Book Box | Writers, it’s okay to be jealous

An acquaintance posts: “Thrilled and humbled to announce the publication of my book on parenting by Harper Collins”. Wife of a flamboyant businessman, when did she turn writer?

“My jealousy roars in the head, tightens the chest, massages my stomach lining with a cold fist as it searches out the best grip,” says Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way.

Here for you is your seven-step guide to the world of the jealous writer, a world of enormous creativity, deep insecurity, intrigue and even murder.

Writing Mentor: We begin with the mentor, the inspiring professor, who provokes and stokes your creativity. This person is your beta reader, giving you encouragement, direction and maybe even an introduction to a publisher or two. But beware the mentor in the world of the jealous writer. Take The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitiz. Here, Jacob Finch Bonner, novelist-turned-MFA-teacher is envious of a story written by his student. The student suddenly dies, and Bonner can’t resist publishing his work under his own name. Of course, complications ensue. A fast-paced, suspenseful read.

Beware the writing buddy in the world of the jealous writer. Add the thorny issues of cultural appropriation to this mix, and you have a novel that hits all the hotspots. As RF Kuang’s narrator puts it, “Publishing picks a winner—someone attractive enough, someone cool and young and, oh, we’re all thinking it, let’s just say it, “diverse” enough—and lavishes all its money and resources on them. It’s so fucking arbitrary. Or perhaps not arbitrary, but it hinges on factors that have nothing to do with the strength of one’s prose.”

Sonya Dutta Choudhury is a Mumbai-based journalist and the founder of Sonya’s Book Box, a bespoke book service. Each week, she brings you specially curated books to give you an immersive understanding of people and places. If you have any reading recommendations or suggestions, write to her at [email protected]. The views expressed are personal

An acquaintance posts: “Thrilled and humbled to announce the publication of my book on parenting by Harper Collins”. Wife of a flamboyant businessman, when did she turn writer?

“My jealousy roars in the head, tightens the chest, massages my stomach lining with a cold fist as it searches out the best grip,” says Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way.

Here for you is your seven-step guide to the world of the jealous writer, a world of enormous creativity, deep insecurity, intrigue and even murder.

Writing Mentor: We begin with the mentor, the inspiring professor, who provokes and stokes your creativity. This person is your beta reader, giving you encouragement, direction and maybe even an introduction to a publisher or two. But beware the mentor in the world of the jealous writer. Take The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitiz. Here, Jacob Finch Bonner, novelist-turned-MFA-teacher is envious of a story written by his student. The student suddenly dies, and Bonner can’t resist publishing his work under his own name. Of course, complications ensue. A fast-paced, suspenseful read.

Beware the writing buddy in the world of the jealous writer. Add the thorny issues of cultural appropriation to this mix, and you have a novel that hits all the hotspots. As RF Kuang’s narrator puts it, “Publishing picks a winner—someone attractive enough, someone cool and young and, oh, we’re all thinking it, let’s just say it, “diverse” enough—and lavishes all its money and resources on them. It’s so fucking arbitrary. Or perhaps not arbitrary, but it hinges on factors that have nothing to do with the strength of one’s prose.”

Sonya Dutta Choudhury is a Mumbai-based journalist and the founder of Sonya’s Book Box, a bespoke book service. Each week, she brings you specially curated books to give you an immersive understanding of people and places. If you have any reading recommendations or suggestions, write to her at [email protected]. The views expressed are personal