of their time to idleness.
On the contrary, they looked for a source of inspiration, created certain conditions in which they wanted to create. Each writer had his own secrets that helped him tune into work. They will be discussed in this article.
10. Jean-Paul Sartre - 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening devoted work
Jean-Paul led a wild life. He loved to attend social events, was fond of alcohol, drugs.
His personal life was also not quite ordinary. The writer lived with two women: a wife and a mistress at the same time.
Despite all this, Sartre was a very disciplined person. Whatever happens, every day he devoted 6 hours to work, 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening.
Nevertheless, such a lifestyle could not but affect his creative abilities. Soon, Jean-Paul could not work without drugs. He took a stimulant that was officially approved in France. Its dose far exceeded the permissible.
By the way, Sartre lived to be 74 years old, he managed a lot. At the funeral ceremony was about 50 thousand people. People loved his work and wanted to say goodbye to the great writer.
9. Haruki Murakami - get up early and work 6 hours in a row
The works of this Japanese writer are read all over the world. It is not only interesting, it is fashionable. The secret of Haruki Murakami is simple, he also prefers to work 6 hours a day.
The most “effective” time of day is morning. Previously, the writer conducted a night show on television, smoked a lot and did not limit himself in food. He soon realized that with such a lifestyle he couldn’t create. Then he became interested in healthy eating, began to run, go to bed early and get up early.
The secret of his success is in the strict daily routine. He admits that in order to be in time, it is necessary to observe the daily routine. When Haruki Murakami changed his life, inspiration began to visit him much more often. The writer calls this special condition "flow."
8. Honore de Balzac - estranged from the world
Honore de Balzac loved a beautiful life. To provide for himself, he often had to sell works that he had not even begun to write. When it came time to hand over the novel, the writer began to create.
All that he needed was detachment from the world, a good raven feather and smooth paper. At such moments, he did not want to see anyone, locked himself in the room, closed the curtains, lit candles.
In complete solitude, he could work for two days without rest and breaks. Coffee helped him stay awake. Balzac was very fond of a strong drink.
7. Mark Twain - constantly smoked
Mark Twain also had a secret. He could not write if there were no cigars. He constantly smoked. The figure of the writer could hardly be distinguished in thick puffs of cigarette smoke. He chose the cheapest cigars, they smelled disgusting.
Most people only know him from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but Twain created many more interesting things. The topics that he dealt with were often banned by censorship, so they are not very popular even now.
6. Agatha Christie - dictated the text to the assistant
Agatha Christie never considered herself a great writer. She was an ordinary housewife, and writing books is nothing more than an interesting hobby.
She came up with fascinating stories while doing housework. She was especially “inspired” by washing dishes. Agatha Christie even joked that when she washes dishes, she has a desire to kill someone.
The woman suffered from dysgraphia. She made mistakes, did not finish the word, so she used the services of an assistant, and Agatha Christie dictated the text to her.
5. Anton Chekhov - wrote in absolutely any conditions
Surprisingly, Anton Pavlovich could work in any conditions. Crazy children, music, conversations of relatives - nothing bothered him.
If he did not have time, he could ask to wait for him. At that time he himself was completing a play or a story. The presence of an outsider did not bother the writer at all.
His friends even joked that noise was a prerequisite for Chekhov's effective work. Indeed, Chekhov possessed a very rare feature. Many people can concentrate solely in silence.
4. Vladimir Nabokov - wrote fragments on cards
Vladimir Nabokov preferred to work not in the office at the table, but in the back seat of his car. The table was replaced by a shoe box, and instead of paper he used special cards. On each of them he wrote a separate part of the work, and then shuffled them.
He easily swapped parts, added something. Peculiar manuscripts of Nabokov were placed in a small box.
When the work was ready, his wife Vera took up the matter. A woman took cards and reprinted them on a typewriter. By the way, Vladimir, known to the general public for the novel “Lolita”, loved his wife very much, so this work is nothing more than a fantasy of the author.
3. Fedor Dostoevsky - the text was spoken aloud
Before writing a text on paper, Dostoevsky spoke it out loud. He walked around the rooms, often even at night, and muttered.
Once he scared a footman to death. Then Fyodor Mikhailovich stayed at the cottage with his friends. He considered his new novel Crime and Punishment, walked around the rooms and talked about the murder. The footman seriously thought that Dostoevsky wanted to kill someone.
Fedor Mikhailovich delivered finished works to the editorial office on his own. He did not trust couriers, was afraid that the manuscript would be lost. He treated the drafts with disdain. Dostoevsky did not keep them, he preferred to destroy them immediately.
2. Nikolai Gogol - wrote while standing, slept while sitting
There are many legends about this great writer. He was seriously ill with encephalitis. The disease did not pass without a trace, he often lost consciousness, fell into a lethargic dream. Gogol was very afraid that he would be buried during such a swoon, and then he would wake up. Therefore, he never went to bed, slept always sitting.
He preferred to work while standing. When there was no inspiration, he asked to put decanters with water in each room. He himself began to walk around the house, after 10 minutes he drank a glass of water. He walked quickly, so that the house began to "walk the wind."
Also, his other secret was to roll bread balls. Thus, Nikolai Vasilievich calmed down, tuned in to work.
1. Alexander Pushkin - painted portraits on draft fields, drank lemonade
To concentrate on work, Alexander Sergeyevich painted portraits in the fields of drafts. Female figures, animals, portraits of acquaintances - Pushkin did pretty well.
The writer also asked the servant to bring lemonade. This is also Pushkin’s secret, he couldn’t work without lemonade.
Of course, lemonade at that time was completely different, not like it is now. Pushkin also mentioned lemon water with sugar in his works. Some of his heroes were also crazy about this drink.