Writer's Block with Patrick DeWitt - The Gloss Magazine

Writer’s Block with Patrick DeWitt

The writing of Canadian author PATRICK DEWITT has been awarded a variety of accolades including selection in New York Times Editors’ Choice and shortlisting for the MAN BOOKER PRIZE, and not one but two of his novels are currently BEING ADAPTED FOR SCREEN 

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Canadian native Patrick deWitt is considered one of the most outstanding contributors to literary fiction in recent years. His debut, Ablutions (2009), was chosen as a New York Times Editors’ Choice novel. His second offering, The Sisters Brothers (2011), won an array of accolades that year; such as the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, the Governor General Literary Award and was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize.

Patrick’s most recent novel, Undermajordomo Minor (2015), has received an enormous outpouring of critical praise. Maria Semple coined the book “An electrifying adventure, both tender and profane. Nervy, hilarious and utterly unpredictable, Patrick deWitt has served up another dazzler.”

DeWitt has also made a name for himself in the film industry, starting with his expertly crafted screenplay for comedy-drama Terri (2011), starring John C. Reilly. Two movie adaptations of his novels are now in the works. The Brothers Sisters, also starring John C. Reilly, is due for release in 2017 and a production of Undermajordomo Minor will follow.

On home

I live in Portland, Oregon. My favourite grocery store is the Quality Food Centre. It’s an awful store, actually – lousy produce, atrocious customer service, etc. But I never bump into anyone I know there, which is nice, and I admire their overconfident slogan: “QFC: You Know It’s Going To Be Good.” My neighbourhood is called the Overlook Triangle. It’s located on the edge of a cliff, so if the earthquake predictions are on the money, my neighbours and I are up the creek. The streets are eerily quiet, like a movie set gone to seed.

On creating

I have an office in the front of the house. It’s dark and cool, green walls, wood floors, lots of books and plants, an ugly chair, two desks, one laptop, one typewriter, mild drugs, and a hand-carved solid wood rotary telephone.

On favourite bookshops

Powell’s is incredible, of course. But it’s an investment, time-wise, so you have to prepare for that. There was a shop here called Anthology which was, I believe, the best used book store I ever visited. It seemed every book on the shelves was one I’d been searching for. It went out of business last year, sadly.

On inspirational literature

Even if I truly love a book, I don’t know that I’ve ever wished I’d written it myself.  Somehow envy doesn’t figure into it, only admiration. The last few books that made me feel this way were McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh, Potted Meat by Steven Dunn, and You Too Can Have A Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleeman.

On escape

Crawl under the bed, have a wee cry.

On time travel

I’d go back to the time of the Black Plague, with a respirator and a Polaroid camera.

On binning a 300 page novel

See, I love a purge. I think a purge is just the thing. I don’t believe it’s a question of strength. When a piece of work doesn’t cooperate, I resent it, and so it feels good to throw it away. I’ve never been one to regret or lament or look back. I can’t seem to focus on anything other than what’s in front of me. It’s not an admirable trait but it serves me well enough from time to time.

On Ireland

It’s always the people for me, when it comes to Ireland. I’ve been three times this year. I’m sure I could be very happy living there.

On what’s next

Well, not gardening, I can tell you that much. I replanted the lawn but then it came in all ratty, and the roses are drooping, and I broke the lawnmower. I’ll stick to writing I guess. I’m working on another novel, as yet nameless, and collaborating on a film version of Undermajordomo Minor with director Kelly Reichardt.

Ablutions (€11.75), The Sisters Brothers (€13.15) and Undermajordomo Minor (€16.99) are published by Granta and available from all good bookshops.

Sophie Grenham

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