About this episodeAuthor Jane Smiley discusses her novel 'Some Luck,' a historical fiction trilogy chronicling an Iowa farm fami…AI summary
Author Jane Smiley discusses her novel 'Some Luck,' a historical fiction trilogy chronicling an Iowa farm family from 1920 to 1953, exploring themes of faith, drought, and the role of luck in survival. She reveals her unique writing process, including using character graphs for revision and drawing inspiration from her four husbands' distinct expertise areas. Smiley also addresses the ethical considerations of writing about real family members and the importance of observing the world without self-censorship.
Key takeaways 5
Writing Process: Smiley uses a graphing method for complex novels like 'Moo,' mapping character appearances across chapters to ensure balanced narrative coverage and logical continuity.
Inspiration Sources: Her novel 'Horse Heaven' was inspired by a real racehorse with 52 starts and $150,000 in winnings, while 'The Greenlanders' came from a friend's comment about freezing to death in Greenland.
Character Development: Smiley writes from the perspective of children and babies to capture inherent temperaments, noting that her own children had vastly different physical and emotional responses at birth.
Research Integration: Historical details like the Osage Orange tree hedges (used by English immigrants as fences) and the prevalence of kit houses from Montgomery Ward were incorporated to ground the narrative in authentic rural history.
Ethical Writing: Smiley justifies writing about family members by noting that they shared stories willingly and that fiction allows for necessary artistic license, though she acknowledges the invasion of privacy.
Notable quotes 4AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“I'm not a daring person. I'm just a person who has never been taught what not to try.”
▶ 47:05Smiley explains her prolific output and willingness to tackle diverse subjects, attributing it to a lack of self-imposed limitations rather than inherent boldness.
“You have to worry a little bit about the ones who don't want you to write about them, but then there's also the ones who you never wrote about who think, 'Wasn't I interesting enough?'”
▶ 45:39Smiley reflects on the balance of privacy and interest when writing fiction based on her family's lives.
“If we have offended you by doing something we are sorry. We are sorry if if we did a bad thing that we didn't know.”
▶ 20:03A prayer from the protagonist Rosanna during a drought, illustrating the theme of apologizing for unknown transgressions and the complexity of faith.
“The only thing I can say about that is that they also understood what was fiction and what was non-fiction... they had told so many stories over the years that they were getting what they deserved.”
▶ 45:12Smiley discusses how her family forgave her for depicting them in her early novel 'At Paradise Gate' because they had shared those stories publicly.
Chapters & Sections (44)▼
0:07Morning Habits and Personal Struggleschapter3
0:07Morning Habits and Personal Struggles
1:56Rural Influences on Creative Work
3:17Author's Life and Literary Career Overview
5:30Author Jane Smiley's Writing Prolificacy and Stylechapter3
5:30Celebrating Women Writers and Craftsmanship
7:42Jane's New Novel: Family Farm Life Chronicles
8:58Family Dynamics and Parental Influence
10:27Early 20th Century Revivalism and Religious Conversionchapter2
10:27Early 20th Century Revivalism and Religious Conflict
12:38Themes of Faith and Resilience in Hard Times
14:58Drought and Water Shortage Hits the Farmchapter3
14:58Well Runs Dry and Water Crisis Ensues
16:47Coping with Drought and Economic Hardship
18:06Drought and Famine in Rural Community
20:08The Importance of Apologizing for Past Mistakeschapter1
20:08Christian Morality and Accountability Discussion
24:28Spiritual Abuse in Evangelical Church Environmentschapter3
24:28Spiritual Abuse of Children in Evangelical Churches
26:08Author's Inspiration for Writing Trilogy
27:23Narrative Structure in Family Storytelling
29:19Author's Writing Process and Personal Lifechapter3
29:19Author's Writing Process and Personal Life Insights
31:01Early Life Experiences and Marriage Choices
32:24Marriage and Relationships: Personal Experiences Shared
34:02Farm Life and the Human Costchapter3
34:02Character Development in Farming Communities
35:54The Dangers and Dedication of Farming
37:27Rural Landscapes and Historical Immigration Patterns
40:07Creating Authentic Settings in Fictional Landscapeschapter4
40:07Inspiration from Real-Life Homes and Landscapes
42:07Politics and Social Commentary in Literature
43:42The Ethics of Invasion of Privacy
44:58Balancing Family Privacy and Creative Expression
46:13Author's Writing Style and Creative Processchapter2
46:13Novel's Themes and Author's Creative Process
47:40Inspiration from Sense of Place and Personal Experiences
50:26The Revision Process in Writingchapter3
50:26The Revision Process in Creative Writing
52:08Writing a Character with Complex Inner Life
53:25Author's Writing Style and Book Complexity
54:56The Role of Luck in Human Achievementchapter2
54:56The Role of Luck in Human Achievement
57:23Portrayal of Civil Rights Movement in Fiction
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