Hemingway's Writing Routine

June 01, 2021 | 3 min read

Ernest Hemingway was a literary talent, but even he found writing a difficult endeavor. Thus, Hemingway adhered to a writing routine.

Writing routines are not one-size-fits-all. Following his writing schedule to a T will not transform you into Hemingway because what worked for his mind will not work for yours. However, learning about his routine may inspire you to experiment with how to fit writing into your life.

 

1. Prioritize consistency.

Your mindset is everything. To Hemingway, writing was something you had to practice just like you would a sport. Especially while you’re still forming a writing habit, set aside a small chunk of time to write and focus on whether you spent the whole time writing rather than the quantity of words you put out.

Showing up is half the battle, and it willget easier.

 

2. Know thyself.

Hemingway woke early to write in the mornings because “there is no one to disturb you.” Of course, if inspiration struck, he would stay longer at his desk.

Do you tend to be more productive at night? During the day? After a nap? If you’re not sure, spend a week experimenting with different writing times and record how you felt about your writing process.

Keep an eye out for patterns.

 

3. Separate your writing life.

Hemingway’s advice to writers is to “always stop when you know what is going to happen next.” When you’ve concluded a writing session, try not to let thoughts about your work consume you.

Your subconscious mind is the source of creativity and works in the background even as you tackle other tasks. When Hemingway felt truly stumped, he would answer letters as a welcome break. Relax and let your subconscious ideate for you.

 

4. Curate your writing environment.

According to Daily Ritualsby Mason Currey, Hemingway “wrote standing up, facing a chest-high bookshelf with a typewriter on the top.” He wrote his first drafts in pencil and tracked his daily word output on a chart.

Make sure your writing environment is separate from, for example, your game room. Keeping a dedicated writing space helps you get into the writing headspace more quickly. Make yourself comfortable, but not too comfortable to write.

 

5. Have faith in yourself.

Recognizing that writer’s block is merely a mental block diminishes its power over you. It’s not some inexplicable, unbeatable force—ultimately, you have the ability to push through.

When Hemingway felt the onset of writer’s block, he “would stand and look out over the roof of Paris and think, ‘Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.’”

 

6. Know when to stop writing.

Writers rarely talk about this step, as most of us struggle enough with just getting started. But Hemingway, who has certainly thought through every step of his writing process, has some words of wisdom:

“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never be stuck.”

 

The next time you poise your fingers above the keys, think about your writing process from Hemingway’s perspective. Let us know what you think!

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Sign up for the Hemingwrite waitlist here. The Hemingwrite is the distraction-free writing tool that started it all. Quantities are extremely limited.

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October 01, 2024 3 min read

We're just 10 weeks away from a major milestone: the 10th anniversary of Freewrite's launch on Kickstarter.  On December 10, 2014, we introduced the Smart Typewriter, then known as  "Hemingwrite," to the world.
How It Started
In September of 2014, co-founders Adam Leeb and Patrick Paul entered Hemingwrite into the “Insert Coin” hardware competition sponsored by Engadget. Described as a new digital consumer product for distraction-free writing composition, Hemingwrite aimed to deliver a singular focus on a productive writing experience. A decade later, that core mission remains unchanged.
Hemingwrite was one of 20 inventions competing that week, highlighting early-stage hardware startups from around the world that had not yet received funding or shipped to consumers.
"What the Kindle did for reading, we want to do for writing," said co-founder Patrick Paul at the time."We set out to deliver the same distraction-free writing experience of a typewriter with all of the added benefits of modern technology."
Co-founder Adam Leeb added,  "We combined all of the best aspects of the typewriter, theMoleskine, and the computer to create a modern classic."
Althoughthe Hemingwrite concept  didn’t win the competition,  the initial coverage by Engadget led to another press hit and then another and quickly it became a viral sensation around the world. The project was covered in everything from The Wall Street Journal to The Atlantic. Over 125,000 people came to the simple wordpress website at hemingwrite.com and over 8,000 anxiously input their email asking for updates on the project.
Adam and Patrick knew they had something special on their hands but weren’t sure if anyone was willing to pay for this idea or if it was simply interesting. On December 10, 2014 the Kickstarter campaign was launched and immediately the pledge dollars started rolling in. Within 20 hours of launch, the campaign had raised over $200,000! And just like that, the Hemingwrite distraction-free writing tool concept became destined for reality.
How It’s Going
Since that initial launch, we have developed Freewrite into a family of distraction-free writing tools with three distinct models, Smart Typewriter, Traveler, and Alpha. Each has their distinct personality, but the core value of maximizing writer productivity runs throughout. 
In 2020, The original Freewrite Smart Typewriter became part of the Science Museum, London’s permanent Printing & Writing Collection.
The name Hemingwrite was dropped in 2015 and then revived in 2021 with the Ernest Hemingway Special Edition Smart Typewriter in partnership with the Ernest Hemingway Estate. 
We’ve created Sprinter for distraction-free writing in any browser and WTF where thousands of people every week receive a writing prompt and participate in Writing Time Friday. 
The community's achievements over the past decade have been  astounding:
  • Freewrite users have created over 600,000 documents
  • Collectively,users have written more than 605 million words (equivalent to over 6,000 novels!)
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 10 years but it also feels like we are just getting started.
To kick things off:
One Year Warranty: Now Standard
We are extending our warranty that covers manufacturer’s defects to a full year on all Freewrite devices. This means you can enjoy your Freewrite with even greater peace of mind, knowing that we've got you covered for an entire year. 

For more information, please visit our dedicated article on our new warranty policy here: Introducing Freewrite's New 1-Year Warranty: Our Commitment to You
Thank You
As we reflect on 10 years, we're filled with gratitude for the amazing writers who have made Freewrite an essential part of their process. Your passion has shaped our products and fueled our mission.  
Here's to the next decade of your writing success!
 
- The Freewrite Team
October 01, 2024 2 min read

As of October 1, 2024, we are extending our standard warranty that covers manufacturer’s defects to a full year on all Freewrite devices. This means you can enjoy your Freewrite with even greater peace of mind, knowing that we've got you covered for a full 12 months from the date of shipment. We’re even retroactively applying the warranty extension to purchases made this year.

Here is how our new 1-year warranty will work:
  • Beginning October 1, 2024, all new purchases now have a 12-month warranty standard from the shipment date.
  • All device purchases made in 2024 will now have 12-month warranty coverage from the shipment date.
    • For example, if your device shipped on March 1, 2024, your warranty would have expired on May 30, 2024, but will now expire on March 1, 2025.
  • If you purchased an Extended Warranty in addition to your device in 2024, you will receive both the new 12-month standard warranty coverage from the date of shipment, as well as the additional coverage period from your paid extended warranty.
    • For example, if your device shipped on March 1, 2024, with a 2-year Extended Warranty:
      • Your standard warranty now expires on March 1, 2025, instead of May 30, 2024.
      • Your 2-year Extended Warranty coverage will begin on March 1, 2025, and continue until March 1, 2027.



Your trust in our products is paramount to us, and this warranty extension reflects our dedication to your satisfaction and our confidence in the quality and reliability of our devices.

Thank you for choosing Freewrite; we look forward to serving you for many years to come. Write on!

 

- The Freewrite Team



Important Notes:

  • For devices purchased in 2023 or earlier, the original 90-day warranty applies, in addition to any paid Extended Warranty coverage.
  • If you purchased your device in 2023 or earlier, without an Extended Warranty, unfortunately, your warranty has now expired.
  • We are unable to offer refunds for prior out-of-warranty repairs.

 

Useful Links:

Official Freewrite Warranty Policy

Warranty Support Doc