Wolfe's Advice That He Doesn't Take

Tom Wolfe is not known for writing short books. If anything, he is criticized at times for writing books that are too long for their own good. But his advice to writers who want to leave a long-lasting legacy is short and simple.

“Write short books.”

Wolfe cites John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men as a perfect example.

“If you want to live on in literary history, write short books. They’re the ones that get read in classrooms.”

Now, just try to find a short Tom Wolfe book.

You can learn more about John Steinbeck at the Steinbeck Center.

http://www.steinbeck.org

Learn more about Tom Wolfe in his online library.

http://www.tomwolfe.com/bio.html

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Eric D. Goodman is a full-time writer and editor. His work has appeared in local, national, and international publications, including a story in the current issue of The Baltimore Review. Eric’s novel in stories, TRACKS, is a finalist in round two of the First Chapters Writing Competition. Read and rate chapter two here.

Comments: 14

Jennifer St.Antoine Apr 10, 2007, 1:02pm EDT

How about Ambush at Fort Bragg? That one was pretty short... I guess it's more of a short story, though.

I'm just through the beginning of I Am CHarlotte Simmons, though, and I can definitely see where he could have shortened this one already!

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Diana Raabe Apr 10, 2007, 1:14pm EDT

That's interesting!

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Kimberly Ripley Apr 10, 2007, 1:41pm EDT

I haven't read Tom Wolfe in a long time. You've jostled my memory bank. I may need to make a trip to the bookstore.

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Larry H. Apr 10, 2007, 1:43pm EDT

thanks for sharing.

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Peter, who hasn't changed icons. That's Jason G. Apr 10, 2007, 2:12pm EDT

Bonfire of the Vanities was very, very good. I was associated with the movie, and it came out well. Otherwise, Wolfe is just a little too much of a surface-skimmer for my tastes.

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Elaine B. Apr 10, 2007, 2:24pm EDT

Thank you, Eric. I believe that short is better.

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Abbie H. Apr 10, 2007, 3:29pm EDT

thanks for the info. something i have to think about

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Ernie (Author of DESTINY OF THE DIVAS) Johnson Apr 10, 2007, 3:31pm EDT

I'm for short books, but then again I have to admit, there are times when a short book just don't cut it. My novel Destiny of the Divas, coming out in August of this year, is 96,000 words, but it had to be to tell the entire story as it needed to be told. I had an agent tell me to shorten in by 25,000 words and I told the agent where to go. Take 25,000 words out of my book then the story is only partially complete. I guess it just depends on how much needs to be told to move the story from point A to point B.

That's my input.

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Karolyn Q. Apr 10, 2007, 5:25pm EDT

Interesting article. Thank you for sharing.

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Gordon Swanson Apr 10, 2007, 6:20pm EDT

Tom Wolfe doesn't need to care what people think any more. I think he just writes for his own enjoyment now. I am not sure if writting made Tom or his way of dressing and living. He started wearing white clothes and being different in High School ,listening to my wife that was in school one grade under him.

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John Philipp Apr 10, 2007, 7:42pm EDT

Then there was the famous quote from an author [I forget whom] who said regarding a novel that he was going to make it a short story but he didn't have the time-short being much harder to write well.

SPEAKING OF short stories, I just posted one called "Marycats." [http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976954528]

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