Questions for Writers
Of readers’ inquiries about the relationship between autobiography and invention in his work, Kureishi said: “It’s such a dull question. And then people always want to know what time you get up, or whether you write with the window closed, or what your desk looks like.”
My man Hanif Kureishi cuts through the crap at the Guardian Hay Festival.
People often write to ask me about creative writing courses. In the future, I think, I’m just going to quote Hanif: “The writing courses, particularly when they have the word ‘creative’ in them, are the new mental hospitals. But the people are very nice.”
What do you think of the Iowa Writer’s Workshop in this context?
In India, there are no creative writing workshops, I guess.
Comment by sourabh — May 31, 2008 @ 9:00 am
But, you know, Amitava, for those of us who do fall under the thrall of the minutiae (e.g. I love the photo in the NYT recently of William F. Buckley in his large, messy office at his massively cluttered desk), there is something interesting out there: photog Jill Krementz’s 2008 ‘The Writer’s Desk’ spiral-bound appointment book.
Every few pages you get a B&W photo of, say, Walter Mosley, Susan Sontag or Ms. Krementz’s own hubby, Kurt Vonnegut, seated desk-side with some quote underneath about Writing.
This week’s is Susan Sontag: “Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.”
Comment by Filmiholic — June 6, 2008 @ 4:42 pm