Murakami, King, and Woolf: Writing Routines Explained

Haruki Murakami's sixteenth novel, The Tale of KAHO, will be published this summer by his Japanese publisher. A translated excerpt by Philip Gabriel appeared in the New Yorker in 2024. The 352-page book marks another milestone for the 77-year-old author. Murakami's productivity is linked to his disciplined routine: waking at 4:00 a.m., writing for five to six hours, then running ten kilometers. He also overcame writer's block by writing his first novel's opening chapter in English before translating it back to Japanese. His editing process involves four spaced phases, each targeting a different element. Stephen King, 79, has published 67 novels, 12 story collections, and five nonfiction books. He writes in a routinized manner described as "self-hypnosis." Virginia Woolf, who worked as a book critic on weekly deadlines for three decades, wrote first in longhand—often in purple ink—then retyped after lunch. She also kept a daily diary after tea, which helped her develop ideas for her major projects. The article draws on videos by YouTuber MariWriting, who attempted Murakami's routine herself.