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Is Telling a Life Story as Easy as ABC? with Sheila Heti

Aug 1, 2024

In this engaging discussion, writer Sheila Heti shares insights from her unique literary journey, including her latest work, *Alphabetical Diaries*. Joining her is Susie Mesure, a seasoned writer and reviewer, who delves into Heti's narrative techniques. They explore the complexities of personal storytelling, the impact of AI on writing, and the conscious decisions surrounding motherhood. The conversation also touches on the joy of sampling literature, and Heti's innovative approach to organizing life experiences alphabetically, revealing the thoughtful layers of her creative process.

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ANECDOTE

Alphabetical Experiment

Sheila Heti experimented with alphabetizing her diaries.
She was curious about repetitions and the nature of time and narrative.

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ANECDOTE

Alphabetization Process

Heti's diaries were already on her computer.
She used Excel's A-to-Z function to alphabetize them by sentence.

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ANECDOTE

Procrastination Project

Heti worked on "Alphabetical Diaries" alongside other emotionally taxing books.
Her boyfriend called it her "procrastination project."

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Navigating Narrative Complexity

02:19 • 16min

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The Intersection of AI and Novel Writing: Exploring Chatbots

18:32 • 2min

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The Conscious Choice of Motherhood

20:27 • 1min

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Navigating Autofiction and Personal Narrative

21:56 • 7min

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Exploring the Joy of Reading Without Completion

29:14 • 2min

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Exploring the Unconventional: The Significance of Alphabetical Diaries

30:49 • 2min

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#4242

• Mentioned in 8 episodes

Motherhood

Calamity Mom\Tabloid Baby\A Daddy For Her Daughters

Diana Palmer

This anthology, 'Motherhood: An Anthology', features stories by Diana Palmer, Candace Camp, and Elizabeth Bevarly. It delves into the complexities and joys of motherhood, presenting a collection of romance tales that highlight the emotional and personal journeys of mothers and their families.

#29366

Alphabetical Diaries

Sheila Heti

Sheila Heti's Alphabetical Diaries is a unique and experimental work that reorders a decade's worth of diary entries into alphabetical order. This unconventional approach challenges traditional notions of time and narrative, creating a fragmented yet compelling exploration of self-discovery and the creative process. The book delves into Heti's personal life, thoughts, and experiences, weaving together seemingly disparate entries to reveal a deeper understanding of her artistic journey. The alphabetical structure forces the reader to engage with the text in a non-linear way, prompting reflection on the nature of memory, identity, and the passage of time. The book's experimental form and introspective content have garnered critical acclaim and established Heti as a significant voice in contemporary literature.

#12458

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

How should a person be?

Sheila Heti

Pure Colour

Sheila Heti

Sheila Heti's Pure Colour is a novel that explores themes of grief, art, and the passage of time. The story follows two art critics grappling with loss and the complexities of human relationships. Heti's writing style is characterized by its honesty, introspection, and willingness to confront difficult emotions. The novel's exploration of art criticism and its connection to personal experience adds another layer of depth to the narrative. Pure Colour is a poignant and thought-provoking work that resonates with readers who appreciate introspective fiction and the exploration of complex emotional landscapes. The novel's unique blend of personal reflection and artistic exploration makes it a compelling read.

#9145

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

La disparition

Georges Perec

La Disparition, translated as A Void in English, is a lipogrammatic novel written by Georges Perec in 1969. The book is a remarkable example of the Oulipo movement, which seeks to expand literary possibilities through formal constraints. Perec's novel avoids the use of the letter E, a challenge that significantly limits the vocabulary available. This constraint reflects the broader themes of the book, including loss, absence, and the Holocaust, which had a profound impact on Perec's life. The novel is a philosophical and literary exploration of the power of language and the human experience of loss and survival.

#26803

Remainder

Tom McCarthy

Remainder tells the story of an unnamed narrator who, following a mysterious accident, becomes obsessed with reenacting half-remembered scenes from his past. Using his substantial compensation, he hires actors and constructs elaborate sets to recreate these moments, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. The novel explores themes of memory, trauma, and the quest for authenticity in a postmodern world.

Sheila Heti is a writer from Toronto who has published 11 books since the early 2000s. Those include Motherhood, Pure Colour, and How Should A Person Be? That latter title was a breakout work mixing memoir with fiction and self-help in a quest to examine her own authenticity. Her latest book is Alphabetical Diaries – a slim, elegant volume that compresses 10 years of Heti’s own diary entries into 60,000 words across 25 chapters. Every entry, as the title suggests, is organised alphabetically. Joining her to discuss the book for this episode is Susie Mesure, who is a writer and reviewer whose work is often seen in The Sunday Times, The ipaper, Prospect, The Financial Times and more.

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