Apr 20, 2017
Last year I read—inhaled, really—the newest novel from Ann Patchett, Commonwealth. I went deep into interviews with Patchett afterwards, including this great conversation on the Lit Up podcast, from whence this snippet comes:
“People love to ask—everyone—can writing be taught? And I always believe: I can teach you how to write dialogue. I can teach you how to write a plot; I can teach you how to write a clear image. I can do all sorts of things to technically improve almost anyone as a writer. But I cannot teach you how to have something to say.”