One of the books I took with me for last week’s travels was CONVERSATIONS WITH EUDORA WELTY. I love every single one of her short stories, and THE OPTIMIST’S DAUGHTER, but here are a few more reasons to adore her.
From CONVERSATIONS:
For problem-solving, would you choose psychotherapy, drugs, group encounter, or astrology? With no familiarity with any of them, I still think very little of them, and for myself should prefer to rely on self-examination and common sense as resolute as possible.
Were you brought up to believe a woman’s place was in the home? I don’t think I was ever told where it was.
EB White once said, “The author must not despair.” Your thoughts? I don’t think you are despairing as long as you’re working. Your work is an answer. I don’t mean that working keeps you from thinking about it. I mean that working is the answer, in itself. By putting something on paper, and doing it well, making a meaning and an order out of some of the world in fiction. It’s the human spirit answering in its own terms.
What do you think of house-cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc.? I don’t resent it. Anything you can accomplish and do fast [unlike writing] and see finished gives me pleasure.
What have been some of your more distressing moments as a writer? I can’t think of any, really. I love to write. I’m never happier than when I’m working. It doesn’t matter how hard it is; in fact, I love hard things to write. I try harder and harder. I want to do harder and harder things because that’s the fascination. I’m utterly happy when I’m revising. Throwing away gives me great elation sometimes.
What causes do you support? Peace, education, conservation, quiet.
Do you write every day? No, I don’t write every day — I write only when I’m in actual work on a particular story. I’m not a notebook keeper. Sustained time is what I fight for, would probably sell my soul for — it’s so hard to manage that. I’d like to write a story from beginning to end right through without having to stop.
A lot of writers claim to write with pain and agony. It’s hard, but I like it hard. In fact, that’s another mark that it’s any good.
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Here’s to working hard, even over the holidays….
Teri Carter's Library 
Thanks for those Eudora Welty quotes, Teri; they’ve given a sense of relief that I sorely needed.
You and me, both.
Laundry? Fast? It takes forever! Though not as long as writing a book, I suppose.
Faster, even, than my daily writing shenanigans. At least when I spend the time doing the laundry, I know I won’t throw it in the trash at the end of the day.
And Averil, I failed to mention that Mr. Teri and I spent a couple of hours with our very own AmyG at a coffee shop, on our way to the in-laws. I wish we’d had days…. I miss you all !!!!
No!!! I don’t know who to be most jealous of in this scenario.
I was thinking about BH2013. I hope it’s not one of those things people say without meaning it, because it will break my heart a little if we can’t manage to pull it off. I miss you all, too!
Oh sister, I mean it. I’m not messing around with the BH2013. My entire year will be built around it. I promise you.
I hope you had a good Thanksgiving with the little man. Our first 3 days were with our kids. Fabulous. They are so much fun, if I do say so myself. After that, I must say “meh,” but that’s the way it goes ….
I miss you!!!! And P.S. I slept like a baby in that room with my window open. 😉 It was heavenly, and I was exhausted (in the best way) every single night.
After that room, any Motel 6 will feel like a luxury suite. But I’m so glad you were comfortable and I hope you’ll come again. It was the most fun I’ve had in years.
My big kids are coming up for Christmas, I just bought their plane tickets. Even the little guy is excited to see them, if you can believe it. He wrote this long list of presents to buy for them. Talk about happy exhaustion. . . .
Love it! And seriously, slept like a real live baby. Ahhhhhh……
“It’s hard, but I like it hard. In fact, that’s another mark that it’s any good.” Love this.
I also love her answer to the question, What do you think about the women’s lib movement?
“Noisy,” she said.
What a refreshing take on the occupation of writing. Welty didn’t glorify it, didn’t devalue it. As Goldilocks might say, her approach to the craft was just right.
There is a matter-of-factness about Welty’s answers in interviews that makes me swoon. And I mean literally swoon. The aaaaaahhhhhh effect.
how grounded she is.
i have a favorite EW quote:
The events in our lives happen in a sequence in time, but in their significance to ourselves they find their own order the continuous thread of revelation.
i love the thread of revelation.
Welty is a realist. And I believe I am madly in love with her. I love her no nonsense view of the writing life, and her dedication.
Thanks for that quote. “The thread of revelation.” Yes yes and yes.
Oh this is too beautiful.
“Were you brought up to believe a woman’s place was in the home? I don’t think I was ever told where it was.”
If that doesn’t explain so much about all of us, I don’t know what does.
I know, right?!?!
Thanks for this Teri. I love Welty – quoted her in my critical piece for the MA.
Would that be your “Masters in Creative Weighing”? I believe Eudora would have approved…..
The very one. I’m thinking of doing some extra credits over the holidays…
We do tend to work wherever we are, I think. I “worked” as I drove, mulling over story ideas, and of course, coming up with some juicy bits when a piece of paper was no where in sight. But the good ones stick. Usually.
Hope you all had fun at your table this holiday.
I’ve finally taken to carrying a notebook everywhere I go. The mad dash for something to write on was driving me bonkers.
Oh, how I love her! So sensible, so sure of herself. Thank you for this. Does it get any better than:
“…and for myself should prefer to rely on self-examination and common sense as resolute as possible.” ???
She was a different bird, that’s for sure.
I love Eudora Welty, I really do. But one cannot overcome a mental illness by common sense alone. It was a dumb question, but the answer is damaging.
True, but I believe she is referring to “problem solving” and not mental illness.
And speaking of astrology, the psychic I saw a few weeks ago solved nothing (as expected), but she sure was entertaining!
“Were you brought up to believe a woman’s place was in the home?” ” I don’t think I was ever told where it was.” Love that. It can be read so many ways.
For me, writing is the best form of therapy, too. I know that many writers would balk at this statement, but every time I write, I feel like I’m healing something inside myself.