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So if you want to write a book, either take instructions from the Harry Potter lady or take instructions from Seneca, who survived 2,000 years. But definitely not from some academic at Cambridge who sold 2,200 copies. – Nicholas Taleb Author of Black Swan
What an awesome quote. Take advice from people who have done what you want to do and been successful. What a novel idea in today's world.
It is a good quote, but….I suppose it depends on what your goal is. This advice seems right, as well: “if you want to write an academic work, don't take instructions from the Harry Potter lady…”. It seems that the rules for successful fiction are going to vastly different from the rules for scholarly, non-fiction works.
As a writer of historical fiction, I can say there is a significant differnce between writing a dull tome for some academic journal and bringing History to life through well researched Historical Fiction that often uncovers material not generally known in academia.. There are exceptions such as Virginia Cowles and Barbara Tuchman. I exclude bodice buster and romantic HF.
I would argue that the point of the quote is not about books alone. Instead it is about anything.I think it is different way of restating the old cliche "that those that can do, those that can't teach."
