Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard The Hidden Lives of Writers

S07 E07 Damon Galgut

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Damon Galgut is one of South Africa's most distinguished writers. He won the Booker Prize in 2021 for The Promise, which was his third novel to be shortlisted for the award.

Damon joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how writing seems to become more difficult as the years go by, and how strenuously he wrestles with a first draft.

He tells us that plot has become increasingly less important to him and that he chooses not to repeat the same themes and techniques in his writing.

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Chapters
  • 00:00 Introduction and weekly writing updates
  • 04:14 Recent reading and viewing
  • 09:01 Introduction to Damon Galgut
  • 10:20 Damon's current writing struggles
  • 12:28 Publishing obligations and project evolution
  • 14:09 Evolution of writing process and idea development
  • 18:10 Reading influences and style development
  • 20:33 Handwriting and analog writing methods
  • 22:33 Digital minimalism and technology approach
  • 26:34 Early writing influences and childhood
  • 31:23 Early publication experience
  • 36:13 Booker Prize impact and writing after success
  • 39:22 Narrative perspective experimentation
  • 42:43 Roald Dahl's influence and Dark Literature
  • 48:23 Biographical Fiction and Arctic Summer
  • 52:21 Research Process and Historical Accuracy
  • 55:36 Finding the Voice and Writing Process Details
  • 01:00:52 Editing Process and External Input
  • 01:06:32 Recent Reading Recommendations
  • 01:10:03 Conclusion and reflections
4 May English South Africa Books · Arts

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