For example, when Beethoven was having a dry spell, he performed austerities, sometimes walking barefoot in the snow. Wagner surrounded himself with luxury and wore very fine cloth ing while resting on fine satin pillows. Haydn, on the other hand, spent much time in prayer shutting out the impressions of the sensual world. Of course, composers like Mozart needed no external prodding whatsoever. Unfortunately, the creative side of composition is only a very small part of a composer's responsibilities.
Practical considerations occupy the majority of ones time.
First of all, most compositions are undertaken because of a commission or promised per formance. Preparing a musical score and parts takes many hours - one minute of a complex orchestral work may take as long as twenty hours to produce. Then, there is the business side of be ing a composer. One must send works to publishers, seek recording contracts, prepare press releases, contact musicians about performances, etc. Often there's very little time left for writing music.