Colm Tóibín: Losing himself in writing

Novelist Colm Tóibín speaks with fellow novelist Colum McCann in this edition of HoCoPoLitSo's The Writing Life. Recorded in 1999, Tóibín speaks about his early novels, The South (1991), The Heather Blazing (1992), The Story of the Night (1997) and about his nonfiction, The Sign of the Cross: Travels in Catholic Europe (1994). Tóibín explains that one of the best things about writing is being able to lose yourself; he writes in longhand at art colonies like Yaddo to be able to feel the physical presence of his words. He reads from The South, and discusses and reads from The Story of the Night, about a gay man's struggle with his sexuality. He also discusses his travel book about Catholic Europe. In closing, McCann asks Tóibín what writer he would choose to be. For his words, Tóibín says, he would gladly be Henry James, but he would rather enjoy the life of Yeats. For more information or to donate to HoCoPoLitSo's live or recorded programs, visit www.hocopolitso.org.

[@SplashyCannonBall]

I’ve read both of their books. It was was a joy to find this video

[@jamesaritchie1]

Several studies have been done showing that writing in longhand gives far easier access to the creative center of the brain. The reason for this is obvious. We don't WRITE words, we draw them. Writing is what our drawing produces. We all draw with the brain's creative center, so longhand means automatic access. Oddly, and for reasons that haven't yet been explained, a manual typewriter is almost as good for this access as is longhand. An electric typewriter is better than a computer keyboard, but nowhere close to being as good as longhand, or a manual typewriter. A computer keyboard does not work at all. This doesn't mean you can't write a great novel using a computer. Of course it can be done. But it's more difficult because there is no automatic access to the brain's creative center. Another telling factor is completion rate. Those who write in longhand are several times as likely to finish a novel than are those who write on a computer with a standard word processor. Longhand writers also seem to follow Heinlein's Rules for writing, even if they've never heard of them. They are as follows, with an explanation of each rule by Scott Marlow and Robert J. Sawyer. Chances are very high you don't have what it takes to follow them, all of them, but if you can follow them, you can also be a professional writer. 1.) You must write. I'm reminded of similar advice given by Mur Lafferty of the I Should Be Writing podcast. Her first rule is "Butt in chair." It's as simple as that. Getting your butt in the chair is the first step to writing. Another way to look at it is that you must write if you want to be a writer. 2.) You must finish what you write. If you don't, you're wasting time and effort. Sure, some writing is practice. The general rule on first novels is to shove it in a drawer and forget about it; most first novels are crap, so consider it practice and move on to the next one. However, if you never finish that first novel you'll never get to the second. It's not done until it's done, and you can't do anything with it until you've finished it. 3.) You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order. This one is tough. I aspire to greatness. You probably do, too. My editing process involves several passes of the entire novel, then a chapter-by-chapter review. I hammer away at each and every chapter for as long as it takes. I risk exhaustion with this process, but it's what works for me. But at some point you have say, "I'm done", and resist all further temptations to re-write any more. If you think about it, a piece of writing is never really "done". There's always something to change or add or remove. But if you aspire to becoming a professional writer, then at some point you have to get your writing in front of someone who will pay you for it. That's not going to happen if you enter into a never ending rewrite cycle. 4.) You must put the work on the market. You have to get your writing in front of someone who will pay you for it. Don't fear rejection. Embrace it and make yourself stronger from it. Or something like that. Bottom line: when you finish something, send it out. 5.) You must keep the work on the market until it is sold. Once something is finished, send it out. If (or when) it comes back rejected, already have your next destination for it in mind. Only when all possible outlets have been exhausted should you consider stuffing it into a drawer or, if you're sure it's of high quality and representative of the kind of work you want people to read, put it on your web site or blog as a freebie. Those are Heinlein's Five Rules of Writing. Robert J. Sawyer, author of Flash Forward and many other science fiction novels, adds a sixth rule to Heinlein's five: 6.) Start Working on Something Else Once something is shipped, start working on the next story or novel. Not always easy, but it is essential to always have something in the pipeline. You might even find yourself juggling multiple, simultaneous projects. Some writers do this to keep from getting "stuck" when working on just a single project. The change in story or characters can really help keep the writing process flowing.

[@angelrallovallejo4804]

Great comment. Thank you so much.

[@ivainyamutsamba8540]

Writing is limitless, Writing is esoteric, Writing is being, Writing is feeling, Writing is liberating, Writing is mankind, The only way the mortal, Has figured outside of the clutches of Death, I saw death, I heard death curse time to eternity, They cannot Rob the grain sands of time, The prized possession The human soul, from the realm of mortals...

[@Poemsapennyeach]

It's all about MEN !! Women did write too !! LOTS of them !!

[@hocopolitso]

Hi Poemsapennyeach, thanks so much for your comment. We know women wrote! In fact, if you're into Irish literature, we have Eavan Boland, Emma Donoghue, Paula Meehan, Nuala O'Faolain, and as for American women novelists, Alice McDermott, Mary Gordon, Edna O'Brien, Laurie Frankel, Carrie Brown, Donna Hemans, Thrity Umrigar, Helen Elaine Lee, Julie Otsuka ... I hope you look into our episodes featuring women authors, and keep writing!

[@davidkirby8836]

@@hocopolitsosome of the people of east Co. Clare might be upset to find Edna O Brien has been given to America.