“The
trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on
coming along and trying to put things in it.” – Terry Pratchett
Born in April 1948, Pratchett died
four years ago from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, but not before producing over
100 books, including 41 in his much-lauded “Discworld Series.”
A journalist first, he said
journalistic writing shaped his career. “Journalism
makes you think fast,” he said. “(And) You
have to speak to people in all walks of life.
Especially when you do local journalism.” As a one-time “local journalist” myself, I
agree. It’s a remarkable way to learn
how to study people and the world around you, and to set and keep deadlines. You need to quickly knock out a story’s first
draft so that you have a foundation from which to build your final piece. Great training for any creative writer. 
Knighted
for his contributions to the literary world, Pratchett wrote more than 100 books and short story collections. He holds the record as the U.K.’s
best-selling 1990s author and has been second only to J.K Rowling for books sold in the 2000s. In addition to receiving dozens of writing awards he was presented 10 honorary degrees.
One of Britain’s most benevolent authors, Pratchett
donated millions toward fighting poverty, disease, and animal abuse. “It
is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes,” he
wrote. “It is, in fact, true. It’s
called living.”
No comments:
Post a Comment