How did Ian Fleming's unusual writing process influence Neil Gaiman?

Ian Fleming, the James Bond author, disliked writing but developed a system: check into an unappealing hotel for two weeks, with nothing else to do, to force himself to write. Neil Gaiman adopted this for the American draft of his novel 'Neverwhere', finding it liberating.

What is Neil Gaiman's most important rule for his writing process?

Neil Gaiman's primary rule when he goes off to write is: 'You can sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing, but you can't sit here and do anything else.' This makes writing more appealing than pure idleness, even if he has permission not to write.

Why does Neil Gaiman prefer writing first drafts with a fountain pen?

He enjoys the tactile process of writing with a fountain pen and uses different colored inks to visually track his daily progress. This method also encourages him to think through sentences fully before writing, as editing on paper is messier than on a computer, and allows him to 'save work' by leaving out unneeded sections during typing rather than 'deleting work'.

How did Neil Gaiman overcome the pressure of following up a successful novel like 'American Gods'?

He chose to write a book nobody was expecting, 'Coraline', a children's book. This allowed him to write without the stress of external expectations, as no one knew he intended to write for children, liberating him from performance anxiety.

What inspired the creation of 'The Graveyard Book'?

The initial idea came to Neil Gaiman when his two-year-old son happily rode his tricycle through an old country graveyard in Sussex. This sparked the 'what if a kid was brought up by dead people in a graveyard' concept, influenced by Kipling's 'The Jungle Book'.

How did Terry Pratchett's illness impact the adaptation of 'Good Omens'?

Terry Pratchett, who co-wrote 'Good Omens', made a dying request for Neil Gaiman to adapt it into a TV series before 'the lights went out'. This made Gaiman fiercely protective of the original vision as showrunner, refusing compromises to ensure it was something Pratchett would have been proud of.

What did Neil Gaiman learn from Terry Pratchett about writing?

Neil Gaiman learned a willingness to 'go forward without knowing what happens next.' Pratchett was a 'gardener' writer, planting seeds and figuring out the story as it grew, allowing for accidents and randomness to shape the narrative, a skill Gaiman adopted.

How did Terry Pratchett face his own mortality, particularly with Alzheimer's?

Terry Pratchett faced his Alzheimer's diagnosis head-on, making powerful documentaries about the disease and advocating for the right to die. He bravely brought assisted suicide into public discourse, emphasizing a human's right to choose the timing of their end.

What mixed emotions did Neil Gaiman experience at the 'Good Omens' TV series premiere?

While experiencing joy in seeing the project realized, Gaiman felt a profound melancholy that Terry Pratchett wasn't there to share it, knowing his friend would have loved the experience. He also reflected that the show might not have made it to completion had Pratchett been alive, due to his inability to compromise on creative details in the face of production challenges.

Key Moments

Neil Gaiman — The Interview I've Waited 20 Years To Do

Tim Ferriss

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Mar 28, 2019|809,724 views|20,161|825

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Neil Gaiman shares insights on writing, creativity, process, and his friendship with Terry Pratchett.

Key Insights

Writers can benefit from creating external rules and routines to combat distraction and foster focus, such as dedicating specific times and locations for writing.

The physical act of writing, particularly with fountain pens and notebooks, can enhance the creative process by slowing down thought and emphasizing intentionality.

Embracing imperfection and viewing the first draft as a private exploration of the story is crucial, as only the later drafts are intended for an audience.

Collaboration, like the one with Terry Pratchett on 'Good Omens,' can be a powerful catalyst for creativity, but it also requires preserving the author's original vision, even in adaptation.

Facing mortality and right-to-die issues is a significant theme, exemplified by Terry Pratchett's documentaries and his personal approach to his own illness.

The origin of ideas can often stem from simple 'what if' questions and observing the world with curiosity, rather than solely from grand inspirations.

EARLY LESSONS IN JOURNALISM AND WRITING DISCIPLINE

Neil Gaiman recounts early, formative experiences in journalism, including a humorous early mistake of interviewing Roger Dean without a working recorder. This malfunction taught him a valuable lesson about preparedness, emphasizing the importance of 'two is one and one is none' in his professional toolkit. He also discusses the concept of external environments influencing productivity, drawing parallels with Maya Angelou and Ian Fleming who used specific locations, like hotel rooms, to create a necessary detachment from home and foster intense focus on writing.

THE POWER OF RULES AND ROUTINES IN CREATIVITY

Gaiman elaborates on the necessity of establishing internal and external rules to cultivate a writing practice. His key rule is simple: one can either write or do nothing, but nothing else – no crosswords, no phone calls, just the choice between creation and rest. This structure provides permission to not write but prohibits other distractions, making writing the more interesting option over time. This aligns with John McPhee's similar discipline of dedicated time at the page, essential for navigating the inherent distractibility of creative work, especially with young children.

THE TACTILE AND INTENTIONAL NATURE OF FOUNTAIN PENS

The use of fountain pens and notebooks is presented not just as a preference but as a method that enhances the writing process. Gaiman writes his first drafts in fountain pen, enjoying the physical act and using different ink colors to visually track progress. This method forces him to think through sentences and paragraphs more deliberately, mirroring older writing styles that necessitated continuous flow. He contrasts this with the ease of digital editing, where deleting text can feel like losing effort, whereas analog methods inherently encourage more careful consideration before committing words to paper.

THE BIRTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF 'THE GRAVEYARD BOOK'

The genesis of 'The Graveyard Book' is traced back to a simple observation: his young son happily riding his tricycle in a graveyard. This led to the initial idea of a child raised by the dead, drawing a parallel to Kipling's 'The Jungle Book.' Despite writing an early, imperfect chapter and attempting a revision that also felt insufficient, the story remained a compelling idea. It was ultimately completed due to his younger daughter's persistent question, 'What happens next?', which provided the necessary impetus to overcome creative blocks and finalize the narrative.

COLLABORATION AND FRIENDSHIP WITH TERRY PRATCHETT

Gaiman fondly recalls his deep friendship and creative collaboration with Terry Pratchett, beginning with their meeting in 1985. Their shared sense of humor and imaginative minds led to the co-authorship of 'Good Omens.' Gaiman highlights the intense, albeit challenging, process of writing the book simultaneously with their respective projects, often working through the night. This collaboration was a testament to their creative synergy and friendship, shaped by mutual respect and Pratchett's unique comedic genius.

ADAPTING 'GOOD OMENS' AND HONORING PRATCHETT'S VISION

Gaiman discusses the profound responsibility of adapting 'Good Omens' for television after Pratchett's passing. He emphasizes his commitment to honoring their original vision, often refusing compromises suggested by producers that he felt would deviate from the spirit of their collaboration. He likens this to pleasing a ghost, constantly considering 'What would Terry think?' This dedication ensured the series maintained the integrity of the book, making it a fitting tribute to his dear friend and co-author, a process filled with both joy and melancholy.

TERRY PRATCHETT'S APPROACH TO MORTALITY AND THE LEGACY OF HIS WORK

The conversation touches upon Terry Pratchett's courageous approach to his own mortality, particularly his struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Gaiman notes Pratchett's activism and documentaries on the subject, including his strong stance on the right to die. He reflects on Pratchett's final years, acknowledging the difficulty of his condition but also his enduring intellectual spirit. Gaiman suggests that Pratchett’s own creative drive and his influence on a generation of writers and readers continue to inspire, ensuring his legacy endures through his celebrated works.

NAVIGATING CREATIVE SUCCESS AND PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

Gaiman offers insights into managing the psychological pressures of creative success, such as 'sophomore syndrome.' He suggests that making one's work feel less important or even trivializing it can help alleviate performance anxiety. He also notes a shift in his own working habits, moving from being a late-night writer to a more structured afternoon schedule. The joy of creating something like 'Good Omens' often comes from having a specific purpose, like honoring a friend, which can override the anxieties associated with highly anticipated projects.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

As a 15-year-old interviewing people for his made-up 'Metro' magazine, Neil Gaiman once forgot to ensure his tape recorder was actually recording during an interview with artist Roger Dean. This led him to always carry spare batteries, tapes, and even a spare recorder when he became a professional journalist.

Topics

Mindset & Self-Improvement Society & Philosophy Creativity & Media Creative Process Writing Habits Author Interviews Literary Collaboration Adapting Books To Screen Mortality And Ethics Fantasy Literature Early Career Lessons

Mentioned in this video

People

Ian Fleming

The author of the James Bond books, who Neil Gaiman recalls disliked the process of writing but used unconventional methods, like checking into undesirable hotels, to force productivity. Fleming also plotted several of Roald Dahl's short stories.

Joe Hill

A horror and fantasy writer who recommended Leuchtturm notebooks to Neil Gaiman.

Gene Wolfe

A fine American writer, in his late 80s, who used to wake up at 4 AM to write for an hour before starting his day job as an editor for a magazine about factories.

J.K. Rowling

The author of the Harry Potter series, mentioned as having achieved best-selling novelist status in the UK after Terry Pratchett.

Tori Amos

A musician and friend of Neil Gaiman, who lent him her house in Florida many times to write in. He wrote 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane' there.

Roald Dahl

A famous author for whom Ian Fleming plotted several well-known short stories with clever twists.

John McPhee

A Pulitzer Prize-winning nonfiction writer from Princeton, New Jersey, whose writing rule was similar to Gaiman's: sit at the desk and either work or do nothing else from 8 AM to 6 PM.

Terry Pratchett

A prolific and best-selling English humorist and satirist, famous for the 'Discworld' novels. He was a close friend and collaborator of Neil Gaiman, co-writing 'Good Omens'. Pratchett faced Alzheimer's head-on, creating documentaries about it and advocating for the right to die.

David Tennant

An actor whose casting in 'Good Omens' alongside Michael Sheen was described as perfect by Neil Gaiman, contributing significantly to the show's success. They've joked about alternating roles in a stage play.

Rudyard Kipling

The author of 'The Jungle Book', which Neil Gaiman realized shared a similar premise to his nascent idea for 'The Graveyard Book'.

Christopher Marlowe

The playwright whose work 'The Jew of Malta' inspired Neil Gaiman with an idea about comparing evil, which he later incorporated into 'Good Omens'.

James Bond

A popular book series by Ian Fleming, who had a disciplined, if unenjoyable, writing process for them, involving sequestering himself in unappealing hotel rooms for two weeks at a time.

Douglas Adams

The author of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', with whom Neil Gaiman worked on a companion book.

Maya Angelou

An acclaimed writer who would rent hotel rooms to work on her writing, a practice Neil Gaiman and Ian Fleming also used to focus.

Hugh Jackman

An actor thanked by the host for accurately portraying Logan/Wolverine, an example of a beloved character being well-adapted to screen.

George R.R. Martin

The author of 'A Song of Ice and Fire', who categorizes writers as 'architects' or 'gardeners', a metaphor Neil Gaiman uses to describe his preferred organic, discovery-based writing process.

Books

Neverwhere

A novel by Neil Gaiman, the American draft of which he wrote using Ian Fleming's hotel method in a windowless Marriott room in the World Trade Center.

The Graveyard Book

A novel by Neil Gaiman, which he wrote in beautiful leather-bound blank books from a stationery shop in Venice, and is part of a plan to one day write a novel in a 19th-century accounts book.

The Sandman

A comic book series by Neil Gaiman, which, along with 'Books of Magic', occupied his time and delayed his work on 'Good Omens'.

American Gods

A major adult novel by Neil Gaiman that won numerous awards. He deliberately followed it up with 'Coraline' to avoid performance anxiety.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

A novel by Neil Gaiman for which he signed 20,000 copies before its release using his Pilot pen, leading to him needing to ice his hand.

Stardust

A novel by Neil Gaiman which he started writing in a notebook with a fountain pen, aiming for an antiquated rhythm and 1920s feel, believing the tool influenced sentence structure.

Good Omens

A collaborative novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, written in a fast and intense apprenticeship period. It was later adapted into a TV series, with Gaiman serving as showrunner to honor Pratchett's final request.

Organizations

Venice

A city in Italy where Neil Gaiman bought beautiful leather-bound blank books from a stationery shop built into a bridge, in which he wrote 'The Graveyard Book'.

condition

Alzheimer's disease

A neurodegenerative disease. Terry Pratchett faced his diagnosis publicly, making documentaries and bringing it into public consciousness. The host himself notes a family history of the disease.

Companies

Fountain Pen Hospital

A real store in New York that sells, reconditions, and services fountain pens. Recommended by Neil Gaiman as a place for beginners to try out different pens.

Marriott

A hotel chain where Neil Gaiman once stayed in a windowless room in the World Trade Center, using Ian Fleming's method to write the American draft of 'Neverwhere'.

HarperCollins

A publishing house that became Neil Gaiman's publisher after they acquired Avon Books. His editor, Jennifer Hershey, worked there.

Pilot

A pen company whose pens, including the Namiki brand and the Pilot Custom 823, Neil Gaiman uses. His Pilot 823, used for signing hundreds of thousands of books, was lost by his son in a fireplace.

Lamy

A brand recommended by Neil Gaiman for beginner fountain pen users, noting their 'Safari' model as a good and inexpensive starter pen.

Media

Wolverine

A comic book character whose live-action portrayal by Hugh Jackman in 'Logan' was praised by the host as being accurate and a relief for fans.

Logan

A film featuring the character Wolverine, praised by the host for Hugh Jackman's accurate portrayal, providing relief for fans who had invested deeply in the comic book character.

Groundhog Day

A film referenced by Neil Gaiman as a metaphor for the ideal writing process for a novel: repeating the same productive day over and over.

Lamb to the Slaughter

A short story by Roald Dahl, whose plot twist (a woman killing her husband with a frozen leg of lamb and then cooking it for the investigating detectives) was conceived by Ian Fleming.

Products

Amazon Prime

The platform where the 'Good Omens' TV series is available, as well as where its trailer can be watched.

Moleskine

A brand of notebooks Neil Gaiman used and loved initially, but stopped using when their paper quality declined, causing fountain pen ink to bleed through.

Locations

Switzerland

The country where Terry Pratchett followed a man undergoing assisted suicide for a documentary, as Pratchett became a firm believer in the right to die.

World Trade Center

The location of a Marriott hotel where Neil Gaiman wrote the American draft of 'Neverwhere' in a windowless room.

Hollywood

The center of the American film industry, described by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett as a 'hellish, awful' experience when their book 'Good Omens' was almost immediately bought for adaptation.