David Mitchell discusses the writing process

David Mitchell discusses the writing process. Shot during the Humber School of Writers summer program at Humber's Lakeshore Campus in Toronto 2009.


© Ticklescratch Productions 2009

http://ticklescratch.com/
http://writersconfessions.com

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  People & Blogs

[dropkickmurphy9]

God he's such a good writer. Sometimes it seems like all the literary titans - DeLillo, McCarthy, Roth, Vidal, Pynchon, Morrison, etc. - are on the downside of their literary careers, and I wonder what the hell is going to happen when they're gone? But David Mitchell gives me hope.

[Joshua Daigle]

CLOUD ATLAS! I just started it about a week ago. It is a hard read. One of those books you need a dictionary at hand while you read it, but it is well worth it. I'm having a blast reading it.

[Lavina Blossom]

Cloud Atlas was fascinating with a rich diversity of characters in different time periods. There were loose connections between the sections, but it was the virtuosity of the writing that pulled me forward, hoping that the stories would mesh or link well enough that I was satisfied by the ending. And I was, although certainly the threads of connection do not weave together into a neat smooth fabric (thankfully). I found the novel hugely rewarding and marvel at this writer's range.

[Ruth Zem]

I don't know I'm just inlove with this man

[ItsameAlex]

you were looking for the peep show one, right ;-)

Doubt it, since when you search on youtube most of the vids are of the peepshow one, so you must have done this on purpose.

[svenypoodles]

Wrong David Mitchell :(

[IEatCereal4Dinner]

Best writer alive!

[toddlingon]

I just started reading Cloud Atlas, have just finished the first chapter, and am amazed at how similar his (Mitchell's) writing style is to Neil Stephenson, especially the Daniel Waterhouse character in Quicksilver.

My guess is that if you enjoy Cloud Atlas, you'd also enjoy the trilogy of trilogies (three books, each comprised of three books) called The Baroque Cycle, that begins with Quicksilver.

[chance76b]

I love his books!!!! THANK YOU DAVID!!!!

[Spellbinder888]

I'm always wary to see interviews of writers I admire because they often disappoint (cultivated "posing" and arrogance, mostly) but David seems humble and so interesting. Glad I watched.

[Matthew Garcia]

I'd actually recommend starting with Ghostwritten then moving on to Number9Dream (though it's his weakest novel). There's an internal chronology to his works that's not necessary, but because characters pop up in and out of them, make them more rewarding.

[trevgreg2]

Start with Number9Dream, then maybe Ghostwritten. I'm trying to get to Cloud Atlas and his latest one myself, but those two are the place to start!