We all have writers we look up to for their body of work, their fame, the adulation they receive, and maybe even the islands they own.
Whose career would you most like to emulate? Would you go for the fame, riches, awards, or all of the above?
Which writer’s life do you look at and say: I want that.
Joe Iriarte says
What a great question.
I love Gaiman's books, but somehow he just doesn't seem like the right answer for me. I think in my mind I'm approaching the question more in terms of who does what I do, only better/is more advanced along that path. Who is successful writing things I wish *I'd* written. I love Gaiman's books, but I don't write like him and I don't think I ever will. I just read it, in awe. (Throw Susanna Clarke in the same category for me.)
Stephen King and Orson Scott Card come a bit closer to what I aspire to, craft-wise, except I don't write horror and I wouldn't want a career that veered into angry political ranting.
In the end, the two choices that seem most "right" to me are both people whose careers are still (I hope!) in their early stages.
It's been nearly twenty years since Steven Gould wrote Jumper, and it was a huge seller and a (terrible) movie, but he hasn't written all that many books yet, and he still had a day job up until the movie. He's not the biggest seller or the one who's won the most awards, but I love his books–not just the Jumper ones but his others, particularly Helm. When I sit down to write, I'm basically trying to recreate the feeling of satisfaction that his books give me.
Mary Robinette Kowal's first novel hasn't hit the stores yet (I believe) but her short stories all resonate with me and are pretty similar to what I'm trying to write. So for me it's not about who is making the money or winning the awards I want, but who is succeeding at writing like I would like to.
[tl;dr]: Steven Gould and Mary Robinette Kowal
Marsha Sigman says
I have to say Stephen King.
I don't really want all that fame but the man kicks ass and can write from multiple points of view.
He is a genius.
educlaytion says
Gotta go with King Solomon (Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes…)
1) On the best-sellers list for 3,000 years.
2) Everyone from the Beatles to world leaders use his stuff.
3) Richest and wisest human on planet.
4) Not so sure about hundreds of wives and Wilt Chamberlain lifestyle though.
5) Lived a long life, died peacefully.
pambelina says
Shannon Hale.
Her books are beautiful and she has some fame, but still maintains a certain amount of anonymity.
Sam says
Isaac Asimov, I think.
Wrote like crazy and basically lived the life of wonderment that he wanted to. I can get behind that.
Tawny Taylor says
Nora Roberts. While I don't necessarily enjoy all her books, I do admire what she's accomplished and how hard she's worked to get where she is. My goal is to have a career that builds gradually, steadily.
Ciara says
sylvia plath's talent
jk rowling's money and success
salinger's privacy
and jessica fletcher's ability to solve murder
Steff Metal says
Neil Gaimen
Nick Cave (As in: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)
Melissa Marr
All three of these authors write books I LOVE, books which evoke a feeling I want to achieve in my own work, but they're also creative in other ways: songwriting, movies, music, blogging, scriptwriting, art. They're not poor, but not super rich. They are the most incredible, intelligent and nice people to talk to, and they have increbily drive, determination, and ideas. If I could count myself among their ranks one day, I would be happy.
hannah says
Laurie Halse Anderson.
mb says
Geraldine McCaughrean. Prolific AND a master of craft, with that additional element of sheer mind-blowing genius that makes it into a good number of her books. Also, though well known in some circles, she does not have the kind of fame that would be oppressive .
John says
Alan Furst. One great book comes out every other Father's Day. Most research takes place in Europe. Two years seems like a doable pace for a new book. AND YOU GET YOUR OWN ABSOLUT AD!
KID LIT WRITERS says
I'm going to have to go with Natalie Babbitt. Her books run the gamut from funny to serious to haunting, and usually manage to be all three between the covers. They tell enormous stories in ways that sneak up on you when you aren't looking.
Marilyn Peake says
Probably Barbara Kingsolver, Cormac McCarthy, or J.K. Rowling – because they’re all amazing writers, each with their own unique writing style, who live quiet lives. Barbara Kingsolver lives on a farm, Cormac McCarthy works with a think tank group, and J.K. Rowling lives in a castle that she bought and had modernized. I’d also love to be as successful as Neil Gaiman: to travel as much as he does, to have huge book signings and special events all over the world, and to have my books made into plays and movies. Ah, I’m such a daydreamer…
Helena Halme says
William Boyd.
He had a a best selling novel, A Good Man in Africa, at the age of 29 in 1981 and has since written consistently at a rate of about a book a year, as well as writing article and screenplays. His writing has only improved.
Besides, when I saw him speak at the London Book Fair he came across as a very nice and modest man.
Debbie says
Margaret Atwood. Brilliant writer with a fantastic body of work. She's reached a point in her career where she can pretty much say and do as she pleases.
Swifty says
Dr. Seuss…
The Man has books, and movies and musicals about his stuff…
Hahahahaha…
Ulysses says
As far as other writer's lives go, I don't think I envy anyone. Behind every phenomenal success story (Steve King, Joanne Rowling, etc.) there's often a story about a hard life. If that's the price of success, no quiero, gracias.
If we're just talking career, though, I'd like John Scalzi's, thanks. Or Neil Gaiman. Or Terry Pratchett. They're all doing things I'd like to do and making a good living at it.
Susan Adrian says
Libba Bray. Great sense of humor, seemingly great writer's community of friends, balancing a family with writing fabulous books. She wrote the weird book of her heart, after completely switching genres, and won a Printz for it!
Jonathon Arntson says
Lois Lowry + John Green.
Liesl says
M.T. Anderson. Mostly because I might want to smoke what he was smoking when he wrote "Whales on Stilts." And then he can go write non-fiction picture books and serious historical fiction. I want to be versatile like that. Wacky, serious, satirical.
Ed Miracle says
I would most like to emulate my own career, especially if it means I get to have one.
Jenny says
Maybe I'm the crazy one, but I'd take either King's career or J.K. Rowlings. I love the rags-to-riches aspects of their lives–and I really, really love the stories they tell, and the fact that their stories connect with so many people.
If I ever have a story idea that'll get that many people reading, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll run with it.
Jim says
Excuse me? J.K. Rowling is as rich as the queen…I'd be happy with half of that.
OK, two-thirds.
Kim Batchelor says
William Shakespeare. Who can beat the staying power?
D. G. Hudson says
My choices: Ernest Hemingway's career and living locations — Paris, Key West, Cuba, etc. but omitting the last part of his life and his love-em and leave-em relationships.
I also admire the career of Sheri S. Tepper – an American author of science fiction, horror and mystery novels; she is particularly known as a feminist science fiction writer, often with an ecofeminist slant (thanks to Wikipedia).
Frank Herbert – author of the DUNE series – one I never tire of reading, and I. Asimov – the Foundation saga and the Robot series. These two authors created universes that still surpass some of the current science fiction.
If I had to choose only one, that choice would be Hemingway — winning the nobel prize would be good for marketing. . .
EJ Fechenda says
Stephenie Meyer except I would be more entertaining when on Oprah.
Mary Anne says
Fellow attorney John Grisham – if only he wrote romance.
Because he doesn't though, maybe there's a wee bit of room for my contemporaries — right at the intersection of love and the law.
Nicole L Rivera says
Jerry B. Jenkins. He has followed God's calling, made a huge impact on the world with The Left Behind Series, is constantly giving back, and is an all around genuine person.
lora96 says
Alice Hoffman.
Her work is elegant, poignant, and she makes bold plot and genre choices. Her versatility is great but her imagery is even better. Plus I left a comment on the guest book of her web site after reading The Third Angel and she actually responded.
I also agree with the people who don't want to be Meyer or Dan Brown–you get major sales but also too much fan attention and detractor scrutiny. Plus I would cry a lot if readers and critics said the hateful things about my writing that I have heard about theirs.
Kelly says
Jane Yolen. She is talented in any genre!
Haste yee back ;-) says
Martin Handford… the guy who *wrote* WHERE'S WALDO! (not wrote, but drew, didn't write one damn word)…
Haste yee back 😉
The Decreed says
Clive Staples Lewis
Meagan Carpenter says
Philippa Greggory for her wild success and Michelle Moran for her writing style, her lifestyle, and her amazing hair. Yes, I'm really that shallow.
Mark Terry says
Tough one, really. Probably John Sandford because of the overall level of quality he's brought to every single freakin', successful book and the way he's managed to create a second successful series, as well as continue to write some short nonfiction and book-length nonfiction, as well as some scripts. He's also able, I think, to live below the celebrity radar.
Stephen King just for his ability to write everything–novels, short fiction, teleplays, film scripts, nonfiction books and reviews and… but I don't want his level of fame. I'd prefer to be able to walk around the world without people recognizing me.
I've often commented that I like Lee Goldberg because he successfully writes novels, TV scripts, nonfiction, and even film scripts.
Uh-oh. I see a theme there.
Anonymous says
Like many people on here, Neil Gaiman.
Munk says
I dunno. I don't know many writers. I'm not so interested in writing as a career, except to say that I want it to pay my bills so that I can write more. I definitely don't have the desire to emulate someone else's life.
My mantra: I don't want to be everybody's favorite writer, but I do want to write a few people's favorite book.
Debbie at 10:44 – You've chosen some BIG shoes to fill. Oh, and do me a favor… step away from the gun.
Michael A. Emeritz says
Clive Barker: he does whatever moves him. He was also able to combine his love for film, books, and art.
Hunter S.Thompson: he changed the way people perceived journalism, and that carried over to his writing as well. He was the rockstar of writers.
That would be ideal, but for now… anyone published, haha.
stephanie says
Echoing The Reader, sesgaia, and Debbie: Margaret Atwood for certain.
The Red Angel says
J.K. Rowling and Jodi Picoult. I want fame more than money, though getting the best of both worlds would be nice! 😛 I want to be known for my creativity (Rowling) and the morals and lessons embedded within my writing (Picoult). I want to be able to inspire others and use my writing to beneit the lives of others (both of them).
Anonymous says
Frank Herbert, for his excellence at world building, or Stephen King, for his prolific-ness.
David Kubicek says
Ray Bradbury's early career. By the time he was about 50 years old he started losing his edge. By then he was becoming too contented with life and positive about the future. A little angst makes a good writer.
Shelley Watters says
I would love to have a career like Nora Roberts. She seems to have a stable career and puts out a book or series regularly.
In the past few months, at least since I have started trying to find an agent I've become very conscious of the books people around me are reading, who they are and their demographics. When I'm sitting in waiting rooms I find myself discreetly trying to see what book they are reading. It's overwhelmingly Nora Roberts (which of course is primarily female readers). I would love to have that kind of following.
But, at the moment I would just love to finish the first draft of my YA novel and find an agent. No matter what happens in my career, if I get just one book published I will feel like I have succeeded.
dan radke says
I'd like to have a cult following. I'd pretty much be unknown, but if two strangers met each other and found out they both read me, they'd immediately be able to say, "Hey, you're cool." Like Modest Mouse circa 1999.
And anything over a eighty grand a year would be all right with me.
John Jack says
You know, I don't want to emulate anyone's career. I like Hemingway's writing, his successes, but don't want to follow him. Same with J.D. Salinger's. I'd rather have not followed Steinbeck's life influences, but Fate has a mission for me that required hardships. Dickinson, love her poetry, not her life. I will be orginal.
The career I've had, am having, will have, is the only one for me. The journey's been rewarding so far in spite of the frustrations and rejections and all too few joys. Not for the sake of fame, or riches or awards, but for the journey. Those will come as byproducts if I've followed my path.
I have. Recently, a trailblazing epiphany has come to full fruition. I followed the path that could only be fully realized by going down the trail. My fingertips tingle, my head swims with the ramifications. Ah! the quickening is upon me.
AjFrey says
Hemingway.
Kidding. I admire Twain the most, but I do not want his life. He definitely channeled his grief into art, but nope, I'm good.
Stephen King, because everything he writes turns to film. I want that. I dream of my characters breathing on the silver screen.
Perfect timing on the post 🙂 Today on my blog, we're discussing letting yourself daydream – and what you have romanticized about writing. Fun stuff.
Anna Murray says
Harper Lee
A brilliant American novel, a Pulitzer prize, and over 30 million sold.
I'd take it.
Charmaine Clancy says
At the moment I think Christine Harris (Audrey of the Outback) because I'd love kids to enjoy my books as much as my daughter enjoys hers. I also think she has a great website.
Don't need the millions of Rowling or the publicity.
Anonymous says
Mark Z. Danielewski. I admire the scientific way that he constructs his novels.
LeeAnn Flowers says
I'd love to be like Anne McCaffrey – prolific but quiet.
Bethanne says
Matthew. Mark. Luke or John… for longterm affect and mainstay.
Christina Dodd for entertainment value, and down-to-earth savvy.