Irving Wallace

There exists a stupid literary tradition…that a hungry writer is the best writer – an empty stomach and slum dwelling being considered most conducive to good books, honest books, uncorrupted books. Revolting nonsense, I say…The really hungry writer, I truly believe, is the one most susceptible to corruption and dishonesty, for he has a problem that must intrude on his creativity. The problem is: he must eat. And to eat, he must often put aside writing as he pleases, to write potboilers for the marketplace, to write what he is told to write. The writer who has money, enough or not, has to compromise with no one, do nothing he does not want to do. He can afford to write as he pleases.