Frank O’Connor

Irish man of letters, Frank O’Connor is loved and admired for the wit and warmth he has shown in his stories. Mr. O’Connor, who has taught several courses on the writing of fiction, is now living in the United Stales.

FRANK O’CONNOR, the Irish author who has taught several courses on the writing of fiction, was ashed how he approached his own short stories. Said Mr. O’Connor, “With me it’s a difficulty of temperament. Mine is lyrical, explosive. I write a story with a feeling of slight regret for poor Shakespeare’s lack of talent and wake up with a hangover that makes poteen look like cold water. Then, having cursed life and forsworn literature, I start rewriting. If I can work up the Shakespeare mood often enough I may get it right in six revisions. If I don’t I may have to rewrite it fifty times. This isn’t exaggeration.” Mr. O’Connor is now living in the United States. His most recent collection, More Stories, was published last year by Knopf.

FRANK O’CONNOR, the Irish author who has been giving courses at the Harvard Summer School on the writing of fiction, was ashed how he approached his own short stories. Said Mr. O’Connor, “ With me it’s a difficulty of temperament. Mine is lyrical, explosive. I write a story with a feeling of slight regret for poor Shakespeare’s lack of talent and wake up with a hangover that makes poteen look like cold water, Then, having cursed life and forsworn literature, I start rewriting. If I can work up the Shakespeare mood often enough I may get it right in six revisions. If I don’t I may have to rewrite it fifty times. This isn’t exaggerationThe story which follows is one of a new collection, More Stories, to be published this month by Knopf.

Last year, before he left his sanctuary in Dublin for an extended tour of the United States, FRANK O’CONNOR was asked how he wrote his short stories. Said Mr. O’Connor,“With me it’s a difficulty of temperament. Mine is lyrical, explosive. I write a story with a feeling of slight regret for poor Shakespeare’s lack of talent and wake up with a hangover that makes poteen look like cold water. Then, having cursed life and forsworn literature,I start rewriting. If I can work up the Shakespeare mood often enough I may get it right in six revisions. If I don’t I may have to rewrite it fifty times. This isn’t exaggeration.”