The Life of the Novelist: Intoxicating and Free

In an interview posted on The Telegraph (14 Oct 2011), Martin Amis shared with Edmundo Paz Soldán, the Bolivian novelist and professor, that novelists are the "freest of all artists", because, unlike a painter, a novelist isn't "confined by a square on the wall", unlike a musician, an artist isn't confined to "musical scales", unlike a poet, a novelist isn't confined to "the disciplines of verse", and, unlike a filmmaker, a novelist doesn't "have actors; producers; money pressures of any kind." Amis said,

The process of writing a novel [...] is intoxicating. You can do absolutely anything; you are the freest of all artists. You’re not confined by a square on the wall or musical scales or the disciplines of verse, and you’re certainly freer than a film-maker who is dependent on the weather when he goes out to make his world. And it’s completely uncollaborative – you don’t have actors; producers; money pressures of any kind. 

I'll reiterate that novelists, or writers in general, should not have "money pressures of any kind", because a writer should not write for money but he or she should write about a passionate topic, which will, consequently, help a writer maintain a sufficient level of motivation and inspiration, which is needed, because like Willie shared with Lesser in The Tenants (2005), "Man, I tell you, this writing stuff is no joke." "Baby, it's a long, hard, lonely life."

Should BIPOC Writers Say, "F*** It" and Self-Publish?

Jessica V Aragon (@JVA_writes\X) "tweeted" that she: "[...] spent the last year recording every english [sic] language fiction deal in Publisher's Marketplace [...]" 

Fig. 1 (Source: @JVA_writes\X)

And after "[...] googling over 4000 authors [...]" she was able to post the "[...] current book deal landscape [...]", which revealed that (approximately) 70% of the books deals that occurred between October 2022 and October 2023 were dealt to white authors. (See Fig. 1)

Fig. 2 (Source: @JVA_writes\X)

In addition, Aragon found that, with the exception of graphic novels and pictures books, white writers dominated every genre. For example, book deals involving the the mystery, horror, and fantasy genres were, over 80% of the time, given to white writers. (See Fig. 2)

(Note: Aragon tweeted she may have "miscategorized" some data (e.g., "PI authors should be 0.2%, not 0.02%.") but that her post is: "[...] representative of the current publishing landscape.")

Connectedly, Gabi Burton (@query_queen339\X) "tweeted" that "[...] every. single. author [...]" on Barnes and Noble's "Best YA Books of 2023" list is white.

Thus, my (rhetorical) question is: Should BIPOC writers self-publish? At a minimum, maybe BIPOC writers should self-publish (immediately) after being repeatedly rejected by traditional publishers. Otherwise, unless the status quo in the traditional publishing industry changes, manuscripts written my most writers of color may never see the light of day. 

A Writer's Un-Interest

A lot writers are of the opinion that success comes with writing a New York Times Best Seller, but, per Thomas Wolfe, the pinnacle of success is reached by developing in an un-interest in three things: 

• money 
• compliments 
• publicity

Thomas Wolfe reportedly said: "You have reached the pinnacle of success [as a writer] as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity."

Are Writers Narcissistic?

Source: Krizan and Herlache, 2017

Previously, we posted some quotes from famous writers concerning the connection between being a writer and belong alone. For example, James Baldwin wrote in the essay “The Creative Process” (1962): "The primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid: the state of being alone."

And, per The Paris Review's "The Art of Fiction No. 151, Martin Amis said, "The first thing that distinguishes a writer is that he is most alive when he is alone."

Interestingly, the poet Mary Karr made a connection between being a writer, being alone, and being narcissistic. Karr opined: 

All writers are narcissistic. That’s not the same as being a narcissist, as being a sociopath. But no one can sit in a room by themselves for twelve hours a day thinking about what they’re thinking and not be a little more self-focused than the normal person.

Karr may be onto something, because it's fair to say that, in general, (prolific) writers are narcissistic (i.e., more self-focused) than non-writers.

"I'm a Writer [for Validation]!"

Unsolicited, a guy shared with me in Central Park, "I'm a writer!" When I asked him what he had written, he replied, "Nothing yet."

Relatedly, K. M. Weiland advised, "Write every day that you can. [...] Don’t look for validation. Trust yourself," which shows that there may be a negative correlation between seeking validation and writing (prolifically). 

In other words, as the amount of validation one seeks increases, does that correlate to a decrease in page counts?

Regardless of the strength of the correlation, one should avoid writing to be validated. Instead, as we previously posted, one may want to write for one or more of the following reasons:

1. Write to inspire by spreading (positive ideas)

2. Write to avoid ennui and depression

3. Write to increase tenacity slash self-control 

3 Must-Haves of Every Writer

There are, at least, three (3) must-haves of every writer:

Per James Baldwin a writer must cultivate the state of being alone

The primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid: the state of being alone. - JAMES BALDWIN

Per Joyce Carol Oates a writer must be able to concentrate for long periods of time

First requirement of the writer is the ability to concentrate for long periods of time. Second, more urgent requirement, the wish to do so. - @JoyceCarolOates

And Malcolm Gladwell opined that a writer must have have more than an engaging story but that a writer needs to have a strong desire to tell the story

When you write a book, you need to have more than an interesting story. You need to have a desire to tell the story. You need to be personally invested in some way. - Malcolm Gladwell 

The Difference Between a Writer & “I Wish I was a Writer”

Based on anecdotal evidence, most people don't believe that they have the inherit ability to write a book. How many times have I heard someone say, "I could never write a book!"? 

And of the few who attempt to write a book, based on anecdotal evidence, most never finish writing their books, which, per award winning science fiction author Octavia Butler, is what, obviously, makes the difference between a writer and “I wish I was a writer.”

Octavia Butler: "I tell the students that there comes a time when you want to either burn it or flush it. But if you keep going, you know, that’s what makes you a writer instead of an “I wish I was a writer."

So, when the inevitable imposter syndrome sets in, try not to drag your doc to the trash but keep writing until your confidence inevitably returns (إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ). 

Writers Should Write - Not Talk?

Previously, we posted that Vladimir Nabokov shared in the foreword to Strong Opinions: "I think like a genius, I write like a distinguished author, and I speak like a child." Thus, Nabokov considered himself a good writer but a poor speaker. So much so, that his lectures and interviews were pre-written. Nabokov related:

"Throughout my academic ascent in America from lean lecturer to Full Professor, I have never delivered to my audience one scrap of information not prepared in typescript beforehand and not held under my eyes on the bright-lit lectern."

"The interviewer's questions have to be sent to me in writing, answered by me in writing, and reproduced verbatim. Such are the three absolute conditions."

And Becca Rothfeld posted on Gawker that "WRITERS SHOULDN'T TALK: Stop encouraging them", because writers are "isolated" "amenders" whom delete "[...] unsatisfactory variants of a single sentence for upwards of an hour". 

For one thing, authors are often poor orators, inept at the most basic mechanics of verbalization. They hum and halt and hesitate, interrupting themselves, appending caveats to their caveats, thrumming a chorus of tentative “ums.” They are drafters and amenders, if not by vocation than by profession, and in conversation, their strongest pronouncements tend to be timid, as if they were editing in real time.

Who in their right mind would want to talk, much less listen, to a person who has contrived to spend as much of her life as possible crouched over her computer in isolation, deleting unsatisfactory variants of a single sentence for upwards of an hour?

Therefore, how can writers be expected to speak well when they're used to carefully crafting their sentences? Although, there are some exceptions (e.g., Rothfeld posted a link to an exceptional conversation that David Foster Wallace had with Charli Rose), in the end, it may be best to follow Rothfeld's advice:

Most writers are not talkers for a reason. Stop encouraging them to humiliate themselves in conversation so that they can return to the impossibly difficult business of perfecting themselves in print.

Stassi Schroeder: Double-Fake NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller?

Kelly Conaboy asked on Gawker "Did Stassi Schroeder Buy Her Way Onto the 'New York Times' Bestseller List?" (May 9, 2022)

Schroeder's lasted book, Off With My Head, has a dagger (†) next to it on the New York Times Bestseller list. 

# 8 Off With My Head w\ (†)

Schroeder's previous book, Next Level Basic, had a dagger (†) next to it on the New York Times Bestseller list. 

# 3 Next Level Basic w\ (†)

And what does the dagger (†) mean? Per Erin Bartnett's "Are Conservative Titles Using Shady Tricks to Get Onto the Bestseller List?" (May 25, 2018), the dagger (†) indicates:

"[...] that a book cracked the top sellers thanks to bulk orders. In other words, people are buying several dozen or more books at a time."

Of all people, the New York Times reported that the: 

"R.N.C. Spent Nearly $100,000 on Copies of Donald Trump Jr.’s Book: “Triggered,” published Nov. 5, topped the best-seller list thanks in part to a big order from the Republican National Committee."

Schroeder "Reacts" to, "You're a New York Times Bestseller!"

Did Schroeder have someone like Donald Trump Jr buy her onto the Bestseller list? Is Schroeder a double-fake New York Times Bestseller? #rhetoricalquestion

Wait, have you even heard of Stassi Schroeder? If not, she's a (former) Vanderpump Rules (reality tv) star who was fired for racist actions. 

It appears that Schroeder and Don Jr have a lot in common. 

Walter Mosley's Three (3) Writing Tips

Walter Mosley, the prolific crime-fiction writer (i.e., ≈ 50 novels), related, at least, three writing tips, which are: write creatively, write about topics that you're passionate about, and don't quit: 

1. Be Inventive: "[...] play around with words, worlds, and themes."
2. Be Honest: "Write your truth [...] Write about the things that matter to you [...]"
3. Believe in Yourself: "[...] persistence is key [...] Know that if you keep at it, you will eventually break through."

Are Writers More Important Than Actors?

A film's foundation is (inarguably) its writing; thus, I've always wondered why actors, and even directors, often get more notoriety than writers. 

Thus, I wasn't completely surprised to learn that Ridley Scott, the director of Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator - to name a few, reportedly agreed with me when he concluded:

"[...] writing is everything. Everything else is dressing. Sorry, actors."

For Writers, Reading is Working

We've done a number of posts about the importance of reading for writers. For example, we shared that Lisa See advised:

Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.

Consequently, while reading, even for pleasure, a writer is (organically) working on (improving) his or her writing. 

Thus, Jennifer Weiner, the New York Times bestselling author of That Summer, reportedly fittingly advised:

If people give you a hard time and tell you to get your nose out of a book, tell them you're working. 

Writer or ReWriter?

Should writers refer to themselves rewriters? I ask because writers often spend more time rewriting than writing.

John Winslow Irving, the author of The World According to Garp, reported shared:

Rewriting is surely three-quarters of my life as a writer, and it may be the part of my life as a writer that I value the most or have the greatest confidence in. Fine tuning, fine tuning, fine tuning—I love it. 

In the end, rewriting is writing; thus, writer is a fitting (job) description. 

Three (3) Reason to Write

Based on previous posts, I'm listing three (positive) reasons to become a writer. (Of course, there are more, but let's stick to three - for now.)

1. Write to inspire by spreading (positive ideas)

Allegra Goodman, the winner of the Whiting Award for Fiction (1991), said: A true writer opens people's ears and eyes, not merely playing to the public, but changing minds and lives. This is sacred work.

2. Write to avoid ennui and depression 

It has been reported that Michael Crichton, the famous author of works like Jurassic Park, advised: “Working inspires inspiration. Keep working. If you succeed, keep working. If you fail, keep working. If you are interested, keep working. If you are bored, keep working.”

3. Write to increase tenacity slash self-control 

We learned from Danielle Steel's Glamour profile (MAY 9, 2019): The author has written 179 books [...] To pull it off, she works 20 to 22 hours a day. (A couple times a month, when she feels the crunch, she spends a full 24 hours at her desk.)

Write to Spread Ideas & Messages

lvcandy\Getty Images

Hugh Prather wrote in Notes to Myself: 

“If the desire to write is not accompanied by actual writing, then the desire is not to write”

I disagree with Prather, because like Seth Godin related, the desire should be: "[...] marketing and idea spreading, working every day to deliver your message with authority [via writing]."

Seth Godin blogged in Advice for Authors:

19. Writing a book is a tremendous experience. It pays off intellectually. It clarifies your thinking. It builds credibility. It is a living engine of marketing and idea spreading, working every day to deliver your message with authority. You should write one.

Writing is difficult, and one will have a difficult time finishing a book if he or she isn't energized by the idea of spreading and delivering a dear message.

It's similar to reading a non-engaging book, because it's difficult to read a book that isn't delivering anything - not even entertainment.

For example, if you don't find stories about Brooklyn based conflicted writers engaging, you're going to find it difficult write about them and\or read and\or watch The Tenants.

And any writer, like Nabokov, who relates that he or she doesn't write to spread an idea is (possibly) a... 

"American Horror Story: Double Feature": Write Under the Influence

On American Horror Story: Double Feature (s10e04), Belle Noir is on a self-financed book tour for her self-published romance novel, Martha’s Cherry Tree, which is a "[...] racy retelling of the

George and Martha Washington story." 

In chapter 17, Martha discovers that George has been in one of the maid's bed, "little innocent" Penelope, but instead of confronting George, Martha seduces the maid by: "[...] kissing her hairy warmth between the young maid's legs."

(Maid [ \ ˈmād \ ] noun : an unmarried girl or woman especially when young : VIRGIN. [Merriam-Webster])

Although, Noir was informed, "You're a good writer," there were (only) four bookworms at the reading, and Noir (only) sold one book. Consequently, she took a pill that would super enhance the quality and speed of her writing; thus, Noir wrote a 400 plus page novel in one night, but the pill had horrible side-effects. 

If a writer doesn't want to end up like Noir or, say F. Scott Fitzgerald, we advise writers to, like Voltaire, write of the influence of coffee but, unlike Balzac, not too much. 

Fake Pandemic Introvert vs. Real Introvert

Dahlia Gallin Ramirez's "Fake Pandemic Introvert vs. Real Introvert" New Yorker piece (July 21, 2021) shed light on the rise of fake (pandemic) introverts. 

In one of Ramirez's examples, a fake introvert shared: "Going to read all the works of Tolstoy."

The post was a "dead giveaway", because real introverts typically don't overshare on social media. 

In the case of the introvert, the potential social media post would have been considered bragging as Tolstoy's oeuvre would have already been read - in Russian. And instead of posting, the real introvert, a polyglot, would have been busy translating Tolstoy's The Cossacks into Aramaic.

Last, we'll re-share a Martin Amis quote: "The first thing that distinguishes a writer is that he is most alive when he is alone." (The Paris Review "The Art of Fiction No. 151)

The Writer's Guilt

In a Life magazine piece (May 24, 1963), James Baldwin shared with Jane Howard:

[...] if you’re an artist, you’re guilty of a crime: not that you’re aware, which is bad enough, but that you see things other people don’t admit are there.

This Baldwin quote reminded of a conversation I had with a colleague about The Allure of Nymphets, which is the book I was writing at the time about nympholepsy in pop culture. 

I shared with my colleague that I was writing about an episode of HBO's and Jonathan Ames' Bored to Death where, in a effort to seduce a writer, Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman), a Saint Ann's High School student pretended to be a NYU student.  

After fleeing the half-nude nymphet and her distraught father through a bathroom window, Jonathan realized that he left the copy of a movie script behind. 

When Jonathan went to his best friend Ray (Zach Galifianakis) for advice on how to get the script back, Ray advised Jonathan to simply call the dad and ask for the script, which was reasonable advice, but Jason reminded Ray:

"She’s only 16-years-old!"

"You didn’t sodomize her did you?" Ray asked.

"No.” Jonathan responded.

"That’s too bad." Ray said despondently.

When I shared with my colleague, who was a fan of the show, that I was shocked by Ray's question and response, she said that she didn't remember that scene. 

I suspected that she was lying, and Baldwin's quote raises my suspicion. 

Writers Are Most Alive While Alone (i.e., Introverts)?

@introvertdoodles

James Baldwin wrote in the essay “The Creative Process” (1962):

The primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid: the state of being alone.

Per The Paris Review's "The Art of Fiction No. 151, Martin Amis said, 

"The first thing that distinguishes a writer is that he is most alive when he is alone."

And we related previously that Jenn Granneman shared on the blog Introvert, Dear that John Green, The Fault in Our Stars author, opined: 

“Writing is something you do alone. It’s a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.” 

Of course, there are a number of writers who are not introverts (e.g., Hemingway); thus, like Baldwin advised, they must actively cultivate the state of being alone to attain the state of feeling alive.

MARTIN EDEN (2019): A Writer Faces Rejection & Then Faces Success