Odd jobs of famous writers

In my last post about the daily lives of famous creatives, I pointed out that many of the greats didn’t have the pleasure/burden of a day job–at least in their heyday. I’m sure most had day jobs at some point. And thanks to the good ol’ Huffington Post, we know what some of those were.

Here are some interesting facts about famous writers–before they were famous.

Chuck Palahniuk

  • Got his BA in journalism
  • Worked for a local Portland newspaper
  • Became a diesel mechanic and fixed trucks
  • Worked at a hospice center

chuck

J.D. Salinger

  • Went abroad with his father with the goal of learning more about the family’s ham and cheese business
  • Worked as an apprentice in a Polish slaughterhouse
  • After forgoing a future in the family biz, worked as an activity director on a Caribbean cruise ship
  • Went into WWII with the Counter-Intelligence Corps of the Fourth Infantry Division

 salinger

Ayn Rand

  • Worked in Leningrad as a tour guide
  • Sought to write screenplays after moving to America
  • Worked as an extra in films
  • Sold subscriptions for newspapers
  • Waited tables
  • Worked as a filing clerk
  • Became the head of a wardrobe department
  • Worked as an assistant (unpaid) at an architecture firm to gather details for The Fountainhead

ayn rand

Franz Kafka

  • Became a clerk at a law firm after attending university for law
  • Worked for an insurance company, sometimes up to 60 hours a week
  • Helped manage his father’s business while also working at The Workman’s Accident Insurance Institute of Prague

kafka

F. Scott Fitzgerald

  • Worked for an ad agency, writing “slogans for trolley placards”
  • Fixed the roofs of cars while working at Northern Pacific Shops

fitzgerald
Source: Huffington Post Books Blog

 

 

 

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