/lit/ - Literature

Where did the idea that writers are reclusive, neurotic introverts scribbling away in shitty working class apartments or secluded cabins come from? Was it famed early 20th century authors who made this a meme?

If you consider writers in the 19th century, authors were literate and extroverted since they had to network to get their writing in the public sphere, of course there were exceptions. And nowadays, what are writers? There are several camps, but generally writers seems to be at least middle class. They are people who grew up in a milieu that allows for what pragmatists would consider a waste of time, people who can afford to dick around in academia and consider getting the week's word count while sipping dairy fat and syrup at Starbucks to be productive. Construction workers aren't known for their literary aspirations.

"But anon, that's generalizing, what about X writer who grew up poor and worked in blah blah blah?" Well of course there are exceptions as I've explained. But looking at both commercial and literary authors today you tend to see a pattern. These are frequently middle class or above, often leftist, generally well-adjusted people. You wouldn't call them socially awkward, or so addicted to drugs that their lives crumble. These people are vetted by publicists, speak at colleges, do book tours. The modern author is an extrovert.

So, when did the lone wolf writer actually exist? I think Salinger was one of the few.

I don't know how to start writing the beginning of a story. Any tips?