The Writer's Room

by Charlotte Wood, Tegan Bennett Daylight (Contributor), James Bradley (Contributor)

Charlotte Wood's online journal 'THE WRITER'S ROOM' has become essential reading/listening for writers at all stages of their careers, and also pure reading/listening pleasure for book lovers everywhere. Charlotte's interviews with a wide range of well-know writers range in topic from the subject matter of the writer's work to quite intricate - and intimate - revelations about the ways in which they work. Charlotte's subjects are frank about the failures and successes, the struggles and triumphs of the writing life, and extremely generous in their revelations. A must-read/listen for writers and readers.

Interview subjects are: Tegan Bennett Daylight, James Bradley, Lloyd Jones, Malcolm Knox, Margo Lanagan, Amanda Lohrey, Joan London, Wayne Macauley, Emily Perkins, Kim Scott, Craig Sherborne, and Christos Tsiolkas.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHARLOTTE WOOD is the author of five novels and books of non-fiction. Her latest novel, 'The Natural Way of Things', won the 2016 Indie Book of the Year and the Indie Fiction Book of the Year prizes, has been shortlisted for the Stella Prize and the Victorian Premier's Literary Award, and has been long-listed for the Miles Franklin Award. Two of her novels, 'The Children' and 'The Natural Way of Things', have been optioned for feature films. She is a former editor of 'The Writer's Rooms Interviews' magazine.



RUNNING TIME ⇒ 10hrs. and 36mins.

©2016 Charlotte Wood (P)2016 W.F. Howes Ltd

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Audiobook, Australia, 21st Century, Books About Books

Audible Audio

First published July 1, 2016

About the author

Charlotte Wood is the author of six novels and two books of non-fiction. Her new novel is The Weekend.

Her previous novel, The Natural Way of Things, won the 2016 Stella Prize, the 2016 Indie Book of the Year and Novel of the Year, was joint winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction.

Her non-fiction works include The Writer’s Room, a collection of interviews with authors about the creative process, and Love & Hunger, a book about cooking. Her features and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Literary Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Saturday Paper among other publications. In 2019 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant services to literature, and was named one of the Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence.

Her latest project is a new podcast, The Writer's Room with Charlotte Wood, in which she interviews authors, critics and other artists about the creative process.

Reviews

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Wood intervjuar australiensiska och nyzeeländska författare om deras skrivande och verk. Fina samtal där Wood också går in i dialogen med sina egna erfarenheter av skrivande. Intressant att höra om författarnas tankar och erfarenheter, om deras olika väg till skrivandet. Jag är uppenbarligen sorgligt oinsatt i australiensisk litteratur – men det var intressant att höra om den nyzeeländska litteraturscenen, hur den är så liten och litteraturen anses ha ett nationsbyggande syfte att litteraturkritiken blir lidande. Här fanns beröringspunkter till den finlandssvenska litteraturkritiken.

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Writer's Room - Conversations About Writing (Allen & Unwin Books 2016), is a compilation by Charlotte Wood of her insightful interviews with writers, following The Paris Review model. Featuring 12 authors of varying levels, The Writer's Room is an invaluable resource for writers, and a fascinating insight for readers. The book consists of a series of personal interviews conducted over several years in a conversational and casual format, with the interviewee often asking as many questions as they answer. This is an added bonus, because we hear (or read) Charlotte's responses, and have the benefit of her thoughts on particular subjects also. The book covers everything from the practical considerations of writing (where do you work? when? for how long? what do you need to make it happen?), to inspirations and muses, to the perils and joys of success, to the lesser moments of failure and envy and self-doubt. And while it is a discourse on the very act of writing - of creating something from nothing using words and ideas - it is also about the why of writing. It delves into the intangible and often murky waters of what drives us as writers, it looks at writing being an end in itself, and also about the importance of readers in the process - none of us write in a vacuum. The authors interviewed very generously gave their opinions on what drives them, on what they consider success, on how they cope with challenges and difficult times, and what they value in the writing of others. I gleaned so much. From Tegan Bennett Daylight I learnt about darkness, and respect and kindness, about 'slowly learning to resist the easy manipulation of readers' feelings', about the adaptability of children, and the quickening or urgency of the material, about surprise and movement and confidence. James Bradley spoke of rhythm and stillness, narrative and tension, exploring ideas and possibilities, imagination and research, about connection and letting go. Lloyd Jones discussed hope, voice, story and character. Malcolm Knox spoke of the truth in fiction, and the idea of what's behind the façade. Margo Lanagan talked of self-consciousness and energy, and of building up a character with small details. Amanda Lohrey emphasised tone, rhythm, faith in the process; 'a style that breaths', and about being prepared to fail, about instinct and dreams. Joan London spoke of sense, logic, vision, context, exploration, getting lost in the story, the music of language, power and risk. Wayne Macauley talks of humanist writing, and humour and fallibility. Emily Perkins examines taking yourself to the edge as a writer, and the fine balance between absolute authority and vulnerability to discovery, about following instinct and moving forward, about hidden intentions. Kim Scott talks about outsiders and identity, about complexity and intimacy. Craig Sherborne enthused about the energy and creativity of writing, our subconscious, and the juxtaposition between beauty and ugly in the world, about emotional violence. Christos Tsiolkas spoke of obligations and a sense of danger, of honouring mistakes and of pleasing people. Truly this is a compendium of anecdotes and advice and commentary that any writer should have by their side to dip into at will for inspiration and encouragement. These writers will urge you to be the best writer that you can be. And for avid readers, this book gives an easy to read and interesting insight into the way writers think, write, work, edit and manage their writing lives.

[Caroline Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jam packed with writerly inspiration—craft, creative process, life, recommended reads. I already adore Charlotte Wood as a writer, and now I see that she is a talented interviewer, too. Perfect for writers in search of an injection of energy to kick-start their next project.

Fav quotes:
It was just that I had—and I think you have this as well—an incredible need to communicate, to tell people what you've seen. (Page 5, Tegan Bennett Daylight.)

You're approaching it wrongly. You're making a massive drama when, in fact, if you approach it quietly and sideways, it feeds its power silently into the narrative and, with any luck, the reader, a good reader, feels it. (Page 29/30 Tegan Bennett Daylight.)

When you are on song you just find connection everywhere. The world just suddenly connects. And you can't believe nobody else has seen this, and you're a bit worried that somebody might have, because it's so obvious. That's when you're on song, when you have unlocked that thing.It's all in there in the subconscious somewhere, waiting to be dragged up and connected and pieced together in an interesting way. (Page 92 Lloyd Jones.)

I think women are very porous; they are all the time taking in what's around them. Perhaps even more than men they need to shut off and have that ruthless focus that, traditionally, they've not been permitted. (Page 191 Amanda Lohrey.)

[Zora · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy reading interviews with writers, this is a rich collection. I especially enjoyed the interviews with writers I have never read, though Joan London and Amanda Lohrey (who I have read) were the stand outs for me.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, engaging, easy to read book where the author, Charlotte Wood talks with twelve Australian and New Zealand authors. She has a discussion with each about all things to do with writing. How writers think, work, write and organise their writing lives. All the authors had the opportunity to edit their comments. Charlotte Wood provides a summary of each author as an introduction to each discussion. A worthwhile reading experience from a writer’s and reader’s perspective.

The twelve authors are Tegan Bennett Daylight, James Bradley, Lloyd Jones, Malcolm Knox, Margo Lanagan, Amanda Lohrey, Joan London, Wayne Macauley, Emily Perkins, Kim Scott, Craig Sherborne and Craig Tsoilkas.

This book was first published in 2016.

Charlotte Wood is a well known, successful Australian author. Her most famous novel is ‘The Natural Way of Things’, first published in 2015 and shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. I have read five of her novels and found them all to be very worthwhile, satisfying reading experiences.

[Ben Hobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much needed inspiration for this bloke.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Writer's Room is a collection of long-form interviews with Australian and New Zealand authors, conducted by Australian author Charlotte Wood. These are all fascinating and inspiring, giving insight into each author's thought and work processes – though I was a bit surprised and hurt at some of the negative opinions of historical fiction! All up, a great resource – easily one to recommend to readers and writers.

As a final note, I want to say bravo to Wood for this:

In Australia there seems to be this continuous anxiety, manifesting in the question, 'What is Aust-ralian literature?' But as a writer, I basically couldn't give a sh*t.

[Ian Laird · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to enjoy this more. It's not bad: there are some interesting writers talking candidly about their works and processes. I enjoyed the candid and systematic Lloyd Jones and Malcolm Knox's refusal to pander for a particular audience. However, the transcript form of interview is a difficult one and these wandered loosely at times. The form works some times, The Paris Review being a case in point, but those interviews benefit from a lot of set up, structure and arc. Nevertheless, The Writer's Room is worth dipping into.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to how writers write, process and review. Interesting interviews.

Borrowed on Hoopla through JCPL.

Listening length listed as 10 hr 30 min. Longer than this by a few minutes.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading (or listening to) interviews with writers, especially those whose books I’ve read. I like to hear what they say about their writing processes - it gives me insight into their thinking and reminds me of some of the reasons I read. The interviews in this volume are reprints of Charlotte Wood's interviews with authors which Wood published in a digital magazine a few years ago. I focussed on writers whose work I know. The comments that have stayed with me have come from women writers, especially Tegan Bennett Daylight, Amanda Lohrey and Joan London.

What struck me most about what these writers were saying was the need to find the particular energy that will drive a novel forward - whether it be a place, a mood, a central idea or a character. Only occasionally is it ‘plot’ in the conventional sense. The other critical thing was to find and sustain the ‘voice’ that will convince and hold the reader.

Tegan Bennet Daylight talks about looking for ‘the dark stuff’ in human experience and gives a clever example: darkness is not a death but the way someone tries to steal an extra piece of cake at the funeral. I liked that - the need for a writer to find a fresh way to make us see our human fallibility.

I was also interested in the common experience of characters developing their own lives and surprising even the authors themselves. That is part of a novel being organic rather than pre-programmed (which is often the mark of a lesser book.) A number of the interviewees talked about writers as explorers, uncovering something new for us in human experience, even if it is grounded in the familiar.

Joan London says ‘Where would I be without books? Without writers? The worlds, inner and outer, that they’ve opened up… The music of their language. The evidence of human imagination and experience, the courage of their explorations. The force of their thought.” Amen to that!

[Rebecca Fung · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a series of interviews with a selection of Australian writers. The format allows the writers to go pretty in depth with their thoughts and reveals good insights into writing and the writing industry. Their voices come through well - Charlotte has done a good job of making the scripts readable without trying to make them look so fixed up they lose the natural flow of the writers' voices.

I didn't agree with all the writers but that's not the point - it's good to be provoked, to get insights. There were some repetitive questions, like asking writers what their routine was, but it was good to see how different writers answered that same question. Other times it was great to see how writers talked about whatever they wanted. The Christos Tsiolkas interview was a great example of where it felt like Tsiolkas talked a lot about issues that interested and influenced him rather than sticking to a script, and it revealed a lot about his writing.

This goes far further than the usual stuff writers talk about with writing, it's not a simple how-to book about writing but rather gives you insight into certain writers which can be useful in your own writing or may make you think about your reading in a different way.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

These interviews accomplish a comfort and ease more akin to conversation than interview. By interviewing writers in the midst of working rather than during the promotional phase immediately after publishing something new, Wood succeeds in her goal of creating a true picture of the writing life. And with 12 interviews, the sample size is big enough to offer contradictions and agreements between writers, thus making the writing life feel expansive rather than limiting. I especially loved these as an audiobook because the performances were so natural, and it made me want to pick up some of my own long-abandoned writing projects.

[Tom Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the much-loved interviews online, Charlotte Wood’s ‘The Writer’s Room’ is a a fascinating insight into the craft of famous Australian writers. Similar to the format of the Paris Review, each chapter is a conversation with a different writer on their craft, each offering golden nuggets on information. The common theme I found reading this book was that an author’s best work comes from writing for themselves, not an audience. Other tips like writing longhand and having people that can support your solace endeavour was common, in a collection of interviews invaluable to any aspiring writer.

[Takwa Gweegat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe how much I enjoyed this book although I've never heard of any of the writers interviewed in it. But the interviewer is brilliant, her questions are sharp and shaped by her own experience with writing and she put her guests at such ease that they opened up and shared both the logistic and mystical aspects of their writing routines. I made a list with the novels those writers wrote and I will happily dive into them now.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hidden gems in long dialogue

I would love to read the cliff notes summary of this book.

From reading one of the interviews I can see there are some great insights about how the authors craft their stories and the tensions in their own worlds that they draw them from. But I would have preferred to read a one page summary of the key insights than read through the full record of their conversation.

[Maria Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book hearing about the process writer's take regarding the thoughts, ideas and skill behind their writing. The struggles and discipline, the backgrounds of many of the writer's and the history of why they write. Lot's of food for thought in the creativity necessary to be a writer and the difference in their approaches and yet in many ways the similarity of how they go about their craft.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an insightful and fascinating book. I loved the honesty and wisdom in it - it's full of ideas and reflections on the world of writing and the work of being a writer. It was great to see the behind the scenes of these writers, to learn more about their processes and struggles. A book for writers, readers and those who love books.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got more out of this by listening to the audiobook than if I’d read the collection; this definitely made the material more effective, hearing the interviews. For me, the standout interviews were Margo Lanagan and Joan London’s.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn't live up to my expectations, which perhaps were too high. I thought a series of lengthy conversations between authors would provide a higher reward for the reader, but I struggled to finish it.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love to hear writers talking about writing, their relationship to their work, what research goes in, the word count they aim for each day, their writing routines/locations/mental state, what the process of writing even is

[Tina Blaxtvedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend to anyone interested in writing (i.e. not just reading)

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Läsvärd. Mycket intressanta intervjuer.

[Sally Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many years of wisdom shared in the interviews in this book. A great touchstone for any writer who thinks they're alone in their writing struggles or frustrations.

[Amanda B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully insightful interviews with writers. Charlotte Wood asks the right questions and gives her subjects enough space to answer with depth and grace.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for both readers and writers.

[Griflet]

pg 48

[Ros Gaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting perspectives from a good cross section of writers.

[Magdalena]

I listen to a lot of interviews and have conducted a fair few of them myself, and am always interested in seeing what the form can do.  Charlotte Wood’s long-form, extended interviews with other highly experienced writers about as good as interviewing gets.  The conversations laid in The Writer’s Room are rich, detailed, honest, and relaxed, providing an easily referenced compendium of what Wood calls her "three-year masterclass”.  All of the writers involved, including Wood, are extensively experienced, and though the genres differ, there’s a definite literary quality to the work of all the writers.  These are certainly authors at the peak of their game: Tegan Bennett Daylight, James Bradley, Lloyd Jones, Malcolm Knox, Margo Lanagan, Amanda Lohrey, Joan London, Wayne Macauley, Emily Perkins, Kim Scott, Craig Sherborne, and Christos Tsiolkas.  The conversations draw on a deep well of mutual respect, and the information provided is so rich, and there is so much honesty and intimacy here, that it feels almost wrong – like an unfair advantage – to read them.  It’s as if you were overhearing a very  intense and somewhat private conversation between the two cherished friends about the very heart of how and why they do their work.

Wood creates an environment of trust that allows the conversations to go very deep, well beyond the mechanics of craft, though there are plenty of tips on craft. The discussions explore all sorts of aspects of the writing process, including anxieties and aesthetic vision, as well as work methods, the building of worlds, structure, habits, characterisation, on writing darkness, on writing humour, on writers block, and almost everything else you can think of. Wood allows each writer full space to explore her questions, which are so well-thought out, that they’re instructive even before the answer is read.  Each of the interviews begins with Wood’s own introduction to the author, which goes well beyond a bio.  These introductions covers Wood’s own experience of their books, as well as information about the person themselves – how they present (even what they were wearing in some cases, during the interview), their manner, the scene and circumstance of the discussion. As a reader, you really get to join the scene, and experience the conversation with all senses engaged.

The book is so full of insights that my copy is now full of dog-ears and post-it notes (sorry book purists) for points I want to return to or draw on. The topics that Wood covers are far-reaching. For anyone who has read (and loved- as I certainly did) The Natural Way of Things, an added bonus is seeing the bones of what she was grappling with through that book, such as the writing of darkness, what it means to immerse yourself in a dystopian world, or the link between risk, humiliation, and the writers’ connection with humanity. At one point Wood asks Christos Tsiolkas about entering the kind of dark places that you have to go when writing about misogyny or racism (something that both Wood and Tsiolkas have done with great skill in their work), and how that might implicate the writer.  Wood seems to be very good at coaxing out the richest, most honest thoughts from the writers she talks to, even when the question is a simple one, such as whether a journal is kept:

Because the writer part of you is always on, isn’t it? There’s this awful ruthless, churning machine and it doesn’t matter where you are, you’re thinking, ‘What’s here that I can use?’ (Amanda Lohrey, 201)

Most of the writers interviewed came across as incredibly generous, surprisingly humble, and warm and accessible.  Wood allowed the writers to approve their interviews before they went to print, and the resulting transcripts are beautifully readable, smooth and lucid, without losing any of the candid nature of the conversations, or the intimacy.  I felt, above all, that the information provided in these interviews was a tremendous act of generosity - not just in terms of authors sharing their best tricks, their struggles and their visions, but also because of the way these discussions draw the reader almost directly into the writing process. The Writer’s Room isn’t just a book for writers, though it is an invaluable, almost encyclopaedic source of information for fiction writers in particular. The Writer’s Room is also a book for readers, a point echoed many times throughout the book, because the reader is integral to the book’s meaning as the writer is:

In literature you want the intimacy of the collaboration between reader and writer—and this is why I like complex stories. Not to make them difficult, but just so there’s a greater collaboration in that very intimate relationship. You can build things out of that, out of the little ambivalences and unknowns. You expand your sense of the world then, rather than just being reassured, or things being simplified. (355-56, Kim Scott)

[Pauline McLay · Rating 4 out of 5]

For writers and readers alike. Intelligent and insightful interviews. Recommended.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Wood sits down with 12 authors and has a long form discussion about all things writing. There is no standard questions and the conversation meanders around all things writing.
This is just a wonderful expose and you feel like you are the third person at the table, unable to get a word in but fascinated but your very clever friends.
You will not learn how to write a best selling novel, what you will learn is that all writers struggle and overcome. They find a way around or through an obstacle. How they doubt themselves, how they are full of confidence, how the ideas come and how the writing life is not easy.
Bubbling away through these interviews is when Wood discusses the novel she is working on. There are little hints and clues to the novel 'The Natural Way of Things'.
The only downfall to this novel is that my to be read pile has increased because of it and that is not really a bad thing.
Listened to the audio book, highly recommend.
Listened to the audio book version, highly recommend.