Ann Beattie
Ann Beattie
Ann Beattieis an American novelist and short story writer. She has received an award for excellence from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and the PEN/Malamud Award for excellence in the short story form. Her work has been compared to that of Alice Adams, J.D. Salinger, John Cheever, and John Updike. She holds an undergraduate degree from American University and a master's degree from the University of Connecticut...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth8 September 1947
CountryUnited States of America
I think almost always that what gets me going with a story is the atmosphere, the visual imagery, and then I people it with characters, not the other way around.
It's not about having things figured out, or about communicating with other people, trying to make them understand what you understand. It's about a chicken dinner at a drive-in. A soft pillow. Things that don't need explaining.
I don't even correct people when they mispronounce my name now.
You have to figure out who the right person is to tell the story. And often, people who are very self-aware will only sound as if they are pontificating if they tell the story.
Clichés so often befall vain people.
People forget years and remember moments.
I like the notion that people are appreciative of the fact that my work is sometimes allusive and that there is an interrelationship of the arts.
It was very much a surprise. It's very nice when someone takes notice.
Well, I've found myself a lot of times with student manuscripts, saying to them that it worries me that their work seems hermetically sealed.
That's what I mean; if your writing doesn't transcend the era, then it would really seem to be only of very limited sociological importance.
have been forced to close and have no idea when they may reopen.
Her prose has become known for its vivid particularity, the details of the way we live.
What does it matter what my personality is? It's fair enough to talk about the stories, but they're not an autobiographical display.
Well, a few years ago I think I could have given you a more enthusiastic answer about that but in the last few years, for the first time in my life, I really haven't listened to much music. I used to work with music on and now I don't.