Why Barbara Kingsolver Writes Standing Up
Partita, by Barbara Kingsolver, is available now from Harper, so we asked her a few questions about her writing life. * What time of day do you write (and why)? Once I’m seriously into a writing project, I tend to wake.
Barbara Kingsolver, author of the novel Partita, describes her writing routine as starting very early in the morning, often before dawn. She explains that when deeply engaged in a writing project, her brain becomes flooded with ideas, which she describes as words 'pooling' in her mind. She waits until the urge to write becomes overwhelming before rushing to her desk to type them out. Kingsolver avoids distractions until lunchtime, and if the creative flow continues, she may work straight through until early evening. She mentions that her husband, Steven, often quietly brings her a sandwich to sustain her during these intense writing sessions. This routine highlights her dedication to her craft and the immersive nature of her creative process.
Kingsolver shares her strategy for overcoming writer's block, which she describes as a paralyzing feeling that convinces her the work is 'the stupidest thing anybody has ever written.' To break through this mental barrier, she gives herself permission to write a terrible first draft. She emphasizes that no one will see this initial version, as it will undergo numerous rewrites before becoming the final book. This approach allows her to bypass perfectionism and self-doubt, enabling her to progress from a flawed draft to a polished manuscript through multiple revisions. The process may involve rewriting the draft up to fifty times before it reaches the desired quality.
Kingsolver recalls a piece of writing advice she received from author Francine Prose, which she considers brilliant and foundational. Prose advised that the first sentence or paragraph of a novel should make a promise that the rest of the book will fulfill. This principle forces writers to clarify their intentions from the very beginning, ensuring that the narrative remains focused and does not waste the reader's time. Kingsolver strongly agrees with this advice, stating she would 'die on that hill,' meaning she is unwavering in her belief in its importance for effective storytelling.
Kingsolver reveals an unconventional aspect of her writing routine: she writes while standing up. This habit began out of necessity two weeks before a critical deadline for a novel draft, when she experienced severe back pain that made sitting unbearable. She improvised by propping up her computer and finished the book while standing. The success of this approach led her to invest in a proper standing desk, which she has used for her last six books. Kingsolver notes that this change has eliminated her chronic back problems, allowing her to write comfortably and productively without pain.
Kingsolver shares her earliest memory of falling in love with reading, which occurred when she was nine years old. During a long family road trip, she became engrossed in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. She describes being so absorbed in the book that she momentarily forgot about her surroundings, even hoping the trip would never end so she could continue reading. This experience highlights the profound impact that literature can have on young readers and marks the beginning of Kingsolver's lifelong passion for books.
Barbara Kingsolver is an acclaimed author whose works have been translated into *more than twenty languages*. Her novel *The Poisonwood Bible* was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Another of her novels, *The Lacuna*, won the Orange Prize for Fiction, and *Flight Behavior* was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction. She has received the National Humanities Medal, the highest honor for service through the arts in the United States, as well as the Dayton Literary Peace Prize for her body of work. Before becoming a full-time writer, Kingsolver earned degrees in biology and worked as a scientist. She currently lives with her family on a farm in southern Appalachia.
