Could you be a writer? Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize for Literature, but she struggled with self-doubt and came close to giving up.
Conjuror of love, hate and desire dies at 92
Could you be a writer? Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize for Literature, but she struggled with self-doubt and came close to giving up.
People often think that writers' lives are glamorous. Ernest Hemingway hunting game in Africa, for example, or F Scott Fitzgerald getting drunk in Paris. Even when these lives end in tragedy - such as those of the writers Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf - they still became the subjects of feature films.
In fact, problems such as drinking and depression make writing much more difficult. That is perhaps why some of the most important writers have the quietest lives.
Alice Munro was the perfect example. The Nobel Prize-winning Canadian author died this week at the age of 92. According to the judges of that prize, her short stories showed "how much of the extraordinary can fit into that jam-packed emptiness called The Ordinary".1
Munro's life was never glamorous. Her early years were spent as a housewife, writing short stories in between cooking, cleaning and caring for her children. These stories were admired by critics, but her publishers kept pressuring her to write novels, which caused so much anxiety that she suffered from ulcers and writer's block.
Her stories are mostly about people living in the towns and suburbs of Canada. Although the plots are surprising and the structure daring, Munro's subject matter draws on everyday experiences. She describes people's lives as "dull, simple, amazing, unfathomable".2
Following Munro's death, many writers have praised her work. But they have also praised her modest and dedicated example. They argue that this is a more realistic version of a writer's life than the small number of authors who become celebrities.
For example, Munro did not use social media. She rarely attended literary events, or commented on current affairs. She spent most of her life in the Canadian provinces and died not far from where she was born. Despite winning many prizes, she was little known outside literary circles, with fame coming late in her career.
According to Sheila Heti, another celebrated Canadian novelist, Munro understood that writing was "the humble craft of putting your opinions and ego aside and letting something be said through you".3
However, others might argue that Munro's career would be impossible today. Writers have to publicise themselves, whether through networking at literary events or by using social media. They also have to write in different styles and genres - nobody can make a living off short stories alone.
Either way, Alice Munro shows that even the most celebrated writers struggle with self-doubt and professional insecurity. If you want money, or adventure, or a large number of friends and colleagues, writing is probably not the right job for you.
But Munro also shows that you can write interesting books without necessarily having an interesting life. Her stories are about paying close attention to the people that everyone else overlooks. From these simple ingredients, she explored the biggest themes - love and loss, hope and regret. So the material for great literature can be found anywhere and everywhere.
Could you be a writer?
Yes: Alice Munro showed that the most important thing for a writer to do is to devote themselves to their craft, despite self-doubt or failure. Money, fame, and literary parties are all just distractions.
No: A career like Alice Munro's would be impossible today, because writers have to create a public presence if they want anyone to publish their work. The myth of the isolated genius is long gone.
Or... Alice Munro shows that great literature can be written about even the smallest lives. You do not need lots of experience to write well, just the ability to notice what other people miss.
Conjuror of love, hate and desire dies at 92
