Ottessa Moshfegh’s Death in Her Hands, forthcoming from Penguin Press on April 21, 2020.

“I spent much of 2016 and 2017 not just trying to find my way back into the book but also trying to convince myself that art still mattered.” —Meng Jin, author of Little Gods

“What needs to start? What needs to stop? What needs to change?” Mimi Lok shares an exercise that helps her persevere through difficult writing projects.

Lidia Yuknavitch’s Verge, forthcoming from Riverhead Books on February 4, 2020.

“Writing—the writing it down—has increasingly become the least important part of the process. Living in the world of the novel, existing as the characters, viewing the day-to-day from their perspective, is the most important thing.” —Jeff VanderMeer, author of Dead Astronauts

“Sometimes at the end of an eight-hour day I’d have a single paragraph to show for it.” —Dexter Palmer, author of Mary Toft; or, The Rabbit Queen

“I didn’t always feel like writing but I still made myself sit down and do it. I practiced discipline and worked towards inspiration.” —Maaza Mengiste, author of The Shadow King

We return to certain novels not only to be enchanted and inspired, to be transported out of ourselves, but also to know ourselves more deeply.

“Listen, it can’t feel magical every day, of course, but writing does have the potential to be an act of joy.” —Courtney Maum, author of Costalegre

The author of Vincent and Alice and Alice discusses the challenge of plot and character development, the pros and cons of indie publishing, and what new risks he took in his new novel.