Wilbur Smith is, bluntly, one of the most widely read novelists and sold worldwide, with over 100 million copies of his 35 novels written over the past 40 years. Wilbur Smith is visiting Buenos Aires to present his latest novel, Those who are in danger, a thriller that has scenes very similar to what was the capture of Bin Laden told the newspapers. His novel is number 33 of a career that has known only success has sold over 100 million copies. Here he talks about his life as a writer, on his critics and the process of writing, among other topics.
When Wilbur Smith finished his collegiate career he warned his father, an imposing man who owns a residence in Northern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) of about 26 hectares. This he told his son to stop spinning and to seek a real job. Then Smith made a crash course in accounting and five years exercised the profession. But obviously, was destined to be a writer. A hidden wrote his first novel was published in 1965 when Smith was 31. Today, at 78, Smith published his book number 33, those who are in danger, a thriller about the abduction (by Somali pirates) and rescue (for a burly ex-soldier and adventurer of the British special services) of the daughter a beautiful mistress of a huge multi-billion dollar oil? Action, sex, betrayal and revenge. Smith pure.
Each of the novels of Wilbur Smith has been a bestseller. Overall, he has sold over 100 million copies of his work. We can imagine the stunned faces of father Smith from beyond the grave. Wilbur Smith's novels are divided into four categories. Two series that evoke the colonial Africa, which is the main muse Smith, another series that takes place in the ancient Egyptian and a fourth category that are thrillers loose (not tied to any timeline or series) that are located in the present. Smith received
Ñ Digital Magazine in the large room of a modern luxury hotel Posadas Street. Is affable and smiling and subjected to the preparations of the affiliation (see accompanying video) with the skill of a professional in the subject of giving interviews. This trip to Argentina mixing business with pleasure as it is presented (today, Saturday May 7) in Book Fair, but then sail north to practice their favorite activities, hunting.
- What is the difference between the Wilbur Smith wrote this novel and who wrote the first?
"The first novel, When the Lion Feeds, the write-a-boo, to put it in a way. He had a full time job, then I had to find time to write. And, of course, my marriage suffered for this and many other things ... I paid a heavy price for writing. But it was worth it because it changed my whole life. I went from being an employee to be unemployed. And since then I have no job.
The difference between the first and last is that now I feel more confident in my work as a novelist, is how to deal with a book, and display it in my mind ...
is not easy to write a book in the best of times. And over the years I've been improving my practice. The fact that it was a first novel gave a special flavor. It was written from the heart and was stripped of the tricks of a novelist - was a tale told straight from a place that I understood and characters that were very close to my life, because most were based on my family and people he knew.
So what's different? The main difference is, of course, I'm a man completely different now compared to thirty years he sat down and tried to write a first novel. He lived a full life, I have seen many things, I have experienced many things and I've watched on many things ... So it's a different writer. The Wilbur Smith is now the Wilbur Smith 47 years ago.
- How has the task of writing changed after the digital revolution? "There
made life much easier. My first four or five novels were written by hand, and corrections were also on hand, then had deletions arrows everywhere, written in the margins, were a total mess.
I kept those original manuscripts and I think are worth a lot. Because I have offered a significant amount of money for them. Of course, much more money I got when I published the original books. But they are part of my life and have a special place in the library of our home in Cape Town, where we live.
Of course, the digital world is amazing because if you want to fix or find and change things so easy. Makes the actual process of writing easier and more enjoyable. You do not have to think about the physical act of writing the book, you can simply write the story.
I'm not sure that's something quite good. Because when I was writing all hand had to think of every word and every word had to work. And you had to think about spelling because you did not have a spell-check.
I think I was very fortunate to live by the two experiences, pre-digital era, and now the digital age ... And I think my life was well planned: I chose the right parents, I chose the right place to be born - for writers in Africa, and chose the right time to start writing books and keep writing books.
- Since his last novel is a commando operation How to read the news in recent days - the capture of bin Laden.
- I I wrote it! I wrote this novel. The Seals took my book and plagiarized the final!
- Do you have a long term plan about what you write, and which has several cycles of novels?
series grow on your own ... You never what will be the next book. I do not plan ahead-the book has to be submitted to me, the characters must be present at the right time ... We'll see what happens.
There are many people in the publishing world who want to write my autobiography. But I always say that I think an autobiography is the height of pretension. If you did not change the world have no right to stand up and tell all how skillful you are.
"One of the characteristics of his writing are the sex scenes. Do you enjoy this script or feels like an obligation to your readers?
You will see the sordid fact that I fell in love with all the protagonists in my books. So, I have the pleasure, the pleasure imaginary, of course, to make love.
No story is complete without a love story. And having said that, the hardest part of that is writing the scenes of physical love. Because it is so easy to make rude, or disenchant-female readers then would have to be very gentle with it. But I am not very smooth. I direct grain and tell the story as it should. So yes, the relationship between women and men are always a central part of all my stories.
"One of the things I respect about you is that does not apologize for being politically incorrect ... For example, people criticized him for not doing a more balanced portrait of contintent
African ... Africa is multifaceted. You can look at Africa from any direction ... People say, Why not get involved with children with AIDS? And I have no time. I feel pity for the little-liked but I have no time to do everything. I can not bleed every heart that needs one blood with him.
I know what I like. I have strong views on most things, from religion to literature, from philanthropy to hunt, for example, and defend those views unapologetically. And if someone offends you, sorry. It was not my intention to offend, I'm just trying to live my life the way I please.
-hunting is a central aspect, too, of his novels. Describes the excitement that only hunting can give ... It is a strenuous half question, but what you write because, sometimes, a feeling similar?
"If one writes a paragraph or a page is exactly what you mean - if you've perfected your own mind, there is a tremendous feeling of satisfaction, a deep sense of reward that comes along with that. When I finished one page and I lean back in my seat, I feel the need to stand up and go outside for a while. This sounds ridiculous but I decompose into tears with some of the scenes I write. When you die a very central to the plot - and it makes me think of the death of real people I know. But I do not cry tears.
guess it's like do anything that is complicated and difficult, and done well - to the best of your abilities, even if you're an architect and you stand in front of the building you designed ... There is this incredible burden. Ayn Rand was the first person I read that captured exactly the feeling that I'm doing it my way and I'm doing the best I can and I think I'm doing well.
All the time I think I can improve my books.
- Do you pay attention to your critics?
"In my long career I had any kind of review ... I've had people that hate me first, and secondly people who have said I deserve a Nobel Prize. Both are extremes. If you think one will become an egomaniacal and you think to another ends your career.
- What are your current readings and what are your favorite authors?
You can not be a writer without reading - and read widely, read everything you can. When I was young was a voracious reader: I read what was printed. Even the bad books, bad writing, were useful because I learned from the mistakes there. After perfect read books, books that are wonderfully perfect - and these also learn. You can never aspire to be like the greatest writers but you can learn from the bad authors. These days soil
back to the books I know and love: as John Stienbeck, Lawrence Durrell, Robert Graves ...
- Re-read your books?
- I am obliged reread my books! Happily spend twenty years, and it happens that the plot and characters, and even the names "disappear into the mists of time. And people challenge me. Once, for example, I sat down to dinner with a group of young American students - and they were all about young minds alert, and all had read my book for about three months and knew everything. And I wondered about that particular phrase had written and asked me how it justified? And I was speechless. And I realized that they looked at each other saying, "This guy is Wilbur Smith. It is an imposter!
By Andrés Hax for Revista Ñ
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