An in-depth interview with Alyson Hagy, finalist for the Southern Book Prize and award-winning author, about her experiences as a writer and her advice for beginning writers
Alyson Hagy is a creative writing professor at the University of Wyoming, as well as an author of eight books with her newest, award-winning, success being Scribe.
(For more information, see her profile in the University of Wyoming directory).
I asked Hagy the following questions last week to get a better sense of her writing motivation and strength and to hopefully give young or beginning writers some advice and inspiration. Her answers certainly inspired me to keep writing and pursuing my dreams, and I hope they give you the same encouragement.
1. Many writers today, especially beginning writers, struggle with self-doubt and self-criticism. Have you ever felt this way with your writing, and, if you did, how did you overcome it, or how do you attempt to do so?
The truthful answer is the doubt never leaves you. I don’t know a single writer, famous or not, who doesn’t suffer from it. You just have to learn to set it aside, to let the pleasure and understanding of working with language win the day. Is that hard? It can be very hard. There are always other ways to spend your time and other claims on your attention. I found when I left college (where I took a few writing classes) that I just couldn’t stop writing or reading voraciously. I needed to do it more than I needed to do anything else. So I learned to cope with that need and to try to structure my days and weeks so I could practice as much as possible. Writing is like mastering a musical instrument or training for a high-level athletic event. It takes practice. And everyone improves with practice.
2. What is your biggest motivation for writing? In other words, what is your goal or purpose in writing your stories and books, such as Scribe or Boleto?
That’s a tough question. When I was young, I just wanted to make sentences. I loved how language sounded. And there’s still some of that desire in books like Scribe and Boleto, the desire to find the language that fits the character and her/his world. My goals have been incremental. I haven’t tried to be a commercial writer although I admire some commercial writers very much. I’ve concentrated on writing stories that aren’t shaped like other stories, that are unusual, that give voice to characters who are on the margins of our culture. Once I began to write novels (and I was late to the game on that), I was drawn to hardscrabble landscapes and the individuals who choose to live in them. As I’ve gotten older, I have worked to reach more readers—and to tell tales I hope are true to the complex histories of the American West and South. I’ve probably been more motivated by an attempt to hone my own voice and style than to make money, I guess. I just love playing with form and language, with inventing.
3. When was the moment you first felt like a “writer”? How, if at all, do you think the definition or characteristics of a writer has changed in today’s fast-paced, online-centric world?
I began to call myself a writer after I published my second book. That’s how long it took. It was just easier to tell people I was a teacher (which I was) than to answer questions about why they hadn’t heard of me, etc. I’m not sure the deep definition of writer has changed. We are the recorders of our culture—no matter how fast or digital it is. Our material, human nature, doesn’t seem to have changed at all. I do think the digital world can provide community for emerging writers in important ways; they can find advocates and readers more quickly. That’s a plus. Also, self-publishing is a good route for some writers. And social media has transformed marketing.
4. What writers, people, or books inspired you when you started writing?
Flannery O’Connor, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Carson McCullers. It was a true revelation to me to read Southern writers who wrote about people like those I knew from my life. They did it in ways funny and dark, wise and raucous. They gave me permission to explore the voices in my imagination. And they weren’t in my local library. Ironically, I had to go far away from the South to find them.
5. What advice do you have for beginning writers today?
There are only two rules for the writing life: 1) There are no rules, and 2) Read, read, read. Like a crazy person.
6. How do you balance writing, life, and a career?
That’s another tough question. There’s never enough time to read and write. There might be if I wanted to live alone without even a dog. But I have been blessed with a family (and a loving line of Labradors). So I just make it work, and sometimes I have to be stubborn about it. My process has changed. I prefer to write in the morning, but that’s not possible with an infant, and it’s sometimes not possible with certain jobs. So I try to adjust. Even 20 minutes a day or two hours on Saturday and Sunday will bear fruit. It helps if you live with people who respect your need for time and quiet. Also, the number of people who make a full-time living as writers is small. They are very admirable, and they work extremely hard. But most writers I know have jobs doing something else. That was the first thing my mentor in graduate school said to us: Think now about what job will work with your writing because you are going to need one.
Conclusion
Hagy's advice should not be taken lightly, especially if you are a young or beginning writer. When I discovered my passion for writing, I knew deep down that this was what I wanted to do with my life; it became everything to me and a way to share my voice with the world. However, as I got older, I began to feel the pressure of finding a job, of settling down with financial security, and of still having a job where I am happy. It is difficult to make a living with writing. It takes a lot of hard work and just a bit of luck. Even if you do get a few books published, you will not necessarily be able to quit your normal job. Just as Hagy suggested, "Think now about what job will work with your writing because you are going to need one."
Hagy also discussed the importance of practice. Just like when you try to master an instrument, writing requires practice, time, and help. Your writing comes from inside of you, but workshops, collaborating with other people, and reading about new trends or helpful tips, can only help you develop your writing to be the best it can be.
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