Novelist as a Vocation
Haruki Murakami reflects on his experiences and thoughts as a novelist, discussing the nature of writing, the challenges faced, and the emotional journey throughout his career.
bpb-ca-c1.wpmucdn.comNovelist as a Vocation
When we set off to write a novel, when we use writing to create a story, like it or not a kind of toxin that lies deep down in all humanity rises to the surface. All writers have to come face-to-face with this toxin
Haruki Murakami • What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
Each novel you read (never mind the novels you write) will give you some theory of which attitude is best to strike at which moment, and—if you experience enough of them—will provide you, at the very least, with a wide repertoire of possible attitudes. But out in the field, experience has no chapter headings or paragraph breaks or ellipses in which
... See moreZadie Smith • Intimations: Six Essays
I think (or hope) that free and natural sensibility lies at the heart of my novels. That is what has spurred me to write. My engine, as it were. It is my belief that a rich, spontaneous joy lies at the root of all creative expression. What is originality, after all, but the shape that results from the natural impulse to communicate to others that f
... See moreHaruki Murakami • Novelist as a Vocation: The master storyteller on writing and creativity
“When I’m writing a story, I use words to transform the surrounding scene into something more natural for me. In other words, I reconstruct it. That way, I can confirm without a doubt that this person known as ‘me’ exists in the world. This is a totally different process from steeping myself in the world of math.”
Haruki Murakami • 1Q84: Books 1 and 2
Murakami argues that the three most important traits in any writer are talent, focus and endurance. Maybe that’s the right order in inspiration-laden fields like novel writing or composing symphonies, but in most of our vocations, endurance, or stamina, matters most.
Opinion | A Surprising Route to the Best Life Possible
And how do you explain that nearly no one is good enough, it has to do with how much work you put in, your diligence, your persistence, some fortune, some luck. And I suppose it has to be with your willingness to imagine things that aren’t there. They didn’t need me to give them permission to live their dreams. No one had ever given me permission t
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