Faculty and Visiting Faculty

 

Marissa levien

Assistant Professor, Creative Writing
Marissa Levien is a writer and artist living in New York with a kindly journalist and their two cats. Her first novel, The World Gives Way, was 2022 Ray Bradbury Award Finalist and was a New York Times Best Sci-Fi Novel of 2021. 

FACULTY INTERVIEW:

What genre(s) do you write in?

I primarily write prose fiction. My work tends to live somewhere in between literary-land and genre-land. My first novel, for example, is science fiction, but it's also a little too literary for some of the more hardcore sci-fi folks. But then it might be a little too sci-fi for a lot of the literary folks. My second novel, which is in revision right now, is a ghost story. It's a horror-ish novel, but I'm sure a lot of hardcore horror fans would say it’s not scary enough for them, while maybe some of the more literary folk are not so sure about the ghosts. This can be difficult in publishing-land, because they try and put you into boxes, but I have a long-term goal as a writer to be able to write in a lot of genres.

What is the thing that excites you about the act of writing?

The act of creation. My books are my babies and when they're done, I'm so proud of them. I know there are some writers that once they're done writing the book, they don't want to see it again. That's not true for me. I love going back and seeing what I've written. The feeling of bringing something that feels quite alive into the world is something I really enjoy.

Writing also feels like the most wonderful repository for all this stuff in my head. That includes larger ideas, like an idea for a complete novel-length story, but also smaller ideas. I'll get an idea for a particular turn of phrase, a really good metaphor, or something to do with prosody. Having the chance to let that marinate in my brain and then put it onto the page is incredibly satisfying.

Do you feel like your work is in conversation with other writers or work? If so,
who/what?

I do feel a kinship with a lot of female sci-fi writers. I have definitely drawn inspiration from Ursula K. Lagin, Octavia Butler, and even Ray Bradbury. That said, I read very widely. So, oftentimes, the stuff that I feel like my writing is in conversation with isn't necessarily genre-specific. I'd say Emily St. John Mandel is pretty big for me. Especially in her work that leans more speculative, she really emphasizes human connection. There's a warmth to what she writes. Also, Karen Thompson Walker is a big influence for me and I look to Kazuo Ishiguro as an example of somebody that got enough clout that he could write in any genre he wanted.

I also read experimental writing pretty extensively. I am a huge fan of James Joyce and Samuel Beckett. It is important to me that I read books that are structurally weird, books that just don't fit the pattern, books that just completely throw plot out the window. It cracks my brain open. Even though, at the end of the day, the things that I produce tend to be incredibly plot-driven stories, having read the experimental stuff helps me see writing in a different way. I wouldn't say that my writing ever really sounds like Italo Calvino, but he helps me get where I’m going.

What literary magazine would you recommend to your students?

One of my favorite journals is F(r)iction. They tend to include both genre and literary work, with graphic novels and poetry portions as well. They care about quality, so there is a real literary component to it, but they will still publish your story that has a vampire in it. There’s a little bit of everything.

What is your writing process?

I outline, but I never let myself be married to my outlines. There always has to be room for characters to breathe and feel alive and change. I do write fairly linearly, which I think is increasingly rare. There's times where maybe I get blocked, and then I'll pop to something different, but more often than not I have a framework in my head of what happens and why it happens.

In terms of actual process, I tend to write in cafes. If I write at home, I will find a million ways to procrastinate. In a cafe, I can practice what I like to call “productive narcissism,” where I pretend that everybody is secretly paying attention to me and will judge me if I don't write.

How do you generate ideas?

I've never been a writer that starves for ideas. I have a very idea-heavy brain, and really, my problem tends to be making sure I focus on one. They pop into my head as I'm absorbing the world, as I'm traveling, as I'm listening to podcasts, as I'm absorbing strange facts about history. They'll come from anywhere, sometimes even dreams I've had. I think it's incredibly important for writers to just absorb everything, including things that you don't think you'd be interested in.

How do you manage when you get stuck?

I don't get stuck in the way where I suddenly stop writing, but I find that sometimes my characters aren't moving or doing anything. That's usually a sign that I'm stuck somewhere, or haven't figured out how to jump to the next thing in the story. There’s two things that I would do for situations like that. First, I might get out in the world and absorb some new stuff. I'll go to an art museum, I'll read a new book, a book that perhaps has nothing to do with the genre that I'm writing. Or, I might write a random scene from another part of the book. That can help shake the cobwebs off.

Inspiration or perspiration?

Both. You need to find your inspirations, but you also can't just wait around for the inspiration to hit. You can't just wait around for the writer's block to stop. At the end of the day, you need to sit down and do the work.

If you weren't a writer, what job would you have?

No matter what, I would be doing something creative. I know this because prior to getting my MFA, I did a million creative careers. I went to NYU for musical theater, so I have done dancing and singing and acting. I worked as a photographer part-time. Then, I started working at an art gallery. I have done drawing, painting, and collage. I've really run the gambit through most creative careers. If I wasn't a writer, at this point I would probably still be doing something literature-adjacent. Maybe I would open my own bookstore.

Do you have a writing tip for emerging writers?

Absorb everything. Be professionally curious about the world. You don't know where inspiration is going to come from. You're building a brain that has greater layers and complexity just by being interested in a little bit of everything.

The other thing I'll say, career-wise, is allow yourself to be presumptuous and make friends. Go to the thing. On any campus, Stony Brook is still close to the city and students can make the most of it. You can go hear your hero authors read for the cost of a book. There are always a million readings where people are gathering to create a community. That's where we find each other. Go seek things out and find your community and meet your people. Invite your heroes out for coffee. All of that is available to you.