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My Grandfather Was A Famous Novelist
I discovered the secret to his success
My Grandfather was a famous novelist. And my hero.
Grandpa had the enviable ability to produce three novels per year. His publisher loved him, as did his fans. People often asked him how he was able to write so consistently. His standard response was, “Writing is actually quite easy. It is ideas that are hard. Once I have an idea for a book, the writing flows. Fortunately, I have been blessed with plenty of good ideas.”
He made it sound easy, but where did his ideas come from? Why did he have such a fantastic imagination?
My imagination was not so cooperative. I got the occasional good idea and could write quickly once I did, but I struggled to come up with good ideas. Too many of my story ideas were pedestrian or derivative, so I had little success as a novelist.
When Grandpa passed, my parents and I had the task of cleaning out his house and preparing it for sale. It was a significant endeavor. It seemed like every wall was lined with books. I often wonder how Grandpa had time to read and still write so prolifically.
After a good month of attacking the task, all that was left was the attic. Fortunately, there wasn’t much up there, just some Christmas decorations, a few boxes of…
