L.L. Barkat, author of The Novelist, agreed to answer some questions for me about her life and her writing experiences. Discover why she felt the need to write this book, how she develops her characters, and more.
Laura is searching for her place in the world of writing. Is this book based on your own writing experience?
It’s based more on the writers I’ve worked with over the years (I’m an editor as much as I’m a writer)—so many writers searching for their voices, so many afraid of what’s locked inside.
That’s why the Mary Shelley parts of the story are important. I believe that as brave as Mary’s monster story was (and it was brave), she personally knew what it was to fear the act of creation. Think about that. Her mother had died in an act of creation (birthing Mary) and Mary had grown up in a man’s world. Ever wonder why her monster story makes the issue of creation so painful? I think Mary knew it firsthand. Many writers know that too. And they will need to struggle with it.
Did you intend for this book to teach others how to write fiction?
Yes. In fact, I have a few writer friends who can write fiction. They just don’t know it yet. I wrote The Novelist with these writers in mind. I could see what their questions were, what consistently has been standing in the way. And I hoped to write a story that would gently and systematically remove the obstacles.
How long did it take you to complete this novella?
If I tell you, I will give away the inside joke about Edward P. Jones.
(Okay, it was three. The lesser reference, not the greater. Plus a few days.)
Which scene in the book is your favorite? Least favorite?
Is it bad to not have a least favorite? These are the kinds of scenes that don’t make it in. It’s a great editing technique, actually. If something bores a writer or just doesn’t work, you can bet it probably won’t thrill a reader either. Cut.
Favorite scene might be the one where Laura invites Geoffrey to tea, in her imagination. And reads Adrienne Rich. Gotta love Adrienne. And a good black tea with chocolate overtones.
How did you choose the names for your characters?
The book really plays with the literary world. Teases it. Teases us as writers and readers. Many of the names reflect that. For instance, it is a common criticism that writers write their first novel about themselves. So I chose the name Laura. Because it’s mine.
But that’s too easy, isn’t it? Is the book really about me? It better not be, or I’ve fallen prey to the first-novel-writers typical approach.
On the other hand, how fun to fall prey to it on some level. It both begs the question of the novel-writer as her own subject and creates more questions. The use of the poet James Cummins’ real name and some names of other actual friends seal the deal. (Yes, all agreed to play the game along with me and gave permission for the use of their names.)
How completely do you develop your characters before beginning to write?
Completely not.
And this is where Laura and I share a quality. She says she can’t follow the writing formulas. She talks about Shakespeare’s sonnets and notes that she can’t “write in his form.” That’s me. I spend less time developing according to formula than being developed by my own writing along the way.
