"When I am writing a book, I need to close the door when I finish, and no one should get in. I have the idea in my mind that the story is an entity that lives in that room, with the characters and the emotions that I have been putting together. And when I come back the next day, I open the door and it's waiting for me intact."
"Allende's January 8 ritual is a form of what social scientists call a 'commitment device': a self-imposed restriction of freedom in service of a larger goal. Commitment devices have been shown to help people save more money and exercise more."
"As the computer scientist Cal Newport has noted, writers were the original remote workers, and anyone who studies the great ones will notice that they tend to go out of their way to designate a specific space and time for their work."
Isabel Allende begins writing a new book every January 8, a tradition that started in 1981 with her first novel, The House of the Spirits. This ritual has allowed her to publish a book approximately every 18 months for 43 years. At 83, she is the most translated female Spanish-language author. Allende emphasizes the importance of silence and structure in her writing process, viewing her stories as entities that require a dedicated space free from distractions. Her commitment device helps her maintain focus and productivity.
Read at The Atlantic
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