George Orwell (failed hobo, but would have done well as an elephant hunter).
Balzac might take the prize for the number of failed ventures outside of writing (legal apprentice, publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician; as his Wiki entry helpfully notes “he failed in all of these efforts.”)
Karl Marx’s one attempt at gainful employment was his application to work as a clerk for a railway company; this was rejected as his handwriting was illegible.
George Orwell (failed hobo, but would have done well as an elephant hunter).
Balzac might take the prize for the number of failed ventures outside of writing (legal apprentice, publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician; as his Wiki entry helpfully notes “he failed in all of these efforts.”)
Karl Marx’s one attempt at gainful employment was his application to work as a clerk for a railway company; this was rejected as his handwriting was illegible.