Notes from the Slush Pile - Candy Gourlay's Blog on Trying to Get Published in Children's Books

Monday, May 12, 2008

Doris Lessing on the Inconvenience of Success

So apparently winning the Nobel Prize has been a "bloody disaster" for Doris Lessing - now incessantly dogged for interviews and photo-shoots .

Lessing, only the 11th woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature says she no longer has time to write:

It has stopped, I don't have any energy any more.

In fact, she says she's giving up writing completely.

This is why I keep telling anyone younger than me, don't imagine you'll have it forever.

Use it while you've got it because it'll go, it's sliding away like water down a plughole.

Mind you, she's 88.

Listen to an interview with Doris Lessing on BBC 4's Front Row on 12 May

Labels: My Favourite Authors, Random Stuff

4 Comments:

Jon M said...: Hope I'm still scribbling away at 88! I read memoirs of a survivor a long time ago...; 10:34 PM
Michael Thorn said...: superb blog, candy!; 11:15 PM
Candy Gourlay said...: thanks michael! and if you're the michael thorn of the achuka website, i'd like to say i love the new look.

jon, doris lessing's comments were very encouraging to me. here i was thinking i was such a late starter in writing for children at 46!; 10:33 AM
Sarah said...: Hooray, glad your site's back up! xx; 10:33 AM

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