"If you're trying not to crack up, there are some things you can't do; it's hard to get people to accept that. Learning of the publicity requirements, it was impossible to imagine Pynchon or Cormac McCarthy, in early career, contemplating this with anything but horror."
"If I had eight months clear before the festival I might be able to go to that, but how can I drop everything now, when I had finally cleared time to write after five very bad years?"
"During a lengthy exchange with prize director Michael Kelleher, he appeared to agree to make some accommodations, but ultimately insisted that her personal participation was essential."
"DeWitt tells Kelleher she must regretfully decline to accept the prize on the specified terms, highlighting the conflict between her need for personal space and the demands of the award."
Helen DeWitt was selected as a recipient of the Windham-Campbell writing prize but turned it down due to extensive promotional obligations. She was informed of her win in February, but the prize required participation in various promotional activities, which she found overwhelming given her recent personal and professional challenges. DeWitt expressed that it was unrealistic to expect her to engage in such activities when she was finally able to focus on writing after a difficult period. Despite attempts to negotiate accommodations, she ultimately declined the prize.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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