Every so often, I'll search up random authors, wondering if they've got something coming out, and sometimes it'll be years or "never". Thomas Harris is one of those who writes like once a decade. Dan Brown I thought disappeared permanently (I looked him up just now and noticed he'll have a book out in Sept.).
Are these authors the opposite of C.J. Box, Stine, King, Steele, Patricia Cornwell, who seem to churn out novel after novel (not necessarily literature, mind)?
Is it quality vs quantity, or is it maybe a jackpot income where they can just retire, even if they hadn't expected that, fear of success or fear of fame?
by mysteryofthefieryeye
8 Comments
I mean, it could just be that they don’t feel like writing another book.
writing is a creative pursuit, every writer approaches it differently
maybe they fell out of love with writing, maybe they havent had any ideas they got attached to, maybe theyve been stuck on a book for years restarting or editing etc., maybe theyve been going through a difficult time in their personal lives, tons of possible reasons
I’m convinced King and co have ghost writers.
I find that writing higher quantity leads to generally higher quality. It’s all practice.
I think it’s not uncommon for a lot of authors to more or less go ‘I told my story and don’t have another one to tell.’
My favorite explanation for this is from Jamie O’Neill, who wrote my favorite novel, *At Swim, Two Boys* which came out in 2001, and has written nothing since. He gave an interview in 2009 where he explained by saying:
>What you need to understand is that that book was my heart. And you can’t just grow a new heart.
If an author has made enough money that they don’t have to work anymore not all of them will want to. And you can get into a creative rut where the stuff they’re writing they may not feel is up to their usual standard. Once you’re a bigger name author I could see not wanting to disappoint fans with a mediocre book. Or if they have a really long creative process that involves a lot of rewrites or a lot of waiting for inspiration to strike them, that can be slow.
Life. Some of us do think to make money to support our lives. If you have money, you don’t have to work. So you don’t work.
Stephen King doesn’t write for money. His mind seems to just wander. I’m not really a fan but he really enjoys writing.