In a context other than the Tom Wolfe feud mentioned at the link, Updike once wrote of aspiring writers imagining the community of established writers as being ready to welcome them to a chummy club - when in fact, the established writers feel as if they're on a life raft in danger of being capsized so they want to stomp on the fingers of those struggling to clamber aboard.

I've heard it said a bunch of times that authors are more enjoyable if you never know them in person; only through their works. This behavior makes them seem petty and insecure - although, of course, human in a way we don't usually consider due to their stature.

And literary snark can be very amusing.