How Bestselling Author Jay McInerney Writes: Part One
The bestselling author of 11 books, including the eighties defining Bright Lights, Big City, Jay McInerney, took a break to chat with Kelton Reid about his new book, the writing process, and some timeless tips from his mentor, Raymond Carver.
Vanity Fair called Mr. McInerney “Our modern-day Fitzgerald,” and his most recent book — Bright, Precious Days — is described as “… a sexy, vibrant, cross-generational New York story — a literary and commercial triumph of the highest order.”
The author is a renowned short story writer, screenwriter, and actor, who has lived in New York for three decades and rubbed elbows with a laundry list of literary lions, including his mentors Tobias Wolff and Raymond Carver.
In addition to fiction, Jay writes a highly regarded wine column for Town & Country magazine, and has written several essay collections on wine.
The author most recently joined the Prince Street podcast as a culinary and arts correspondent and has interviewed director Francis Ford Coppola, author Stephanie Danler, and celebrity chefs including Eric Ripert, to name a few.
Join them for this two-part interview, and if you’re a fan of the show, please subscribe in iTunes to automatically get new interviews, and help other writers find The Writer Files.
In Part One of the file Jay and Kelton discuss:
- Why It’s Not a Bad Thing to Be Compared to Your Betters
- How to Incorporate Your Passions into Your Writing
- Why You Need to Sit at Your Desk Every Day and Listen to the Voices in Your Head
- The Author’s Process of Discovery at the Level of Language
- How the Right Soundtrack Can Inspire Your Writing
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