I noticed it.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I study the progression of famous writers, and noticed something.

Their first efforts remind me of Muppets on speed. The prose has no rhyme nor reason and sucks as most LIT stories suck.

Then they learn the basics or bones. The prose is now coherent and cohesive but not elegant or tasty. Its a better grade of reporting.

After 20 years or so the prose is excellent.

And after 5 best sellers the prose eats shit again because the writer has nothing to say.

 

[SamScribble]

I study the progression of famous writers, and noticed something.

Their first efforts remind me of Muppets on speed. The prose has no rhyme nor reason and sucks as most LIT stories suck.

Then they learn the basics or bones. The prose is now coherent and cohesive but not elegant or tasty. Its a better grade of reporting.

After 20 years or so the prose is excellent.

And after 5 best sellers the prose eats shit again because the writer has nothing to say.

Well, the getting better part is no surprise. As a photographer friend of mine used to say: If you do it every day - and diligently - you're probably going to get better at it. And he did.

And your thought that after five best sellers things start to fall apart is also not such a surprise. A successful author with whom I used to have lunch once every month or so used to start five novels for every one that he finished.

'What do your publishers say about that?' I asked.

'I don't tell them about the other four,' he said. 'They are just looking to feed the machine.'