Jeffrey Archer on storytelling

Dubai - The bestselling author thanks J.K. Rowling for promoting reading to youth

Many of you will know Jeffrey Archer. If not for reading his books then for his larger than life personality and reputation. The man has done and been through a lot in his life and we would assume that perhaps that's why he's such a successful and widely read storyteller.

"I tell stories. It's a God given gift. And I'm very, very lucky,' he said.

OK . . .  maybe it's that. In any case during the 9th edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, City Times spoke to the famous author about the discipline of writing, his biggest distractions, and the world of young readers today.

Does writing become easier or harder as you write more books?
It gets harder in two levels. One you've covered a lot of ground (I've done 30 novels) it gets more difficult in that level. It gets easier in the sense that you're more professional you're more able to know the process of writing. But it's never easy.
 
You've often said that you're more of a storyteller than a writer. Can you elaborate.
Well I'd like to be both. Anyone one who is well educated and well read can be a good writer. Storytelling is a gift. I'm not a ballet dancer, I don't play the violin. I don't sing opera. I tell stories. It's a God given gift. And I'm very, very lucky.
 
What's your biggest distraction when it comes to writing?
When the world is in an interesting situation, as it is at the moment, it's quite hard not to turn on the television and find out what Mr. Trump has been up to today. The world is fascinating at the moment. So it's hard not to be fascinated by that if you have an interest in politics.
 
What's easier the first sentence or the last sentence?
I think they're equal. If you're going to open a book and you want to make people say I'm not going to put this down. You're going to have to have a sensational opening sentence if you can get it. But you've also got to close with people gasping. If they don't gasp at the last line then you've got it wrong. So, it's equal. Many people write and say that he opening line of Kane and Abel, 'she only stopped screaming when she died. It was then that he started to scream.' Made it impossible not to go on reading. So I say that they are equal.
 
When do you know you're done?
Well my wife accuses me, she often says, if I could go on to every bookshelf on earth and change one word in page 423 I would do it. It has to be dragged away from me in the end. But I think, by the time you're on the fourteenth draft, and you're only changing the occasional word you're only changing perhaps a sentence in every twenty pages, you know you're there.
What's the best advice you ever got?
Do not show anybody the first draft. Because you think you've finished, you haven't. But the person reading it will never read you again they will see that and that's stuck with them, there's nothing you can do about that.
What's the worst advice you got?
I think there are some authors doing it now.is allowing their name to be used when they are not writing the book. I think that's terrible. You must write every word yourself.
 
What's one piece of publishing advice that you got?
It's such a strain now, it was strain when I was a young man, it was difficult, but frankly it's even more difficult now. The facts are very frightening. But it's no different to the world's best ballet dancer, the world's best opera singer, the world's best violinist, it's no different for them.
 
What's one book you read that made an impact on your life as a writer?
I think Stefan Zweig, and his comeback in the world as being recognised as one of the great writers. Every time I read him and Herman Hesse I'm aware that you can be both a great writer and a great storyteller. We all love Dickens of course, the father of us all.
 
What are you currently reading at the moment?
Funnily enough I'm reading twelve short stories by Herman Hesse, on the plane. And so that's the book I'm reading at this minute. And for research purposes I'm reading a book about Putin. Because he's greatly involved in my next novel.

How would you describe the readers of the new generation?
Recently I was in India and went to address a meeting of 4,000 people. Average age 18 - we've got the pictures of these people to show it and some people don't believe it. We have a great deal to thank J.K. Rowling, because she has brought to the table a group of people who have enjoyed her writing and therefore now they are saying, who do I go to next?

• Dubai