Arthur Conan Doyle was a British writer who wrote Sherlock Holmes. Doyle felt trapped by the detective’s fame. He even killed Holmes off to move on. However, readers requested and Holmes character returned.
Anthony Burgess was an English author who wrote the book Clockwork Orange. This book made his name, but he hated it. He expressed it overshadowed his better work. The violence disturbed him in later years. He once expressed it “will haunt me forever.”
Stephen King is a famous American writer who wrote the book Cujo. King disliked this bestseller. He wrote it during a rough addiction phase. He doesn’t remember writing most of it. That haunts him more than the dog.
Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist who wrote the Little Women. She never wanted to write it at all. Her publisher pushed her to do a “girls’ book.” She preferred darker, grittier stories herself. Still, she literary made history with it.
J.D. Salinger was an American author who wrote The Catcher in the Rye book. He hated the fame it brought him and stopped publishing altogether.
Ian Fleming was a British writer, who wrote James Bond Series. Fleming expressed Bond was “a blunt instrument” not as a literary icon. He wrote on, but with mixed feelings about this book.
A.A. Milne was an English writer who wrote Winnie-the-Pooh book. Pooh’s popularity overshadowed everything else he did. He conveyed that his stories “ruined his peace.”And Christopher Robin felt the same.
Mark Twain was an American writer and humorist who wrote the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He expressed it “a book for boys.” Twain felt it lacked depth and meaning. He even criticised it in public letters.
Agatha Christie was an English writer who wrote the Hercule Poirot Novels. She once expressed Poirot was “insufferable.” Christie grew tired of writing him for decades. But his popularity forced her to keep going. He became her reluctant literary legacy.
Kurt Vonnegut was an American writer who wrote book on Slapstick. Vonnegut had high hopes with this book but felt it flopped. Still, readers found brilliance in its chaos. Proof that creators and audience see differently.