Alycia K
asked
Ben Marcus:
Mr Marcus, 'The Flame Alphabet' shocked me into a literature-induced coma for a few weeks, and it was its originality that drew me to it. Some pieces of literature inspire, and it was a combination of your style and storyline that inspired me. I'm a bit starstruck! So, do you ever have to make yourself feel something to be inspired? Many, many regards, Alycia AUS 17yo
Ben Marcus
Thank you!
I suppose I do need to make myself feel all sorts of things. I have a lot of doubt when I'm working, and I give up on projects probably too often. If I don't care about something I'm working on, it's ridiculous to think that anyone else will. So I dress things up, change them, destroy them, until they look pretty enough to attack. I guess the whole process of starting a new book is a kind of courtship with myself — but I'm not a very fun person to date.
I suppose I do need to make myself feel all sorts of things. I have a lot of doubt when I'm working, and I give up on projects probably too often. If I don't care about something I'm working on, it's ridiculous to think that anyone else will. So I dress things up, change them, destroy them, until they look pretty enough to attack. I guess the whole process of starting a new book is a kind of courtship with myself — but I'm not a very fun person to date.
More Answered Questions
Charles Kell
asked
Ben Marcus:
Dear Ben, I am a huge fan of your texts and find them unlike any other thing being currently written. Can you talk briefly about John Hawkes--your interactions with him; ways he has possibly influenced you; perhaps (and this is cliché) some "writerly" advice he has given to you?
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