An interview with...
Dorothy Johnson-Laird
Tell us one of your first experiences where you realised that language had power.
When I first heard the poet Linton Kwesi Johnson perform live, in person, I was mesmerized, absorbed by the rhythm, lifted into a very different emotional space.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would you say?
I would say get more out there, own your talent, and go for it!
Have you ever written under a pseudonym?
No.
What kind of research do you do for whatever it is you’re writing?
When I write about a famous person, I read as much as I can about them, biographies, histories, meditate for a bit, and then write something.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of a different gender to you?
I think sometimes getting into the specific psyche of a male could be a challenge.
Do you believe in the dreaded Writer’s Block?
Yes, very much, but I also believe that even when we are not writing, we can still be in on a creative path. If we are truly committed we will try to imagine, use other creative art forms to inspire us, and do whatever we can to work through our obstacle. Look at the artist Matisse, he found a way to still create, make cut outs, even when he was losing his vision.