On Leave to Write a Book

I have noticed that NY Times Op-Ed personalities get leave to write books. Why is that? Are they professors? I don’t get leave to do very much of anything. No, I am not a professor.

Who are these people to ask for a paycheck and then ask for time off to write a book? If they want to write a book, they should quit their jobs and write books. Write the book without the safety-net of a job after writing the book.