The 7 Habits of Great Writers
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And why reinvent the wheel if someone else has already figured out the thing you want to do?
So, I thought it might be helpful (and fun) to pinpoint what separates published authors from people who dream about writing and being published "someday."
Spoiler: it's not talent.
What I’ve discovered about successful writers over the years is that many of them have this love/hate relationship with writing because good writing is hard. And it’s not like the words form in their head, and all they have to do is get them on paper. There’s nothing more daunting than a blank screen and a blinking cursor, and all you can think about is running downstairs and throwing your wet clothes into the dryer. You know you should write anything, even if it’s gibberish, but you can’t even come up with gibberish. I mean, if you do that and continue it, doesn’t that gibberish just snowball into an avalanche of gibberish?
The point is, yes, you can just sit there and see if anything happens. Or you can develop habits and strategies that will keep you planted in your seat and writing. To give you a jumpstart, this guide provides several (surprising) routines shared by the most prolific authors in history. We’ll walk through seven of these habits from these literary legends—and show how each translates into better writing.
Let's look at what the greats actually did (and still do) to produce work that endures.
1. Write Every Day Without Exception — Stephen King
The habit:
Even with his colossal success, King writes 2,000 words every day without exception and, yes, even on holidays. It may sound boring, but he sits down at the same time every single morning and goes through the same ritual: tea or coffee, a vitamin pill, music, same seat, papers arranged identically. He describes this routine as "a way of saying to the mind, you're going to be dreaming soon.”
Why it translates into good writing:
We just mentioned momentum, which is created by consistency. The more you write, the easier it becomes. But waiting and hoping for inspiration is a trap because you need to train your writing muscle by showing up and writing every day. And those 2000 words? Yeah, that’s a lot. But volume matters because it’s so much easier to manage a jumble of words than it is to deal with a blank page. In King’s experience, it is only when he is in the process of writing that he experiences visits from his muse.
How to use it:
Set a daily word count that feels realistic to you (even as small as 300 words). The goal here is to show up and making it achievable and fun.
2. Stop While You Still Know What Comes Next — Ernest Hemingway
The habit:
Hemingway was a disciplined writer, getting up every morning and writing “as soon after first light as possible,” which meant typically from 6 a.m. until noon. You may have heard of his famous rule: you write until you come to a place where you still have momentum and know exactly what follows. Hemingway would stop writing mid-sentence or mid-scene—but always knew what was going to happen next. That may seem counterintuitive because, like an athlete, you’re in a flow. But, this is Ernest Hemingway!
Why it translates into good writing:
In knowing exactly where to start the next day, Hemingway eliminated the terrifying "blank page" problem. You’re also stopping before you are completely drained, which prevents burnout. You’re also building anticipation and a creative energy that carries you back to the desk. Because you’re holding what you’re going to write between sessions, it keeps your content “alive in your subconscious between sessions.
How to use it:
End your writing session mid-thought. Leave yourself a breadcrumb trail. You’ll be thankful tomorrow.
3. Embrace the "Shitty First Draft" — Anne Lamott
The habit:
Lamott gave writers permission to write terrible first drafts in her book Bird by Bird. She tells her readers to “just get it down on paper” without judgment, then revise ruthlessly. When I do this, I actually have to take off my editor hat and give myself permission over and over again. It sounds much easier than it is in practice. She describes the first draft as "the child's draft"—emotional, messy, and uninhibited. Well, let’s be real—there are a lot of adults who fit that description!
Why it translates into good writing:
Perfectionism is the enemy of progress because it paralyzes writers before they begin. I don’t stand a chance with writing when I’m in editing mode. Bad drafts become good second drafts, which become terrific third drafts. You’ve created the raw material to then start the real writing, which is in the revision. Lamott’s process frees your creative voice from your inner critic.
How to use it:
Give yourself permission to write garbage. You can fix garbage. You can't fix nothing.
4. Create a Distraction-Free Sanctuary — Maya Angelou
The habit:
Angelou rented hotel rooms in every city she lived in—specifically to write. She stripped the rooms bare: "I insist that all things are taken off the walls. I don't want anything in there." Armed with only a Bible, dictionary, thesaurus, yellow legal pads, and a bottle of sherry, she wrote lying across the bed from around 6:30 a.m. until early afternoon, every single day.
Why it translates into good writing:
Environment shapes output. Distractions don't just slow you down—they dilute your creative focus entirely. A dedicated writing space signals to your brain that it's time to work, and physical separation from daily life creates mental separation from daily worries. As Angelou put it: "I go into the room, and I feel as if all my beliefs are suspended. Nothing holds me to anything."
How to use it:
You don't need a hotel room. You need a room—or a corner, a coffee shop, a library. Protect your writing space fiercely.
5. Read Voraciously and Constantly — Ray Bradbury
The habit:
Bradbury's advice was deceptively simple: "Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens." But he practiced what he preached with almost obsessive dedication. He recommended reading one short story, one essay, and one poem every night—for a thousand nights. Before he ever published seriously, he spent ten years educating himself in public libraries. "At the end of ten years," he said, "I had read every book in the library and I'd written a thousand stories."
Why it translates into good writing:
Reading fills your creative well, and you can't pour from an empty cup. Exposure to different styles, voices, and structures expands your toolkit in ways you don't even notice until you need them. Great writers absorb rhythm, pacing, and language through osmosis—it seeps into their prose whether they intend it to or not. Bradbury captured this beautifully: "You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes."
How to use it:
Read widely and without apology. Read in your genre. Read outside your genre. Read what challenges you.
6. Warm Up Before the Real Work — John Steinbeck
The habit:
Every day before writing East of Eden, Steinbeck wrote a "letter" to his editor in his journal. These warm-up pages helped him rev his mind like an engine—he'd discuss his mood, his doubts, the day ahead. He also sharpened anywhere from 24 to 100 pencils each morning as part of his ritual. It sounds almost comically meticulous, but for Steinbeck, these small acts were the on-ramp to deeper work.
Why it translates into good writing:
Warm-ups ease you into creative mode without the pressure of producing "real" writing. Journaling clears mental clutter so you can arrive at the manuscript with a quieter mind. But more than that, the ritual itself becomes a signal—a way of telling your brain it's time to create. As Steinbeck put it: "In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration."
How to use it:
Try writing a one-page "letter" to anyone (real or imagined) before diving into your project. Let yourself meander. Then get to work.
7. Trust the Power of Saying Less — Toni Morrison
The habit:
Morrison was as deliberate about what she left out as what she put in. She believed in relying on "the reader's own emotions and intelligence" rather than over-explaining, and she worked early mornings when she was "clearer-headed, more confident, and generally more intelligent." Her philosophy was refreshingly direct: "I have been more impressed with myself when I can say more with less."
Why it translates into good writing:
Economy of language creates impact—every word has to earn its place on the page. Trusting your readers makes them active participants rather than passive consumers, and that trust pays dividends. Over-writing dilutes emotional punch; restraint amplifies it. Morrison said it best: "It is what you don't write that frequently gives what you do write its power."
How to use it:
After your draft is complete, ask: What can I cut? Where am I explaining too much? Trust your reader to meet you halfway.
The Bottom Line
These seven habits aren't magic—they're choices, made daily. The writers who "make it" aren't necessarily more talented than the rest of us; they're more consistent. And every habit here is something you can start today, not someday. But here's the thing about habits: they get you to "good enough." And "good enough" is exactly where the real magic begins.
What Comes Next
So you've built the habits. You've shown up day after day. You've written the shitty first draft, revised it, tightened it, and now you're holding a manuscript that feels... ready.
Here's my question: Ready for what?
Because "good enough" is the starting line, not the finish. That's where someone like me comes in—a fresh set of professional eyes to help you see what you're too close to notice. Whether you need developmental guidance, a thorough line edit, or a final polish before submission, I'm here to help your words land exactly the way you intended.
Let's get your work where it deserves to be.
Sources
Angelou, Maya. Interview by George Plimpton. "Maya Angelou, The Art of Fiction No. 119." The Paris Review, 1990.
Bradbury, Ray. "Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity." Joshua Odell Editions, 1990.
Hemingway, Ernest. Interview by George Plimpton. "Ernest Hemingway, The Art of Fiction No. 21." The Paris Review, 1958.
King, Stephen. "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft." Scribner, 2000.
Lamott, Anne. "Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life." Anchor Books, 1994.
Morrison, Toni. Interview by Elissa Schappell. "Toni Morrison, The Art of Fiction No. 134." The Paris Review, 1993.
Morrison, Toni. "Toni Morrison on Creative Failure." National Endowment for the Arts, 2014.
Steinbeck, John. "Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters." Viking Press, 1969.
