Jess Walter Eats Breakfast Three or Four Times While Writing (and Other Literary Tidbits)
The Author of “So Far Gone” Takes the Lit Hub Questionnaire
Jess Walter’s novel, So Far Gone, is available now from Harper, so we asked him a few questions about writer’s block, writing advice, unexpected routines, and more.
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Who do you most wish would read your book?
In order:
1. People worried about America.
2. People somehow not worried about America.
3. People obsessed with “owning the libs.”
4. The libs.
5. The new pope.
How do you tackle writers block?
Oh, I hate that guy. Office buzzkill. I mostly give him the cold shoulder.
If he sidles up to my desk, I try not to acknowledge him. Of course, he lingers, hoping to strike up a conversation (“What are you working on?”) so I immediately open a file and start typing: a story, a poem, random lines, anything to get him to go away.
“Sorry,” I’ll say, “I’d love to chat, but I need to work on this.”
What’s the best or worst writing advice you’ve ever received?
As a young news reporter, my city editor, Peggy Kuhr, once told me, “You write great descriptions. Now pick one.” It was a nice reminder to be concise and…you know what, actually, let’s just go with concise.
Who is the person, or what is the place or practice that had the most significant impact on your writing education?
My formal education was pretty limited after I became a father at 19 and started working at a newspaper. But I was lucky to befriend an amazing array of writers, poets and professors. I’ve continued to learn from all of them.
When I was in my twenties, they shared syllabi and reading lists with me, gave me feedback on my work, and celebrated publications—theirs and mine. Sometimes when people ask where I got my MFA, I will name one: “Dan Butterworth University.”
What part of your writing routine do you think would surprise your readers?
The sheer number of breakfasts I eat. Today, I had a cookie and a cup of coffee at 5:30, a small bowl of granola at 8, and now, at 10:30, I am about to walk to a café to have a crepe with goat cheese, spinach, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.
Hopefully I can squeeze in bacon and eggs before the workday ends.
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So Far Gone by Jess Walter is available via Harper.
