… it’s an interesting thought
Michael Cunningham (The Hours) came to Amsterdam several years ago to give a reading. After he was finished, he invited questions from the audience. I asked whether there were any subjects a writer should avoid; anything that just shouldn’t be tackled.
His answer was no.
Except, he went on, the repetition of dull clichés long past their sell-by date. He offered as examples, silly women who go all panicky and collapse in times of stress. Limp-wristed, useless gay characters. Men for whom no challenge can’t ever be met. And so on.
Keep away from them, he said. But otherwise, nothing’s off the table.
