The sad truth is that most readers regard authors as a source of free information
20 February 2010
Toby Young suffers from Status Anxiety
Perhaps it’s an exaggeration to claim that all authors are happy to help out budding young wordsmiths. Aged 17, I found myself standing next to Clive James on a motor launch heading to Venice airport. I had just read Unreliable Memoirs which I adored and began peppering him with questions — ‘How do I get an agent?’ — which he did his best to answer. We parted company in the departure lounge, but as I boarded the plane I noticed him sitting in economy with a large pile of books on his lap and an empty seat beside him. I made a beeline for him, but just as I was about to sit down he took the books off his lap and dumped them in the spare seat. The message was clear: Do Not Disturb.
Toby Young is associate editor of The Spectator.
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