Writing New People I was thinking a lot about the era that I came of age - the 90's. Brooklyn, in particular, this moment when I lived there. The sense of possibility. I was also trying to find a way to write about Jonestown. I had read about it a lot and I had the sense that the story could really start to drive one over the edge.
Danzy SennaI find myself speaking through the other characters, putting ideas in their voices and heads. Writing almost becomes a splitting of myself into multiple personalities. But I don't write to make an argument on behalf of any of the characters, or to prove anything about a character. I think that's important that I be serving the story first and not my own point of view.
Danzy SennaMy fear was like a stray dog, roving the neighborhood of my life, looking for a new source of worry.
Danzy SennaI'm felt I was writing about love and desire and community and belonging and grief and a whole host of other issues. But race is never far from the surface.
Danzy Senna