What led James Fenimore Cooper to begin writing fiction?

James Fenimore Cooper began his career as a writer of fiction in an amateur spirit, following a decade of living as a dilettante after resigning from the navy in 1811. According to historical accounts, he was prompted to write his first novel, Precaution (1820), as a result of a challenge from his wife, Susan De Lancy.1

While his initial work was a deliberate imitation of Jane Austen’s novels of manners, his subsequent success with The Spy (1821)—which was inspired by the Waverley novels of Sir Walter Scott—established his reputation as a significant American author. The financial necessity of supporting his family after his father's estate proved less substantial than expected further solidified his commitment to a professional literary career.1