Narrative poses ten questions about writing, obsession, life, and love.
Lynn Ahrens
Narrative 10
Never repeat rhymes, not once in an entire show.
Monica Ali
Narrative 10
At the age of twelve I knew how to lose myself in a book.
Jo Ann Beard
Narrative 10
I got to be the higher power, looking down on mice and friends.
Ann Beattie
Narrative 10
Time will say nothing but I told you so.
Jill Bialosky
Narrative 10
She’s informed so much of my being, for better or worse.
Amy Bloom
Narrative 10
I have a soft spot for Trollope’s dreadful Lizzie Greystock.
Vikram Chandra
Narrative 10
A friend of my father’s once told me, “You’ll never be a writer.”
David Corbett
Narrative 10
I’ve found that love has provided my life’s happiest moments.
Lacy Crawford
Narrative 10
What I wanted was to release my peers from their shame.
Justin Cronin
Narrative 10
My best ideas come when I’m aerobically hypnotized.
Liza Donnelly
Narrative 10
In life, my favorite character is my husband.
Andre Dubus III
Narrative 10
I don’t own a smartphone and never will. I’ve never sent a text.
Carol Edgarian and Tom Jenks
Narrative 10
Narrative was a dream we brought forth in perfect idleness.
Jennifer Egan
Narrative 10
“The role of the artist is to not look away.”
Nathan Englander
Narrative 10
As much as I worry now, I wish I knew to worry less then.
Lynn Freed
Narrative 10
All true laughter has tears behind it.
Allegra Goodman
Narrative 10
My grandmother warned—don’t force your muse.
Adam Haslett
Narrative 10
Art doesn’t conform to a capitalist’s ratio of productivity to time.
Sara Houghteling
Narrative 10
I wish I had thought to write down my father’s stories.
Vanessa Hua
Narrative 10
No one will care as much as you do.
R. O. Kwon
Narrative 10
I’m hellbent on avoiding unintentional repetitions.
Don Lee
Narrative 10
The Great Gatsby had an awful, detrimental effect on me.
Marie Myung-Ok Lee
Narrative 10
What’s the most useful criticism you’ve received? “Keep writing.”
Min Jin Lee
Narrative 10
I once heard in a sermon, “Choose the important over the urgent.”
Daniel Mason
Narrative 10
Obidicut, Hobbididence, Mahu, Modo, Smulkin, and Turlygod.
Ottessa Moshfegh
Narrative 10
Being creative is an act of love between you and the world.
Maud Newton
Narrative 10
I usually get my best writing done at night or at the close of day.
Peggy Orenstein
Narrative 10
I love talking to girls. That’s why I’ve written so much about them.
Susan Orlean
Narrative 10
I started reading it again before I had even finished it.
Julie Otsuka
Narrative 10
For lasting love, I’ve always relied on the friendship of women.
Ann Packer
Narrative 10
Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Note the comma in his name.
Paisley Rekdal
Narrative 10
2018 Utah Poet Laureate
The story of racism does not simply happen to people of color.
Sarah Ruhl
Narrative 10
Who, after all, is fully recovered from life?
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh
Narrative 10
Every day is a writing day, or at least a potential writing day.
Will Schwalbe
Narrative 10
When you are around comedians, stop trying to be funny.
Dani Shapiro
Narrative 10
I know now not to measure my insides against others’ outsides.
Austin Smith
Narrative 10
I love Nedra in James Salter’s Light Years.
David L. Ulin
Narrative 10
Favorite character? What a question. It’s like choosing a favorite child.
Ocean Vuong
Narrative 10
2019 MacArthur Fellow
2015 Narrative Prize Winner