Episode Summary
Reading from Raymond Williams’ The Country and the City, and discussing how to find your own distinct voice.
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Are you living for 70 years, or are you living the same year 70 times?
It’s one of the great existential questions that writers and creators face, too – Am I writing many books, or am I writing the same book many times? Sure, the “best” answer seems obvious, but I’m not sure the true answer is always clear-cut. Malcolm Galdwell made popular a study that showed the difference between two great artists, Picasso and Cezanne; there’s deep and there’s wide, and it’s an eternal rhythm.
Geoff Dyer is a real writer. He’s the award-winning author of four novels, as well as numerous non-fiction titles on D. H. Lawrence, understanding photography, yoga, and more.
Geoff reads two pages from ‘The Country and the City’ by Raymond Williams. [reading begins at 23:45]
Hear us discuss:
- The relationship between photography and writing. [6:33]
- “Write the book that only you can write.” [11:47]
- Self-expression as a learnt practice: “I became a very original writer by being incredibly susceptible to influences.” [11:53]
- “The writing life is full of surprises.” [35:06]
- The most important lessons in writing. [36:53]
Get access to full transcripts and past episodes at www.MBS.works/podcast
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Resources:
Mentioned Episodes | Ep. 28: How to Resist Conformity: Julie Lythcott-Haims | Ep. 42: Cooperation and Competition: Nichola Raihani
Geoff Dyer | Website | The Last Days of Roger Federer | But Beautiful: A Book About Jazz
Raymond Williams | The Country and the City
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