Customer Reviews

Novel Voices: 17 Award-Winning Novelists on How to Write, Edit, and Get Published

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As a writer I'm always curious about knowing how other writers go about their work, how they do what they do. Unfortunately, I think most interviewers don't think so much like writers---they think like readers, fans. And while that's all well and good, it makes for run-of-the-mill exchanges. But this "Novel Voices" is much different. Levassuer and Rabalais not only know a thing or two about writing, they're also very talented interviewers and editors. The writers here give up a remarkable amount of the bare-bones stuff of story telling, writing. It's not the ABC's of writing, not a reference book; the writers contemplate the choices they make during their story making, detail their weaknesses and tell us how they write their stories out of trouble. Good stuff for other writers to think about. The editors also get this from their subects: their generosity. I have my favorite interviews---McCracken and Dubus to name two. But for inspiration, warmth and good common sense, plus perfect edting, read the Bausch interview. Doesn't get better than that one.

This book is pretty good for what it is but has a few inconsistancies and quirks (might not be the right word) that people might want to be aware of. One is that all of the writer's interviewed seem to:

a) Write realistic, mostly literary, fiction
b) Hold degrees in creative writing

A number of them it seems are also southern, although admittedly I haven't finished the collection. Now, there's nothing wrong with any of these things. I'm not opposed to realistic or literary fiction. My own fiction is non-speculative and hopefully to a certain degree literary. Nor do I have a problem with creative writing programs or southern writers. I simply wish the people putting the book together had thought to seek out a more diverse group. It might have made the collection more interesting.
Secondly, although the book is titled Novel Voices, there is more than one question asked on the state of short fiction, which though admittedly an important topic, I believe should have been saved for something else and replaced with a more appropriate question relating to novel writing.
Pet peeves aside, these are more detailed and intriguing interviews than one tends to come across. It does offer some insights into the writing process and, yes, if I had the chance to go back and decide whether to buy it again, I would.

Some collections of writer interviews can get a bit academic, but Novel Voices is a very stimulating read. It includes a diverse range of contemporary American writers, from the difficult (Gass) to the delightful (McCracken), and there are lots of interesting insights to be found here - honest opinions, thoughtful answers and inside information. It made me want to read more, and explore the work of writers with whom I'm less familiar. Highly recommended.