| What keeps writers writing when the majority cannot | | | | No doubt luck plays a role in everyone's life. Butthereis |
| depend on theircraft for financial support? Aside from | | | | no such thing as good luck or bad luck. Luck is destiny. |
| his non-fiction collection ofessays, how many novels | | | | Sometimeswe think that the absolute worst has just |
| has Jonathan Franzen written since hismeteoric rise to | | | | happened to us, likebeing left at the altar, only to find |
| stardom for The Corrections, for which hedeservedly | | | | out 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 space | | | | bea fan of the following author (you either love him or |
| in cyberspace,struggling to get a foot in the door of an | | | | hate him), he is oneof the most prolific and successful |
| agent, or heaven forbid apublisher, isn't it remarkable | | | | writers in America today. And he did itthe hard way. |
| that, with the exception of a few hardystragglers, the | | | | Here 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 four | | | | talented individual from the successful one is a lot of |
| years. It's taking him considerably longer to | | | | hard work." |
| researchand write the sequel to his historical fiction | | | | - "No, it's not a very good story. Its author was |
| masterwork, Pillars of The | | | | toobusylistening to other voices to listen as closely as |
| Earth. | | | | he should have to the onecoming from inside." |
| Clearly, the publishing world has become | | | | If you're clueless as to whose pearls ofwisdom these |
| megacorporate moneymaking where, in the words of | | | | are, I suggest you read his book, On Writing. Inaddition |
| one of its mega CEOs,you "publish or perish." There is | | | | to William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White's Elements of |
| only one reason to write a book today:for PROFIT | | | | Style, which we must own and read again and again, |
| through the cookie-cutter culture of American | | | | Stephen |
| consumerism. | | | | King's On Writing is the one of the most |
| So what's a writer to do? A few years ago I watched | | | | straightforward andenjoyable lessons in how to write |
| an interviewwith the late Anthony Quinn. When asked | | | | plain, compelling prose. Your eyeswon't glaze over. |
| why he became an actor hereplied, "I didn't know what | | | | You will celebrate being a reader and writer. You |
| else to do. In fact I didn't even know how toact. But I | | | | willenjoy the effort you make to get better, and you |
| studied pros like Lawrence Olivier, I worked hard and I | | | | will never give upbecause there is nothing you would |
| was alucky s-b." | | | | rather do with your life. |