Authors as Martians, according to Martin Amis

“I think all writers are Martians. They come and say, You haven’t been seeing this place right.”

—Martin Amis

An interesting take on writers by talented British novelist Martin Amis.

I like this imagery of a novelist as a Martian – giving his or her unique take on (perhaps oft visited) subject matter, with the fresh view of someone seeing the world for the first time. After all, isn’t that what an author does?

There are only so many stories that can be told. And mankind has been telling them and retelling them for thousands of years.

What is so interesting for us as readers is seeing the unique perspective a writer brings to his or her novel, the unique lens through which he sees the world.

So thanks to all the “Martian” writers for helping us to see our world “in the right way”!

2 Comments

  1. evelyneholingue on March 25, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    Interesting quote, Kimberly.
    If not from Mars, definitely from a place where we observe and try to make sense of what’s going on around us (and inside us, too!) through words.

    • kimberlysullivan on March 28, 2018 at 7:22 pm

      True – but I do like Amis’ Martian analogy. At least, that’s how it can seem sometimes! : )

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