More 'secrets' of various writers on how they write:
Siri Hustvedt: found a group of keys on a key chain with the label "Unknown Keys" that belonged to her deceased father. She keeps them as symbols that unlock the various "dream spaces of fiction" in her mind.
A. L. Kennedy: keeps a pocket-sized notebook for the book she's working on and carries it everywhere she goes to note everything about the story and characters.
Willy Vlautin: writes between races at the horse race track . He feels at home there.
James Flint: drinks copious amounts of Yerba Mate (a drink from Argentina), which is said to relax the muscles and stimulate the mind.
Jane Smiley: when she doesn't know what to write next, she takes a hot soaking bath, and what to write next comes to her.
Hanif Kureishi: Has various rituals for writing--obsessions. If you're not obsessive, you're not a writer, she says.
Michael Thorne: spends a lot of time walking and thinking.
Michael Faber: listens to music, but music that is not connected with what he's writing. E.G., he might listen to jazz while writing about Victorian England.
Hope you're noting all this down.
11 comments:
Very cool. I imagine there are a million interesting stories about writing rituals.
I like the sound of Yerba Mate. I also go walking/running.
Happy New Year!
These were some very interesting tidbits!
I always tell myself my manuscript is finished, polished, ready to go. You can bet your bottom dollar that something else will spring into my mind about one scene or other. It's not always something great but it gets me thinking again and looking into my characters more. Loved this, Richard. Happy New Year!
Michael Thorne sounds like my type of guy. Awesome list, Richard! :)
hmmm, maybe Siri and her father found all the keys I've lost over the years? Most interesting though.
Walking and thinking, most definitely! Thanks for sharing the list.
Hi Richard .. walking seems to be thing that clears my head ... interesting to read how they get their heads straight for writing ..
Thanks - and have a great 2013 year ahead ... Hilary
Michel Faber! I need to read more by this author. Yerba mate is good, but coffee is even better. Like A.L Kennedy, I carry my notebook around.
And exercise. Dancing is what helps me.
I do quite a few of these, expect drink copious amounts of Yerba Mate. More a powerade girl. Love these posts. Makes me feel like I am not a freak, just a a freaking good writer. lol.
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