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This interview with Stephen Moran was first published
in February 2006. To find out even more about Stephen Moran, you can visit our Stephen Moran page.
What was it
that first got you into writing and when did you start writing?
Stephen Moran: My earliest memory of writing is when I was asked to write to a friend
whose family had moved to England, I filled the little writing pad with a
pirate adventure story. Storywriting seems to be something innate in me. I was
encouraged by teachers in primary school who used to read out my essays to the
class. Brother Clement and Brother Phelan are two I remember with fondness. I
won a prize for my school in a national essay competition when I was eleven.
Where were you born and raised?
Stephen Moran: I was born in central Dublin and lived in one
of the old tenements till I was about seven. My family moved to Finglas and
later to Ballymun, which was still being built, when I was twelve. Now it’s
being demolished.
Which writers have influenced you the most?
Stephen Moran: There are some who have been hilariously bad
influence, such as J. P. Donleavy, some who have caused depression not
conducive to writing, such as Samuel Beckett, and some who have been utterly
inspirational, including John Steinbeck, J. D. Salinger and very many since.
Where do you
stand on the nature v. nurture debate? Were you born a writer, or were there
factors in your environment that enabled you to become a writer?
Stephen Moran: I would only be guessing, but my father has a wonderful writing style,
and political commitment, while my mother used to read about three books a week
and has a great imagination. They mixed with actors and writers, as well as
political activists of the left. To summarise, I would say it was both in the
air and in the genes.
There are a lot
of courses teaching creative writing nowadays, but do you think that good
writing can be taught?
Stephen Moran: Writing can certainly be improved, so that the biggest howlers can be
avoided. Nobody can go beyond their own limitations, self-evidently, but some
people have unrealised abilities.
Have you
entered writing competitions? If so, have you won any prizes?
Stephen Moran: It's a frustrating business. I hate having stories tied up, awaiting
results that are practically guaranteed to disappoint. I've had no luck with
them, but I usually agree with the judges when they dismiss my efforts.
Do you have any
short stories or poems published online? (If so, please provide the URLs):
Stephen Moran: There are a few listed on my website, www.stephenmoran.net
What kind of things do you write?
Stephen Moran: Short stories, and the odd poem, with the
emphasis on "odd". I'd like to write a novel and I've tried writing scripts
and so on. The only thing I'm any good at so far is short stories, in one or
two cases.
What, for you, is the best piece of prose that you
have ever written?
Stephen Moran: I'm not really interested in the prose as
such, but my favourite story is probably...thinks..."Novices and
Pros" (from "The London Silence").
What are you working on now?
Stephen Moran: I'm very lazy. I don't really work. There are
a few things started that could possibly continue, an anti-Bridget Jones Diary,
a circus / freakshow series, and I'm toying with a detective story that might
become a novel. My detective is a quirky character, called Eddie Speranza, with
an unwanted houseguest who interferes in his cases. Send advances please!
What is your writing day like?
Stephen Moran: There's no set pattern. There should be. I
have some rituals, as they will probably be called, where I like to sleep on
ideas in the daytime. When I want to write about something, I go to sleep
thinking about it. The trouble is by the time I wake up I've forgotten what it
was I was sleeping on. It doesn't matter though, because there is little better
than sleeping in the afternoon.
Where would you like to be in 10 years time?
Stephen Moran: I am not driven by ambition. If there is
something to write, I'll write. If not, I'll sleep. There's too much written
anyway.
What’s the most exciting thing about writing for
you?
Stephen Moran: It's something real and free in a world
that's otherwise a hell of compromises, line noise and subjugation. It's like a
secret tunnel to get out of jail whenever I want, and paste resistance posters
all over town without being discovered. It's creating mind pictures of our life
and times, to share with future readers when we're all gone.
What’s the most frustrating thing about writing for
you?
Stephen Moran: I can't get enough time. I need good, free time to prepare my mind.
After two weeks break from boring day job work, I'm ready to write. The trouble
is I can't get any break at all, most of the time. It is extremely frustrating.
I used to get a two-week holiday once a year, and on the second last day of the
holiday I would always write a short story. I never had any idea what the story
would be till that day. The trouble with writing under pressure is it's never
as good as free writing. It's always, or nearly always dross.
What’s the best
piece of feedback that you’ve had from your audience?
Stephen Moran: Some have told me about reading my book on the underground, and that tickles
me. Having gotten so used to critical appraisals from other writers and
reviewers, it's wonderfully refreshing to hear from somebody who is not in the
writing or reading trade, that they really enjoyed it. As for useful feedback,
a lot, one of the best was to tell the story not just lengthways, but from side
to side.
Do you write
for a particular audience, or is your first priority to satisfy your own
creativity?
Stephen Moran: The story itself is paramount. I'm just a servant to the story. It's pleasing
to hear from other writers that they didn't mind something of mine they might
have read. A writer can't serve two masters, Story and Audience. It's the story
I'm really interested in, not the audience.
How do you describe your writing to new readers?
Stephen Moran: I usually say "kitchen sink" just
to ward off febrile spirits. The best description is probably as simple as
"stories about people".
Do you have a homepage? If so, what’s the URL?
Stephen Moran: www.stephenmoran.net
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