Nowadays there are many people who think they are good at writing, singing, performing, drawing, etc. On the other hand, artistic temperament does not necessarily turn a person into an artist.
Surprisingly, many writers whom we consider the best talents of our time failed a lot. For example, Nabokov’s Lolita got a rejection from Knopf, although, later the author sold fifty million copies of the book. Also, many critics mocked Gertrude Stein’s writing style before she became famous. Moreover, “Swann’s Way” by Marcel Proust was heavily criticized and many reviewers even advised the author to stop writing.
Thus, even if you perceive yourself to be a fantastic writer, there will be a lot of criticism, mockery and rejections on your way to success. In the times when you feel desperate about your writing future, remember the sayings of the great authors of our time who overcame numerous obstacles on their way and achieved prosperity.
- If you know a person who dreams of becoming a writer, the second major thing you can do to him/her is to present a copy of The Elements of Style. However, the first thing you should do is to shoot him/her now, while there is still happiness in his/her eyes. - Dorothy Parker
- Do you remember how many Olympic athletes expressed gratitude to their mothers? “She was the one who inspired me to try something new and drove me to the trainings every day” etc. Writing is not like that. Your mother will not help you to become a writer. So, my piece of advice is: step out of your home - Paul Theroux
- Writing a literary piece is a terrible, exhausting fight that can be compared to a severe illness. A person would never agree to go through it, unless he/she is driven by a powerful demon whom he/she cannot understand or resist. - George Orwell
Although writing is certainly hard, find inspiration in the words of the successful authors and one day you may wake up famous.
