Not long after the publication on the polka, Chopin's first literary piece was published. A poem entitled, "If It Might Be" was just the beginning of Kate Chopin's literary career in 1889 (Chronology 3).
Much of the influence for Chopin's work comes from the writing of French short story master Guy de Maupassant. Chopin admired his ability to "see through the eyes of others." She tried to mimic his style and "although she did not immediately succeed in following his lead, her steady effort- was always improving Chopin's writing. .
The reasons that Chopin began writing will remain a mystery to others, but several things are known to have been contributing factors. Chopin loved to read and had an interest in literature since childhood. Secondly, she now had a large family to provide for since her husband was gone. Lastly, her social circle consisted mostly of people with literary interests and encouraged her to write (Skaggs 3). By 1893, Chopin's works were being published in several national magazines regularly. In the spring of 1894, Houghton-Mifflin published Chopin's first short story collection, entitled Bayou Folk. Most of the stories in the collection were based upon experiences had while living in Cloutierville, Louisiana. It was a national success, receiving good reviews from across the country. One thing that most reviewers did not realize was that Chopin's intention with most of the stories lay beneath the surface. The setting seemed to throw the reviewers off. Had the stories been set in the northeast, the collection would have been shunned by reviewers and readers alike. However the reviewers looked upon the book as strange because of the setting. One of the main focuses of the book was that of praising women. After the publication of Bayou Folks Chopin was encouraged to write more. This also marks the beginning of Chopin's most creative period (Skaggs 4).
After the publication of Bayou Folks, Chopin began writing more frequently.
