Interview with John Osborne [mcmanaman] on Whohub

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What did you first read? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?

I started writing seriously around five years ago, a bit of poetry, but mainly short stories.

What is your favorite genre? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

I have a notebook that I fill with ideas, I only sit down to start writing when I know there are enough ideas written down to work with. I consume a lot when I write - whether it's coffee, tea, red wine. And I don't really write for an hour or so, it tends to be a full evening / night. Morning occasionally. And normally it's in silence, but sometimes I'll have music on - Mogwai or Tuung or Hefner. Or I listen to TalkSport.

What type of reading inspires you to write?

My biggest influence has probably been David Berman, there are lines in his poems that are as perfect as writing can be.

What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?

I think you can do what you like in a story, Raymond Carver kind of invented his own way of writing stories, I think it's important to put your own stamp on your writing.

What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

What well known writers do you admire most?

Raymond Carver, Jonathan Safran Foer, Simon Armitage, Dave Gorman, Jon Ronson, Tobias Hill.

Do you participate in competitions? Have you received any awards?

I don't tend to contribute to competitions, I don't like paying the entry fee

Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?

Yes, there are perhaps three or four people whose opinions I trust implicitly.

Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?

I am close to finding my voice, but only after writing story after story, poem after poem to find it. It is crucial to have a voice you are comfortable writing in.

What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?

I make myself write every day, even if it's only for an hour. I try to always write for enjoyment, although that is not always possible.

What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?

Ideally I'll have a tidy desk, and reference books - dictionary, thesaurus. Also I like to have a couple of collections of poetry for inspiration - almost always David Berman and Tobias Hill. Lots of A4 blank paper, and as far from the internet as possible.

Do you write on a computer? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?

I always write on paper, normally ideas on scrap paper and in notebooks, then I have an A4 notebook for a first draft, then I type it up onto a computer which acts as my second draft. I find writing straight onto a computer impossible.

What sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?

abctales.com - an excellent site, the only writing source you need.

What are you working on now?

My second book, The Newsagent's Window is due in April 2009. Other than that I'm trying to work on some new poems, and possibly something for Edinburgh next year, depending on what Paddy's doing.

What do you recommend I do with all those things I wrote years ago but have never been able to bring myself to show anyone?

Put them in a drawer, forget about them, start something new.

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