Q+A with Ethan Fishbane
TS- Who first brought out an interest in stream of consciousness for you? Do you find yourself drawn to other S.O.C. writing? If so, who? Can you see an evolution of your work within this form of stream of consciousness, or how do you view the breadth of work you have created?
I think, actually, reading Anthem by Ayn Rand. That was shocking for me, because it was a true work of stream of consciousness published and realized. I don’t really love to read S.O.C. work, though. I just love working with it. I think my work definitely is finding its style, but I don’t think I’m really working toward evolving this form, it’s just something I’ve loved working with recently.
N- What ideas were you exploring during this cycle?
Cultures, Appropriation of those cultures, where I find myself in the mix of all of these places. I love what I am not and writing from that point of view and those cultures really lets me have fun being these people that I am so far away from.
N- In a way all of you pieces seemed soliloquies/ monologues of some sort, what do you find in monologues? Have you thought of writing dialogues? What challenges would dialogue (not necessarily literal dialogue) bring up?
Sure, I consider dialogue and I have written it. I love that monologue leaves some questions unanswered. That there is always a lingering unknown that even I as the writer do not know. Of course that works in dialogue too, but I love the sort of powerful voice that makes statements. Dialogue is interesting because it brings in multiple opinions about how life is lived, how lives intersect and work with one another. I’d love to explore that a bit.
N- From hearing you read your written pieces they seemed they were meant to be read out loud, performed, is that true? or do you like them just to be read in silence?
I don’t have a preference. I think they work either way.
EM- You are constantly assuming point of views that are radically different from your own. What POV have you not yet explored that you would like to.
I’m so obsessed with Asia and Africa, especially because these places are very alien to certain American ideals that we fall in line with. I think a challenge would be writing closer to home; Ameica, Europe. How can I make people that I am less interested in seem interesting...that’s the question.
EM- When making work grounded in or based on another culture, do you feel that there is a pressure to “get it right”? How much research is involved?
I do not feel that pressure, no. I feel like I have an artistic license which actually allows me to get it wrong. I’m not an anthropologist and I like that I am sort of making these cultural clashes that may not be right but live in their own world. Of course I research to get ideas, find things that shock me, interest me, etc. But the research ends when I start writing (for short pieces). Once I feel compelled to write, I also feel compelled to stop reading.
A: You have created many pieces inspired by the realities of other countries. If you had to make a piece about America (perhaps from the perspective of one of those countries), where would you begin? What do you think that piece would look like?
I have no idea. I did a lot of writing about America a few years ago, but from the perspective of Americans. It’s actually interesting because I think America is overly coveted. When I travel people seem to get really excited by the idea of “America”. I think the interesting route I would take would be to consider America as a country so obscure, so foreign to the rest of the world. How do you portray a culture that seems unattainable? That’s interesting.
C- Do you think about the performative aspects of these characters when you are writing from their POV? ie, how they walk, talk, storytell etc... Would you consider performing them as storytelling monologues, or are you finished with them as characters after they're on paper?
Of course. I see these people in my mind as I write. I think that the pieces could be performed, but they don’t need to be.
H - Though I would never point to it as the desire behind any of your pieces, you do have a playful pull towards presenting and shocking people with “obscenities”. What’s the pull? And can you remember when you first had this impulse?
I just think obscenities are great. Vulgarity is fun and makes me and hopefully others cringe a little bit. That’s fun for me! I’m sure I’ve had this impulse since I was a child. I’ve always loved really weird and gross things.
H- If you could perform in any place or any time in history when and where would it be?
Very tough question. I think it would be awesome to perform in Russia during Chekhov’s height. Also the 1970s in Southeast Asia. It was the height of a post-modern movement that countries like Indonesia grasped and made beautiful work with.
JF-How do you learn about these cultures of places you haven’t traveled to? Why do you want to write about these people in particular?
Reading, a lot. I read travel blogs, history blogs, books. I think these people that I know little about are the most fascinating for me to work with.