Ellen Gilchrist‘s first book was not published until she was in her forties. In “A Reading Group Guide” at the back of Nora Jane: A Life in Stories, she is asked about this:
“I didn’t begin to write seriously and professionally until I was in my forties because I was busy being alive.”
Now she has been writing for thirty years: stories, novellas, and novels. In these books, she often writes about the same characters. In 1999, Margaret Donovan Bauer published The Fiction of Ellen Gilchrist. In it, she wrote:
“Gilchrist’s point of uniqueness is that all of her work is interrelated to the extent that her whole body o
f work…is part of an organic story cycle, a story cycle that continues to evolve as each new book appears, comparable to the roman-fleuve. It is a story cycle in the full sense of the word: there are no definite endings to the individual books and, distinguishing her work from the roman-fleuve, there is no clear beginning to the cycle.”
In 2005 all the stories Gilchrist had written to that point about Nora Jane Whittington were collected into one volume and organized in chronological order of Nora Jane’s life. Of course I had read these stories before and had copies of them. But to read them all in a row and in the “right” order felt a little like seeing that wick that Mary Gordon referred to…I did find one or two inconsistencies, but those felt more like proof that this wonderful thing–Nora Jane Whittington’s life–was real.
In the same reading guide referred to above, Ellen Gilchrist was also asked if she had planned to write about the same characters over and over again. She said that she planned her writing the same way she planned her life:
“On a day-by-day and obsession-by-obsession basis.”
Obsession-by-obsession. I like that : )
[In similar fashion, all the stories about Rhoda Manning were collected in 1995.]
I am definitely living my life on an obsession-by-obsession basis. 🙂
I’ve loved catching up on your Gilchrist posts – have not read anything by her, but I love the continuing story cycle idea.
Emily, writing posts for this blog is certainly making me aware that I live obsession by obsession. I hope you’ll try The Anna Papers when you have an opening in your reading.
busy living. I spent too much time wondering what gave me the right to write. What had I lived that others would want to read my words? Eventually I let that go, I wrote because I had to write, that’s all. Writing was something I could make. Life happens.
woah – kind of off track, but that’s what came when I read this.
Jennifer, love your comment. Sounds like you’re bursting at the seams to write now too and in a good way…A baby will do that : )
Gilchrist’s life experience is what makes her such a pleasure to read.
Yes, and her whole approach to life.
Thank you! I needed to read that first quotation from Gilchrist. I’m a late bloomer too who spent most of life having adventures and didn’t even consider writing until my mid 30s. At least I have plenty of material. My obsession would be my latest MS.
Sarah, I didn’t consider writing until my late 30’s so I appreciate this quote as well. As for obsessions–at the moment too many to put in this response!
“Obsession by obsession” that has always been my modus operandi. 🙂
I’ve not read anything by Ellen Gilchrist, but I think I just might have to. Thanks, once again, for pointing me to some good writing.
Linda-I think you will love The Anna Papers. Let me know if you read it. And writing blog posts definitely shows up our obsessions, doesn’t it?
What inspiring quotes (especially the first, for those of us on the cusp of 40). Thank you for sharing this; I haven’t read any of Gilchrist’s works either, but I will now.
Christi-it’s fun to see you here again. Thanks for leaving a comment and let me know if you read one of her books. If you prefer a story collection, maybe Victory Over Japan…It won the 1984 American Book Award for Fiction.