Mark Sa Franko - Work Ethic

Work Ethic

SaFranko traveled extensively, settling for the longest period in Hoboken, New Jersey. During this time, he has worked over thirty jobs to sustain enough income to continue to write; laboring as a truck driver, freight loader, clothing salesman, short-order cook, dinner theater actor, factory hand, bar musician, bank clerk, political risk analyst, office temp, crime and sports reporter, fast food worker, and telephone sales solicitor.

SaFranko notes one job in particular: “I worked the overnight shift in a brewery. It was a completely bizarre job. I was responsible for sweeping up the bottles that exploded and smelled "skunky" before they dropped into the cases. You were actually allowed to drink while on the assembly line. The people who worked there were all insane. When the shift was over we'd go out to the bars and drink—at seven in the morning.” SaFranko blue-collar work ethic is reflected in his huge output of work.: “A hundred short stories, over fifty of them in print. A box full of poetry and essays. And ten complete novels, eight of them yet to hit the book shelves. A dozen plays, some produced in New York and others staged in Ireland.” In response, SaFranko claims: “Any sane person would have stopped. Highsmith once said: "Art is an addiction. That's why there are so many bad artists." I think there's a lot of truth in that….And as someone else said, what else is there to do?”