1. What motivated you to begin your career as a writer?
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. The challenge has been finding a way to place writing at the center of my professional life.
2. What barriers have you encountered in the world of writing?
The most important one is lack of knowledge. No one is born published, and it can be difficult to understand the path from manuscript to book.
3. Is it possible to make a living from writing nowadays? What strategies have you developed to make your work sustainable?
Income directly derived from book sales is not stable. I combine writing with related activities such as teaching, giving talks, and mentoring people who also want to write.
4. How do you organize your day-to-day life to balance writing with other work such as translation, teaching, or analysis?
No two days are the same. To make sure I keep everything moving forward, I rely heavily on my agenda and calendar. I also organize my work seasonally: summer is the best time of year for me to write. That said, I write every day, even if it’s only for fifteen minutes.
5. You write fiction, essays, and biography. What does each genre give you that the others don’t?
In essays I talk about how to manage visibility, and in novels I explore topics that are not visible: they are two sides of the same coin.
6. What recommendations would you give to someone who wants to pursue a professional career in writing?
I would recommend getting training. Working consistently. Connecting with other people who write. Above all, I would say they must find satisfaction in writing itself. Writing and publishing are not the same thing.
7. Our motto is “I am what I want to be.” Are you?
I am. Now what interests me is becoming even more myself!
