Question of the Week
Question of the Week #70: Day Jobs
During this week in 1925 T.S. Eliot got a job at Faber and Faber publishers. Lots of authors had "day jobs." What would you imagine your favorite author's day job to be? (And feel free to share real author day jobs if you know them.)
Replies (10)
Posted by
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Chekhov was a doctor. Playwright Stuart Flack is a PR exec. Charlotte Bronte was a governess. Franz Kafka was a bureaucrat (naturally). Wm. Faulkner was a postmaster.
Apr 26, 2010 11:53 am
by pmilton -
Terry Pratchett writes so knowingly about University life and inter-office politics that until recently, I thought he had been a professor. I recently found out that he has been a journalist for most of his working life.
Douglas Adams had a series of odd jobs...hospital porter, bodyguard, and a cleaner of chicken sheds. In addition to his books, he also wrote for Monty Python's Flying Circus and Doctor Who (both favorite shows of mine).
Laura Ingalls Wilder worked as a schoolteacher, seamstress's assistant, and hatmaker's assistant for pay; although every day of her life she helped her family and later her husband run farms before she began writing.Apr 26, 2010 1:20 pm
by Xena13 -
Given what he said in "Walden", it seems ironic that Thoreau even had a day job!
Apr 27, 2010 10:11 am
by chardman -
I don't know if Dickens had a day job, but Ithink he would have made a great pastor.
Apr 27, 2010 10:37 am
by Mom1 -
Hi, Momt.
Dickens was a journalist! He was also widely admired for his speaking & performance skills (much like a pastor), & after leaving journalism, made money on reading tours. He drew huge crowds; on an American reading tour, crowds screamed for him & grabbed at his clothing (Beatles, anyone?) Peter Ackroyd has written two biographies about Dickens -- one ~200pp & the other 1100pp plus. They're worth looking at, if you're especially curious.
by melissarunnels -
My favorite author is Michael Lewis and has been for some time. I think he would have been a great artist...he captures with words the absolute "everything" in all of his articles, books, etc. He just might be able to use that same perception with paint on a canvas. If so, I would love to see his work.
Apr 27, 2010 5:24 pm
by salanjo -
I have so many favorite authors. Gosh, this is so difficult! I would have to say Danielle Steel.
I have often envision her day job to be an "Early Childhood school teacher." Her writing styles exude patience, love, and determination... all the qualities of such a teacher.Apr 28, 2010 12:37 pm
by sharls3js -
I just love Barbara Taylor Bradford's books she writes about family life - good and bad -so I guess she must be a great mom and a great observer of life. Pity that DailyLit doesnt have
any of her beautiful books.Apr 28, 2010 1:43 pm
by janaubs -
James Clavell. I would imagine his job probably to be a bank robber or a gangster...:) But probably on a professional level, an accountant or probably a professional boxer...
by SirHumanoid -
I don't know if Dickens had a day job, but Ithink he would have made a great pastor.
Apr 29, 2010 12:01 pm
by newhairmd12368