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'Monogamy is hard, in writing as in life!'

30 January 2017

On getting started as a writer

"Write what truly, obsessively interests you, not what you imagine will sell. You have to give yourself permission to write a terrible first draft. I often let myself put in several adjectives - e.g. brutal/savage/merciless/relentless - figuring that I can pick the right one later."

On writer's block

"I've never had writer's block yet, which I attribute, not just to luck, but also to my technique. I would advise anyone looking to ward-off writer's block to start writing something else, a completely different project. I'm always working on about six different projects at various stages of development, so if I don't feel like working on one I just turn to another. Basically, monogamy is hard, in writing as in life!"

On adapting the book to screenplay

"The only risk with a novelist adapting their book to screen would be if a novelist was just doing it out of propriety, not a genuine love of cinema. I think whoever wants to try her hand at it, she should in. I say 'she' because women are big successes in fiction but represent a pathetic share of screenwriters, so I'd love to see more female novelists do their own screenplays too.

Literary novels have no rules, infinite freedom and an infinite budget! Films have many more constraints and above all, less time to say everything in, so the first thing I did with Room was cut lots of characters and situations that weren't crucial for the film.

Emma Donoghue, author of Room, and of the screenplay for the film, which has just been released

http://www.stylist.co.uk/books/emma-donoghue-room-film-oscar-best-adapted-screenplay-brie-larson-lenny-abrahamson