Mantel piece

 

    Hilary Mantel on the act of writing:

    "I never take for granted that anything is going to come right, so every day I'm writing I feel like a beginner. There are absolutely no guarantees that because you could do it yesterday you can do it today. You can always write something, but sometimes you have to endure barren days when you're just plodding across the terrain going 'subject, verb, object, subject, verb, object' - it will actually carry you there and give you something to work on, but at the time it can feel like the end of the world because you're going so slowly, as if you've forgotten everything you've ever learned. I do have faith though that given enough input, just given enough graft, eventually it will take off and you will see that fleeting shape of a section in front of you and you'll be able to grab it - get it onto the page; that's very like chasing a ghost. It already exists, you see, it's like the sculpture in the marble, the ideal shape and form of the chapter exists; you've just got to be there to grab it quickly."

From The Culture Show Special, produced and directed by James Runcie.

Comments

[adele geras]

She says it so brilliantly. That is quite true and she is a wonderful writer. I loved the whole programme and am very happy she's in such a lovely place now.

[m]

Wasn't it fascinating? What an unusual mind she has.

[Barbara]

Fascinating programme. An hour just whizzed by.

[Marianne Wheelaghan]

I missed the show so thanks for link. What a modest writer and inspiring! One of the first books I read by Hilary Mantel was Eight Months on Ghazzah Street. I think it's been republished - it's a gripping read, very worth it! Thanks again.