Conversations Project
Conversations with writers about how they write
I love to see and hear other minds in motion. In particular, I find other people’s creative processes fascinating –– the similarities, the differences, the unusual perspectives, the fresh approaches.
Inspired by Ways of Curating by Hans Ulrich Obrist, co-director of the Serpentine Gallery in London, I’m holding a series of conversations with interesting writers who have a sense of humour about themselves.
There are no rampaging egos here, simply writers talking about what’s important to them. In paying close attention, I learn.
JEZ CONOLLY
““There’s some indefinable level of porousness, of what you even are in the world, and it’s important to be that way to let things in. I think any writer exists to find something to do with all that stuff that’s going in.””
Jez Conolly is co-editor, with Caroline Whelan, of three books in the World Film Locations series (Dublin, Reykjavik and Liverpool) published by Intellect. He writes regularly for Beneficial Shock! magazine and has contributed to numerous other cinema books and journals. His most recent books concern John Carpenter’s The Thing, the 1945 Ealing Studios portmanteau horror film Dead of Night and the 1966 John Frankenheimer film Seconds, all published by Liverpool University Press as part of their ‘Devil’s Advocates’ and ‘Constellations’ series. He has had several pieces of short fiction published in the ongoing ‘BHF Book of Horror Stories’ series.
Here's Zusana on...
Structure
"Order is a fine starting point for understanding the world, I think, but a dreadful conclusion, as it leaves most things out."
Memory
"My memory has fun with texts - I remember elements with a different relative emphasis from when I first read them."
Inaccuracy
"I find the process of remembering texts inaccurately to be immensely creative, bringing all sorts of new ideas, reflections and mental oomph."
And a couple of Zusana's short works as a warmup...
'Red Rock' – first published in Pushing Out the Boat
'Gifts' – in Kalopsia Literary Magazine