No One Expects To Make It as a Writer; Not Even Margaret Atwood
Here are lessons to learn from her ascent
As the writer of The Hand Maid’s Tale, Alias Grace, The Edible Woman, Surfacing, and many other literary masterpieces, Margaret Atwood has used her uncanny ability to delve into the oppression of women to develop an astounding collection of fictional literature.
Yet, as talented as Atwood is, she admits to doubting her own writing capabilities and her potential to succeed in the literary realm.
Here are some lessons from her ascent to superstardom.
The art of pissing people off
While pursuing her master’s degree at Harvard, Atwood experienced the rampant sexism of what was at the time an elite sexist boy’s club.
Now, I know that referring to the almighty Harvard as an “elite sexist boy’s club” will surely piss some people off.
But… the shoe fits.
At the time, only a quarter of the student body was female, women were barred from using the Lamont Library, the library specific to Atwood’s English studies, and Atwood’s roommate, Susan Milmoe recalls that Atwood infuriated peers and professors with her outspoken feminist opinions that frequently attacked the societal…
