Maryse Condé
/How did you become a writer?
Nobody can answer this question. The desire to write falls on you and one day you are obliged to accept it. A writer is always surprised to be a writer.
Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.).
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Marguerite Duras, Louis Ferdinand Céline, Cheikh Amidou Kane, Mishima. Recently I was influenced by younger writers like Edouard Louis, Leila Slimani and Alice Zeniter.
When and where do you write?
Anywhere whenever I am free and have the time.
What are you working on now?
A novel that is a parody of the New Testament. I was impressed by José Saramago's Evangile selon Jesus.
Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?
All the time. Writing is not easy. You need a lot of concentration and imagination. Sometimes you feel as if your mind is dry and you cannot find an idea.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
I've never received any. In my world, writing was seen as a white male occupation. No black woman had the audacity to disobey that rule.
What’s your advice to new writers?
No advice. Everyone should feel free to write and project his or her inner self.
