S2, Ep 2: Why Essays Matter, with Susan Olding

05/23/23 • 25 min

About this Episode

In Canada, essayist Susan Olding is well-known as the author of smart, beautifully crafted essays on topics like parenting, illness, our changing relationship to reading & more. In this episode, Susan discusses her journey as an essayist, and her newest essay collection Big Reader. She also discusses the power of writing essays, the challenges of writer's block, the power of re-reading classics as an adult, and the use of experimental forms in storytelling.

Key Takeaways:

Susan emphasizes the importance of making connections in essay writing, whether through traditional or experimental forms.

Susan talks about how self-doubt and perfectionism can contribute to writer's block, but that finding a way through is crucial to developing one's own writing

Susan describes finding inspiration in the essay tradition that blends criticism and autobiography or memoir

She discusses how rereading literary classics she loved when younger, like Anna Karenina, can lead to new insights and perspectives

She discusses experimental forms in essays and how they offer fresh perspectives and help writers explore challenging topics.

Discussed:

Banff Literary Journalism Program

Brenda Miller on Braided Essays & playing with form

Buy the Book

Big Reader: Essays is available from Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Indigo (Canada)

Credits

This episode was edited and produced by Chérie Newman at Magpie Audio Productions. Theme music is "The Stone Mansion" by BlueDot Productions.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookiwanttowrite.substack.com

About this Episode

Key Takeaways:

Susan emphasizes the importance of making connections in essay writing, whether through traditional or experimental forms.

Susan talks about how self-doubt and perfectionism can contribute to writer's block, but that finding a way through is crucial to developing one's own writing

Susan describes finding inspiration in the essay tradition that blends criticism and autobiography or memoir

She discusses how rereading literary classics she loved when younger, like Anna Karenina, can lead to new insights and perspectives

She discusses experimental forms in essays and how they offer fresh perspectives and help writers explore challenging topics.

Discussed:

Banff Literary Journalism Program

Brenda Miller on Braided Essays & playing with form

Buy the Book

Big Reader: Essays is available from Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Indigo (Canada)

Credits

This episode was edited and produced by Chérie Newman at Magpie Audio Productions. Theme music is "The Stone Mansion" by BlueDot Productions.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookiwanttowrite.substack.com

Previous Episode

S2, Ep 1: A Jewish Literary Mafia? with Josh Lambert

Overview

In this episode of "The Book I Had to Write" podcast, Paul interviews Josh Lambert, author of The Literary Mafia: Jews, Publishing, and Postwar American Literature. Josh shares the story of how the term 'Jewish literary mafia' came about in the 1950s and 1960s. They delve into the problems of gatekeeping and publishing's lack of diversity, and ask whether a 'literary mafia' could point to ways to make the industry more inclusive.

Discussed

Editor Gordon Lish, most famous for cutting Raymond Carver's stories, but who was instrumental in championing Jewish writers like Cynthia Ozick

The concept of the Jewish literary mafia, the evolution of literary representation, and the importance of diversity.

The experiences of Jewish women writers in the 20th century publishing industry

The phenomenon of "whisper novels" as a way for women to address their experiences in the publishing industry

Exploring tokenism and lack of diversity in the publishing industry

Buy the Book

The Literary Mafia: Jews, Publishing, and Postwar American Literature is available from Bookshop | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Credits

This episode was produced by Chérie Newman at Magpie Audio Productions. The theme music is "The Stone Mansion" by BlueDot Productions.

Thoughts? Drop Paul a line at [email protected]

If you like the show, please leave a review on the platform of your choice or www.thebookihadtowrite.com!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookiwanttowrite.substack.com

Next Episode

S2, Ep 3: Why Failing More Can Help Your Writing, with Stephen Marche

Paul interviews author and cultural critic Stephen Marche about his new book On Writing and Failure. We delve into the challenges faced by writers in the digital age, and the evolving landscape of publishing, and discuss the inherent failures that are part of writing process, and the struggle to bridge the gap between intention and reception.

Discussed on this Episode

“The End of the English Major,” by Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, Feb 27, 2023

CanLit's Colonial Habit: Literature in the age of Reconciliation and ‘peak’ diversity, Literary Review of Canada, November 2017

Death of an Author is an AI-generated novella published in April 2023 by Stephen Marche and Pushkin Industries.

Buy the Book

On Writing and Failure is available from Bookshop | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Credits

This episode was edited and produced by Chérie Newman at Magpie Audio Productions. Theme music is "The Stone Mansion" by BlueDot Productions.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookiwanttowrite.substack.com