Joyce Carol Oates, celebrated for her haunting short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been, has long been a literary force. With a body of work spanning novels, novellas, plays, non-fiction, poetry, and essays, she is one of the greatest living American writers of the 21st century. Oates’ prolific output have earned her critical acclaim, cementing her legacy in contemporary literature.
Beyond her literary achievements, Oates is a distinguished scholar. Formerly, she was the Roger S. Berlind Professor Emerita at Princeton, and she now shares her expertise as a creative writing professor at NYU. Her latest novel, Breathe, delves into the depths of love, loss, and the resilience required to endure profound grief.
In this interview with Elixuer, Oates offers an intimate look into the themes of Breathe, her creative process, and her wisdom for aspiring writers. Her reflections illuminate her approach to storytelling and her commitment to the art of writing.
One of your novels, Breathe, feels good in one’s hands. Can you tell me a little about the cover’s photograph and how it relates to the book’s themes?
My late husband, Charlie Gross, photographed Bryce Canyon at Bryce National Park. The publisher’s art director enhanced its quality and image into something more ethereal. The ectoplasmic-like bars on the right suggest this dissolution. We deliberately avoided a traditionally beautiful landscape, as such imagery might evoke a travelogue.
Breathe almost reads like poetry in some parts. Do you think writing can be therapeutic for writers?
The earliest section, “Hospice/Honeymoon,” was conceived as a poem, with each phrase floating as if suspended. In moments of extreme anxiety and loss, it feels natural to create language that mirrors this state of suspension. The novel captures a mind unmoored by grief, uncertain of what is real or imagined. It’s intentionally structured so that the italicized chapters could be interpreted as fever dreams.
You’re a very influential writer of the 21st century. Which writers have influenced your writing style?
I don’t believe I have a singular writing style. Instead, I experiment with varying styles depending on the story I tell and the characters I’m presenting. Writers who initially captivated me include Hemingway, Faulkner, Kafka, Thoreau, Twain, Frost, Katherine Anne Porter, Eudora Welty, Flannery O’Connor, Thomas Mann, and Dostoevsky. The list is endless.
Can you visualize characters and settings, and do the characters in your stories linger in your consciousness even after completing the stories?
Yes, characters linger, much like memories of real people do. They evoke a “feeling,” and I can “see” them in dreams, though the visions are fleeting and incomplete. I also have a strong affinity for settings. If I can’t vividly imagine the physical spaces my characters inhabit, I find it challenging to proceed. The landscape or cityscape often becomes a kind of character itself.
What advice do you have for young aspiring writers wishing to follow in your literary footsteps?
No one follows in another’s footsteps. Writing and publishing today are vastly different from the 1960s when I began. Back then, publishers were more willing to nurture young writers, keeping them in print regardless of immediate sales. Now, a book’s commercial performance often dictates whether a publisher continues to support the writer. The primary difference between the mid-20th century and now is that publishers decades ago would keep young writers in print and continue to publish them if they admired their work, regardless of sales.
The advice remains timeless for aspiring writers: read widely and don’t get discouraged. Writing workshops with instructors and peers you admire can be transformative, even life-altering. Ultimately, persistence, curiosity, and a love of storytelling sustain a writer through the challenges of the craft.
Jason Waddle | Contributing Writer
