Susan Sharp

Susan Sharp asked Elizabeth Gilbert:

Do you have any tension, as a memoirist, writing intimate, fictional characters like Alma Whittaker? I'm wondering if you have to struggle NOT to insert yourself into the thoughts of your fictional characters or if fiction and biography are different writing muscles that you deploy at different times.

Elizabeth Gilbert A wise friend once told me, "Whenever we write memoir, we are writing fiction. Whenever we write fiction, we are writing memoir." In other words, when you deliberately set out to write about yourself, you may not show the most accurate portrait, because it is so self-conscious. But in fiction, you accidentally reveal so much about yourself, because you feel so free. In this regard, I often tell people, "You can learn more about me from reading THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS than by reading EAT PRAY LOVE." :)

More Answered Questions

Constance

Constance asked Elizabeth Gilbert:

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry. I asked you questions about the wrong book. Please forgive me!

A Goodreads user

A Goodreads user asked Elizabeth Gilbert:

Dear Elizabeth, Does your friend, Ketut Liyer, that you visited for in Bali near the end of your one year trip still alive? If so, have you stayed in contact with him since then?

Cynthia

Cynthia asked Elizabeth Gilbert:

My book group 'A Good Yarn' at the Mary Jacobs Library in Rocky Hill NJ will be reading 'Signature of All Things' for our 9/2 meeting. I'm the moderator and coordinator of the group. Is there a particular thing in the book that you think I should focus on when creating questions and presenting supporting materials? Also, keep an eye out on our Pinterest page as I create a board for every book the group reads.

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Elizabeth Gilbert

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