On Writing

What keeps writers writing when the majority cannotNo doubt luck plays a role in everyone's life. Butthereis
depend on theircraft for financial support? Aside fromno such thing as good luck or bad luck. Luck is destiny.
his non-fiction collection ofessays, how many novelsSometimeswe think that the absolute worst has just
has Jonathan Franzen written since hismeteoric rise tohappened to us, likebeing left at the altar, only to find
stardom for The Corrections, for which hedeservedlyout later that it was the best thing thatcould have ever
received the 2001 National Book Award?happened. What's my point? Although you may not
With hundreds of thousands of writers vying for spacebea fan of the following author (you either love him or
in cyberspace,struggling to get a foot in the door of anhate him), he is oneof the most prolific and successful
agent, or heaven forbid apublisher, isn't it remarkablewriters in America today. And he did itthe hard way.
that, with the exception of a few hardystragglers, theHere are a few of his quotes.
same handful of authors appears on the New York- "Whenasked, 'how do you write?' I invariably answer,
Times Best Seller list month after month? One of my'one word at a time.'"
favorite writersof contemporary thrillers, Ken Follett,- "Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separatesthe
produces a quality novel onceevery three or fourtalented individual from the successful one is a lot of
years. It's taking him considerably longer tohard work."
researchand write the sequel to his historical fiction- "No, it's not a very good story. Its author was
masterwork, Pillars of Thetoobusylistening to other voices to listen as closely as
Earth.he should have to the onecoming from inside."
Clearly, the publishing world has becomeIf you're clueless as to whose pearls ofwisdom these
megacorporate moneymaking where, in the words ofare, I suggest you read his book, On Writing. Inaddition
one of its mega CEOs,you "publish or perish." There isto William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White's Elements of
only one reason to write a book today:for PROFITStyle, which we must own and read again and again,
through the cookie-cutter culture of AmericanStephen
consumerism.King's On Writing is the one of the most
So what's a writer to do? A few years ago I watchedstraightforward andenjoyable lessons in how to write
an interviewwith the late Anthony Quinn. When askedplain, compelling prose. Your eyeswon't glaze over.
why he became an actor hereplied, "I didn't know whatYou will celebrate being a reader and writer. You
else to do. In fact I didn't even know how toact. But Iwillenjoy the effort you make to get better, and you
studied pros like Lawrence Olivier, I worked hard and Iwill never give upbecause there is nothing you would
was alucky s-b."rather do with your life.