It’s no surprise to know authors can’t snap their fingers and become famous. It’s a lot of work. Between writing the perfect book, finding a great publishing company, and getting the right amount of attention it sometimes seems impossible even on a good day. Often times I sit back and think How the hell did they make it so far? But with a bit of research I realized it wasn’t easy. While their fame waited for them in the future they had to get by in life with simple jobs.
- John Grisham – Plumber
- James Patterson – Hospital psych aide
- Nathaniel Hawthorne – Clerk at Boston’s Custom House
- Charles Dickens – Factory worker
- Stephen King – High school janitor
- Robert Frost – Newspaper boy
- Harper Lee – Reservation clerk at Eastern Airlines
- Hilary Mantel – Social worker
- J.D. Salinger – Entertainment director on the H.M.S. Kungsholm
- Nicholas Sparks – Over-the-phone dental product salesman
It’s encouraging to read through this tiny list of famous authors with their average jobs. It doesn’t matter if someone is a stay-at-home mother/wife, a dentist, or a salesman there is always the chance the future may hold different plans. That’s why I continue to write and draw up my creative ideas. I never know when that one story will be my big hit! We all have to start somewhere.
Writing My Career 