Jessica
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
Your projects tend to be a little out-of-the-box: huge anthologies that could kill people if they fell asleep reading them, books that are hard to summarize, and a writing book that was basically an art project as well. Do you ever get stuck and think, "Oh god, what am I doing? Did I bite off more than I can chew? Who is going to buy this?"
Jeff VanderMeer
Thanks for the question, Jessica. The answer to biting off more than I can chew--all the time. But I'm guided by the first writer who completely ignited my senses and my creative brain: Angela Carter. She always said that your reach should exceed your grasp, that it wasn't worth not going for broke. Even if you wind up not getting all the way there, you get farther than you would have otherwise. So I take a lot of leaps off of cliffs and have faith I'll have knitted myself the parachute before I hit.
But I never ask "Who is going to buy this?" One of my most successful creations was the Lambshead fake disease guide. If I'd stopped to ask "Who is going to buy this?" I'd never have started that project, and it wound up getting a huge amount of attention, being translated into other languages, and involving writers like Neil Gaiman.
That said, it is a bit of a relief that the Southern Reach novels are easy to summarize: strange place, expeditions into it, secret agency overseeing it. The end!!
But I never ask "Who is going to buy this?" One of my most successful creations was the Lambshead fake disease guide. If I'd stopped to ask "Who is going to buy this?" I'd never have started that project, and it wound up getting a huge amount of attention, being translated into other languages, and involving writers like Neil Gaiman.
That said, it is a bit of a relief that the Southern Reach novels are easy to summarize: strange place, expeditions into it, secret agency overseeing it. The end!!
More Answered Questions
Brian Salyards
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
I often look at the world and wondering how an intelligent being from "somewhere else" would view things. I find this enjoyable and based on your writing I would imagine you do too. When I voice my observations people look at me like I am an alien. Reading your work makes me think in even newer and weirder ways. Thank you. And, in your opinion, what is the true value of weirdos in modern society?
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more