Podcast: Uncaring Universe with Molly Flatt

In this episode, they discuss: 
• The impact of digital media on storytelling
• Genre bending and the weird world we already live in 
• The beauty of going back to analogue
• Much more

Molly Flatt on:

On blending genres

I wrote the story I wanted to write. [Your comment] about that indefinable genre thing – you could probably read the first section of the book as an urban thriller, an urban mystery maybe. Then it does something else, and that reflects the way I read, across all genres.

The story I wanted to tell does have a fantasy element, or is it sci-fi, or speculative fiction – no-one knows! I didn’t want swords and sandals, I wanted it to be like a slightly deeper element to the real world. I kind of wanted to entrap readers, lure them in to reading a book they didn’t think was necessarily that kind of book.

I’m most interested in how nuts the real world is. We’re living in sci-fi now. [I love] the that idea there are hidden wonders still to be discovered in our world. What [readers] want is a great adventure story and they won’t mind it being different to what they’re read before.

On getting away from social media  

[Generation Y,]  we fell in love with the digital sweetshop then realised it wasn’t the utopia we thought it was. Once I started and really committed to writing the novel seriously – this might sound bombastic – but it saved my life, it was part of me finding a new sense of meaning, in a long-form creative project. I was working to uncover my personal truths, what I felt about the world, and not just racking off 100-word clickbait articles about Snapchat.

On going back to print books

I’ve recently committed to only reading print. I don’t want to buy into the fetishisation of it all, because that doesn’t help the conversation about making books feel more accessible and compelling – but one of the joys of books is that they’re the ultimate anti-social media.

On challenging your reading habits  

[Discussing having recently read Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life.] I started reading the book before I was aware of who he was. Then I looked him up, saw the controversies and thought,  ‘should i be reading this?’ Then I took myself aback and said, this is the point – if people aren’t willing to engage with people who have different viewpoints, and different angles, then  what’s the point of any of this? So I read it, and it was a good experience because I learned a lot. There was some incredible insight and also lines that made me want to vomit, but I’m glad I made myself persevere. It made me want to seek out more [thing] outside of my filter bubble.

We have to be brave. Digital personas can take on a world of their own, you gotta keep on finding your truth and trying to say it, however closely you do it or badly received it is.

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Molly on Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/380878…fe-of-alex-moore

Your host, Danny: 
www.goodreads.com/user/show/20408243-mad-quills

Follow Molly on twitter: @mollyflatt
And Danny: @madquills