Are there any biographies of writers who failed at writing at first and later succeeded?

Question

I am looking for a biography of a writer who either got his/her start later in life or failed young and succeeded later on? I'm looking for one to encourage someone who has a lot of talent (rather had a lot of it when he was younger) but thinks he is too old to try again (he's only 27).

Answer 1

How about probably the best selling authors of all times?

James B. Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an award-winning American author. Formerly the chairman of advertising company J. W. Thompson in the early 1990s, Patterson came up with the slogan "Toys R Us Kid". Shortly after his success with Along Came A Spider, he retired from the firm and devoted his time to writing. The novels— featuring his character, Alex Cross, a black forensic psychologist formerly of the Washington, D.C. Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, now working as a private psychologist and government consultant— are the most popular books among Patterson readers.

In 2006, James Patterson sold more than 12 million books in North America alone. In total, Patterson's books have sold an estimated 130 million copies worldwide. He has won awards including the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild's Thriller of the Year, and the International Thriller of the Year award. James Patterson was named "the man who can't miss" in Time Magazine. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on the New York Times adult and children's bestellers lists, and to have two books on NovelTracker'stop-ten list at the same time. In 2005 alone, James Patterson had five consecutive #1 New York Times bestselling original hardcover books – a record held by no other author to date. He broke that record again in 2006.

The Thomas Berryman Number was James Patterson's first novel, and he received rejections from some 26 publishers (although I have heard the number of rejections was much higher) before it was finally placed in 1979 and went on to win the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.

Gone with the Wind was rejected some 50 times.

Watership Down went through about 26 rejections

The first Harry Potter book is reported to have been rejected by 14 publishers. In 1994 that was practically every publisher who actually accepted fantasy!

Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time received over 30 rejections and took 10 years to get published, and then went on to win a Newbery Award.

Stephen King had over 30 rejections for Carrie. Imagine how the editors who rejected this must have felt when Stephen King went on to become possibly the best-selling writer in the world, with many of his books becoming blockbuster movies.

Johnathan Livingston Seagull had over 140 rejections.

Veterinary surgeon James Herriott threw his manuscript into a bottom drawer, telling his wife he was obviously no good at writing so he supposed he’d better stick to something at which he was good. But for his wife’s stubborn belief in him, the world would have been robbed of some of the most enjoyable best- sellers ever written, not to mention the television spin-offs - All Creatures Great ands Small.

Pax - C

Answer 2

How 'bout J. K. Rowling? Seems nowadays she's prtty much everyone's favorite author, but before the fame and money she was just a single-parent unemployed mum.

She has said that she wrote many stories before Harry Potter, but that none of them ever managed to get published.

She started writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1990, at 25 years old, but didn't finish the manuscript until 1995. On her second attempt at getting an agent to work for her she was accepted...but then they were rejected time and time again by TWELVE seperate publishing houses. Finally, a small publishing buisness, Bloomsburry, accepted the manuscript, and the rest is history.

:)

Answer 3

JRR Tolkien was born in 1892 and his first book was only published in 1936 with the Hobbit being his first popular book being published in 1937. Thats around 45 when he first got things published.

JK Rowling look at how old she was when Harry Potter was finally accepted and published.

Tell him that Ray Bradbury had his first stuff published at 27 but by far his most popular stuff came much later.

Popular and sucessfull writers rarely happen before the age of 25. Most take this life experiences and the greater knowledge they have gained and are able to make much more detailed and talented works.

Answer 4

I've looked at the bios of a large number of writers, and the only one who sold their first story was Robert Heinlein - who did not sell the next three! ALL the more modern writers tell you about their collections of rejection notices! I'm minded of the story of a young man who failed at practically everything he did when young - he failed at his first business, he failed at his second business, he ran for a local office and failed, he got engaged, and his fiancee died, he ran for a local office again and won. So next year, he ran for a higher office and failed again. He continued this pattern for many years, but he persevered - and I think you may agree that Abraham Lincoln wrote some good things?