'Hitchhiking' into writing fame

 

“There's nothing worse than sitting down to write a novel and saying, 'Well, okay, today  I'm going to do something of high artistic worth’.” – Douglas Adams

Born on this date in 1952, Adams is author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which originated in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before being turned into a series of books that sold more than 15 million copies.  Ultimately it also generated a television series, several stage plays, comics, a computer game, and a feature film. 

Adams, who died of a heart attack at age 49, also was known as an advocate for environmentalism and conservation, a lover of fast cars, cameras, and technological innovation.  And, of course, for his prowess as a writer, something he started in elementary school.  His first published piece came at age 10 in the school newspaper, and at age 13 a humorous short story was published in a national youth magazine.   

 

 He loved writing but struggled with deadlines.  “I love deadlines,” he once said.   “I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”

                            

A true Renaissance man, he was not just a writer, but also an actor, singer, producer, computer game developer, and stand-up comic.  His work on “Hitchhiker’s Guide” has been enshrined in The UK Radio Academy’s Hall of Fame. 

 

“I seldom end up where I want to go,” he said about his movement among careers and opportunities.  “But I almost always end up where I need to be.”