My first novel was turned down by half a dozen publishers. And even after having published five or six books, I wasn't making enough money to live on, and was beginning to think I'd have to give up the dream of being a full-time writer.

Ian Rankin

After Beginning Being Books Down Dozen Dream Enough Even First Five Full-Time Give Half Having Live Making Money Novel Published Publishers Six Think Turned Up Writer

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I wrote my first short story for a competition and won second prize. Another competition came up and I won first prize. The first story was published in a newspaper. The second went out on radio.

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Six of one, half dozen of another. Oh, well, half of one, six dozen of the other.

— Joe Garagiola

It's just six of one and half-a-dozen of the other.

— Captain Frederick Marryat

At all times, think like a writer, and keep those antennae twitching - that way, you pick up new ideas.

It's a strange feeling to see one's books come up at auction and also, to some extent, a sign of my miserable early failings as an author.