How did you come to short stories first, as opposed to, say, poetry or nonfiction?
When I was working as a journalist in Toronto, I was dissatisfied with what I could write as a news reporter, naïve as that sounds. There was a gnawing need to write differently, to enter other points of view and see around something, the subjective realities of people. I thought creative nonfiction might be the answer, but it wasn’t. When I moved to Vancouver, I took a short fiction course at the University of British Columbia and wrote my first story. I didn’t start writing seriously for a few more years, until my kids were older. That’s when I went back to UBC to do my MFA part-time, which gave me a structure in my day to write. Poetry intimidated me, so did novels, so fear led the way to stories! Although a 5000-word story was a length my mind for some reason knew how to manage.
How long does it take to start any particular writing project? Does your writing initially come quickly, or is it a slow process? Do first drafts appear looking close to their final shape, or does your work come out of copious notes?
About half the time, a story comes quickly. I tend to have a sense of it because it’s been forming. The rest of the time, the process is agonizingly slow, and I often must set the story aside and return to it, sometimes years later. The stories that come quickly are usually stronger as they have an energy, but the slower-forming ones are how I learn.
Where does a short story usually begin for you? Are you an author of short pieces that end up combining into a larger project, or are you working on a "book" from the very beginning?
A book didn’t enter my mind until I had enough stories to fill one. It was only then that I had to figure out what my stories were about.
What do you see the current role of the writer being in the larger culture? Do they even have one? What do you think the role of the writer should be?
I think of the role of a writer in one main way: to create a sense of connection with the reader so people feel less alone. I think of something Thom Yorke of Radiohead said when accused of writing so many depressing songs. He said sadness in music is imperative for our emotional survival. We’re in trouble if we stop listening to sad music, he said. I would add it’s no different for readers of fiction.
What is the best piece of advice you've heard (not necessarily given to you directly)?
Go where the energy takes you (basically be open to surprising yourself).
What kind of writing routine do you tend to keep, or do you even have one? How does a typical day (for you) begin?
My day starts with getting my kids off to school, although they are older now, so not much is required. I walk upstairs to my office to start my work day (I work for myself, providing communications advice to environmental groups). Some afternoons, if I finish early, I will write, and I take Fridays off to write. On a good day, I get going right away, usually if I’m picking up from where I left off. Just as likely, an entire Friday can pass by without a word being written, making me an utter joy to behold when the family returns home! It doesn’t help that I can’t seem to write anywhere but at my desk. It’s not the same with editing or revising. I can do that from soccer field stands and mall benches.
When your writing gets stalled, where do you turn or return for (for lack of a better word) inspiration?
Poetry. I have poetry books and lit mags all over my office. I read whatever I pick up. Hafiz, Patrick Lane, Sylvia Plath, and Franz Wright. Poems open my mind, slow it down, and introduce beauty back into it.
What fragrance reminds you of home?
My dad was a songwriter and musician, so anything that smells like a recording studio. Leather. Microphone dust. Metallic tape.
What other writers or writings are important for your work, or simply your life outside of your work?
There are particular writers I return to over and over again. I learn from them, but even more, I feel less lonely reading them. To name a few: Gina Berriault, Mavis Gallant, James Joyce, Grace Paley, George Saunders, Yukio Mishima, Alice Munro, Janet Frame, Denis Johnson, Lauren Groff, David Means and Claire Keegan.
What would you like to do that you haven't yet done?
Farm
What made you write, as opposed to doing something else?
I was ill in my late twenties, and misery plus time make a terrific combo for reading and writing.
What was the last great book you read? What was the last great film?
Book: Clear, Carys Davies
Movie: Bright Star, Jane Campion
What are you currently working on?
A novel - a short novel!
12 or 20 (second series) questions;
No comments:
Post a Comment