S5 E6 Scott Hawkins: A Very “Normal” Imagination
Summary
V.E. Schwab interviews Scott Hawkins, author of *The Library at Mount Char* and *Blacktail*, to discuss his unconventional path to publishing after decades of rejections. They explore how Hawkins transformed a short story into a novel, the influence of *Princess Mononoke* on his themes of wild versus domestic life, and his commitment to writing unflinchingly dark fiction. The conversation also covers his engineering background, the structural challenges of his debut, and the role of his wife as a critical first reader.
Topics discussed
Introduction and praise for The Library at Mount Char
Scott Hawkins' background and path to publication
The struggle with craft and the 'slush pile' of drafts
Balancing wild ideas with structural engineering
Finding the through-line and the 80,000-word Chapter 1
The cult following and long-tail success of Mount Char
Post-Mount Char failures and the origin of Blacktail
Themes of power, worship, and animal vs. human dynamics
Recurring interests in hierarchy and the genesis of ideas
From a neighborhood scene to a godlike figure: The Godfather influence
Swinging for the fences and avoiding commercial tempering
The importance of writing for yourself and Blacktail's humor
Expanding the short story and balancing day job vs. writing
Daily routine, flow states, and finding character voices
Dark themes, personal divergence, and the bull scene
Justifying violence and the necessity of gruesome elements
Revision process and using his wife as a litmus test
Dealing with writer's block and the value of discarded work
Structural planning, writing backwards, and idea purgatory
Uniqueness in publishing and the importance of animal companions
Strangest objects, bestseller news, and closing remarks
Listen ad-free on Castria