Lisa Glatt is one of Other Voices’ favorite writers. Not only did we publish the title chapter of her novel, A Girl Becomes a Comma Like That, but this is a woman who also, years before Carrie Bradshaw dated a cute-but-kinky politician, wrote a story about a chick whose lover wanted her to pee on him, and was told by her (then) agent that the story could not go into her collection because it was too risqué. Happily, Lisa is no stranger to the risqué, and her poetry collections (Shelter is one of our favorite books of poems) are erotic and sad and death-obsessed and vitally alive all at once. Plus, her husband (the excellent poet) David Hernandez has designed three of our covers! She’s also a writer we’ve enjoyed seeing move into “mainstream” publishing (her novel, as well as her collection The Apple’s Bruise, came out from Simon & Schuster) so that the widest readership possible can discover what we already know: Lisa Glatt rocks!
OV: How do you juggle teaching with writing? Does teaching enrich your work, or is it simply essential to pay the bills?
LG: I like being out in the world and being social. Most of my students are great fun with interesting ideas about, not only writing, but life. I do look forward to the summer and time off, though, when I’m able to concentrate on my own work. At times, juggling—not just teaching, but life itself—is difficult and frustrating. I have found though that jobs or family obligations are usually not the main thing that detracts from my writing time. I need to blame myself for those moments and hours in front of the computer when I’m too hard on myself, editing before I even begin, doubting each peck of each fingertip.
OV: Do you believe writing workshops are necessary to the development of a young writer? (If not, what are other ways you recommend young writers expand their craft?)
LG: First off, a new writer or a person who wants to be a writer, should love to read. If he or she doesn't love to read, then she needs to ask herself, why am I doing this or why do I want to do this? I've watched many of my Sunday workshop students go from interested novices to talented writers with book-length manuscripts on the way—so for those writers the workshop has been instrumental. Much of it may be community and support, but I do know that honest criticism from a person or people who really want to see your writing improve is incredibly valuable, for those who are open to it, for those who want it.
OV: Can you describe the difference between writing short fiction and novels?
LG: The novel, I believe, is a more forgiving form. If we're willing to make the 300+ page time commitment to the writer, if we believe her voice that much, then we're often willing to forgive or ignore wrong moves, which I think are inevitable in most novels, even very good ones. Stories are read by fewer people, but need to be nearly perfect, each word or move backed up by what the story finally becomes. I've been reading lots of older stories for a class I’m teaching: Kafka's metamorphosis and Tolstoy’s the death of Ivan Ilych to name a couple, and, by today's standards, those two stories are incredibly long. As brilliant as they are, I feel that same sort of flexibility in myself when reading them. When I’m reading a short story written by someone today, I’m not so flexible. I'm scrutinizing every word and turn before deciding if I love it. So, to answer your question, I’m very aware of my own standards when writing stories and when working on my own novel. I'm finishing my second novel now The Nakeds and I’m trying to be forgiving with myself but it's difficult.
OV: What are your five favorite novels of all time?
LG: It changes all the time. I love what I love most at the moment I’m loving it, so it's going to be a contemporary list that is bound to change by the time this is posted.
But here goes:
1. We Need to Talk About Kevin
2. The Sleeping Father
3. Angels
4. How the Light Gets In
5. Good Morning Midnight
OV: What are your five favorite short stories?
LG: Again, changing all the time, but right now:
1. Jodi Angel's "Portions"
2. Charles d'Ambrosio's "The Screenwriter"
3. Raymond Carver's "A Small Good Thing"
4. Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People"
5. Junot Diaz's "How to Date a Black Girl, Brown Girl, White Girl, or Halfie"
OV: What is the most important book (fiction or non) that you've read in the past year?
LG: I really enjoyed Jane Smiley's 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel
OV: If you could have dinner with any fiction writer, living or dead, who would it be and what is one question you would ask him or her?
LG: I'd like to have dinner with Cheryl Strayed or Jodi Angel, two writers that I know and admire. I'd ask them what they're working on now and how they feel about their projects. Then I’d moan and groan a bit about The Nakeds and see if they have any advice about how to deal with my own doubts...
OV: What are you working on now?
LG: My second novel The Nakeds. I'm in the last stages and will have it finished by mid summer, I'm thinking.
OV: What is the worst thing a professor, agent, editor or reviewer has ever said about your fiction?
LG: I don't know, really. Sorry. I know that's meant to be a "fun one" but I try to let that shit go and move on. If I had a good quote for you, I’d still be feeling the miserable pinch. ;-)
Excellent interview, Gina! The Steve Almond one, too. Enjoyed them both.
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