[jackbean]

I don't have kids and it is highly hypocritical of me to say so but "Leo Tolstoy wrote War and Peace while living with his wife and 13 children."

[gruseom]

Tolstoy was one of the richest men in 19th century Russia. His situation isn't the least bit comparable to a middle class nuclear family of our time, where parents actually do the work of raising children and hold down jobs as well.

[bmunro]

Was War and Peace a side project or the main project?

If it wasn't done as a side project then it isn't really relevant.

[the_decider]

War and Peace was the side project. Tolstoy's main project consisted of managing the land and peasents on his country estate.