More Words with David Wroblewski

LR: Can you describe the contrast between the solitary work of writing and the work of promoting the book: shaking hands, signing books, smiling, posing for photos, giving interviews?

DW: As much as possible, I'm trying to approach all those activities as a wide-eyed first-timer. I don't think a person stops learning from a novel just because it is printed and on the shelves; in fact, it seems like that's when all sorts of new, interesting feedback should begin to come in. The trick, I think, is to let it accumulate before trying to make sense of it, rather than jumping on each comment as it arrives.

The question I want to answer for myself is, what is there to be learned from these things? The interviews have been great fun, by and large -- it's mainly a function of how well prepared the interviewer is, and the majority have been thoughtful and interesting. But oftentimes only 2% of what was discussed winds up in print, and the reduction can be disappointing, even when it is done well. The signings are enjoyable, but the chance to talk to people is all too brief.

We'll see. Shut up and watch, I tell myself. The received attitude from some writers is that these things are a pain in the backside. And yes, they fragment your time terribly, and take you away from your family and your routine. Unless you are that rare person who can write amidst chaos, they are hell on your writing. But they feel like a privilege to me, most especially the chance to talk with readers at bookstores.