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RARA-AVIS: Walt Sheldon
>From CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS. New Revision Series, Vol. 10. (Detroit:
Gale, 1983):
Walter J. Sheldon told CA: "Although I have written much
entertainment fiction out of a need for money, I have always
given it the best that's in me and have never done so contemptuously
or cynically. While I write, at least, I believe that what I'm creating
is really happening and take great pleasure in putting it together.
Much of my recent work has been assignment from publishers, including
the ghost-writing of three mystery novels by motion-picture celebrities
whose names cannot be mentioned here.
"I take pride in working fast and in delivering the goods
as promised. In recent years I have not attempted 'serious' fiction
because my philosophy is iconoclastic and very much out of agree-
ment with most who publish books--and read them. No space here for
an exegesis of that philosophy, but, broadly, it springs from the
general outlook of Ayn Rand and a conviction that most people today look
for magic in ideologies, superstitions, religions, and pseudo-sciences
instead of accepting the universe as it is and getting on with it.
"I rise early, write six to eight hours daily, getting a first
draft down as fast as I can, and then doing at least one revision,
sometimes more. The key to unlocking any story and making it move is
in creating characters. 'Writer's block' is a copout and comes only when
your subconscious--which is smarter than you are--realizes that what
you're doing has gotten off the track. When it comes, pause, reflect,
and look for character flaws. Back up a little, start again, and keep
going. The mark of a professional is that he turns out finished works,
not a series of promising beginnings."
I thought you would find this interesting. I had never heard of
Sheldon, but would not mind pursuing his novels at some point.
Richard King
rking@vunet.vinu.edu
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