First published 2010
Daniel Alarcón gathers twelve acclaimed fiction writers to pull back the veil on how novels actually get written. Paul Auster, Haruki Murakami, Mario Vargas Llosa, and others sit down for frank conversations about their craft. They tackle practical questions like whether to outline and how to develop characters. Stephen King offers his blunt take on what separates novels from short stories. Colm Toibin strips away romantic notions about fictional characters. José Manuel Prieto reflects on how literary influences affect writers at different stages of their careers. The discussions move from technical nuts and bolts to the deeper mysteries of storytelling. Each writer brings their own perspective and hard-won wisdom to the table. The result is an honest look at the daily work of creating fiction, free from mystification or pretense.
Genres: literary-fiction, writing, non-fiction, 21st-century, books-about-books, academic
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: interviews, non-fiction
368 pages · Paperback · St. Martin's Griffin