I’ve written a couple of posts in the past sharing some stories from the world of literature concerning all kinds of books and authors who overcame adversity to one day reach the dizzying heights of success. In the spirit of wanting to continue to spread positivity and to satisfy my own curiosity regarding such cases, here are a few more.
- Renowned poet E.E. Cummings had work rejected by 14 publishers. In an amusing twist of fate, he self-published the collection, No Thanks, in which he named and shamed them all in the dedication.
- Even after the first Harry Potter book was finally picked up for publication, JK Rowling was told not to quit her day job as success was very unlikely. She was also told to use her initials rather than her full name as boys “wouldn’t want to read a book written by a woman”.
- In a rejection letter for classic novel Moby-Dick, Herman Melville was asked, “does it have to be a whale?”
- Stieg Larsson was refused a place on a journalism course, being told he wasn’t good enough. He later went on to establish a powerful political magazine and became a best-selling author with his Millennium Series, which also spawned successful film adaptations.
- It took Jack Kerouac six years to attract a publisher for On the Road. Before that, it was described as a ‘badly misdirected talent’.
- Charles Dickens’ education was constantly interrupted by the need to work in factories to help his family financially, but his poverty stricken childhood would later inspire and influence much of his now celebrated works of fiction.
- An illustrated children’s book by a young Tim Burton was politely declined for publication. He went on to become a hugely successful and multi-award winning director, writer, poet and artist.
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë invited some harsh critical reception, with one reviewer going as far as to say “the success is not equal to the abilities of the writer”. Regardless, it has endured as a beloved classic and continues to be considered by many as a benchmark of its genre.
So there you have it. Even the greats of the literary world suffered their own set-backs. It didn’t stop them and it doesn’t have to stop anyone else either.
Great facts – I especially love the fact that Dickens used adversity as his inspiration and turned his experiences into a gift for so many to enjoy. And, ‘Does it have to be a whale’ just made me laugh out loud! Nice post, Callum. Thanks for spreading the positivity 🙂
Indeed – Moby Dick without the whale would be rather problematic 😉
Thanks for your comment, Mel 🙂
I’ve also been told I’ve “badly misdirected talent” – though, not in those exact words. Does that mean I’m the next Jack Kerouac?! 😮
You could well be 😉
Thank you so much for this wonderful post! I certainly needed to remind myself that even the Greats struggled!
You’re very welcome! I’m glad it helped 🙂
It’s about perseverance, believing in yourself, and constant improvement! All hard work, but worth it in the end, right? 😀
Absolutely! 🙂
Wow, those are some amazing stories! I especially love the E.E. Cummings “name and shame” one! 😉
I couldn’t help but share them! 🙂
Thanks for giving me a nice dose of positivity for the day 🙂
My pleasure! 🙂
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