“The joy is in the work itself, the act of writing; this can be hard to remember; I remind myself often.” –R.O. Kwon
R. O. Kwon’s nationally bestselling Exhibit, a New York Times Editors’ Choice, was published in 2024. Kwon’s bestselling first novel, The Incendiaries, has been translated into seven languages and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award. Kwon co-edited the bestselling Kink, a New York Times Notable Book. Kwon’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and elsewhere. Born in Seoul, Kwon has lived most of her life in the United States.
On Wednesday, June 4, R.O. Kwon is teaching a class for the WLT called “Following Desire: Shaping Stories with Want.” In this class, students will look at desire-fueled writing in multiple genres, and learn how to infuse their own writing with want.
Here’s what R.O. had to share with us:
Scribe: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you write? How did you come to writing?
R.O. Kwon: I’m a novelist, and I wrote Exhibit and The Incendiaries. I also write essays, and coedited an anthology titled Kink.
Scribe: In your own work, how do you approach overcoming the challenges that come with writing, be it writer’s block or craft or business-related challenges?
ROK: The joy is in the work itself, the act of writing; this can be hard to remember; I remind myself often.
Scribe: Has there been a moment of epiphany in terms of your work, when you thought, “This is it! Now I know what I’m doing!” How long did that feeling last?
ROK: No, and I assume that will never happen. What we’re trying to do is essentially impossible, which is part of what keeps it fascinating.
Scribe: What piece of advice do you find yourself giving to writers again and again?
ROK: Stretch often and assiduously. Almost every writer I know has neck, shoulder, and back issues.
Scribe: What is one thing that people will take away from this class?
ROK: The workshop will be partly generative, so you’ll walk away with some new writing.
—
Thanks, R.O.!
Click here to learn more about R.O.’s upcoming class.
