“Write for yourself, not for a perceived audience. If you do, you'll mostly fall flat on your face, because it's impossible to judge what people want. And you have to read. That's how you learn what is good writing and what is bad. Then the main thing is application. It's hard work.”

Rhodesian-born British-South African novelist

Wilbur Smith was a Rhodesian-born British-South African novelist. He wrote historical fiction and became widely known for stories set around international involvement in Southern Africa across four centuries. His work is associated with sweeping historical narratives that connect Southern Africa to wider world affairs. He focused on long spans of history and on the forces that shaped the region over time.