You can be good AND successful, Thom Jones for example is one of those rare artists in that he is great, successful and alive, all at the same time.

I’m not familiar with all your stuff but I love what I have seen. Sometimes I fucking hate you for being a cooler writer than I am, I sit there with my pointy fists clenched grinding my busted teeth, thinking to mysef “why the fuck didn’t I come up with that”.
But that’s the way it is with real art, as with life, you can’t let things get in the way or you’ll just go out and jump off of the fucking bridge.

If I had to define it in one word I’d say “perseverance” is the key. Ya gotta keep going to that shitty job, Keep eating shitty food, keep your belief in yourself and keep working at your art.

I will just say this though. I have noticed a distinct shift in the content of my own work since I cut down on my drinking, and that doesn’t mean it’s for the good ?

Of course you could say that this is simply a manifestation of my jealousy. After years of writing “semi-pro” without becoming wealthy and buying a small remote French farmhouse, from which I’d ship off my latest best seller.

I do personally know several “successful” writers, some of whom are close friends some simply acquaintances. They are united by a single trait – each one holds the belief that their own fecal matter bears no aroma.