RePost: I write, and thus have quirks | The Odd Habits and Curious Customs of Famous Writers – Brain Pickings

Yesterday, before the Emmys came on, I found myself at my craft desk putting together a hat that I didn’t think I had time for. Not only did I tackle that but I also started in on creating a second one and even coming up with a few ideas for blogs in the future.

This morning when this blog post landed in my box, I thought it was probably kismet. Reading about the quirks of other creative sets my mind at ease a bit. I’m not the type who has to have 20 sharpened pencils, nor do I carry superstitions about hotel room numbers or require certain drinks, equipment or other ephemera in my space…but I do like things a certain way.

I noticed yesterday, before I could really get to creating – that my space needed to be clean and tidy. I spent some time opening packages of material before tackling the project and going willy nilly on creating my hat. Likewise, I always need to have the tv on and usually to something that has little to do with intelligent thinking – and a lot to do with trashy reality tv or Hollywood gossip. I love that my desk is counter height, something feels authoritative about this position, and makes me feel significantly more “at the helm” of my projects.

When I get back into editing my books for the year, which I keep swearing will happen soon, no doubt that my laptop will find it’s way to my craft desk – the little circular window of sun shining above my head – and nothing but the expanse of “blank virtual paper” on the screen to comfort me.

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One must always keep in mind that these writers and the people around them may have, at some point, embellished the facts. Quirks are great fodder for gossip and can morph into gross exaggeration when passed from one person to the next. There’s also no way to escape the self-mythologizing particularly when dealing with some of the greatest storytellers that ever lived. Yet even when authors stretch the truth, they reveal something about themselves, when it is the desire to project a certain image or the need to shy away from one.

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/09/23/odd-type-writers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+brainpickings%2Frss+%28Brain+Pickings%29