How difficult is it to write your first book.
what struggles did well-known authors have to go through to write their first book
When you read a famous book and think of the author we automatically picture them living in a nice big house, having nice cars, living the good life. We never question what life was like for them before they wrote the book. We assume everything in their life was perfect and they were happy.
However, if you ask any well-known author what life was like before they wrote the book that made them famous they’d laugh and talk about the nightmare their life was.
In this blog, we will be asking how difficult is it to write your first book…
HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO WRITE YOUR FIRST BOOK
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It’s only after they release a bestseller do their lives become better, but while they were writing their “famous” book they had to go through hell. In fact, most writers had a difficult time just getting through a day before their bestseller. There was a time when Stephen King was not famous. He wrote “Carrie” while living in a trailer sitting next to a washing machine working into the late hours of the night. He had to use his wife’s typewriter after the kids were in bed. Getting up early to head off to school to teach. He didn’t have the free time to write all day. He had two jobs, being a teacher and writer but was only being paid for one. There’s nothing wonderful about that. Like most writers, he was down to his last dollar. But when you think of Stephen King now you picture him in his office in a nice house. But he had to go through hell to get there.
Tom Clancy had to write “The Hunt for Red October” while on a train going into work. He had an old heavy laptop on his knees, he only could write one page a day. He had other things to do when he got home. After he became famous he had more time to write when in an office, however when he started out it wasn’t easy. Imagine having to write on a crowded train with a heavy laptop on your knees while holding a suitcase. He could easily have given up but he stuck to it. Believing in himself and believed in the story. He had no choice but to take the conditions given to him and work around them.
IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO START
Dan Brown did not have great success with his first three novels. He wrote “The Da Vinci Code” in his mother’s basement with his laptop on an ironing board while using milk cartons to sit on. Talk about having it tough. But he did not quit. He knew what he wanted to do and stuck with it. Today we know him as the guy who sold 80 million copies of one book. But before the book came out life was difficult for him. We never seem to think about those days.
J.K. Rowling was living off of welfare with a newborn child, she wrote the book in a coffee shop, she could only afford one cup of coffee. The only reason she bought one was so the owner wouldn’t kick her out. She was down to her last dollar mentally and physically. She spoke in interviews saying how difficult it was getting out of bed. Only the idea of writing Harry Potter gave her strength. It took 6 years to write her first novel. Today we see her living the good life and not having to worry about money but before Harry Potter came out it was difficult, to say the least.
LIVING IN HELL LIKE CONDITIONS
All of these writers and so many more have gone on to be rich and famous but it’s important for us to know that some of the most famous books were writing in hell-like conditions. The writer had to push on, they had to fight every day to focus on the book. They didn’t know the books would sell. They didn’t know they would be famous. But they had to push on.
IT wasn’t like J.K. Rowling while sitting in the coffee shop knew without a doubt Harry Potter would be a hit leading to millions of dollars and she just had to get through the tough days knowing good times would be coming her way. She could dream, but she didn’t truly know. Ask any writer there’s a difference in knowing and dreaming. Mentally it was a struggle for her to push on. Everything in her told her to quit. Books for young kids were not selling. Books about wizards were not popular at the time. She had everything against her. Plus she had to look after a child. Your average person would have given up on the idea of writing multiply books about a boy wizard. But she had no other choice. It wasn’t like her life was filled with options. She pushed on because she believed in Harry Potter.
HE DIDN’T KNOW HE WOULD BE FAMOUS
Stephen King didn’t know he would be a famous writer. He had no idea his books would be made into movies, when he was writing Carrie he was trying to get enough money to get his car repaired. It wasn’t like he was writing Carrie dreaming of all the good things coming his way. Desperation wrote the book, in no way was he living in luxury at the time. But he had to push on, not letting fatigue get to him. He had no way of knowing if the book would be successful. Everything about his body told him it was time for bed, but he had to press on. There was no other option.
He even failed to get his first 3 books published, Rage, The Long Walk, and the Running man. These books were submitted before Carrie. He believed they would be printed and sell millions making him famous. Only to have them rejected. It’s crazy to think Stephen King was rejected at some point.
SOME BECOME FAMOUS AFTER DEATH
We look at his life now thinking he has it so good. But he had to struggle just like every other writer. It’s rare to look at any famous writer and see they lived a wonderful life before writing their first book. Most famous writers had to go through a tough time when writing their books. Sadly some writers only become famous after their death. Not living long enough to make any money from their most famous books.
Some writers go through a tough time writing their first book and have it published thinking their struggle is over with. Thinking they can finally make money and live the good life only to have their book not sell. Dan Brown wrote three books before writing The Da Vinci Code and it became a big seller. All those years of his books not selling he thought each time a new book came out it would be the big one. Only to have it fail. It must’ve been heartbreaking to see. But he never gave up he wrote The Da Vinci Code and it did well. Only to have the other 3 appear on the top 10 list of best sellers.
CALLING HIM AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS
When he released his first book he had to do his own press to promote it. He had to set up his own interviews all over the country. Did book signings where no one came out. He sat in a chair all day not signing one book. Now he’s one of the most famous writers. No one would ever think Dan Brown had to struggle. Most people thought The Da Vinci Code was his first book. Calling him an overnight success. But he would tell you different.
Most people thought he was living the good life while writing it. But in reality, he was in a basement sitting on milk crates outlining the novel. A far cry from what you’d picture in your mind. But he didn’t give up. He could’ve after three failed novels; the publishers were ready to drop him. He could’ve given up. Every writer who struggles dreams their first novel will be the biggest selling book of all time but Dan Brown had to wait until his fourth book came out before anyone heard his name.
YOU CAN NEVER GIVE UP
It’s important when writing no matter how tough things are to never give up. The history of book writing is filled with stories of writers having an impossible time writing the book that made them famous. Sadly some writers gave up and we’ll never know who they are. Others didn’t give up and today we have a chance to enjoy their work. History will remember them. If you give up no one will ever read your work.
Some famous writers had it worse than you but they fought on. In your darkest hour in your hell-like conditions when you’re trying to write you have to remember Dan Brown’s failed 3 books. J.K. Rowling living off of welfare or Stephen King in his trailer next to a washing machine writing Carrie.
you might also be interested in these blogs…
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