The Bizarre Strategy Victor Hugo Used to Write a Great Novel in Under 6 Months
And how you can use it to skyrocket your productivity
Victor Hugo wasn’t into nudism but he wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame half-naked. In the summer of 1829, the French author promised his publisher to deliver a novel within a year. Back then, Hugo was already an established writer recognized by the king and celebrated by his contemporaries as the poster child of Romantic Literature.
But that didn’t shield him from procrastination.
Instead of working on the promised book, Hugo devoted his time to gourmet dinners, poetry gatherings, and piano sessions. Days became weeks and weeks became months and monsieur Hugo hasn’t written a single word. Then, on a fateful morning, the publisher came banging at the door only to find Hugo empty-handed.
Still, the French author managed to talk it out and postpone the submission date. Unfortunately, however, the new deadline was only six months away. Pushed into a corner, Hugo knew he needed either a miracle or a crazy idea to pull this off — he went for the latter.
He asked his assistant to lock all of his clothes away in a large chest, except for a large cape. Without his elegant outfits, Hugo could no longer leave his flat. No more…
