Min Jin Lee is not your typical overnight success story. The 54-year-old author spent nearly three decades honing her craft before achieving commercial success with her critically acclaimed novels, “Pachinko” and “Free Food for Millionaires.” Despite the long journey, Lee’s perseverance and ambition have led her to become one of the most respected writers of our time.
Early Life and Career
Lee grew up in a working-class area of Queens, New York, surrounded by immigrants. Her parents were Korean immigrants who owned a dry cleaning business. She attended the Bronx High School of Science, where she excelled in both math and science, earning her a place in the school’s Bronx Science Hall of Fame.
She went on to attend Yale College, where she pursued a history degree while winning awards for her fiction and non-fiction writing. After graduation, she worked as a corporate lawyer before deciding to pursue writing full-time in 1995.
The Writing Process
Lee’s writing process is both meticulous and obsessive. She reads a chapter of the Bible before sitting down to write, which she believes gives her a deeper understanding of human beings. She also spends extensive time researching her subjects, as seen in her latest project, a novel about what education means to Korean people across the globe.
Her writing is inspired by what disturbs her, such as the tragic story of a young Korean boy who took his own life after being bullied by his peers. This event inspired her to write “Pachinko,” a novel that tells the story of a Korean immigrant family living in Japan over four generations.
Lee believes that writing is a transformative process that allows writers to write toward a new self. She advises aspiring writers to focus on what’s important over what’s urgent and to develop the ability to tune out distractions.
The Road to Success
Despite her talent, Lee’s road to success was long and arduous. She spent nearly 30 years working on her novels before publishing them, hitting her head against the wall more times than she can count. She has become somewhat of a patron saint of delay, inspiring others to persevere in their own creative pursuits.
Lee’s success is all the more remarkable given the rejection she faced along the way. She received rejection notices for everything, including magazines, literary quarterlies, residencies, and conferences. She kept a binder stuffed with these rejection notices as a reminder of the journey.
Lessons Learned
Lee’s journey to success offers several valuable lessons for writers and creatives alike. One lesson is the importance of perseverance. Writing is a challenging and unstable way to make a living, but Lee’s determination to succeed kept her going.
Another lesson is the importance of inspiration. Lee’s writing is fueled by what disturbs her, and she encourages other writers to follow their passions and write about what matters to them.
Finally, Lee’s success is a testament to the power of hard work and dedication. She spent decades perfecting her craft, researching her subjects, and honing her writing process. Her success is a testament to the fact that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.
Conclusion
Min Jin Lee’s journey from struggling writer to literary success is a tale of perseverance and ambition. Her meticulous writing process, dedication to her craft, and willingness to tackle difficult subjects have made her one of the most respected writers of our time. Her journey offers valuable lessons for writers and creatives alike, reminding us that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.
