“Reading is probably what leads most
writers to writing.” – Richard Ford
Ford is a novelist
and short story writer, perhaps best-known works for novels The Sportswriter
and its sequels, Independence Day (winner
of both the Pulitzer Prize and The PEN/Faulkner Award), The
Lay of the Land and Let Me Be Frank with You, also a Pulitzer Prize
finalist this past year.
A native
Mississippian born on this day in 1944, Ford also wrote the terrific short
story collection Rock Springs, which has been widely anthologized. A
story collection mostly set in Montana, it includes some of his most popular
stories and pretty much cemented his reputation as one of the finest writers of
his generation.
Ford struggled with
dyslexia in his growing up years and didn’t get seriously interested in reading
literature until his college days at Michigan State. He has stated in interviews that his dyslexia
may, however, have helped him as a reader and then in becoming a writer,
forcing him to approach books at a slow and thoughtful pace.
He earned a Master of
Fine Arts in Creative Writing from California-Irvine where he was taught by
both Oakley Hall and E.L. Doctorow. He
said he owes a tremendous debt to both for helping develop his writing
skills. A fine editor, too, he has been
widely sought after to do editing work and has edited many award-winning works.
While it’s been said
often, including in this blog, Ford states that the best way to be a great
writer is to write about what you know best.
“Happiness for me,” he said, “is
getting to write about the most important things I know.”
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