I don't pare down much. I write the beginning of a story in a notebook and it comes out very close to what it will be in the end. There is not much deliberateness about it. Lydia Davis beginclosedeliberateness Change image and share on social
Ordering is difficult. It's like arranging pieces of music in a concert: What do you put first? What do you put after the intermission? I want the reader to be sort of surprised, to come to each story freshly. Lydia Davis arrangeconcertdifficult share on social
I think the close work I do as a translator pays off in my writing - I'm always searching for multiple ways to say things. Lydia Davis closemultiplepay Change image and share on social
Collections aren't really planned. I just keep writing short pieces until I have enough for a collection. Lydia Davis collectionpieceplan Change image and share on social
I first read 'Madame Bovary' in my teens or early twenties. Lydia Davis bovaryearlymadame Change image and share on social
If I was writing about an academic or a more difficult person, I would use the Latinate vocabulary more, but I do think Anglo-saxon is the language of emotion. Lydia Davis academicanglodifficult Change image and share on social
My stories are sometimes closer to poems or meditations, but often there is at least a little narrative in them. Lydia Davis closemeditationnarrative Change image and share on social
I see people sometimes who remind me of my narrators. Lydia Davis narratorpeopleremind Change image and share on social
I do see an interest in writing for Twitter. While publishers still do love the novel and people do still like to sink into one, the very quick form is appealing because of the pace of life. Lydia Davis appealforminterest Change image and share on social
I never dream in French, but certain French words seem better or more fun than English words - like 'pois chiches' for chick peas! Lydia Davis chicheschickdream Change image and share on social
