Living an Interesting Life to Inspire Creativity - With Drew Hayden Taylor

In this conversation, Drew Hayden Taylor, a celebrated author and storyteller, shares insights from his journey into writing and discusses his unique approach to storytelling. He talks about his latest novel, Cold, which reimagines the Windigo character in a contemporary urban setting. Drew also touches on his work in television and plays and discusses the complexities of his mixed-race identity. 

He emphasizes the importance of reading and being a good reader to become a good writer, the need for multiple drafts in the writing process, and the value of leading an interesting life to inspire creativity. Drew also discusses his experiences with being questioned about his Indigenous identity and the challenges of navigating cultural expectations.

Takeaways

• Being a good reader is essential to becoming a good writer.

• Writing often requires multiple drafts to refine the story and characters.

• Leading an interesting life and having diverse experiences can inspire creativity.

• Navigating cultural expectations and questions about Indigenous identity can be challenging.

Quotes

• "I became a writer because I couldn't do anything else." - Drew Hayden Taylor

• "As a writer, I have more control over the world I create than the world I live in." - Drew Hayden Taylor

• "Writing can seem intimidating, but if it's fun, it takes away the scariness." - Drew Hayden Taylor

Links

Drews Website - https://www.drewhaydentaylor.com/

Latest Book “Cold” - https://bit.ly/4a8wMWD

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Background

02:08 - Becoming a Writer and Having Control Over the World

09:17 - The Fun and Scariness of Writing

25:05 - The Importance of Rewriting

28:31 - Living an Interesting Life to Inspire Creativity

38:26 - Navigating Questions about Indigenous Identity