Each year, the Writing University conducts interviews with writers while they are in Iowa City participating in the International Writing Program's fall residency. We sit down with authors to ask about their work, their process and their descriptions of home. Today we are talking with Essay LIU, screenwriter, fiction writer, and nonfiction writer from Taiwan.
Essay LIU (screenwriter, fiction writer, nonfiction writer; Taiwan) was born in 1980, from Changhua, Taiwan. She has won the Golden Horse Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, the Taipei Film Festival's Best Screenplay, the United Literature Novel Newcomer Award, the Lin Rongsan Literature Award for Essays, etc. Her works include: Seven Days In Heaven (父後七日), Dear Child（親愛的小孩), Wish You Were Here Too（希望你也在這裡), and more than ten others. She also teaches scriptwriting courses in universities and workshops. Her participation is made possible by a grant from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture.
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1. Do you have a plan or project in mind for your time at the residency?
I plan to complete my short story collection during my residency; about 70% of the stories were already written before I came to Iowa. The theme of the collection focuses on "death," which may sound somber, but each story is presented in a different style. In addition to the dark humor I'm known for, I'm also experimenting with elements of fantasy. I look forward to how Iowa will inspire my imagination and creativity.
2. What does your daily practice look like for your writing? Do you have a certain time when you write? Any specific routine?
After arriving in Iowa, I found that my life here wasn't very different from my life in Taiwan. I'm quite comfortable staying indoors. I can spend the whole day in my hotel room, writing, reading, watching TV shows, and replying to work emails. My favorite things to do each day are going to the supermarket to shop for groceries and going to a bar for a drink. A simple life is what helps me most with my writing. I think that for a writer like me, it doesn't matter where I am; all I need is a quiet room and a clean desk. Before going to sleep, I do yoga and meditation to clear my mind.
3. What are you currently reading right now? Are you reading for research or pleasure?
Because I was going to Iowa, I reread the short story collections of Raymond Carver and John Cheever. I had heard that they used to drink together in Iowa, sometimes so much that they couldn't even pick up their typewriters to write. One late night, I walked with some writers to a bar to read poetry and we discussed love; it felt like I was inside one of Raymond Carver's stories.
4. What is one thing the readers and writers of Iowa City should know about you and your work?
I write both novels and screenplays, and I combine teaching with creative writing; my experiences come from both rural and urban life. I want to avoid being confined by any limitations, and to freely and joyfully explore the boundaries of different genres. I also hope to share this freedom and joy with readers all over the world.
5. Tell us a bit about where you are from - share some favorite details about your home.
Taiwan has many beautiful natural landscapes. But I want to talk about my university, Taiwan Normal University. It used to be a campus surrounded by many unique cafes, restaurants, and bars, and during my university years, I would spend my days leisurely strolling around those streets. Coming to the University of Iowa, I felt like I was back at my alma mater, so much so that I almost forgot I was in the United States.
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Thank you so much!