Putting pen to paper is natural; everyone can write. Writing, however, is a skill only a few people have mastered. Statista shows there has been a rapid increase in the number of writers and authors in America. The rise in writing talent is because of:
- The looming unemployment crisis
- Passion and talent
- Career diversification
Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
Forbes magazine highlights writing as a lucrative business. James Patterson, for instance, is a thriller author. He made $94 million in 2012 because of specializing in the thriller niche.
Many Californian writers have also followed suit in the name of making money. But only a handful has left its mark in the industry. The most prolific writers today own published content, given they:
A passion for reading books
Reading is a passion. It improves a writer’s vocabulary. Book warming also arms the author with the right skills. These techniques help in creating readable content. You only have to make reading your hobby.
Adapt to change fast
Writing is one large industry. It, however, evolves every other day because of technology and innovation. But just like fortune, content writing favors the bold. It is only open-minded authors that succeed. They venture into uncharted territory and take advantage of the opportunities first.
Have no greed for money
Content gurus never write for wealth or fame. They follow both dream and passion. The burning desire helps them craft the best articles money cannot buy. To them, cash is a reward for a job well done.
Pay attention to detail
The best authors keep vigil when writing. They ensure every sentence and paragraph makes sense to the reader. Superb writers also proofread their work. They eliminate fluff, grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and plagiarism. An outstanding writer can only publish a perfected piece of art.
Thrive on clarity
Outstanding writers have a gift. They make complex ideas palatable to the average Joe. Not even the densest subject can defeat such a writer.
As you can see, the best authors in California are more than immortals. They include the likes of:
- Frank Bidart
He is one of the most decorated poets in American history. Aged 80, Frank is famous for being the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Bidart has also won the Bollingen Prize in Poetry and the National Book Award. It is because of Frank’s Metaphysical Dog poems he ranks among the best authors in California.
- Rebecca Solnit
Born in 1961, Rebecca Solnit is now one of the top-rated authors in America. But Solnit is not your typical writer. She is a woman of steel who focuses on art, politics, feminism, and the environment. Some of her notable editorials include the River of Shadows, A Paradise Built in Hell, and Men Explain Things to Me. Rebecca is also an editor. She now works for Harper’s Magazine where she contributes content for the “Easy Chair” segment. It is beyond the shadow of a doubt that Solnit is an excellent author.
- Fred Moten
The 57-year-old poet develops reading material on complicated topics. Fred is not only a university professor of performance studies but also a legend. He gets esteemed for creating Hughson’s Tavern, In the Break: The Aesthetics of the Black Radical Tradition, The Feel Trio, and The Little Edges. Moten’s poems mostly touch on African-American culture.
- Tracy K Smith
Tracy is a highly accomplished poet and educator. Aged 47, Smith is famous for being a recipient to the Cave Canem Prize, Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and James Laughlin Award. She has published four poetry collections in her lifetime, with her most notable piece being Life on Mars. Tracy’s prowess in writing poems, however, has not gone unnoticed. The Harvard and Columbia University alumnus recently served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States, a position only given to the best authors in the country.
- Dave Eggers
Dave is the real deal. He is not only a writer and editor but also a publisher. The 1970 born author is famous for writing a bestselling memoir titled – A heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Eggers centers on postmodern literature, new sincerity, and post-postmodern topics. Above all, Dave is a philanthropist. He matches students in need of tuition fees with donors through his ScholarMatch program.
- Joan Didion
Joan brings a ton of experience to the table. Didion, who is now 84 years old, is a superb essayist, novelist, and memoir writer. The writer has crafted a lot of reading material on California’s beauty and dark side. Some of the pieces Joan has authored include The Year of Magical Thinking, Play It As It Lays, and Slouching Towards Bethlehem. But her efforts have not been in vain. Didion received the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2012. Joan also appeared on a Netflix documentary in 2017.
- Maggie Nelson
The theory, memoir, poetry, and non-fiction writer gets celebrated for her recent piece, The Argonauts. At age 46, Nelson is proud to have won the: MacArthur Fellowship, Creative Capital Literature Fellowship, NEA Fellowship in poetry, Guggenheim Fellowship in Nonfiction, National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Andy Warhol Foundation/Creative Capital Arts Writers Grant.
Summation
Research shows that the number of Californian writers keeps on rising by the minute. The industry is getting crowded with more quacks than experts, hence the dwindling population of published authors.
Most wordsmiths are after wealth and fame and are affecting the writing industry without any realization. They are spending less time on research and editing hence the spike in low-quality output. But that does not mean all Californian writers are bad.
Some have mastered the art of coining superb poems, memoirs, articles, and books from scratch. They derive their strength from passion, resilience, and excellent research skills. Authors like Frank Bidart and Joan Didion have paved the way for the young writers.
You only have to follow in their footsteps and achieve your goals. The bottom line is that change begins and ends in the mind. It is only you, therefore, who can determine which direction your writing career will take.
