Coffee, Cigarettes, and Creativity: The Quirky Habits of Truman Capote

Evan Swensen
October 23, 2024

Some authors need quiet rooms or structured routines, while others thrive in chaos, but few can rival the unique writing habits of Truman Capote. Known for his sharp wit and even sharper pen, Capote’s writing rituals were as famous as his work. With a cigarette in one hand, coffee within reach, and his body reclined on a couch or bed, Capote crafted some of the most memorable works of the 20th century, including In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

If there was ever a writer who leaned into their quirks, it was Capote. He famously called himself a “completely horizontal writer,” claiming he could only work lying down. For Capote, sitting at a desk was simply out of the question. “I am a completely horizontal writer,” he once said in an interview, as if standing or sitting might have somehow constrained the brilliance flowing from his mind. And when you think about it, lying down might have allowed him to relax into his thoughts and let the stories naturally unfold without the rigidity of traditional writing postures.

Capote would begin each writing session early in the day. His mornings always started with a coffee, and as the day stretched, the coffee cups were eventually replaced by glasses of mint tea and a few stiff martinis in the evening. But the coffee was non-negotiable in the mornings. The combination of caffeine and nicotine, courtesy of his ever-present cigarette, seemed to fuel his creativity. It’s a habit that sounds almost too cinematic to be real, but it was part of a well-established routine for Capote.

Interestingly, Capote wasn’t someone who relied on notes or outlines. He believed in the power of his memory and often kept entire scenes, dialogue, and even the structure of his books in his head before ever committing them to paper. His writing process was more mental than mechanical, spending hours thinking through his characters and plots long before the physical act of writing began. This made his habit of writing lying down all the more fascinating—he wasn’t just typing words; he was channeling them from a world inside his mind onto the page.

Yet Capote’s rituals extended beyond his horizontal positioning. He was highly particular about where and when he wrote. He could write in hotel rooms, lying across the bed, or on the sofa at a friend’s house, but he needed the right combination of stillness and solitude. Despite his love for socializing—he was often seen in the company of the world’s elite—Capote required isolation when it came to his craft. And when the words flowed, he could write for hours, with ashtrays and coffee cups piling up around him like trophies of his progress.

His penchant for cigarettes was also notable. Smoking was as much a part of his creative process as the actual writing. Capote would chain-smoke while working, the plume of smoke curling in the air as ideas and dialogue danced in his head. Cigarettes seemed to be a companion to his thoughts, as though the rhythm of lighting and puffing punctuated his ideas. While it might sound unhealthy to some, Capote wasn’t one to shy away from indulgence, whether in his habits or prose.

Of course, Capote’s unconventional approach raised eyebrows. After all, most people envision writers hunched over desks, fingers flying over typewriters or keyboards, lost in thought in a dimly lit study. But Capote didn’t care for conventions, and neither did his work. In a world where most authors are remembered for their literary output alone, Capote left a legacy as much for his lifestyle and eccentricities as for his books.

Capote once remarked that he was “a completely horizontal writer” and that he could “never think unless [he was] lying down.” He even wrote in pencil during his first drafts, which he later typed up once satisfied. The tactile experience of pencil on paper helped him channel the creativity necessary to produce his masterpieces.

The result of all this? His books, such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, remain celebrated for their brilliance, meticulously crafted characters, and groundbreaking narrative style. The latter, in particular, was a revolutionary true-crime novel that cemented Capote’s place in literary history. But for all the accolades he garnered, it’s hard not to imagine the writer lying on a bed, cigarette in hand, with smoke drifting lazily above him as he shaped the stories that would captivate generations.

Perhaps that’s one of the most charming things about Capote—his reminder that there’s no right or wrong way to create. Whether hunched over a desk or stretched out across a bed, what matters most is finding your own rhythm and way of channeling creativity. For Capote, it was simple: coffee, cigarettes, and a horizontal position. Ultimately, it worked for him, and that’s all that matters.

Capote’s story offers a quirky, fun insight into the life of one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. If nothing else, his habits remind us that creativity thrives when we let go of conventions and embrace our unique working methods.

Having passed this interesting information along and not glorifying bad habits, I offer this: Truman Capote died at 59. The cause of death was liver disease complicated by phlebitis and multiple drug intoxication. Capote had struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse for many years, and these health issues ultimately contributed to his passing. He died in Los Angeles at the home of his close friend, Joanne Carson, the former wife of television host Johnny Carson.

While filled with creativity and brilliance, Truman Capote’s life also serves as a reminder that behind every great story is a very human individual—complete with struggles, habits, and, ultimately, a legacy.

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