In 2021, there were approximately 85,300 writers and authors working in the UK, and over 49,400 working in the United States, reports market research firm Statista.
Who among these thousands of authors and all writers of our time will stand the test of time and remain popular and perhaps be quoted in years to come? How would a writer achieve eternal fame? And can literary fame be predicted?
Literary fame is unpredictable
In 1929, The Manchester Guardian (known currently as The Guardian) ran a poll to find out from its readers the “novelists who may be read in 2029.” Sitting at the top of the summit of popularity was novelist and playwright John Galsworthy with 1,180 votes, followed by H. G. Wells (933), then Arnold Bennett (654), Rudyard Kipling (455), and J. M. Barrie (286). John Galsworthy, an Englishman, received world-wide recognition for his writing and was awarded the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Nearly a century later, it turned out that the prediction was wrong. Today all these novelists are relatively unknown or unpopular despite achieving universally recognized awards. The Manchester Guardian Poll raises questions: Why would some writers achieve eternal fame and not others? Why would writers who are very popular in their time lose their fame? And does the 1929 poll mean that, unlike the economy, science, and politics, literary fame is unpredictable?
To answer the questions, we have to look back in time and analyze ways writers get fame.
Literary awards
Literary awards are certainly crucial in today’s publishing world. Prestigious literary prizes make news headlines, stimulate public interest, and increase the sales of books. They provide valuable publicity for the authors. Literary awards, in fact, can turn an unknown writer into a star overnight.
Despite all the positives associated with these awards, there are also negatives. One of the disadvantages of literary prizes is the fact that authors are writing to please a book award committee, rather than to spread the message of love, tolerance, peace, and serve humanity.
Literary prizes have always sparked controversy. Their validity has always been questioned as the criteria to determine books’ merits are subjective. For example, how can five judges decide the best book of the year without reading every book of the year?
While some lucky authors can apply for the award, others may never get the chance to enter the contest due to the tough nomination and selection processes. And how can the judges’ decision be right when we know that submitting the same books to different panels will result in different outcomes and winners?
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In addition to all that, literary awards offer no guarantee that the fame they create will last. Today, not many readers know the authors who won the Nobel prize in literature in the thirties, forties, fifties, or even nineties. But, who has not heard of William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, or Jean-Paul Sartre who stood the test of time without winning a prestigious prize? The proliferation of awards and the negatives mentioned above raise questions: For how long will literary awards survive before their inevitable death? And when will the world start searching for more credible and more realistic alternatives to replace them?
Social networks
Internet fame continuously makes the front page. New authors find fame online, attracting followers and engagement. The quantity of social media platforms that help new writers is almost unlimited. They give the writers the opportunity to reach audiences and expand their global readership. They create an engaging space, helping them to interact with their readers who become “their friends.” They help them promote their books. They are also a lucrative way to gain access to international markets and sell their books.
With the emergence of social media, literature is no longer controlled by industry elites. Anybody and everyone can write, contribute to world literature and reach a global audience.
A new study shows that social networks are a more reliable predictor of fame. The study, published by Columbia Business School and reported by Artsy, the research paper ‘The Art of Fame,’ found that: “Those individuals who possessed a diverse set of personal friends and professional contacts from different industries were statistically more likely to become famous.”
Universal appeal
Authors can write about anything in the universe. However, judging by history, great works of literature are focused on universal topics that are of interest to more people in the world than others. Themes of death, life, war, peace, hate, love, pain, lust, and revenge can all catch readers’ attention. They touch readers from a wide range of backgrounds. They appeal to multiple age groups.
Today, the works of Charles Dickens still grab the attention of modern-day readers because his themes are all present even in modern life. Times change and the language evolves, but the situations, emotions, and essence survive centuries. They travel from generation to generation, reflecting people’s lives. This is “why the world still loves Charles Dickens” says the BBC, adding, “Of all the famous Victorian authors, Charles Dickens retains a place in public affections throughout the world, and Americans adore him as if he were their own. Perhaps this is because Dickens wrote from the heart; he wrote about emotions and situations that people still identify with today. Although the English language has changed since Dickens’ time, the essence of his storytelling remains as relevant as it was in the 19th Century.”
The ability to inspire
Likewise, history teaches us that great works of literature are the ones that can inspire others. Great writers are those who can inspire other writers, not just in their own time but also the ones who come afterward. Their influence can last for decades or even centuries. This influence increases their chances of becoming eternal.
Authors do not necessarily achieve eternal fame through famous books. They can also inspire generations through their power of words and thoughts. Powerful literary quotes can survive centuries reminding every generation of their authors. Hamlet’s iconic quote “to be or not to be” has lived on for centuries. Unlike books that can contain hundreds of pages, quotations are a simple way to convey an idea. They are concise, interesting, intriguing, and above all memorable. These quotes serve the purpose of supporting an argument.
Books, including those written by famous authors, may sit unread on forgotten shelves, attracting dust rather than readers’ attention. Memorable literature quotes can stand the test of time, fascinating and inspiring people generation after generation.
As the pace of life accelerates, people are more likely to know authors through short, inspiring quotes than long, time-consuming books.
The Guardian’s poll shows that, unlike economic forecasts, literary fame can be hard to predict. But this prediction is not entirely impossible. Noted Howard Marks, “The key to dealing with the future lies in knowing where you are, even if you can’t know precisely where you’re going.”
History taught us that writers can pass the test of time without winning any awards as evidenced by Shakespeare, Jane Austin, and Charles Dickens, to name a few. History also taught us through the 1929 Guardian’s poll experience that being very popular in a particular period does not guarantee eternal fame. And we now know through John Galsworthy’s experience that winning a prestigious prize does not guarantee eternal fame.
By knowing where the writers stand, the themes they integrate into their works, and the level of influence they have on others, we certainly stand a good chance of predicting who is more likely to stand the test of time.
