10% Happier with Dan Harris Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist Jennifer Egan On: Panic, Awe, Fetishizing Authenticity, and Our Possible AI Futures
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Jul 24, 2023 Jennifer Egan, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist known for "A Visit from the Goon Squad," discusses her unique writing process and the discipline that shapes it. She candidly shares about panic attacks and how writing helps navigate anxiety. The conversation dives into society's obsession with authenticity, the implications of AI in literature, and the disparity between social media personas and true self-expressions. Egan's wit and insights create a thought-provoking dialogue on curiosity, success, and the evolving landscape of storytelling.
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Panic and Writing
- Jennifer Egan's panic attacks while backpacking in Europe led her to discover writing's importance.
- Writing helped her process both terrifying and joyous experiences, giving them meaning.
Smarter Writing
- Egan feels smarter when writing, making discoveries she can't in conversation.
- Handwriting, especially cursive, creates a meditative state enhancing her thinking.
Handwriting Benefits
- Handwriting can be beneficial for writers because it reduces self-censorship.
- The act of writing by hand makes it harder to see flaws, allowing for freer expression.
