First published 1989
Michiko Kakutani sits down with novelists, theater directors, screenwriters, producers, and actors to explore how they approach their creative work. Each conversation reveals the thinking behind artistic choices and the methods these creators use to bring their visions to life. Writers discuss their relationship with language and character development. Directors explain how they guide performers and shape dramatic moments. Producers share insights about selecting projects and managing creative teams. The interviews capture these artists reflecting on their processes, influences, and the challenges they face in their respective fields. Kakutani draws out personal stories about breakthrough moments, failed experiments, and the evolution of their artistic voices. The book presents an inside view of creative work across multiple disciplines, showing how different artists solve similar problems of expression and communication. Through these candid discussions, readers gain access to the practical wisdom and hard-won insights of established professionals in literature, theater, and entertainment.
Genres: biography, fiction, drama, art, essays, criticism, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective
Period: 21st-Century
247 pages · Paperback · Peter Bedrick Books