Too B Ore Knot 2 Bee...

So...I was pondering something the other day (that’s right, people, I ponder!), after reading a post by Eve over at The Disco Mermaids’ site. The question she posed was about who you want to be as a writer, and she gave a great list of certain famous authors and the characteristics of their writing styles.

It got me thinking along another (albeit similar) line…

Given the choice, and assuming that you could do so consciously, which would you rather be…the famous, *rock star* writer who has hordes of frantic followers? You know, the one who lands on the bestseller’s lists every time you put pen to paper, cranking out 1-3 so-so novels every year until, eventually, you can hire “interns” to do the actual writing and you simply sit back and collect royalties checks just by attaching your name to the manuscript?

Or, do you want to be the deeply, poetic, and long-suffering writer (of the Pulitzer Prize winning variety), who is conscientious of pairing each word to form beautifully crafted phrases that make the reader weep from the sheer exultation of your prose, and creating intimately moving pieces of real, ground-breaking literature? Oh, and did I mention that as that writer, you will live in relative obscurity for most of your life, but that future generations will reference your work in their Master’s Dissertations for years (and, many long, years) to come?

So, which would it be? Millions of fans now, in this lifetime, screaming your name and throwing their panties (or boxer briefs, as the case may be) outside of your book signings… or having your name used to describe a style of writing, like Dickensian or Hemmingway-esque?

I don’t know…“Derting-ism” has a certain ring to it, but I kind of like the idea of sipping Pina Coladas on the veranda of my winter home in Maui too!

How 'bout you??

Comments

PJ Hoover said…
I'll see you in Maui!
I like the way you think, PJ!

I'm still (anxiously) waiting for my copy of the Emerald Tablet to ship...I can't wait to get it!!!
Tam and John said…
Hmmm...good one. Obscure, definitely. In the end, what you leave on the shelf, not what's in your bank account, is the legacy. Right?
The fact that Danielle Steele has her own aisle in the bookstore only makes her prolific, not profound.
Maybe somewhere in between? It's nice to be remembered, but it's also nice to eat!
I'm right there with you, Lenore! My kids really like to eat!!!
Leigh Purtill said…
If only we could choose and not have the choice made for us!
Hi Leigh!

Wouldn't it be great if life were that simple?!?!
Anonymous said…
Published Authors, Danielle Steele, Hemingway, Kim Derting etc have a very special gift to give to the world, especially ones targeting girl teens, who are on the verge of womanhood and are about to be faced with so many difficult challenges, opportunites and decisions in life. The effect or affect (I never know the right one to use) guidance and insight you could possibly have over a young girl who say, doesn't have any positive role models in her world to learn from and/or is a victim of abuse or neglect, or other external circumstances she finds confusinig and powerless against would be an amazing gift to give not only her but with the ripple effect (once again that word) the world, If the author can grab her attention and keep it long enough maybe to arm her with any knowledge or help her gain insight and let her know somehow that she doesn't have to be a victim and has the power to change the outcome of her situation could save her and others alot of potential heartache. What an amazing gift for a girl to gain from a book to take with her into a sometimes unforgiving and cruel world so that she can make the best possible decisions for herself. Anyway, if I was an author, which I am quite clearly not that's what legacy I would be happy with people talking about at my funeral, and I could settle for a Vodka and OJ...lol :)
Anonymous said…
correction. How about a vodka and OJ, by the kid's 6'X 6' plastic pool during our two weeks of summer isn't really roughing it, is it? What am I saying? I want Maui too!! haha