How Do You Write?

The website The Daily Beast has a reoccurring post called "How I Write," in which they interview authors, asking them about their daily writing routine. From The Daily Beast, here is an excerpt of author Erik Larson's routine:

"I’m an early riser, for one thing. This started back when our kids were small. My wife and I would get up at 4 a.m. so that we could have a couple of peaceful hours before they woke up. That pattern has continued. I get up, make coffee, and while it’s brewing I do 50 sit-ups. Then, with a cup of coffee in hand, I go into my wife’s home office to the secret Oreo drawer, where I grab a single Double Stuf Oreo (yes, that spelling is correct) and then I sit down either to write or, if I’m in the research phase, to read documents or other relevant materials."

Mr. Larson is the author of The Devil in The White City, Isaac's Storm, and most recently, In The Garden Of Beasts. I read In The Garden of Beasts on my electronic reader.  I should purchase a hard-copy for my library.  From Amazon: "In the Garden of Beasts is a vivid portrait of Berlin during the first years of Hitler’s reign, brought to life through the stories of two people: William E. Dodd, who in 1933 became America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s regime, and his scandalously carefree daughter, Martha."

Erik Larson is a fantastic writer of narrative non-fiction.  Start with In The Garden Of Beasts and then try his other books.

I've been reading other bits about writer's rituals and many of them I've discovered do a fair amount of writing first thing in the morning.  Is it because the mind is fresh?  Many writers have a minimum number of words they want to reach before moving on with their day.  They must write so many words or their day is ruined.