Writers are a weird species.
We name characters like we’re filling out a baby registry, convince ourselves scrolling is “research,” and whisper dialogue to ourselves in public like normal.
If you’re a writer, you’ll identify at least a few of these quirks.
And if you don’t—well, you are welcome to the circus.
So, here are the weirdest (but somehow global) writer habits we all secretly share!
15 Weirdest Habits Writers Have
Here are some of the weirdest writing habits writers all possess:
1. Google Search History of Doom
Check a writer’s search bar if you ever want to feel fear.
You will find it to be a crime scene waiting to happen:
- “What is the meaning of haywire?”
- “Is marijuana good for health?”
- “How to hotwire a car fast.”
- “Quicksand deaths—Hollywood lie or real?”
…right next to “is it affect or effect” and “synonyms for exceptional.”
If the FBI ever checks, we’re cooked, but at least the novel will be perfect.
2. Editing One Sentence for All Eternity
Don’t just tell you’ve never been there.
Non-writers think “writer’s block” means not writing.
No, for us, it’s also writing one sentence and tweaking it for three hours like the nuclear codes.
We will swap a word and put it back.
We will delete a sentence, and undo delete. Stare at the blinking cursor. This goes on repeat mode.
By the end, you’ve aged five months and still don’t know if it should be “but” or “and. ”
3. Writing Sprints at the Worst Possible Times
Do writers always write during their scheduled writing block?
Absolutely not.
But at 3:47 a.m. on a Monday, with a project to be delivered in four hours?
Suddenly, the muse starts to descend, our fingers turn into lightning, and we write like gremlins on caffeine.
Tomorrow’s sleep schedule? Destroyed. Well, it’s worth it.
4. Writing Anywhere Except the Desk
We create the perfect Pinterest-worthy desk setup: scented candles, string lights, and an ergonomic chair.
But do we really write there? Of course not.
Instead, we write in the car waiting for groceries or public transit, in bed, on the floor, or… even in the bathroom.
The desk now turns out to be basically a decorative shrine to productivity.
5. Extreme Snack Logistics
Writing without snacks is like Netflix with no Wi-Fi: unthinkable.
Snacks should be close enough for easy reach, but sure, not too close.
Coffee mug placement? Carefully placed like it’s part of the instruction for the project.
And if the snacks run out mid-sprint? Productivity plummets faster than our willpower on deadline day.
6. Weird Soundtracks on Repeat
Some writers are a big fan of total silence. Others?
No, we can loop one song 187 times like we’re looking to summon a demon.
Apparently, Chapter 9 only gets written if Taylor Swift is on repeat, blasting it like that’s the main deal.
Don’t ask us why—it’s brain science we will never understand.
7. Over-Researching Everything
A writer might need one line about a character sipping coffee…
…and next thing you know, they are knee-deep in the history of 18th-century coffee houses, researching the exact invention date of the mug, and googling the time when coffee beans will technically count as fruit.
All that… for one. Single. line.
8. Saving Every Draft Forever
Writers hoard drafts like miners hoard gold.
Our hard drives? Full.
Google Drive? Just overflowing.
Notes app? That’s another full mess.
Do we delete them? Never! For us, they’re sacred artifacts.
9. Random Bursts of Overconfidence
Writing is a rollercoaster.
In one minute:
“This is trash. I wouldn’t be able to write. I should quit.”
The very next: One excellent paragraph drops from the heavens and suddenly we’re like: “Move over, Hemingway. The book is mine.”
10. The Notebook Graveyard
Writers are the only set of people who treat notebooks like luxury goods.
Writers will drop $25 on a leather-bound beauty, swear it’ll hold their most outstanding work, then…
…you guessed right: they will never write in it because it’s too lovely.
Instead, our “genius” notes live on the back of a receipt or stickers on the fridge.
11. Obsession With The Perfect Pen
No, some writers don’t just like pens.
They worship that one pen that makes words flow completely like magic.
If they lose it? Suddenly they feel the story’s doomed.
If they run out of ink? Clear the schedule—it’s a national emergency.
And no, another pen will not do. Well, that’s what we do!
12. Full-on Conversations With Fictional Characters
Yes, normal people talk to themselves in the shower. But how about writers?
We hold full boardroom meetings in our heads with characters who do not even exist but will live on paper.
We argue with them, they argue back—and sometimes, yeah, they’re right.
(Can you imagine being outsmarted by someone you invented?).
Basically, we’re running therapy, HR, and improvement classes all in one brain.
13. Crying Over Fictional People
We wouldn’t just “get emotional.”
We throw complete funerals for characters we kill off. We also grieve like they were real cousins.
When will our couples finally kiss?
We’re cheesing like it’s definitely our wedding day.
And God forbid a beta reader says, “I didn’t connect with this character.” Excuse me—that’s my child.
14. Talking in Plot Twists
Ask a writer how their day was and brace yourself:
You’re about to get a rising tension, a backstory, three side plots, and a twist ending that comes out of nowhere.
Yes, we don’t do “short answers.”
We only do narratives.
15. Using “Writerly Procrastination”
Other people procrastinate by scrolling TikTok or Twitter.
Writers?
We convince ourselves that scrolling Pinterest for “aesthetic inspiration,” alphabetizing bookshelves, or reorganizing pens by ink color is part of the process.
Spoiler: It’s not. But hey, that desk drawer has never appeared better.
How to Win at Having the Weirdest Writing Habit
Let’s be frank—writing habits aren’t supposed to be “normal.”
And that should gladden your heart!
Writing habits should be yours.
And guess what?
The writers who “win” at having the weirdest habits are the ones who stop saying sorry or apologizing for them and start transforming them into fuel.
If your brain only works by pacing the room like you’re rehearsing a courtroom drama. Don’t fret!
If you can’t type a word without a cup of coffee that’s been reheated three times. Enjoy!
If your Google search history (“can you kill someone with a pillow?”) could put you on an FBI watchlist.
That’s never a flaw—it’s flavor.
The real win isn’t avoiding weird habits—it’s accepting them so hard that they become part of your creative identity.
Because here’s the secret: no reader cares the way you got the words on the page.
They only care about what you actually did.
So, buddy go ahead, wear your quirks like a beautiful crown.
If it gets you writing, don’t think it’s weird.
If it’s working, yes, that is what makes you the champion of your wonderfully bizarre process.
Want to know how you can get that done? Let’s learn quickly!
Turning Confessions into Superpowers
Every weird writing habit you “confess” should not be something to hide.
In fact, it’s a creative hack in disguise.
The playlist on repeat, the midnight snacking, and the 37 browser tabs all adds up to your process.
Instead of cringing at these quirks, flip the script: they’re not confessions, they’re your powerful secret weapons that keep the words flowing.
Here’s how to own them:
- The Snack Ritual is your energy source!
That chocolate bar at 1 a.m.? It’s not a guilty pleasure, it’s your brain fuel. Trust me, writers burn calories stressing over commas.
- The Playlist Loop is your focus anchor!
Listening to the same song on repeat wouldn’t make you weird, it makes you much more efficient.
Your brain will stop noticing the music and keep you locked into the writing zone.
- The Tab Overload is your Research Library!
Those 47 open tabs are not chaos, they’re breadcrumbs that lead you back to the spark that started it all.
- The pajama draft is comfort-first creativity!
Tell me: Who needs an office when messy buns and flannel pants power entire chapters?
Cozy is simply a strategy.
- The talking-to-yourself habit equals instant editing tools!
Muttering dialogue under your breath is never madness, it’s quality control!
If it sounds awkward in your mouth, trust me, it’ll read awkward on the page.
So the next time you catch yourself apologizing for your quirks, stop!
You’re not confessing, you’re bragging about the unique writing superpowers you have.
The Final Thoughts
The strange rituals, the quirks, the questionable Google searches—and many more are all part of the writing magic.
So the next time you catch yourself talking to your villain, rearranging your snack pile like it’s a sacred altar, or crying over your protagonist, just remember: you’re never broken, you’re a writer.
At The Exquisite Writer, we embrace the quirks and turn them into content gold.
Are you a newbie or seasoned writer? Follow us to learn about writing!