Pulitzer Prize Winning Writer Used Walls for Notetaking

In general we're not big fans of the ubiquitous word decals that people sometimes use to decorate their walls. But the image above is a completely different story. We spotted this photo in the current Oprah at Home Magazine article about famous authors' residences. Legend has it that this writer penned the outline of his Pulitzer Prize winning novel on the walls of his office...

The O at Home snippet reveals the legend that one of America's most famous authors, William Faulkner, using a graphite pencil and red grease pencil, penned the outline of The Fable on the walls of his Mississippi office. Faulkner's wife, disappointed with this decision, had the walls repainted. In return, Faulkner rewrote the outline and then shellacked the wall to ensure a permanent record! Brilliant.

Faulkner's home, known as Rowan Oak, in Oxford Mississippi is open for tours. Click here to see a virtual tour of Faulkner's office and his amazing home.

Have you ever used your walls as a giant tablet?

Comments (9)

Yes. I drew all over the wall next to my bed with a pencil one night when I was in elementary school. The next day my parents made me erase the whole thing with a rubber eraser. It took a loooong time.

I never drew on walls again.

Nothing says cra-azy quite like writing on the walls!

i dont think its crazy. well, ok maybe a little, but i think it depends what you are writing.

Louisa May Alcott also drew and wrote on her walls.

I change my mind too much while writing to have it look good, and so, the thought of shellacking it in place is just crazy. Tooooo many redlines.

Every book lover should buy that issue of Oprah home magazine. It is all about books; I love it!!! Definite keeper.

I've toured Rowan Oak a few times and it's a treat. Note that the scribbled walls are in a back room that he used as his office.

I forget the sequence set out in the Fable (the story outlined on the walls), but as I recall, the weekdays were on the walls, with "Tomorrow" or "Sunday" penciled in behind the door. Or was it "The Past?" Must be some significance there eh? Either that, or he just ran out of room.

But - what happened to all the books and furniture in the virtual tour link? In the old days you could admire Faulkner's library, right down to the Playboy Magazines stuck in the bookshelf. Hopefully they just stored the stuff for renovation, but the furnishing were a big part of the tour.

Not liking how this looks. It reminds me of what someone in prison might scribble on the walls.

I painted two of my walls with blackboard paint so I can write and doodle all over my room.
Its really handy for reminders and its fun to get notes left for me by friends and family. Keeps little kids distracted when they visit, too.