Voice of Commonwealth

How I write: Murdoch Stephens and the soundtracks to his books

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NEW ZEALAND – Murdoch Stephens is the author of Down from UplandHe’s a founding member of the Lawrence & Gibson publishing collective and his previous novel was Rat King LandlordWhen not writing he continues to be involved in refugee research and advocacy, following on from the successful “double the quota” campaign that he founded in 2013.

What’s your writing routine?

I find non-fiction easiest – anywhere, any time – just add a cup of coffee. For fiction I’ve got to be deep in my own head, which is best facilitated by drawing the curtains and clearing my diary for at least a few weeks.

And where do you write?

I used to do a lot of these DIY writing residencies – save up a few grand then find a cheap room to rent overseas for a couple of months. Probably not the time or place to brag about the travel I did when I was younger … and I’ve been travelling less recently so my last two were written at a desk in my room before anyone else in the flat had arisen.

Can you share a piece of good advice you’ve received about writing?

I have adopted Brannavan Gnanalingam’s advice about matching a song (or two) to each novel and listening to it every time you want to get back into your writing mood. Sandstorm by Darude and He Was a Big Freak by Betty Davis soundtracked my latest.

What advice do you give to writers starting out?

So many of my friends are reluctant to try to write a novel, especially really smart and articulate women who I know would make brilliant authors. My advice paraphrases Stephen Fry: don’t let anyone convince you that your language is not for you. Ignore the people who have silly ideas like ‘’real writers write every single day’’ or who try to prove how much they know by insisting on plot arcs, or grammatical rectitude.

What kind of books do you like to read for enjoyment?

Anything that is scabrous and hilarious, from Juvenal’s Sixteen Satires to Sharon Lam’s Lonely Asian Woman to Darryl by Jackie Ess.

Do you read physical books or digital ones?

Physical at home, but digital when on the road. Having a back-lit screen on a digital reader is game-changing for reading at night.

Do you write in the margins of books? Take notes in a digital version?

I tend to only make pencil markings in the margins, but sometimes the marginalia are fascinating. I once researched and published an article – On the condition of Donna Awatere’s Maori Sovereignty in our nation’s libraries – of the various marginalia in a few dozen library copies of a particularly scribbled on book.

What “must read” book have you not read? Go on, fess up.

All of Hemingway and Rushdie … books I’ve been recommended, eyeballed, even read a few pages of, but ultimately floated away from.

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