Jesmyn Ward, a celebrated novelist, discusses her writing process, focusing on how she avoids thinking about her audience until completing her work to prevent anxiety. She shares the notion that not all readers will appreciate her writing. Ward places value on the laborious nature of some novels, stating that the effort required from readers can enhance their understanding of characters and themes. With reference to challenging texts, she reflects on her experience with 'Harrow the Ninth', noting its confusing narrative but ultimately rewarding journey through complexity.
"It's always difficult to navigate between being too plain-because you don't want to insult your reader-and being too obtuse."
"Anytime that a story asks you to do a lot of work to understand the world and the characters being constructed, there's something to be learned."
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