“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
– Jack London –
Jack London (1876–1916) was an American author and journalist known for his vivid and adventurous storytelling. His works often draw on his own experiences and the rugged landscapes he encountered.
I chose the quote from Jack London because he always chased adventure and went after it with a fearless spirit. Even when he didn’t know exactly what he was getting into, he focused on what he believed he could create out of the situation. It is a quote I refer to when I feel overwhelmed or blindly out of control of this publishing process-in this case the marketing of the book. I’m “going after it with a club!”
But adventure is not only the subject of London’s novels, it is also in the style of his writing. His word choices and tempo create the intensity his writing requires to let the reader feel the danger that his characters experience. It’s evidence that he spent a lot of time in the wild, feeling vulnerable and sympathizing with any being faced with the daily life-threatening experiences he came to know during his travels into the untamed parts of the world.
London’s most famous books include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, which explore themes of survival and the struggle between civilization and the wild. He also wrote The Sea-Wolf, a novel about a brutal sea captain, and Martin Eden, a semi-autobiographical novel about a struggling writer. London’s writing reflects his interests in social issues, nature, and the human condition, and his adventurous life included travels to the South Pacific and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. Despite his relatively short life, his impact on American literature and his contributions to the adventure genre remain significant.
