7 Famous Writers Who Nearly Followed Different Career Dreams

William Faulkner, known for his Southern Gothic novels like The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, originally aspired to become a pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War I. Unfortunately, Faulkner was rejected from military service due to his height. After his failed attempt to join the Air Force, he turned his focus to writing, creating some of the most important works of American literature. Faulkner’s storytelling was deeply influenced by the Southern landscapes and history, which shaped his novels.

Before becoming one of the most successful authors of all time with the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling’s career aspirations were much more humble. She initially wanted to become a teacher. After graduating from the University of Exeter, she worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International. It wasn’t until she moved to Portugal to teach English that she started to develop the ideas for her beloved fantasy novels. Teaching gave her the stability to work on her writing in her spare time, leading to the creation of her magical world.

Known for his dystopian classics 1984 and Animal Farm, George Orwell (born Eric Arthur Blair) had an unlikely career path. After leaving his prestigious boarding school, Eton, Orwell joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma (now Myanmar) in 1922. Although he served for five years, the experience left him disillusioned with British colonialism, which influenced much of his later writing. Orwell left his police career behind to pursue writing, using his real-life experiences to fuel his sharp critiques of political systems and societal inequalities.

The “Queen of Crime” Agatha Christie, author of timeless detective novels like Murder on the Orient Express and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, didn’t always envision herself as a writer. During World War I, Christie worked as a nurse and later trained as an apothecary's assistant (pharmacist). Her knowledge of medicines and poisons, learned during this time, deeply influenced her crime novels, many of which feature poison as the murder weapon. Christie’s fascination with medicine served her well, giving her a unique angle in the crime fiction genre.

Haruki Murakami, the celebrated Japanese author of Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore, didn’t always plan on being a writer. He initially pursued a music career and owned a jazz bar called Peter Cat in Tokyo. It wasn’t until Murakami was in his thirties that he suddenly felt an urge to write. While attending a baseball game, he had a moment of inspiration that led him to write his first novel, Hear the Wind Sing. His passion for music often appears in his novels, blending with his distinct surreal and melancholic writing style.

Before she became one of the most iconic poets of the 20th century with works like The Bell Jar and Ariel, Sylvia Plath had dreams of being a visual artist. As a child and young adult, Plath was deeply passionate about painting and drawing, even considering art as a serious career path. However, writing soon became her dominant passion, and she channelled her creative energy into poetry. Her artwork was an early outlet for her emotions, and the intense emotions she explored in her writing were often mirrored in her visual art.

Kurt Vonnegut, the brilliant satirist behind Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle, had a surprisingly ordinary career before becoming a writer. After serving in World War II, Vonnegut worked as a publicist for General Electric and even briefly sold cars for Saab in the 1950s. Though his career as a car salesman wasn’t successful, his early jobs gave him the material for his often darkly humorous writing. His works are known for their biting social commentary and existential themes, all written in a uniquely accessible style.