92y: The New Yorker 20 Under 40: Q&A with Nell Freudenberger What was the first piece of fiction
92y: The New Yorker 20 Under 40: Q&A with Nell Freudenberger What was the first piece of fiction you read that had an impact on you? Probably “D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths” for children.How long did it take you to write your first book? Two years.Did you ever consider not becoming a writer? Yes. I thought seriously about applying to medical school, and also about staying on in Asia (after a year of teaching English in Thailand) and doing development work. No one else thought I would be good at those things, though, and that was probably right.What, in your opinion, makes a piece of fiction work? I think the only thing a reader needs is an authentic voice—I mean the ability to make someone feel that the thing you’re telling is worth hearing. Most good fiction also has a character the writer seems to know more deeply than anyone can actually be known in life, but a few unusual writers can make something great without that. Nell will read at 92YTribeca tonight with David Bezmozgis, Rivka Galchen, Karen Russell, Gary Shteyngart and Wells Tower to celebrate the release of 20 Under 40: Stories from The New Yorker with fiction editor Deborah Treisman. -- source link