Even Oliver Burkeman dreams of being a ‘proper writer’

Words of wisdom from Oliver Burkeman to celebrate the publication of his new book 'Meditations for Mortals'. Book giveaway!

Hello there, Bec here

I mentioned last week about being an unapologetic fangirl. When I read something I like, whether it was a tweet back in the day, or an article, book, or now, a post on Substack, I like to tell the writer. It has brought me many wonderful connections and a lot of joy - even if I don’t get anything in response, I feel I’ve put something good into the world.

So, back in 2013, I sent an email to Oliver Burkeman, the author of Four Thousand Weeks, with the subject title:

“From one writing habits obsessive to another”

He replied, and over the following years we emailed, sharing research snippets, quotes and book recommendations. I interviewed him a few times for our blog or for other organisations such as The London Book Fair. He also interviewed me for his course on creativity.

When Chris and I had the idea for our book in its current shape and form (its been more shapes than a yoga class) I wanted Oliver to write the foreword. Indeed, when I was writing it, I imagined him as my ideal reader - an editor in my head, asking, 'What would Oliver think about this? Would he agree, argue, laugh?'

I sent him the manuscript and with my fingers crossed, asked him if he would consider writing the foreword. To my delight he said yes. A few weeks later it landed in my inbox and as I read the opening sentence, I laughed.

“I’ve often fantasised about one day becoming a writer.”

Oliver Burkeman

Oliver was the writer I aspired to be, yet even he dreams of being a ‘proper writer.’ He voiced the fantasy we all secretly have of perfect habits and ideal routines. That’s why his writing resonates with so many of us. He gets it. He gets us. He is us.

We all compare ourselves to other writers - his nemesis being Muriel Spark - instead we should not just acknowledge our messy, chaotic limited lives, but embrace them. Being liberated by our inability to do everything means we get to choose what not to do, and more importantly what to do.

Oliver might never get his fresh coffee in an earthenware cup, or consider himself a ‘real writer,’ but can he write? Oh yes. To celebrate the publication of his new book, we republish the foreword he generously wrote and are doing a book giveaway.

Tell us your perfect writing routine

To win a copy of Meditations of Mortals by Oliver Burkeman and of Written: How to Keep Writing a Build a Habit That Lasts by Bec Evans & Chris Smith, comment below sharing your perfect writing routine.¹

Just as Oliver Burkeman dreams of a perfect writing routine - an always-fresh cup of coffee, a distraction-free cabin, and dictation from the literary gods. What’s your fantasy writing setup? Is it beautifully serene or perfectly chaotic? We’d love to hear all the quirky details like the ultimate coffee mug or a pet assistant.

Finally, and just for fun, why not tell a writer how much their work means to you - leave a review, post on social media, put something good into the world.

Keep going, Bec

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Oliver Burkeman’s foreword to Written: How to Keep Writing and Build a Writing Habit That Lasts

I’ve often fantasised about one day becoming a writer. This is a peculiar fantasy, I realise, since by any reasonable definition I already am a writer – a newspaper journalist for two decades and the author of three books. But I mean a proper writer: the kind of writer who has uncovered the One True Secret of how to write productively, day after day, preferably in a custom-built writing cabin, at a desk containing nothing but a laptop, a leather-bound notebook and always-fresh coffee in an earthenware cup. To write in such an environment – and here I’m quoting the eternally irritating words attributed to Muriel Spark, about her own creative process – would surely feel like taking dictation from God.

The fact that this book has seized your attention means that you, too, are almost certainly a writer (in the sense that you write things, at least sometimes), who yearns to become a writer (in the sense of finally discovering the blueprint for doing so without struggle, frustration or self-criticism). The bad news is that Written doesn’t contain the One True Secret of becoming a happy and productive writer, because there isn’t one. The good news is that letting go of the fantasy that any such secret exists is the crucial first step to becoming a happier and more productive writer. And this book collects some of the best advice I’ve ever encountered for dispelling that illusion, then for constructing, in its place, a writing habit that actually works – not for some fantasy version of yourself, or for Muriel Spark or Ernest Hemingway, but for you.

Writers love few things more than dispensing rules for writers; apart from anything else, it’s a pleasant distraction from getting words on the page. But fixating on rules such as ‘write every day’ or ‘you need an entirely distraction-free environment in which to write’ can easily do more harm than good. They give rise to the belief that you’re not a real writer if you fail to follow them. Or maybe you do follow them, for a while, then fall off the wagon and stop writing for months, because resuming that whole perfectly scheduled ‘writing life’ feels like an insurmountable challenge, when in fact all you needed was to resume a little writing.

The truth is that radically different things work for different personalities, different stages of life and different life situations. (In my house, as in many a family home, to be honest, I sometimes need a different approach on Thursdays than on Mondays.) It isn’t mandatory to write every day, or in large uninterrupted stretches; I’ll even concede – grudgingly, because it’s utterly alien to my personality – that even writing in multi-day binges can be the best approach for some. And uniquely, at least in my experience, Bec Evans and Chris Smith offer not a writing system but a system for figuring out your own personal system, tailored to your psychology and circumstances.

Deep down, I think we cling to one-size-fits-all rules because we crave the feeling of control they seem to promise. But in writing, as in everything else, that sort of control is a mirage. Exploring and applying the ideas in this wise, friendly and practical book will leave you with something far more valuable than the fantasy of a perfect writing life. It will help you write much more, and more happily, in the life you’re actually living.

Oliver Burkeman, 2023

- Author, Four Thousand Weeks

Find out more about Oliver on his website and sign up to his newsletter The Imperfectionist. If you have already pre-ordered his book you can grab a bonus here.

1. Competition update: Congratulations to Dodi our UK-based winner. We were really moved by Dodi’s submission which you can read in the comments below. It’s a beautiful piece of writing and I’m sure you’ll agree, she’s a very worthy winner of the two books.

We now have a signed copy of the American edition to giveaway. Simply add your perfect writing routine to the comments below to be in with a chance to win.