Video: John Irving Shares His Writing Process

Posted on June 19, 2009

Bestselling author John Irving (The World According to Garp) discusses his next book, Last Night in Twisted River, and his writing life with Sam Tanenhaus, the editor of the New York Times Book Review. It's an interesting interview.

Irving was at his doctor's office and the last line of the book came to him in a flash of inspiration (which is always what comes to him first). Having no paper he started writing on a prescription pad, which pretty much freaked out the nurse when she came into the room and saw him apparently writing his own prescription. He also shares the first and last sentences of his new novel.