Kelly Corrigan Wonders Deep Dive with George Saunders on Creativity
Jan 27, 2026
George Saunders, acclaimed novelist and professor known for Lincoln in the Bardo, shares his short reflections on craft and curiosity. They explore how precise language sharpens perception. Discussion touches on specificity reducing reactivity, the brain as a constant writer and reviser, constraints fueling creativity, and fiction as a dream of repair.
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Language Sharpens Thinking
- Working closely with language sharpens thought and makes you more curious and open to the world.
- George Saunders says precise language changes how the world comes into you and improves noticing.
Give Specific, Actionable Critiques
- Be specific in critique to make feedback actionable and reduce emotional reactivity.
- Saunders teaches that concrete notes like "needless repetition on page three" enable revision without defensiveness.
We Continuously Draft Reality
- Our brains constantly draft and revise perceptions, like writing a novel in real time.
- Saunders connects this to projection: vague notions cause suffering when acted on.
