Jennifer Egan
1. READ. Read the kind of work you hope to produce. There's a strange alchemy whereby reading enables and powers writing. If you hope to write fiction, stop watching TV and immerse yourself in fiction. If you really want to watch TV, then consider writing TV scripts instead.
2. Try to make writing a habit, like exercise. If you're out of the habit, it feels strange to write (or, say, run). When you're in the habit, it feels strange not to. Humans are amazingly adaptable creatures; at the price of a few days of discomfort, we can train ourselves into a new norm.
3. Allow yourself to write badly. So much of writing is rewriting: get something down on paper (or screen) and improve it.
4. Don't be afraid of feedback. Sure it hurts, but you'll get over it. You'll also ultimately be able to distinguish good advice from bad--let some time pass and see which comments spark ideas and solutions. That's the advice to use. And be sure to find out from your readers what parts of a piece **are** working. Those will be your blueprint to improving the rest.
2. Try to make writing a habit, like exercise. If you're out of the habit, it feels strange to write (or, say, run). When you're in the habit, it feels strange not to. Humans are amazingly adaptable creatures; at the price of a few days of discomfort, we can train ourselves into a new norm.
3. Allow yourself to write badly. So much of writing is rewriting: get something down on paper (or screen) and improve it.
4. Don't be afraid of feedback. Sure it hurts, but you'll get over it. You'll also ultimately be able to distinguish good advice from bad--let some time pass and see which comments spark ideas and solutions. That's the advice to use. And be sure to find out from your readers what parts of a piece **are** working. Those will be your blueprint to improving the rest.
More Answered Questions
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Jennifer Egan:
I'm immediately struck by how firmly you nail telling details about the places in which the two novels are set, and the ephemera ... Eddie's running down the list of card games he knows how to play, or Anna's collecting Raleigh coupons. Was this a product of deep research specifically related to the book? (novelturgy?) Or were you starting from a built-on love and acquired knowledge of the period. Thanks!
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