I think the one thing that's changed over time is that I've come to realise, as a fiction writer, the fact that I don't think it will work out, doesn't mean that it actually won't.
Jennifer EganStructural dissatisfaction: Returning to circumstances that once pleased you, after having experienced a more thrilling or opulent way of life, and finding that you can no longer tolerate them.
Jennifer EganThat adage about 'Write what you know' is basically the opposite of the way I function. I write about what I'm curious to find out.
Jennifer EganI havenโt had trouble with writerโs block. I think itโs because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching, clichรฉd writing, outright flailing around. Writing that doesnโt have a good voice or any voice. But then there will be good moments. It seems writerโs block is often a dislike of writing badly and waiting for writing better to happen.
Jennifer Egan