The Myth of the Solitary Writer

Almost everyone I know is familiar with the myth of the solitary writer.  There's this mistaken notion that all writers live in complete solitude, cut off from the world.  Some people even believe this is the reason why some writers choose their profession: they like being alone.  I always imagine them thinking about some kind of writing monastery out in the middle of a nondescript forest where writers sit in front of typewriters in their isolated rooms, clothed in brown robes, writing by candlelight.

Well, this really isn't the case.  True, a lot of writers are introverts by nature.  Yes, a great many of us are quirky in our own unique ways.  However, a writer cannot live a life of complete isolation.  We're not all J.D. Salinger, even though he didn't really live as much of an isolated life as people would have you think.

The first thing wrong with the idea of the solitary writer is the notion that writing is a fairly straightforward activity.  People seem to think that you write a novel and then a fairy waves her magic wand and BAM! Your book is in every bookstore and people are clambering to read it.  God, how every writer wishes this were the case, myself included.

In reality, it takes years to even get an agent to give your manuscript a passing glance.  There are very few authors who see their work published before they're in their thirties, unless of course they come from a prestigious publishing background (nepotism, the ultimate advantage).  There's a joke among writers: you need an agent to get a publisher and you need a publisher to get an agent.  Sadly, this is much more accurate than most people realize.

After you get an agent, if you succeed in getting one, said agent has to shop your book around.  I'm not sure how long it takes to find a publisher because I have yet to get an agent, but I assume it's a long time.  After this, you have to promote your book by doing readings, interviews, etc.

That's publishing today, but even way back when, when literature was still art instead of popular culture, writers did not lead solitary lives.  When I mention this, I think of times long past when groups of artists would get together and just hang out.  I think of the writers in Paris in the 20s, like Hemingway and Stein.  Or Simone de Beauvoir and her lovers and acquaintances.  The Algonquin Round Table, which I dream of bringing back.  Even Emily Dickinson, arguably one of the most secluded writers of all time, had a few friends and acquaintances.  To me, a writer is like any other artist: philosophical, sensual, and human.

De Beauvoir: a woman everyone should admire

Being human means needing other people.  Human beings are social animals, which means that we do need other people.  This doesn't mean we're all wired to be social butterflies, but even introverts do need some kind of human connection.  Whether it's family or friends, we need social connection.  To live a life of complete solitude is impossible.

Myself, I'm an introvert by nature.  I confide in a select few people and live mostly in solitude.  The few people that are in my life, though, are the most important people in my life and I hold them close.  For many years, I didn't have friends per say.  I had maybe one or two in high school, but I've never been an extrovert by any stretch of the imagination.  I think this is probably because more than anything, I desire intellect.  Throughout my academic career I've been described as an old soul, going as far back as my elementary years.  Since then, I've come to notice that most writers can be described as such.  However, there's also a kind of playfulness to them, a childlike gleam in their eyes.  It's the sign of insatiable curiosity, a trait they need throughout their life.

So the solitary writer is a myth, but an endearing one.  It is probably still popular because of the romanticism and mystique it gives the art of writing.  Personally, I think writers kind of like that.