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Visiting writer shares wisdom
March 07, 2008
In a candid conversation at Garfield Book Company, author Tony D’Souza opened up about making a living as writer, finding inspiration and dealing with rejection.
D’Souza was the second writer to visit campus for the spring edition of the English department’s Visiting Writing Series.
A writing day for D’Souza begins at 11 p.m. Armed with a black pen and college-rule lined paper, he’ll sit until about 3 a.m., sometimes writing several pages and other times simply staring at the blank page. As a manuscript comes together, he’ll work throughout the day to finish it.
Since the success of his first novel, “Whiteman,” D’Souza has been able to work full-time as a writer. He’s disciplined about his craft and will find himself writing on the plane or after a night out with friends. It’s not all work and no play, he added. He takes vacations and is in a relationship.
Despite all that practice, the craft doesn’t get easier, he warned.
“The blank page is still as frightening to me as it ever was,” he said. “Writing isn’t ever easy.”
And rejection can be even harder. He received his first negative review for his second novel, “The Konkans,” published this year. It was painful, he admitted, but in order to celebrate the good reviews, you have to be willing to take the criticism.
He encouraged those interested in a writing career to collaborate with other writers, embrace the criticism and make their own way.
“You’ll have your own writer’s life,” he said.
The Visiting Writer Series concludes Tuesday, April 22 with poet Mary Oliver. Tickets are required to attend Oliver’s evening reading, which will also mark PLU’s Earth Day celebration. More information on tickets is available here.
The series is sponsored by the English department, with support from the Office of the Provost, the Wild Hope Project, Garfield Book Company at PLU, the Rainier Writing Workshop, Student Involvement and Leadership, residential life and ASPLU.
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu. Photo by University Photographer Jordan Hartman.
A writing day for D’Souza begins at 11 p.m. Armed with a black pen and college-rule lined paper, he’ll sit until about 3 a.m., sometimes writing several pages and other times simply staring at the blank page. As a manuscript comes together, he’ll work throughout the day to finish it.
Since the success of his first novel, “Whiteman,” D’Souza has been able to work full-time as a writer. He’s disciplined about his craft and will find himself writing on the plane or after a night out with friends. It’s not all work and no play, he added. He takes vacations and is in a relationship.
Despite all that practice, the craft doesn’t get easier, he warned.
“The blank page is still as frightening to me as it ever was,” he said. “Writing isn’t ever easy.”
And rejection can be even harder. He received his first negative review for his second novel, “The Konkans,” published this year. It was painful, he admitted, but in order to celebrate the good reviews, you have to be willing to take the criticism.
He encouraged those interested in a writing career to collaborate with other writers, embrace the criticism and make their own way.
“You’ll have your own writer’s life,” he said.
The Visiting Writer Series concludes Tuesday, April 22 with poet Mary Oliver. Tickets are required to attend Oliver’s evening reading, which will also mark PLU’s Earth Day celebration. More information on tickets is available here.
The series is sponsored by the English department, with support from the Office of the Provost, the Wild Hope Project, Garfield Book Company at PLU, the Rainier Writing Workshop, Student Involvement and Leadership, residential life and ASPLU.
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu. Photo by University Photographer Jordan Hartman.