How to Write a Great Book

Every writer’s “how-to” book promises to reveal the secrets successful writers use to create great books. They never explain why they, themselves, haven’t made use of those much-vaunted techniques to write their own great books. Have you ever seen any how-to books on lists of “great books of the world” or “books you must read before you die”? Have you noticed that the authors of such “how-to” books are rarely recognized as great authors, themselves?Why do you suppose that is?