1/14/2017 FamousWritersSleepHabitsvs.

LiteraryProductivity,VisualizedBrainPickings

FamouWriterSleepHabitv.Literar
Productivit,Viualized
TheearlbirdgetthePulitzerortof.

Y M A R I A P O P OVA

Inothwritingandleeping,tephenKingoervedinhi
excellentmeditationontheartofcreativeleepandwakeful
dreaming,welearntoephicalltillattheametimeweare
encouragingourmindtounlockfromthehumdrumrationalthinking
ofourdatimelive.

Overtheear,inmendlefacinationwithdailroutine,I
foundmelfepeciallintrigueduccefulwriterleep
haitafterall,iteenarguedthatleepitheet(and
eaiet)creativeaphrodiiacandciencetelluthatitimpact
everthingfromourmoodtoourraindevelopmenttoourever
wakingmoment.Ifoundmelfwonderingwhethertheremight
eacorrelationetweenleephaitandliterarproductivit.Thechallenge,ofcoure,ithat
dataoneachoftheevarialeihardtofind,hardtoquantif,oroth.oIturnedtoItalian
informationdeignerGiorgiaLupiandherteamatAccuratwhomakematerfulviualization
ofculturalphenomenaeeminglimpoiletoquantifand,together,weetouttoexplore
whetheritmightepoiletoviualizeuchacorrelation.

Firt,Ihandedthemmnoteonwriterwake-uptime,amaedoverearofreading
iographie,interview,journal,andothermaterial.MancamefromtwoookDail
Ritual:HowArtitWorkMaonCurreandOddTpeWriter:FromJoceandDickento
WhartonandWelt,theOeiveHaitandQuirkTechniqueofGreatAuthorCelialue
JohnonawellafromthePariReviewinterviewandvarioucollectionofdiarieand
letter.

Weendedupwitharoterofthirt-evenwriterforwhomwake-uptimewereavailalethi
ecametheaedataet,aroundwhichweetouttoquantif,thenviualize,theliterar
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1/14/2017 FamousWritersSleepHabitsvs.LiteraryProductivity,VisualizedBrainPickings

productivitofeachauthor.

Oneimportantcaveatithatthereianenormoudegreeofujectivitinaeingaliterar
orancreativecareer,utinceallinformationviualizationianexercieinujective
editorialjudgmentratherthanarecordofOjectiveTruth,weettledonaetofquantifiale
criteriatomeaureproductivit:numerofpulihedworkandmajorawardreceived.Given
thatoththedurationandtheeraofanauthorlifeaffectliteraroutputlongerliveoffer
moretimetowrite,andomeauthorlivedeforethemajorawardwereetalihedthoe
varialewerealoindicatedforcontext.

Latl,IreachedouttoWendMacNaughtonillutratorextraordinaireandverfrequent
collaoratorandakedhertocontriuteanillutratedportraitforeachoftheauthor.

Theendreultalaoroflovemonthinthemakingithimagnificentviualizationofthe
correlationetweenwriterwake-uptime,diplaedinclock-likefahionaroundeachportrait,
andtheirliterarproductivit,depictedadifferent-coloredauraforeachofthemajoraward
andtack-arfornumerofworkpulihed,color-codedforgenre.Thewriterareordered
accordingtoatimelineofearliettolatetwake-uptime,eginningwithalzacinomniac1
A.M.andendingwithukowkiohemiannoon.

Themotimportantcaveatofall,ofcoure,ithattherearecountlefactorthathapeawriter
creativeoutput,ofwhichleepionloneothiintmeanttoindicateandirectionof
cauation,onltohighlightomeinteretingcorrelation:forintance,thefactthat(withthe
exceptionofoutlierwhoareothhighlprolificandaward-winning,uchalikeradurand
King)lateriereemtoproducemoreworkutwinfewerawardthanearlird.

Themotimportantpoint,perhap,iametaone:Areminderthatnopecificroutine
guaranteeucce,andtheonlthingthatmatterihavingaroutineandtheperitence
implicittoone.howingupdainanddaout,withoutfail,itheuretwatoachievelating
ucce.

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1/14/2017 FamousWritersSleepHabitsvs.LiteraryProductivity,VisualizedBrainPickings

Poreover(clicktheimagetozoom)anddelightindrawingourownconcluionormerelin
takingomevoeuriticenjoment:

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1/14/2017 FamousWritersSleepHabitsvs.LiteraryProductivity,VisualizedBrainPickings

Theviualizationiavailaleaagorgeougicleprint,withathirdoftheproceeddonatedto
literacnonprofitRoomtoReadandtheretplitetweenAccuratandWend.

PulihedDecemer16,2013

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viualization/

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