John Steinbeck wrote, “Every American hungers to move.”
In his book, Travels With Charley, Steinbeck further theorizes that Americans descended from those who moved: those who left Europe, those who were forced to leave Africa, and those who came in search of a better life — thus, doesn’t it make sense that we have this insatiable thirst for travel? [Read more…]
To pour one’s imagination, passion, and soul into a world woven by words – such is the work of a truly exceptional writer. While it’s merely a pastime for some, it can also be a taxing responsibility for those who are truly devoted to their craft. Those who contribute to the crime genre, for instance, must conduct a great deal of research or even seek real-life experiences to deliver believable masterpieces. [Read more…]
Finishing a novel is difficult enough as it is. Getting it published is another story. Hitting the bestseller list is entering a whole new world altogether.
We know that many authors we look up to didn’t hit the jackpot immediately. Some had to experience rejection more times than you can count. Many had to face criticism that would kill the fainthearted.
And then there are those whose work became famous only after the writers had passed away. [Read more…]
If I had a dollar for every time someone says “writers are weird”…
Like it or not, however, there is some truth to that. You probably even have your own brand of weirdness. Am I right, or am I right?
In the past, we’ve taken a look at peculiar habits of famous writers – from writing naked to writing lying down. Today, I’m sharing more unusual habits of famous writers but featuring different people this time. [Read more…]
“The freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece or per word or perhaps.” – Robert Benchley
Let’s not forget the starving author.
That’s why it’s not unheard of for writers to have day jobs – unless you’re hustling as a full-time freelance writer. Then your day job is, well, writing. [Read more…]
The world of writing can be a vicious one. Writers have editors to make sure their work is polished, but the relationship between writer and editor is not always known to be all warm and cozy.
Then there are the critics. They either love you or tear you to pieces.
But a whole new story evolves when writers take down other writers. [Read more…]
“Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself.” ~ Franz Kafka
I think that many – if not all – of us agree with the concept of writing being a solitary activity. Don’t you feel distracted or uncomfortable writing when people are going about their business around you, or worse, when they try to talk to you and/or look over your shoulder?
Some of the greatest writers of our time have emphasized more than once that solitude, being alone, when writing is of utmost importance. Here’s a good read on this topic: What Great Artists Need: Solitude.
So what am I getting at?
Perhaps some of the greatest works of writing were created out of being alone and not being “shackled” by marriage.
Don’t get me wrong! I am not against marriage, but what if…?
What if being single gave some famous writers the freedom they needed to go on a writing binge without having to think of someone else?
What if not having to face marital problems – which can easily snowball to separation, the need for an attorney, and ultimately divorce – gave these writers wings to soar to creative heights without being pulled down to the ground?
What if being alone brought out the best and worst, leading to stories that stand the test of time?
Curious George that I am, I did a bit of research on famous writers who never married, and guess what? I was caught off-guard more than once.
I honestly didn’t know that Jane Austen, the writer of the most famous opening line of a novel, never married! With a lot of her work being romantic fiction, it can be argued that she just never found her Darcy.
One of my go-to poets, Emily Dickinson was known to be reclusive. It’s not really a surprise that she never married. She never really hid her views on marriage. As The Poetry Foundation writes:
In her observation of married women, her mother not excluded, she saw the failing health, the unmet demands, the absenting of self that was part of the husband-wife relationship. The “wife” poems of the 1860s reflect this ambivalence.
Who hasn’t read Little Women? This book was the stuff children’s (or tweens’?) dreams were made of – at least back in the day.
Scholar Harriet Reisen has a good explanation of why the author didn’t marry. Her father was an idealist who went on about his business without really caring about the practical state of his family, which was dirt poor.
Alcott saw her mother as being dependent on a husband who didn’t meet the needs of the family, and she vowed she wouldn’t be like that. That she would never be poor.
Fun fact: Louisa May Alcott may never have married, but she did have the honor of learning personally from Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Theodore Parker who were friends of her family.
One of the most famous American writers, Thoreau is best known for his book Walden.
It’s not that Thoreau didn’t have any interest in getting married – he proposed to one Ellen Sewall (after his brother John did), but got rejected because her father was against the Thoreau family’s liberal religious views.
Poet and journalist Walt Whitman stirred up his fair share of controversy, especially with his most famous collection of verse, Leaves of Grass, which didn’t really hide its sexual theme – quite the opposite, actually. By the way, did you know that this book was self-published? Controversy notwithstanding, this writer is considered to be one of the most influential in American literature.
So why didn’t Whitman get married? His situation was not so simple.
Some assume, based on his work, that he was homosexual. Others say he was bisexual. Given the times he lived in, his romantic life was no doubt, as we say today, “complicated”.
Today, we learned of the passing of renowned author E.L. Doctorow. According to his son, the cause of his death was complications due to lung cancer.
The author is probably known best for Ragtime, which made it to the Modern Library’s list of 100 best novels of all time.
With his passing, we pay tribute to one of the most brilliant novelists of our time by learning from him. Of course, we can always put his books next on our reading lists, but for starters, here are some of the best E.L. Doctorow quotes that will make you think and inspire you as a writer.
Which of these quotes do you relate to the most? Which ones make you think about what you do?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but we all aspire to write a bestselling novel. Whether you’ve been writing for online or print, there is just something about seeing your name on a book – even better if that book makes it to the top of the charts!
The sad truth is that many of us just can’t seem to get a novel done. There’s freelance work necessary to make a living. There are so many other things that keep getting in the way.
You may be at a point where you think of your novel as “could have been”, but guess what? It is not too late to publish your bestseller.
Sure, you have to find the time to write, but take heart. Some of the most renowned authors were late bloomers. Some of them toiled for decades before achieving success.
If they can do it, so can you!
Here is an encouraging infographic that will show you examples of authors who struggled before reaching that status they have now.
The next time you feel down and think you’ll never become the author you always wanted to be, take a look at this graphic. Tell yourself that you can still publish your novel. It’s never too late!
There is no great genius without a mixture of madness. ~Aristotle
Some of the best writers – literary geniuses, even – have more than their fair share of mischief and periods of madness. While some were able to get off with nary a scratch (figuratively and literally speaking) – thanks to either their criminal lawyer or their specific circumstances, others have had to serve time in jail.
Here are some of the most popular writers who have been imprisoned. You might be surprised – or not. [Read more…]
