Technology

Art

Colm Tóibín on Writing, Self-Suppression, and the Art of Fiction

Interviewed by Belinda McKeon

6h ago· 2 min readen

books art literature interviews

Summary

This is a brief excerpt from a Paris Review interview with acclaimed Irish novelist Colm Tóibín (The Art of Fiction No. 256). The snippet describes the interview process — multiple sessions across different locations (Los Angeles, Catalan Pyrenees, County Wexford) — and Tóibín's habit of using a disposable fountain pen to emphasize points about writing craft. A key quote from Tóibín is included: "The thing about writing novels is that it must be a form of self-suppression. You don't matter. The page is not a mirror." The full piece is an in-depth author interview.

Source

Twitter / XColm Tóibín on Writing, Self-Suppression, and the Art of Fictiontheparisreview.org

Key quotes

· 2 pulled

The thing about writing novels is that it must be a form of self-suppression. You don't matter. The page is not a mirror.

Often, during the course of my interview sessions with Colm Tóibín, which numbered more than a dozen and took place across time zones... a disposable fountain pen would dart into view, held in his hand and used to emphasize a point about process or method.

Snippet from the RSS feed

“The thing about writing novels is that it must be a form of self-suppression. You don’t matter. The page is not a mirror.”

You might also wanna read

Crafting Big Scenes: The Writer's Challenge of Dialogue and Subtext

A reflective piece on the craft of writing, focusing on the pressure writers face when approaching pivotal "Big Scenes" in their scripts. Th

nofilmschool.com·11d ago

The Value of Unconventional Writing Advice: Lucy Ives' "three six five" and the Tradition of Creative Guides

This article explores the tradition of unconventional and esoteric writing advice, using Lucy Ives' new collection "three six five" as a spr

newyorker.com·1mo ago

Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk denies using AI to write her latest novel after initial remarks spark controversy

Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk was reported to have admitted using AI in her creative process for her latest novel during an event in Poznań.

lithub.com·1mo ago

Writing Emotion, Discovery Writing, And Slow Sustainable Book Marketing With Roz Morris | The Creative Penn

thecreativepenn.com·1mo ago

Stewart Lee on touring Ireland: beauty, fable, and the shadow of Northern Ireland's race riots

Stewart Lee reflects on touring through Ireland's beautiful towns, pubs, and clubs, contrasting the magical, fable-like atmosphere of the is