evidence: Authors and Alcohol: Why ‘Write Drunk, Edit Sober’ is a myth ‘Write Drunk, Edit Sober’ The aphorism ‘Write drunk, edit sober’ is often attributed to Ernest Hemingway. He was famous for both writing and drinking, so it makes a lot of sense. The thing is, it’s not true. Hemingway wrote in the early morning and drank in the evening. If anything, he both wrote and edited hungover, which is a lot less appealing. The myth of the heavy drinking writer is partially true, but their talent is arguably despite booze not because of it. [...] Is it common for authors to ‘Write drunk, edit sober’?