Each month we bring you the author of the book everybody is talking about, not only to inspire our guide of the best books of 2021, but also to pick writers' brains on what's on their own reading list.
Bernardine Evaristo is a British author and academic. In 2019, she became the first black woman to win the Booker Prize for her eighth book, Girl, Woman, Other. She is a professor of creative writing at Brunel University London and a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Her new book, Manifesto on Never Giving Up, is an intimate and inspirational memoir about her journey as a writer. She was Chair of the 2021 Women's Prize for Fiction. Bernardine lives in London with her husband.
My career has exploded in the last two years, and luckily I’m at a stage in my life where I celebrate and enjoy it.
Not a lot of things faze me anymore—I feel I can handle whatever comes my way. When I was a young woman, people thought I was very much in control because I acted like an exhibitionist. And though I always felt strong, there was a part of me that was very shy inside. But now I know who I am and I’m confident in myself. Often, situations arise where that confidence is tested. I was scared of the exposure you get going on television, but I did it for the first time recently and it was completely fine.
Until recently I considered myself a very private person. But being more open about my life makes it more interesting in a lot of ways.
I never really planned to write a memoir, but since winning the Booker Prize I wanted to share how I developed myself as a creative person and how my experiences influenced my writing. I don’t think in terms of setbacks. The calamity of my earlier life—turbulent relationships, moving around constantly, the racism growing up in a white neighborhood—it was all part of my character formation. I see it in a positive light, in that it’s given me the drive to succeed and a deeper appreciation for all that I have now. If I’d lived a conventional life, where would the source material for my writing be? Even awful, abusive relationships can inspire great characters later on.
In my 20s, I’d write poetry late at night, drinking whisky and chain-smoking Marlboro Reds.
But I cut that out—otherwise I doubt I’d still be here! Now I write in my study, making time for a cycle ride and a siesta, and often I’ll edit my work outside the house. I like the buzz of coffee shops, the chance to observe people. From the corner of a room I’ll make up in my mind what people are doing, creating characters from individuals or from a composite of people I’ve known throughout my life. My imagination fills in the gaps. I like to convey something about human psychology with my characters, helping readers deepen their understanding of how we behave. It’s a fascinating subject.
In this country we are trained to be more negative than positive, so we have to actively counteract that.
I started writing affirmations in 1994, envisioning the future I wanted for myself and writing it down as if it had already happened. Twenty odd years ago, I wrote something like, ‘I’m so delighted I’ve just won the Booker Prize.’ Some people say it’s crazy, but actually you’re just setting yourself up for success and staying on track. I also use creative visualisations to heal relationships. Say I’m not getting on with someone at work, I’ll get into a meditative state and envision myself bonding with them. It diminishes the problem because something inside me changes and the conflict melts away.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others in terms of success, but indulging in that way of thinking can crush your spirit.
For me, the most important thing is to push jealous thoughts aside and transform them into acts of generosity. Because without this approach, I would probably have given up long ago. I’ve spent years working on positive self-talk, and I don’t put myself down in front of other people. I don’t want to diminish who I am, or give others ammunition to criticize me.
Writing has been my whole life. I’m interested in exploring the untold stories of the African diaspora, and writing books about them is hugely inspiring.
My novel, Girl, Woman, Other, follows the lives of 12 characters, who are mostly women, black and British. If I could go back in time I’d love to give my younger self a copy. One of the characters, Amma, is loosely based on myself. Reading it would have been so reassuring, and it would have deepened my understanding of how black women can navigate different spaces. Growing up, seeing examples of other ways of living just wasn’t part of the culture. We’re just about getting there now.
I find French and Saunders hysterical—comedy can be really powerful and they’ve helped me develop my own sense of humor as a writer.
They were the first comedians I watched who spoke to me as people who had been through the British education system. Watching their sketches, I began to realize how comedy could be really powerful when telling important stories. You’re entertaining people while conveying serious subject matters. I love writing funny characters, full of contradictions and idiosyncrasies. When I was younger, everyone had to be perfect in whatever way I expected them to be. But these days I’m a lot more compassionate and accepting of foibles, which we all have.
Activism is an incredibly important part of my life, and has been for many decades.
It’s only recently that the mainstream media are the slightest bit interested, but it’s great that serious issues are getting more attention. One of my main focuses has been to get writers of color recognized and networked into the literary scene— mixing with other people in the arts feeds creativity.
I set up a very productive mentorship scheme called The Complete Works to boost the work of young poets of color, as well as the Brunel International African Poetry Prize, which is still going strong. One of our past winners, Warsan Shire, went on to collaborate with Beyoncé on her album, Lemonade.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
● The best eReaders to buy—from Kindles to Kobo devices
● Best thriller books of 2021 for readers who love a psychological page-turner
● Richard Osman on his new book, Spielberg buying the rights, and breaking hardback sales records
The decisions I made towards leading a creative existence have made my life very rewarding. So many people I know gave up or lost their creative flair.
I kept on going; I’ve never gone more than a week without writing. And now I have the rewards at this stage in my life. I’ve wanted this success for a very long time and I’m absolutely ready for it.
Bernardine's top three recommended reads
-
The evolution of the Met Gala in pictures, from its origins to fun facts and the most iconic momentsThe Met Gala has become the 'superbowl of fashion' - but how did it start and when did Anna Wintour make it fashion's big night out?
-
From Madonna to Beyoncé, we uncover the most iconic songs that are actually remakesSometimes a cover song becomes so iconic people don't even realise it is a cover to begin with - and these examples are proof
