Lit fests are the wrong kind of seduction for aspiring writers: Yiyun Li

Chinese born American author Yiyun Li has often been called a genius.  The Chinese-born writer was picked as one of the 2010 MacArthur Fellows – the so-called MacArthur Genius Awards. But years before that when she was applying for permanent residency in the US,  she had to prove she was a genius of sorts  - “an alien of extraordinary ability.” Salman Rushdie wrote her a testimonial.

Her first book of short stories A Thousand Years of Good Prayers catapulted her to fame winning the Guardian First Book Award, the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award and a PEN/Hemingway prize. The title story was made  into a film by Wayne Wang. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, Best American Short Stories. The Vagrants won the California Book Award.

Yiyun was at the Jaipur Literature Festival as part of the jury that announced the shortlist for the Man Booker International Prize on Thursday, and Firstpost caught up with her for a quick chat about her impressions of all the glitz and glamour surrounding the event.

What’s your impression since it’s your first time at the Jaipur Literature Festival?

Wow. It’s an explosion. I have never been to a festival that is so big. Not big. In every sense I underprepared myself. The colours. The people. The fact that it’s free admission. It’s fascinating that all these people would come. It’s very good.

But what does it feel like to be a writer and be celebrated in grand parties in palaces with all that wine and food? Well I did wonder last night. That whole party. I wondered how much money they spent putting up those production. We talk about what writers really need. It’s housecleaners really. Or a little bit more time. It’s interesting. Festivals are always just festivals. They are another part of the writer’s life. Not the real part I would say.

How different does it feel from a book launch in America? I have a feeling that in America book launches at least for me are for readers who have read my work they will come. So the reference point will be different. Here it’s not. For a lot of writers the general audience have not read them. They come just to take a look.

But for an aspiring writer who comes to the festival is it sending out a very seductive message? I think that’s the wrong seduction. If I was an aspiring writer I would just stay home and read. Unless there is a particular writer I would like to meet. But otherwise I would prefer reading rather than coming. There is a danger of seeing people on stage – the celebrity and glamour of it, which is not real for writers.

Does that stress you out to have to perform on stage when a book comes out? Do you feel the pressure to perform? (Laugh) I don’t have that pressure. But I do understand there is the performing part. I just say what I want to say and I try not to perform too much. I came this time not for my book. In general I would say sometimes you go to festivals because you have a book coming out and it’s a good way to sell books. It’s part of my life I guess.

So now that you have tasted it, when your next book does come out will you want to come to Jaipur? (Laughs)I am not sure . It’s just very far from the Bay Area. The flight is too long.