Writer, what’s your poison?
You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.
CS Lewis might be better known as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, but to craftspeople on Etsy, he’s the gift that keeps on giving. The above quote appears on countless mugs and tea towels on the e-commerce site. A sign that a good cuppa not only aids creativity but can help flog merchandise, too.
Lewis was in good company when it came to his choice of beverage. Dostoevsky and Agatha Christie also indulged in China’s most famous export.
The question I’ve often asked myself is: do tea and coffee really stimulate creativity? Is holding a steaming mug of Earl Grey or small cup of Lavazza enough to unlock your creative power?
Some writers will answer affirmatively. After all, their success speaks for itself. Yet, when I posed this question to a couple of writer friends recently, their responses surprised me. There was more information on the drink-making ritual than on the effects of it.
One of my friends shunned tea and opted for coffee. His concoction sounded more like a pudding-like beverage than the usual bitter-tasting, caffeine-rich, hot drink I usually have in the morning. The amount of sugar he put in his cup sounded excessive even for this sweet-tooth, Cuban-born writer. However, there was a certain beauty in his coffee-making process. Every morning he came downstairs to his kitchen. Alone in there, he disassembled the coffee-maker, put water in, heaped in the coffee, assembled the coffee-maker again, and placed it on the hob on a low flame.
Then, he sat down to write as the coffee was being made.
My other friend went even more rogue. He drank neither tea nor coffee, but mate. The traditional South-American drink that is made by soaking dried leaves of the yerba mate in hot water and served in a gourd with a metal straw (bombilla). As a mate drinker myself, I can assure readers that it’s hard to find a more detailed ritual. The water should be just boiled, not boiling. The gourd should contain one half to three-quarters of the yerba. It is recommended that we grasp the gourd with our full hand, cover as much of the opening as we can and turn it upside down. This way, the stems stay at the bottom giving the drink its strong, bitter flavour.
In between brewing the herb inside the gourd and having the first sip, my friend went over drafts, checked notes, and sketched ideas. Was the drink behind these light-bulb, creative moments? I doubt it. Instead, it was the break that made the difference. Whether it’s first thing in the morning, or late afternoon, walking away for a few minutes recharges us. By the time we return to the page, we feel refreshed and energised. Who knows? We might even still have CS Lewis’ large cup of tea waiting for us.
...
Cuban, Immigrant, and Londoner, on sale now.