No apologies or excuses. I know I said I wasn’t going to post anything new until 2023 but I was doing some research today and came across an interesting factoid which I wanted to share with you. Hope you find this as surprising and inspiring as I did.
In 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote “The Great Gatsby”. The novel depicts narrator Nick Carraway’s interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby’s obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan.
“The Great Gatsby” sold poorly in its first year, selling fewer than 20,000 copies. Fitzgerald died in 1940, believing his work was a compete failure. However, the novel experienced a revival during World War II and became a part of American high school curricula in the decades that followed. Today, it is widely considered to be a literary classic.
The message to all of us pecking away at our keyboards or scribbling on our notepads should come through loud and clear: DON’T QUIT NOW!
NAR © 2022
The Elephant's Trunk 
Amazing, i meant surprisingly pathetic
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A nice factoid, Nancy. One’s value is known only in absence. We have seen some movies doing well just after death of hero or heroine.
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Yes, we have seen that often. Another interesting point, KK.
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I love writing. It really saved my sanity starting a blog after getting over a very bad dose of covid. Started off a few small blogs then went from there. Now I’m writing short stories and working on a novel!
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Excellent, Vinny. Congratulations and best of luck to you with your novel. COVID impacted us all in so many different ways; glad to know you overcame a very bad case and are now following a dream you may not have know you had. Good for you! 💫
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It must have been a great disappointment for him.
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Especially since he was dead.
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I doubt he gave a toss at that point.
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Very interesting!
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I thought so! Thanks!
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You’re welcome!
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That is a huge topic, Nancy and very close to our creator hearts ( whether we are eager to admit it or no).
We have started to discuss it at Two Guys and a Girlie and I hope you will be with us when available to go into exploring the “curse” over/inside our heads deeper.
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When I posted this I didn’t think it would generate much interest … just a little fact I thought some people would enjoy reading. But you’re right, Nick; it is a huge topic. Always appreciate your thoughts.
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I find most of the books that I had to read to get through high school took on the appearance of a Great Wall O’ Words that I would push myself through just to do well enough to pass the exams. The Great Gatsby was one such book. I really should have used Cliff’s Notes to help me get through English classes…
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Oh, the memories of those good old Cliff Notes! My nemesis was, is and always will be math. I struggled horribly and my teachers eventually took pity on me and allowed me to drop math and double-up on English. It was the humane thing to do for everyone. Music, English, history and world religions were my best subjects and I was always reading something. I believe that’s the main reason I’m writing now. My grandchildren are all voracious readers and that makes me immensely happy. We all have our Great Wall O’ Something to conquer, don’t we? Thanks for your great comments, John.
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I watched “Genius” (2016) directed by Michael Grandage. The central character is the editor at Scribner, although Jude Law in the role of Thomas Wolfe dominates. But FSF also appears. And the poor sales are mentioned.
Personally, I’ve just sent one manuscript off to my agent for appraisal and am settling to rewrite another. My writing may not be consistent, but it’s definitely persistent!
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Sounds like an interesting film. Going to check it out. Good luck with your manuscript!
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I think that “public acclaim” isn’t a writer’s goal anyhow. It’s the satisfaction of having created something really good. If other people then think it’s good, so much the better, but it’s incidental.
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Not every writer would agree with you. Some crank out the schlock faster than the ice cream man on a blistering August afternoon. Sad, though, to think FSF never knew his work would become a classic.
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Yeah but Van Gogh also springs to mind. I think it’s quite common.
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And I doubt any of those authors feel the satisfaction I’m talking about.
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And how many artists/writers/musicians died penniless? Definitely no satisfaction there!
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