Famous, yet unknown

I had to let her know that the reason she'd never heard of me was because I was famous.

Neal Stephenson, Some Remarks

The wonderful line above actually makes perfect sense.

Neal Stephenson tells of attending a writers' conference and being approached by a prominent literary novelist who had never heard of him. Making small talk, she asked where he taught. So many literary writers like herself teach at universities to supplement their incomes. When he said he didn't teach, she then asked what he did to support himself. He told her that he just wrote for a living, and she was shocked. How was it possible she had never heard of a writer who can make a living by writing?

The answer, of course, is that he is a popular writer, a famous writer. Many people buy his books, unlike the books of most literary writers like herself. He writes science fiction, a genre she totally ignores, but many people love. She sells books by the hundreds, or perhaps dozens. He sells books by the thousands and makes a decent living. She must teach so she can write on the side. He just writes.

Dante Alighieri

It has always been this way. Stephenson makes a distinction between what he calls Beowulf books and Dante books, suggesting just how long this division of literature has been going on. Dante, like so many great artists, depended on a wealthy patron for support. Beowulf is a collection of popular tales that didn't need a patron.

This division continues in the literary world to this day. Those who write for the masses, those who write best-sellers, can often support themselves, often very well, with their writing. The likes of C.J. Box, James Patterson, Harlen Coben, Danielle Steel and Stephen King do not need to take second jobs. Most readers recognize their names, but they might be strangers if they attended certain literary events.

Meanwhile, literary writers earn praise in literary journals and get reviews in The New York Times, but to feed their families they must teach creative writing somewhere, or perhaps take a job selling insurance or marry someone else with a job.