We all know the cliche of the writer in the coffee house, working on their novel/screenplay/poetry to their dead grandma, with a latte close by. Also the cliche of the writer burning the midnight oil with a cup of strong black coffee close at hand. And, of course, most writers are familiar with some of the giants of the book world who preferred a little something stronger to write by (Hemmingway’s “done by noon, drunk by three” method comes to mind).
Still, I’ve always wondered what others choose, and what the real choice is when it comes to the most popular drink for writers. To that end I decided to do a little research and post a poll on Where Authors Begin, a group for writers on Facebook to seek advice and friendship from their fellows.
The other options people added in were wide ranging
Much to my utter shock, my own favorites tea and water claimed the top two spots. I had fully expected black coffee to reign supreme, with fancy coffee coming in close behind it.
Not all were happy with the results, as one respondent lamented:
Really? Tea, everyone? I can’t start writing without coffee. It’s a comfort thing
Others expressed a kinship with Hemmingway’s methods, commenting:
I often write standing up, too.
A question about almond milk even led to a debate over whose coffee was fanciest. I had no clue when I posted this poll what kind of response I would get, but one thing is clear; we writers take our hydration very, very seriously.
I mostly drink tea when I’m writing because I tend to write at the times of day when I drink tea. If I wrote first thing in the morning I’d drink coffee while writing. But when I’m first drafting in the evening, nothing beats a glass of wine. 🙂