Most books in which the protagonist is a novelist, poet or reporter bore me to death. There are a few exceptions, like Tony Black's Gus Dury, Quoyle from The Shipping News or Laura Lippman's Tess Monahan.* After writing fiction most of the day, I don't usually want to read fiction about writers.
*Yes, I realize that Dury and Monahan are ex-journalists.
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Ha! I both agree, and am guilty of doing this. The protagonist of THE ANGELS' SHARE is a reporter, albeit for a small-town weekly rag that mostly writes about touristy stuff like the best place in town to get a lobster roll. I could make excuses about why mine is an exception, but I'm not going to bother, 'cause that's not for me to say.
What I will say is that I think the writers-writing-writers trend is an unintended consequence of the (horrid, in my opinion) advice, "Write what you know." Instead, I think authors should endeavor to know what they write. We'd end up with far fewer writer-protags that way.
Writers as protagonists don't bother me. I could add King's MISERY and Hemingway's "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" to your list. If it's as well written as those I don't mind.
Like I said, there are exceptions (and I'm sure Chris' novel will prove to be one), but as a rule I don't care for writer-protags. And, of course, the whole problem could just be me.
Try Starvation Lake by Bryan Grueley or Paperboy by Pete Dexter.
Take a look at Julie Kramer's "Stalking Susan," a really good TV reporter's quest to find a killer. One of the strengths of the novel is Kramer's judicious insertion of behind the scenes action of the tv station personnel in a way than not only explains but moves the action ahead. Far more useful and interesting than just periodic infodumps.
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