Writers and their Idiosyncrasies

| Last updated less than one minute ago

Submit :

News Photos Just In Debate Topic Latest News Articles Local News Blog Posts Pictures Reviews Recipes

PVV Satyanarayana

24 December, 2009

This article speaks of the mannerisms and habits of the famous international Writers.

It is a common knowledge that different persons have different habits and mannerisms, peculiar to themselves. These habits, acquired or picked up by chance, and cultivated consciously or unconsciously over a period, might sometimes culminate into superstitions too. For example, some people could be seen scribbling om, subh, Sriram, etc. at the top of the page before commencing to write a letter. Some people have the habit of consulting panchangam before undertaking a journey or a venture. Writers too are humans and not an exception. They too are susceptible to weaknesses of mankind, and do have their habits or mannerisms, good or bad. It would be difficult to attribute or explain reasons for their peculiar behaviour.

The aim of this article is to recall such strange habits, attributes, fascinations and the idiosyncrasies endowed with some of the famous and popular writers and poets of yester years. Some writers would be chain-smoking or chewing pan to get ideas and while writing; otherwise their minds would go blank. While some would be pacing up and down thinking of a plot for their novel or story, there are others who undertake long walks thinking of a new subject for their work. A popular revolutionary poet in the South was known to generate world-renowned poetry when in company of a hot drink and a woman, besides chain-smoking!

If we peep into the lives of some of the famous overseas Writers and Poets, a few interesting facts would reveal. Agatha Christie, the famous English novelist, who had published over 100 best- selling novels (70 of them were detective novels), named her house Styles, after the title of her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The British author, James Hadley Chase (whose real name was Rene Brabazon Raymond) wrote most of his books using a dictionary of American slang, detailed maps, encyclopedias and reference books on the American Underworld. In several of his novels, the protagonist tries to get rich by committing a crime, an insurance fraud or theft. The women in his novels are often beautiful, clever and treacherous.

The English author, playwright and critic, Henry Graham who was suffering from "bipolar disorder", had confessed to have many extra-marital affairs and to be a "bad husband and a fickle lover". It had been the habit of Charles Dickens to read and laugh after penning a comedy situation in his novel. Similarly, he shed tears after reading the sad and sorrowful situations written by him. Dickens used to read and revise the draft of his novel several times before giving it for publication. Bernard Shaw would not write more than 5 pages in a day. He was never bothered even if the sentence at the end of the fifth page was incomplete. He would leave it unfinished, and complete it only the next day!

It had been the habit of the German poet, Skilla, to place a plate full of rotten apples on the table, before starting to write. The stinking smell emanating from these spoiled fruits was said to inspire him to write the poetry!!Edgar Wallace would commence his new book only on Fridays. On the Friday night, he would have a sumptuous dinner and start writing. He would continue his writing non-stop till 9 in the morning of Monday, by which time the novel would be completed. He would neither sleep nor eat in between. He would survive on tea that he took countless times during the period. On the other hand, Shelly, the poet, would be eating interminably while writing. The food was said to prod him to continue with his writing unabated! He continued to eat bread, his favourite dish, while writing. The popular poet, Bethovan, would drench himself under a shower in the bathroom, to get ideas. After his head was fully soaked under the water, he would go to the writing table, without drying himself, and start writing the poetry. And as for Antony Parson, the detective novelist, he would not sleep once he commenced writing a new novel. Only after completing it, he would eat full of his stomach and sleep continuously for 2 days.

One can be sure that several other popular writers and poets too would be having their own idiosyncrasies that kept them going along with their writing, generating masterpieces of world literature. Is it not really amusing and amazing?