Dorothy Allison is the author of several award winning pieces of writing including “Two or Three Things I Know for Sure.”
Allison describes herself as a feminist, a working class story teller, a Southern expatriate, a sometime poet and a happily born-again Californian. She now resides in California with her partner Alix and her 19 year old son. She has come to Otterbein to share her stories and educate young aspiring writers.
Which book was the hardest to write?
Oh god, the one I’m trying to finish. Each book presents different challenges. The first novel was really, really hard because I had to figure out how to write a novel. And that took a lot of work and it took a long time. It took a leap of confidence I didn’t have that I had to build. So that was daunting but it seems to me that every new piece of writing is terrifying. You would think it would get easier, it does not. In fact I actually think it gets harder and scarier. It’s like people expect something from you and maybe I can’t give that to you.
What is your favorite piece of writing?
I read Bastard out of Carolina and there’s nothing I want to change. I got it completely right and that’s very rare. But I love reading from Two or Three Things I Know For Sure because it is really designed to be read aloud and played with how I read it.
Do you credit anyone or anything for your success as a writer?
Well every man or person that ever slapped my face. You become a writer in adversity mostly. I know people think they need a grant and a retreat and all that but no you become a writer out of deep, terrible need and that need is often shaped by adversity.
What do you have to say to college students who are going out to tackle their own careers?
This is a really complicated, hard time in history. I have a 19 year old son, and I keep telling him, take your time. Ain’t no hurry to get in the world cause the world ain’t ready for ya and that’s a terrible thing. I have a deep painful sympathy for anybody comin out of college this decade.
