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