Within the literary sphere, there are at least four ways an author can become semi-important: He (or, of course, she) can have massive commercial success. He can be adored and elevated by critics. He can craft “social epics” that contextualize modernity and force op-ed writers for The New York Times to reevaluate How We Live Now. He can even become a celebrity in and of himself, which means whatever that man chooses to write becomes meaningful solely because he was the one who made that choice.
