I think all of these apply to LBJ. Always blown away by his energy and work ethic when I pick up Caro.
The fear of “running out of time” gets emphasised a lot in the lyrics of Hamilton. I’ll have to look up and see whether that’s historically accurate and if it partially explains his productivity with regards to the Federalist Papers.
Lovely to see the El Greco. It’s interesting how his genius with depicting perspective ,body and form in the later works was erroneously attributed to astigmatism for many years.
Glad you reminded me of the Hamilton lyrics - I think they are all so perceptive about talent and ambition and being driven - and, I'm sure they are all deeply autobiographical of Lin-Manuel Miranda himself.
Some writers, I think of Anthony Trollope and Edgar Rice Burroughs, were prolific at the beginning of their careers because they needed money, and early developed habits of productivity which they maintained even when they were comparatively comfortable.
With Lawrence some of his autobiography really does read like an insane person. ‘Today I woke up. Here are my individual thoughts on each of the dog names mentioned by Homer. Also, this is *not* a manic episode. Name number one, it is a good name and he loves me.’
Interesting piece. These square with my sense as well.
I’ve recently heard a compelling idea that the flip side of being truly driven to be great is to have a deep psychological hole that needs to be constantly filled.
The greatest people always suffer the worst and harshest circumstances. "What stands in the way becomes the way" (Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, V, 20).
Depression and anxiety fuel all of my creativity. Everything I make is an effort made to make banisters and balusters. Handrails for my days. Something solid, stable, and steady. Something I can hold on to when the world feels like it's shaking. I work with frenzy and panic because I always feel like time is against me. Like I'm running out of it. Like there isn't much left. Like I got started too late. I'm behind and trying to catch up. I work and I keep working, because it's therapy, because it's catharsis, because it's a time capsule. A record that I was here.
We all have our demons. Art is the way I make peace with mine. It's how I manage them. I have no complaints. This is a really great piece thanks for sharing.
As a prolific writer with a mood disorder, I think you're definitely right that the first one is a big factor. It can give you seemingly super human levels of productivity.
You forgot one very important (and frequently and conveniently forgotten) aspect: Most had/have wives and other helpers in their lives to ensure that these prolific men were not disrupted by such mundane things as child rearing, keeping a house, laundering clothes and having food ready to eat whenever they chose to emerge from their creative bubble.
Not in my experience. My father was a prominent and highly prolific sculptor in Berlin, Germany, and I saw first-hand how he, and most of his colleagues, would not have managed adult life on their own. My mother put her own creative career on hold to ensure his.
Sure thing, the collaborative aspect is always there and important. Creative couples feed off each other. But most times, at least until this century, mostly the men in the duo received recognition and fame.
I think this misses out “attitude”. There are writers who don’t think it’s a big deal - or at all hard - to write 1/2k words a day (or more) if they sit at their desk and get on with it.
I am interested in what makes them like that compared to the others. Seems inborn to me, requiring the right conditions to flourish. But, yes, agree, there is a big attitude gap between high and low productivity.
I know at least three prolific writers who went from being skint to being extremely successful by switching genres and self publishing at breakneck pace (while being scarily high quality). They certainly have a financial incentive to sit in a chair, get words on a page and not be distracted. But, even before that one of them had written 150 novels as a children’s author trying to make a living. (Perhaps it’s totally unrelated but he also has aphantasia, which fascinates me. How do you write without a mind’s eye?! Or maybe it helps you to stay focused?)
I think all of these apply to LBJ. Always blown away by his energy and work ethic when I pick up Caro.
The fear of “running out of time” gets emphasised a lot in the lyrics of Hamilton. I’ll have to look up and see whether that’s historically accurate and if it partially explains his productivity with regards to the Federalist Papers.
Lovely to see the El Greco. It’s interesting how his genius with depicting perspective ,body and form in the later works was erroneously attributed to astigmatism for many years.
Glad you reminded me of the Hamilton lyrics - I think they are all so perceptive about talent and ambition and being driven - and, I'm sure they are all deeply autobiographical of Lin-Manuel Miranda himself.
Very good.
Also: The need for cash.
Some writers, I think of Anthony Trollope and Edgar Rice Burroughs, were prolific at the beginning of their careers because they needed money, and early developed habits of productivity which they maintained even when they were comparatively comfortable.
Mill didn’t need cash though I agree in general
No, not every prolific writer. But some. Also Dickens and Disraeli.
Good recommendation thank you
This is so fucking real.
Yes! I didn’t go as hard as I could have. I really think death and being crazy are good and we should lean in.
With Lawrence some of his autobiography really does read like an insane person. ‘Today I woke up. Here are my individual thoughts on each of the dog names mentioned by Homer. Also, this is *not* a manic episode. Name number one, it is a good name and he loves me.’
Sorry not Homer, Xenophon. Homer did the list of ship names
Excellent!
Interesting piece. These square with my sense as well.
I’ve recently heard a compelling idea that the flip side of being truly driven to be great is to have a deep psychological hole that needs to be constantly filled.
The greatest people always suffer the worst and harshest circumstances. "What stands in the way becomes the way" (Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, V, 20).
"The Future" - Every one of the massive producers believe they were living in the future.
That ego part is so true. Men like Napoleon took massive action because they thought they were destined for something great.
fame which all men hunt after in their lives
Depression and anxiety fuel all of my creativity. Everything I make is an effort made to make banisters and balusters. Handrails for my days. Something solid, stable, and steady. Something I can hold on to when the world feels like it's shaking. I work with frenzy and panic because I always feel like time is against me. Like I'm running out of it. Like there isn't much left. Like I got started too late. I'm behind and trying to catch up. I work and I keep working, because it's therapy, because it's catharsis, because it's a time capsule. A record that I was here.
Sorry to hear but yea I think it’s a big factor for many producers
We all have our demons. Art is the way I make peace with mine. It's how I manage them. I have no complaints. This is a really great piece thanks for sharing.
Glad it resonated!
As a prolific writer with a mood disorder, I think you're definitely right that the first one is a big factor. It can give you seemingly super human levels of productivity.
Share some of your writing!
Thank you for suggesting that! I'm a film historian so it's for a pretty specific audience, but here's my last book: https://a.co/d/17lfJme
Very interesting and inspiring!! I like your ideas. I guess I should quit making excuses. Are there explanations for that behavior???
Who knows...
You forgot one very important (and frequently and conveniently forgotten) aspect: Most had/have wives and other helpers in their lives to ensure that these prolific men were not disrupted by such mundane things as child rearing, keeping a house, laundering clothes and having food ready to eat whenever they chose to emerge from their creative bubble.
Important but over rated imo
Not in my experience. My father was a prominent and highly prolific sculptor in Berlin, Germany, and I saw first-hand how he, and most of his colleagues, would not have managed adult life on their own. My mother put her own creative career on hold to ensure his.
Also I often think the spousal contribution is more collaborative than that, eg https://www.commonreader.co.uk/p/stop-ignoring-harriet-taylor-shes
Sure thing, the collaborative aspect is always there and important. Creative couples feed off each other. But most times, at least until this century, mostly the men in the duo received recognition and fame.
Sure but many names on my list didn’t have this or didn’t always have it
I think this misses out “attitude”. There are writers who don’t think it’s a big deal - or at all hard - to write 1/2k words a day (or more) if they sit at their desk and get on with it.
I am interested in what makes them like that compared to the others. Seems inborn to me, requiring the right conditions to flourish. But, yes, agree, there is a big attitude gap between high and low productivity.
I know at least three prolific writers who went from being skint to being extremely successful by switching genres and self publishing at breakneck pace (while being scarily high quality). They certainly have a financial incentive to sit in a chair, get words on a page and not be distracted. But, even before that one of them had written 150 novels as a children’s author trying to make a living. (Perhaps it’s totally unrelated but he also has aphantasia, which fascinates me. How do you write without a mind’s eye?! Or maybe it helps you to stay focused?)
Oh interesting would love to know more about that