On a Saturday last March, I joined more than 50 other authors peddling their books at a book fair near St. Paul, MN. For six hours we sat at our tables hoping for customers. In Rosemount, which claims an Irish heritage, maybe a lot of the locals instead were wreaking havoc at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in St. Paul.
With relatively few customers, we had a lot of time to chat with literary colleagues. It’s interesting to hear some of their stories, and what motivates them to write. The underlying motivations, of course, are the innate human desire to connect with others, the urge to create, and fulfill a need for self-expression. Many seem to tie their efforts with greater themes and causes outside themselves. Hearing someone’s personal story is fine if it connects to a greater meaning, or an experience with which others can relate.
I enjoyed seeing and chatting with a former co-worker. Her award-winning non-fiction book tells about the joys of hand-written letters. Check out: Please Write: Find joy and meaning in the soulful art of handwritten letters, by Lynne Kolze. Another former colleague had a full table of his books of humor about life Up North. Appreciating the lost art of handwriting, and recalling enjoyable times Up North, I found them interesting and worthwhile.
I am drawn to such books that offer some ‘meaning’ or ‘substance’ compared with some of the goofy science fiction and fantasy stuff. Perhaps my bias comes from my own lack of imagination. My bias may be subsiding, however, influenced by a book that I’m currently reading, Philosophy and Fiction, by Schuy R. Weishaar. There can be truth and meaning in fantasy stories as well. The list of important books in the previous essay includes Charlotte’s Web and Stranger in a Strange Land. And Weishaar writes about H.G. Wells and The Time Machine. I appreciated the Hunger Games for social and political comment.
Whatever the genre, authors addressing social issues exhibit several characteristics. I found one good description in an excellent book from my college days, Creativity and Personal Freedom, by Frank Barron. I still recall reading it long ago, and the feeling of his maxim: Create to be free. One section addresses authors. Who are they? The book lists characteristics and concerns of writers addressing social issues:
- A quest for ultimate meanings.
- Elected to and have accepted the office.
- Listen to the voice within and speak out.
- Concerned with philosophical problems, e.g., religion, politics, government.
- Values, the meaning of life.
My own addendum includes curiosity, intellect, and openness.
Getting back to the list of important books 1950-1970, I highlight two authors who certainly fit that description. Previously, I had not known about Ralph Ellison, whose novel Invisible Man in 1952 addressed social and intellectual issues faced by African Americans in the early 20th Century. Who knows, maybe it had something to do with social change seen in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954? And I am impressed by his use of a first-person narrator, who does not have a name.
I am encouraged and inspired by one of Ellison’s quotes: “A novel (is) a raft of hope, perception and entertainment that might help keep us afloat as we try to negotiate the snags and whirlpools that mark our nation’s vacillating course toward and away from the democratic ideal.” How true that is today!
Another author on the list, Rachel Carson, was driven to speak out about the damage to the natural environment from indiscriminate use of pesticides. She faced fierce opposition and harassment from the chemical industry, harming her career. But in 1962 Silent Spring swayed public opinion leading to the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1970.
One thing missing from the list of things that motivates authors: Making a lot of money. It’s certainly motivation, but if you hope to make money right from the start, you’d better have a day job. Making money would be nice, but for most obscure, sincere authors, the ‘create to be free’ stuff gives the most reward. – (Sept. 19, 2024. No. 9 in initial Words on Paper series)
Photo: Authors at Rosemount Book Festival
Next: Challenging challenging books. Banned books.
Thanks!
Forrest
