15 Fad Books You Probably Forgot About

Like pretty much anything else out there, literature still winds up enslaved to fads and trends, some positive, some negative, and others entirely neutral. A few of the fads books out there still deserve academic and mainstream attention that, for some reason or another, fizzled when some other shiny read ambled on into the bookish sphere. Some probably never should've wasted valuable publishing resources in the first place, but at least give snarky Internet writers fodder. The following represent some, but by no means all, examples of faddish reads from across the quality spectrum.

1. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

   Credit card debt doesn't seem so sexy and glamorous ten years later, does it? Sophie Kinsella's gushing love letter to rampant, irresponsible materialism (and, of course, the joys of manipulating a major rich hottie to pay it all off) is best left in the previous decade, a far safer locale than the recycling bin where it truly belongs!

2. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

   Unlike all the other fad books listed here, this one's notoriety drew readers stricken with schadenfreude rather than any genuine interest. Once an Oprah's Book Club selection, meaning thousands upon thousands immediately flocked to it because a celebrity said so, A Million Little Pieces eventually fell to, well, a million little pieces when it turned out the author just made everything up, which obviously only causes controversy if the book in question is marketed as NONFICTION.

3. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

   Even though 1997's "it" novel Memoirs of a Geisha finally received the coveted film treatment in 2005 (starring a Chinese woman, because of course it did), the medium shift failed to renew any significant interest in the source material. Interestingly enough, unlike A Million Little Pieces, Memoirs of a Geisha was always intended as pure fiction, despite the title. Funny how that works.

4. The Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin

   Despite the movie, television show, dizzying array of spinoffs, and doll series, the ladies (and one boundary-busting gentleman) of the BSC remain largely unknown to today's adolescents and their sparkly vampires and whatnot. Kristy and the gang enjoyed a good decade on the shelves of engaged readers, making their reign last significantly longer than the average fad.

5. Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Robert Atkins

   Yeah, yeah. Diet books should probably count as cheating since they could easily fill this entire list, but since they're still publications, they totally qualify. Here's a hint for anyone trying to drop some weight: If a guide touts itself as "revolutionary," chances are it's actually anything but. Although being able to eat nothing but delicious meat certainly tempts any non-vegetarians out there…

6. The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach

   The Official Preppy Handbook was to the 1980s what The Hipster Handbook eventually became to the 2000s: an acidic, satirical analysis of a popular subculture that spawned numerous wannabes. Despite its largely forgotten status (though its legacy lives on in the aforementioned spiritual successor by Robert Lanham), the book completely deserves a read through; preppies still exist, after all!

7. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

   Most people these days still talk about David Fincher's superb adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's debut novel (and rightly so!), but how many even remember that it was a book in the first place? Beyond the opening credits, of course. Although the author's subsequent publications vary from the equally evocative to the face-palmingly frustrating, Fight Club stands among his most essential reads.

8. He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Lisa Tuccillo

   Whether this bang-your-head-into-the-wall stupid dating guide could be thought of as more misandrist or misogynist is kind of like figuring out how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop: the world may never know. Considering its vomitous, eye-rolling over-reliance on arbitrary gender roles and standards (not to mention unfair demonization of shy, polite men who may not always return phone calls), society certainly benefits from the book phasing into obscurity. Here's hoping it stays that way, with any potential popularity resurgence as purely ironic in nature.

9. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

   With its quirky, twisted, and shamelessly postmodern structure, heavily experimental author Mark Z. Danielewski's first novel seemed an unlikely candidate for mainstream fervor, however fascinating it might be. Most of House of Leaves' contemporary obscurity stems from the author's seemingly under-the-radar existence, with little activity beyond publishing three subsequent books, rather than a lack of talent or effectiveness.

10. White Teeth by Zadie Smith

    Like Mark Z. Danielewski, Zadie Smith never failed to live up to her literary promise, she just appears to prefer staying low-key after initially blowing up. Time named this novel one of the best released between 1923 and 2005, yet few beyond the most ardent bibliophiles have even heard of (much less read) it these days. A shame!

11. Pretty much anything by Horatio Alger

    The vast majority of readers old and young today probably have no idea who this author even is, but in the 19th century, his narratives of industrious Americans were the cat's pajamas-clad bee's-knees. Modern audiences might cringe at the blatant pandering, formulaic plot lines, and stock characters, but back in the day Horatio Alger earned the Gilded Age zeitgeist's affections.

12. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

    Despite sitting firmly on bookstore shelves labeled "FICTION," an epidemic of The Da Vinci Code fever plagued American audiences when readers (egged on by Dan Brown himself, of course) started touting the conspiracy theories it posited as TOTALLY THE VERY REAL HIDDEN TRUTH ABOUT ART HISTORY AND THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, YOU GUYS!!! Seeing as how Y2K failed to deliver three years earlier, the paranoid had to latch onto something to satiate themselves. Apparently the poorly-written adventures of a blandly perfect protagonist and his blandly perfect attempts at deciphering (fake) art history proved a worthwhile outlet.

13. The Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal

    Sweet Valley High always stood as the trashy alternative to Babysitter's Club for adolescents too young to pick up Jacqueline Susann's kitschy classic Valley of the Dolls. Neither series holds up terribly well into adulthood, but those lucky enough to remember them these days probably hold some rightfully fond memories all the same.

14. The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston

    People somewhere must still stick with this fad strategy stemming from a fad book, because South Beach Diet frozen meals are still sold today. But that doesn't change the fact that its time in the media spotlight has already passed over in favor of the next sexy way to temporarily lose weight. Wasn't it replaced by that lemon juice and chili powder one or something?

15. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

    Oh, sure, the movie adaptation significantly improved sales of The Help, and it seems like anyone who isn't already nose-deep in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been checking out the narrative of a plucky white journalist and her anti-racist action. Yay and all that. But history shows that few are really going to go pick it up (or even give one fig) once the film's hype eventually winds down.

20 Creative Geniuses Who Were Also Mentally Ill

Both serious academics and pop psychologists appear preoccupied over finding definitive links between mental illness and influential, brilliant creative output, with floods of studies attempting to make sense of it all. Whether or not such a connection genuinely exists, of course, will probably remain in the theoretical realm for the foreseeable future. One can certainly alter the course of human achievement without any sign of mental illness or distress. And, despite unfortunate, prevailing stigmas often painting those with psychiatric concerns as incompetent or incapable of accomplishing much of anything to their fullest potential, it is entirely possible to exist as both a genius and a troubled individual. Without the following thinkers, mankind would end up denied some incredible insight into the elations and despairs inherent to existence. To condemn them for the pain so many were both with — or conditioned into by external circumstances — is, in some ways, to condemn the species itself.

1. Vincent van Gogh

   Probably more than any other influential, creative mind in history, renowned painter Vincent van Gogh is so often cited as the quintessential troubled artist. His tragic life ended in suicide at age 37, and experts continue debating what diagnosis afflicted him; bipolar disorder, complications from epilepsy, or schizophrenia remain the most popular candidates. According to his correspondence, van Gogh experienced at least two major depressive episodes, followed by intensely innovative periods.

2. Sylvia Plath

   Lauded for her deeply personal writings, much of this great American poet's oeuvre illustrated the very real suffering she experienced as a result of bipolar disorder. Semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar pulled from Sylvia Plath's own personal experiences with self-mutilation, suicide attempts, depression, insomnia, paranoia, and other manifestations of her diagnosis. Following a grim suicide, her work eventually became integral in helping mainstream readers better understand how mental illness impacts patients.

3. Ludwig van Beethoven

   Psychology was not exactly a cohesive discipline in Ludwig van Beethoven's time, of course, but that doesn't stop contemporary professionals from analyzing his personal letters and other writings. The brilliant composer admitted to harboring suicidal thoughts, and some experts believe his cycles between crippling depression and wildly fertile creativity signaled bipolar disorder. Other theories posit that a history of physical abuse at the hands of his alcoholic father, which may have instigated his eventual deafness, left him traumatized and troubled in perpetuity.

4. Martin Ramirez

   Fans of art history and The New York Times both consider Martin Ramirez's collages and drawings some of the most essential examples of Art Brut (or "outsider art") ever. During his three decades in a California mental health facility, he produced hundreds of pieces, attracting attention for particularly showstopping line work. The completely self-taught Ramirez lived with schizophrenia, although debates continue waging over whether or not it held any significant influence over his eventual oeuvre.

5. Virginia Woolf

   Virginia Woolf likely experienced bipolar disorder during an era when medical professionals proved poorly equipped to deal with the symptoms and presentations. Writing offered one of her only solaces for channeling the transitions between suicidal depression and overwhelming elation, as her doctors preferred isolationist bed rest worsening the condition. Unfortunately, the solution eventually drove the modernist author to drown herself as a means of quelling the emotional and physical torment stemming from both her diagnosis and the loneliness of the main treatment option.

6. Elliott Smith

   A history of abuse as a child — details of which neither friends nor family will disclose — drove this influential, introspective singer-songwriter to depression, substance abuse, and suicide. In all likelihood, his heavy heroin usage acted as a means of alleviating both the lingering trauma and resulting descent into despair; even after jettisoning the habit, though, Elliott Smith's music garnered acclaim for its honest depiction of wrenching emotional (and physiological) pain. From a Basement on a Hill currently stands as one of the scene's most earnest albums exploring the internal struggles of the not-so-willingly alienated.

7. Eugene O'Neill

   Depression ran in this Pulitzer and Nobel-winning playwright's family, afflicting at least both parents, a brother, and even his children, two of whom eventually killed themselves. Eugene O'Neill himself grappled against alcoholism in response to the condition, to the point he attempted suicide and spent a stint in the hospital. Adding to the tragedy, a misdiagnosis of Parkinson's Disease (which was more than likely late-onset cerebellar cortical atrophy in reality) meant he ended up ingesting drugs that did nothing for his increasing physiological pain, including tremors and brain shrinkage, which exacerbated his mental health in turn.

8. Michelangelo Buonarroti

   Literal Renaissance man Michelangelo Buonarroti garnered almost as much fame for his nasty temper and antisocial tendencies as his genuinely breathtaking sculptures, paintings/frescoes, architecture, and (to a lesser extent) poetry. Along with severe knee, kidney, and bladder issues plaguing him for much of his existence, the brilliant artist's output features a common melancholic, sometimes defeatist or fatalistic, theme. Obviously, at this point one cannot present a definitive diagnosis, though mental health professionals believe first-person accounts of his erratic behavior reveal a man with bipolar disorder, clinical depression, or both.

9. Brian Wilson

   Regardless of one's opinion regarding surf, pop, and psychedelic rock, nobody will deny that The Beach Boys left a significant impression on the music industry; frontman Brian Wilson typically earns most of the credit for their widespread success. A mélange of drug use, depression, and schizoaffective disorder plagued him with hallucinations, paranoia, bouts of overeating, and stints in bed sometimes lasting months on end. These days, Wilson does not shy away from detailing his experiences, hoping that the honesty will help others come to terms with their own mental health struggles.

10. Amy Tan

    The Joy Luck Club still sits on English class syllabi across the nation, and for good reason; few novels delve so deeply into the oft-marginalized experiences of Chinese-American women with such deft insight. Author Amy Tan hails from a family plagued with depression and suicide, and when symptoms of the former started creeping in, she panicked to the point she denied herself valuable treatment. But once everything grew almost entirely unbearable, Tan courageously entered psychotherapy and started on a Zoloft regimen that met her personal needs.

11. Edvard Munch

    Even individuals largely uninterested in the art world still know expressionist masterpiece "The Scream" through pop cultural osmosis (or, at least, news regarding a plethora of thefts and theft attempts!); artist Edvard Munch's entire body of work encompasses some truly amazing paintings, drawings, prints, and etchings beyond that, of course. Growing increasingly hermitic as time ticked forward, he oftentimes found himself crunched beneath despair due to his own poor health, losing his mother and sister at an early age, an emotionally estranged father, frustration with the art scene, and a mounting obsession with death. Anxiety and depression, as one can imagine, fueled some of his most powerful, memorable images — including his most famous piece.

12. Kurt Vonnegut

    One of America's most beloved 20th century wits fell into such a heavy state of depression for a time — to the point he ditched his celebrated writing career almost entirely. Breakfast of Champions marked his emergence from the period, and Kurt Vonnegut also followed it up by openly talking about everything the experience entailed with the hopes of promoting mental illness de-stigmatization. Part of him, however, always thought that some degree of melancholia was absolutely essential in cobbling together literary masterpieces.

13. Frida Kahlo

    For much of her troubled life, Frida Kahlo found herself forced to live with a staggering array of neurological, physical, and mental conditions; almost all ended up depicted in her art with the raw honesty that landed her a laudable spot in history. Decades-long battles with immense physiological pain eventually led her to start relying on increasingly heavy painkillers to dull the depression, which in turn stoked suicidal thoughts, especially after her art began declining in quality. She died of a pulmonary embolism instead of her own hand, but her masterpieces remain among the world's most effective, evocative creative depictions of pain ever produced.

14. Woody Allen

    Anyone who's ever sat down with a Woody Allen film probably wouldn't be surprised to find out about his ongoing fight against depression, nor the fact that he uses comedy as a coping mechanism. The roles he assigns himself grow organically from his own perspectives, flaws, and experiences, serving as both self-assessment and an effective glimpse into how anxiety comes to shape a patient's life. Movies, however, do not offer the only creative solace — he has also written extensively about depression and anxiety, usually with a splash of his signature humor.

15. Philip K. Dick

    Drug abuse, particularly hallucinogens, and mental illness involving visions (more than likely schizophrenia exacerbated by rampant LSD usage) almost singlehandedly kickstarted the entire cyberpunk genre. One of pioneer Philip K. Dick's seminal novels, VALIS, exists solely because of the visual and auditory experiences resulting from this mix. His depression, nervous breakdowns, and anxiety over a dead twin sister receive less attention than the other conditions, but still left a major mark on the science fiction classics he published.

16. Mark Rothko

    Mark Rothko, the genius abstract expressionist, only started garnering his current acclaim after committing suicide in 1970. Episodes of crushing despair pockmarked most of his life, costing him his first marriage and requiring medication (which, tragically, he voluntarily overdosed on) to curb. Because Rothko also dealt with almost manic periods of lush creativity, leading some contemporaries and mental health experts to postulate that he may have experienced bipolar disorder comorbid with his depression.

17. Daniel Johnston

    For most of his life, this acclaimed outsider artist and singer-songwriter has grappled with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, though none of that prevents him from enjoying a sizable fanbase. After moving to Austin, he earned attention by giving demo tapes to those falling within his orbit, quickly garnering enthusiastic listeners eager for his next live performance or art show. Many of Daniel Johnston's drawings feature pop culture fixtures like Captain America as well as his own imagined creations, such as Jeremiah the Innocent — of whom a very famous mural sits in his adopted Texas home.

18. David Foster Wallace

    When renowned postmodernist author David Foster Wallace took his own life in 2008, friends, family, and fans reacted with both shock and understanding. For 20 years, he received both therapy and medication for severe depression, and an improperly coordinated switch between prescriptions may have very well triggered his unfortunate passing. The experiment ended up inspiring a far darker period than Wallace had ever encountered, sadly reflecting the realities of many individuals whose medications damage their brain chemistry beyond repair.

19. Ian Curtis

    Joy Division vocalist Ian Curtis, one of the most iconic frontmen of post-punk, committed suicide at age 23 and launched a maelstrom of speculation which almost rivals that surrounding Kurt Cobain. Some blame his epileptic seizures, others his regular difficulties with woman (and, according to his family, everything else) for the debilitating depression encompassing his entire life — though nobody suspected it would end so tragically. Even before Curtis' death, Joy Division defined the British post-punk sound almost singlehandedly, and musicians today still consider them a major influence.

20. Jackson Pollock

    A history of substance abuse and bipolar disorder ravaged one of the premiere (and obviously controversial!) abstract expressionists; in all likelihood, the former existed as a means of coping with the latter. A brilliant painter whose splattered works even now elicit either frothing mouths or enthusiastic hosannas, both conditions instigated major gulfs between his friends, family, and lovers alike. Evidence exists suggesting that Jackson Pollock struggled immensely with the extreme reactions to his art and mounting fame, which may have very well worsened his already stressful mental state.

14 Videos You Should Share on “Make Your Dream Come True Day”

Each year on January 13, wedged in there between "Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day" and "National Dress Up Your Pet Day" lies "Make Your Dream Come True Day." The idea is to use the day to move yourself a little closer to your lifelong dream by taking at least one step towards accomplishing it, or helping someone else take their own step. To get yourself motivated, take a look at these 14 videos, then inspire your friends by sharing with them.

1. Jason McElwain

   This moving video and others like it have gotten millions of hits since 2006 when the story took place. Jason McElwain is a highly-functioning autistic kid from New York who had served for four years as the team manager for his beloved varsity basketball squad, but had never been given a spot on the roster. During the final minutes of the division title game, McElwain's coach sent him in where he made six three-pointers and became the game's high-scorer.

2. Braeden Kershner

   At the age of 18, Braeden Kershner's dream was to conduct the Boston Pops. The problem: the privilege came at a cost of $10,000. So he set about earning the money by working 11 jobs, somehow finding time to also learn every instrument in the orchestra. Kershner did not stop once he fulfilled his dream. After joining the Marines, he now teaches music, where he has mentored band kids and given them a reason to stay in school.

3. Bobby Henline

   Bobby Henline's dream of becoming a stand-up comic came true by way of a hard road. This particular road was in Iraq, laced with roadside bombs. Henline was severely disfigured by the blast that killed other members in his unit. But Hemline was determined not to let his injuries prevent him from achieving his goal, not only for himself but for the other soldiers killed in his vehicle and throughout the war. He is now a motivational speaker and comedian with "more doors open to him now than before."

   

4. Susan Boyle

   In an industry that prizes beauty just as much as ability, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges on Britain's Got Talent took one look at Susan Boyle and thought the same thing others had thought: she won't be able to sing. But this woman who "never had a proper chance" took one breath and blew them all away with her amazing voice. She's since become a household name, selling over 14 million albums. And that first song she sang? "I Dreamed a Dream," of course.

   

5. The Tipton-Smith family

   The Tipton-Smith family went through back-to-back tragedies when their home burned down, and their son Ransom was killed in a car accident. Faith Tipton-Smith wanted to finish the family home Ransom had helped plan, but did not have the funds. In the video, the folks at Extreme Home Makeover help them finish the home. The family also gets to meet Rachel, the girl who received Ransom's heart, which saved her life.

6. J K Rowling

   You've heard the name, but what you may not have known is before she was worth $1 billion, Joanne Rowling was a divorced single mother living on welfare with an infant child. In this video, she recounts how she made her dream of making it as a writer a reality by writing whenever, wherever she could.

   

7. Rudy

   The film version took a few creative liberties, but the real-life Rudy really did fulfill an impossible dream of playing football at Notre Dame. At 5'6", 165 pounds, Daniel Ruettiger slaved away on the practice squad before finally getting on the field for the last play of the last game of his senior year. He recorded a sack and was carried off the field, the first of only two times in the history of the school.

8. Dustin Lance Black

   When the film Milk won the Oscar for Best Screenplay in 2009, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black gave this short but moving speech about gay rights in America. He recounts how his dream of being able to live his life freely came true, and he sends a message of hope out to homosexual kids everywhere, telling them to hang in there because one day soon their dreams of equal rights will be a reality.

9. Walt Disney

   As far as dreamers go, they don't come any bigger than Walt Disney. This video is a clip from a special about the life of the man who was once fired from a newspaper for having "no creative ideas." Disney dreamed of making wholesome entertainment for kids, and he succeeded with his movies and ultimately with his biggest dream, Disneyland.

10. William Wallace

    Maybe you're one of the three people who still hasn't seen this movie. William Wallace dreamed of a Scotland free from the tyranny of British control. His (fictional) speech before the battle at Bannockburn is in the canon of classic inspirational videos. If you haven't watched it in a while, go back and listen to the words…If you're fearing taking a risk, you may regret it one day.

11. Margie Warrell

    This practical video is an interview with Margie Warrell, author of Find Your Courage, a best-selling book about dreaming big, overcoming your fears, and chasing those dreams down. She tells you to quit procrastinating and lay out a plan for becoming the achiever you always hoped you would be.

12. Dream On by Aerosmith

    Here's Steven Tyler reminding you not to stop dreaming when you fail, because you got to lose to know how to win.

13. Kriss Carr

    Kriss Carr had a simple dream: to not let cancer kill her. Some people tried to tell her that her rare form of cancer had a 100% mortality rate, but she refused to acknowledge such a thing. Instead, she made cancer "her guru." This video from the Oprah Winfrey Show is a montage of clips from her documentary Crazy Sexy Cancer. Eight years later, Carr is still going strong and still dreaming big.

14. Dead Poet's Society

    This is a great clip to get you in the mood to go out there and seize the day. Robin Williams' Professor Keating exhorts his young pupils to look over the faces of the young men who went before them, who are now long gone. "Make your life extraordinary," he tells them. If this video doesn't fire you up, nothing will. Carpe diem!

12 Marketing Skills Every Writer Now Needs

In a world of blogs, tweets, website comments, and Facebook status updates, everyone is a writer. That is, they are in the sense that they are communicating through the written word. But you're a writer: you know what a gerund is, and you would never mistake "it's" with "its." Of course, the proliferation of social media has only served to flood the market with content producers. If you want to make it as a writer, you will have to separate yourself from the crowd so your work can be appreciated. Here are 12 marketing skills to help you become the next Hemingway.

The ability to…

1. …make friends with Twitter.

   As a good writer, you already have the ability to write concise, interesting, and funny prose. That's all Twitter is. It should be a breeze for you to build a following of people that includes literary agents and book editors that can assist you in getting the word out about your work, or offer you a deal if you don't have one. Don't use this as a chance to hit them over the head with your book; just demonstrate what a good writer you are and they will want to read it on their own.

2. …network.

   Recommending Twitter is really just a way of saying you need to be able to network. As aspiring author Julie Cantrell found, there are accomplished writers out there who are happy to give you advice on marketing your work. Email them, Facebook them, or add them on LinkedIn, just don't be too pushy or stalker-ish.

3. …create your own .com.

   You could go the blog route, but you'll look far more professional with your own website. Pick up a copy of Teach Yourself Dreamweaver and download a free, fully-functional trial version of the software from Adobe. Consider making large chunks of your writing available for free on your site, and don't give in to the temptation to sell ads.

4. …e-publish.

   Giving your work away may not seem like a great marketing strategy, but even the pros do it, because it works. And for an unknown like you, it might just be the best way to get your work in front of people. E-publishing is one way to get your material into a professional, digital format that can be downloaded. Learn how to use Adobe Acrobat or similar software to have your work listed on the Kindle Library, for free or for royalties, if you prefer.

5. …maximize web traffic.

   There is an entire field of professionals who work at optimizing companies' and individuals' web traffic. Since you don't have a personal SEO employee, you'll need to learn how to maximize your visibility on search engines by using clear and accurate keywords in your site title, description, and body. The way to move to the top of the search list is to have lots of other sites linking to your page, so you'll have to submit your stuff to various sites that deal with your topic and encourage them to link their readers to you.

6. …speak in public.

   Traditional media outlets like radio and TV are turning more and more towards the new class of internet writers and bloggers. If a major TV show or radio program comes calling wanting to interview you, you'll need to be prepared to be beamed into millions of homes around the world. Do your homework and watch how other authors and writers handle different interviewers.

7. …make videos.

   Don't wait for the TV cameras to come to you. Pick up an inexpensive camcorder or just use your laptop webcam. Shoot an introductory video of yourself for your site and your latest book project, or upload a highlight reel to YouTube of key points in your work. You don't have to be Steven Spielberg, just keep it simple. Don't zoom in and out, don't use any lame screen wipes, and don't sound like you're reading from a script.

8. …know the industry.

   Even after they get a book deal, many authors are surprised to find the majority of the marketing depends on them. Know going in what kind of writing sells and can be marketed and you will save yourself a lot of time and effort in the long run. Keep up with what's hot by reading Writer's Market or Script.

9. …brand yourself.

   Establishing yourself and your writing as a brand involves knowing what your core strength is. It's the one thing you know more about or write better than anyone else. Take Perez Hilton: he turned a love of celebrities and gossip into a website with millions of views each month. His name/pseudonym is now synonymous with the subject. Find what you're passionate about and become laser-focused on that subject, and eventually you'll be branded as a respected authority.

10. …make a media kit.

    Microsoft Publisher is all you need to make a professional press kit to send out to agents or publishing houses. Include in your materials the market research you've done to show how the writing can be profitable, and include the best bits of material from the work. You'll have to find the right balance between providing enough pertinent info and overwhelming the audience with data.

11. …be available.

    If you really want to make a living by writing, you're going to have to make it your top priority. Don't be too busy to turn anything down: an interview for a blog or a neighborhood weekly, a "local authors" day at a small bookstore, or a speaking engagement across the country. It make not sound like a skill to be available, but being upbeat and on your game at all times requires work, plain and simple.

12. …sell online.

    Financially-speaking, the most important aspect of marketing is knowing how to sell your products. With all this attention you've drawn to your website, you have to know how to operate a digital store. Paypal is the industry standard for accepting payments, but you'll also need to make arrangements to accept the major credit cards. To protect your customers, you'll have to know how to use https.

12 Writers Who Still Refuse to Use Computers

Computers are incredible tools: we use them to connect around the world, gather all of the information in the universe, find inspiration, and maybe play a few games now and then. They're also very helpful for writers, offering organization, editing, and writing tools that are more useful than any tools available before. But for so many writers, they're just not the right tool for the job. There's something romantic and creative about setting pen to paper, which for many writers, makes the very act of writing possible. For others, pen and paper are favored for their portability and lack of constant distractions. Others find that they do their best work on a typewriter. Whatever the reason or method, these writers have chosen not to compose their works on computers, preferring instead to put pen to paper or fingertips on the typewriter. And although some do use computers for editing and social connections, their first drafts are never created with the use of digital aids. Read on to learn why and how these 12 famous writers get their best work done without the help of computers.

1. PJ O'Rourke

   Political satirist and author PJ O'Rourke, an early proponent of Gonzo journalism, prefers a typewriter to a computer. O'Rourke uses an IBM Selectric typewriter to create his manuscripts, as he says that focusing on writing while using a computer would be difficult due to his short attention span. In the New York Times, O'Rourke further shared his reasons for avoiding the computer, explaining that "writing on a computer makes saving what's been written too easy," with "mistakes neatly stored in digital memory." He also worries that with a computer, instead of becoming distracted, he simply might "write too much too fast," suffering from the sins of excessive speed and quantity.

2. Oliver Sacks

   Oliver Sacks is commonly known as a neurologist who sometimes writes, but he prefers to be known as an author. After all, he aspired to become a writer as young as age 12, and his compassionate books (all 10 of them) have changed medical writing forever. For a man who has changed so much, it's somewhat surprising that the man himself has not changed with the times. When the New York Times asked him what he's been "following," Dr. Sacks responded, "I don’t know what Facebook and Twitter are since I don’t use a computer. But a friend gave me a hat with a built-in compass, since I have no sense of direction." Sacks prefers to use a pen and paper or electric typewriter, sharing that "I love the physicality of paper." So much so, that his editor and assistant Kate Edgar prints out Sacks' 50+ daily emails.

3. Lee Rourke

   British novelist Lee Rourke believes that creative writing is simply better with a pen, insisting that longhand is a more portable and individual way to write. In a piece for the Guardian, Rourke shares, "Everything I've ever written was composed in notebooks first." He buys notebooks obsessively, with hundreds of filled ones in boxes and just as many empty ones ready and waiting for inspiration to strike. For Rourke, longhand writing allows him to enter a "zone of comfort" he just can't find in a computer, as he finds the sound of typing annoying: it reminds him of the offices he's worked in, signing off on invoices rather than crafting a great literary work. Rather, Rourke takes his pens and notebooks everywhere, writing anywhere and whenever he wants as it comes to him in fits. Rourke does, however, use a computer to transfer his finished works to the typed word, editing as he goes along.

4. Jon McGregor

   Like Rourke, British author Jon McGregor also prefers to write longhand or with a typewriter first, then edit his work on a laptop or netbook. He shares, "An idea or phrase can be grabbed and worked at while it's fresh. Writing on the page stays on the page, with its scribbles and rewrites and long arrows suggesting a sentence or paragraph be moved, and can be looked over and reconsidered. Writing on the screen is far more ephemeral – a sentence deleted can't be reconsidered. Also, you know, the Internet." McGregor's pen of choice is a Muji 5mm, and he types on an Olivetti. The author himself admits that he has a bit of a "fetishisation of process," which for him, is an exercise in procrastination.

5. Patrick McLean

   Patrick McLean loves computers and technology, with books on the Amazon Kindle and a couple Parsec Awards for Podcast Fiction. But when it comes to producing the written word, McLean finds that it's simply easier to put pen to paper. In fact, he was actually surprised to find out that the easiest way for him to write is by "composing with a long, flowing, and delightfully irregular script that fills the page like a river of words." He notes that it often takes him less time than it would to type, and he simply writes better. Like McGregor, McLean's preference for physically writing has a lot to do with focus and avoiding the distractions of technology. McLean's longhand writing speed that rivals his typing production is due in no small part to the fact that "a pen and paper has but one functionality. It captures the marks I make so that they can be referred to at a later time. It doesn't ring, it doesn't bother me with an incoming chat or IM. It never asks me to plug it in so it can get more power. It doesn't crash, it never needs an upgrade, and it is unlikely that someone will snatch my pad and bolt from a coffee shop with it when I turn my back." For at least one technology-loving writer, pen and paper's beautiful simplicity makes all the difference in the world.

6. Orhan Pamuk

   Novelist Orhan Pamuk is Turkey's best-selling writer, and with his Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Turkish citizen to be awarded a Nobel. His prize-winning works are not composed on a computer, but in a graph paper notebook. He likes to write one full page, and then leave the next one open for revisions. Using his notebooks, Pamuk relishes in the absence of a backspace button, and the opportunity to capture inspiration when it strikes.

7. Kazuo Ishiguro

   Kazuo Ishiguro is a Japanese-British novelist, one of The Times' 50 Greatest British Writers Since 1945, in fact, as well as a Man Booker Prize Winner. Certainly some part of his success has to do with Ishiguro's extreme organization and planning, all done with pen and paper through flow charts, folders of narratives and plot, and carefully auditioned narrators. This process takes two years to complete, including research, and after that, Ishiguro writes his first drafts by hand, editing by hand in pencil as well. Once completed, Ishiguro finally types his own pages.

8. Niven Govinden

   English novelist Niven Govinden certainly uses a computer: he has a Twitter account, after all. But the author of We Are the New Romantics and Graffiti My Soul insists that "a blank computer screen makes me want to throw up." With the "physicality" of longhand, Govinden is able to revise as he works, taking advantage of the "greater sense of space" afforded by a pen. Govinden finds that "a lined notebook is less judgmental," and he is able to write in a more economical way, thinking harder about the sentences that follow each other.

9. John Le Carre

   David John Moore Cornwell, pen name John Le Carre, once worked for MI5 and MI6, but he left it all behind as an international bestseller, known for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and The Constant Gardener. Le Carre much prefers to write his novels in longhand: he has stated that he's actually allergic to computers. Each day, he wakes up at 4 a.m. to write furiously until lunch, and once complete, his wife, Jane Cornwell types up the day's work. Editing is done in a drafting and redrafting method, with edits and rewrites typed and stapled on top of the original. Le Carre's entire beautiful mess of work was once kept in a barn, but he famously donated his 85 boxes of manuscripts to the Bodleian Library at Oxford. The Guardian points out that with these paper manuscripts, fans and academics alike can learn more about Le Carre's working methods, methods that would not easily be revealed on a computer. The Bodleian does, however, plan to make the archive available online.

10. Tess Gerritsen

    For bestselling author Tess Gerritsen, her blogging is best done on the computer, but for novels, only pen and paper will do. She doesn't use a computer or even a typewriter, instead using a Bic pen and sheets of unlined paper. Gerritsen is quite comfortable composing articles and other pieces at the keyboard, but for her, fiction is a completely different matter. She struggles to make things work while writing novels on the computer, finding that she hardly finishes a thing at the end of the day because she's spent too much time "perfecting them." But beyond that, Gerritsen values pen and paper for its physical properties: "I like knowing that once the ink’s on the page, it can’t magically disappear when the power goes out. I like being able to write notes to myself in the margins, to have an inserted sentence curl up the side of the page." Additionally, she likes that no one can read her handwriting, as she believes that her first drafts are terrible and unreadable.

11. JK Rowling

    World-renowned author JK Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, still prefers to write by hand, although she is known to tweet occasionally. In an interview with Amazon.co.uk, Rowling shared that she does her first drafts on pen and paper, then, like other authors, edits as she types her work onto her computer. Interestingly, Rowling prefers to write with a black pen instead of blue, and likes to use "narrow feint" writing paper, but in a pinch, she'll write on anything. In fact, she used an (empty) airplane sick bag to write down the name of the Hogwarts houses. By writing longhand, Rowling has actually created very valuable pieces: a handwritten and illustrated copy of Rowling's The Tales of Beetle the Bard was auctioned off for $4 million, benefiting a children's charity.

12. Michael Ondaatje

    Michael Ondaatje, the award-winning novelist behind The English Patient, prefers Muji brand notebooks over computers when it comes to writing his works. But interestingly enough, Muji notebooks actually come with a lot of the same functionalities as MS Word, allowing Ondaatje to cut and paste his novels as he goes along. Unlike other pen and paper authors who ultimately transfer their works into type, Ondaatje has been known to compose up to three drafts by hand on his notebooks.