Many renowned writers, despite their eventual literary success, held tedious jobs that did not reflect their talents. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville both worked in customs, while others like Walt Disney, Charles Bukowski, and Faulkner worked at the post office. Faulkner, who became postmaster after dropping out of university, described this role as uninspiring and spent his time engaging in more creative pursuits, such as writing poetry. Eudora Welty illustrated Faulkner's work ethic, noting he often prioritized his writing over postal duties, which was supported by author Bill Peschel's commentary on Faulkner's unconventional approach to running the post office.
Working a dull civil service job ill-suited to your talents does not make you a writer, but plenty of famous writers have worked such jobs.
Faulkner characterized his tenure as postmaster as tedious, boring, and uninspiring, finding most of his time spent playing cards, writing poems, or drinking.
Eudora Welty characterized Faulkner's time as postmaster with a vignette, recalling how he would often be found writing lyric poems instead of attending to customers.
Author and editor Bill Peschel notes that Faulkner would open the post office when he chose and close it whenever he preferred to go hunting.
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