Louise Erdrich on Writing to Learn: Boston Book Festival Fiction Keynote

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, readers of all ages gathered in the sanctuary of the Church of the Covenant, a grandiose venue enlivened with stained glass and ornate architecture, for the Boston Book Festival’s Fiction Keynote speaker, Louise Erdrich. She spoke to a crowded audience about her latest novel, “The Mighty Red,” and her approach to writing. For Erdrich, writing books is not about playing puppet master or even the act of creation — she writes to learn.

Her latest book, “The Mighty Red,” was the latest iteration in this pedagogical writing process. Erdrich remarked that she mainly wrote the book “to get to know more about farming.” During this process, she encountered an increased appreciation for the work of farming and emphasized the vast knowledge farmers need to be successful. This approach motivates her writing, allowing her to explore new topics and people as a method of learning about the world.

Even the setting of the work itself was designed to be a learning experience. For her and her readers, this book was an exercise in learning through reflecting on the trials of the past.

“I set it in 2008 to 2009 partly because I don't think we've ever really dealt with 2008 to 2009,” Erdrich said.

In a second learning opportunity, she reflected on the meaning of a home through her character Kismet who marries into a well-off family. Erdrich emphasized Kismet’s infatuation with this new way of life but highlighted a moment of melancholy — Kismet now lives “ in a silent house.” Kismet considers the “violence” of this house alongside Erdrich herself, who, during her talk, said that “a silent house is not right.” Ultimately, Kismet’s reflection on her new life serves as Erdrich’s exploration of a way of life different from her own.

On a content level, Erdrich emphasized the themes of “dispossession” that she explored in this novel. To convey this theme, her characters partake in the “marrying in and out of reservation families,” a phenomenon she observes “a lot” in her own life. Yet, she does not set out to directly convey lived experiences, as she believes books cannot accurately reflect life.

“Books are not real life, but a reflection of some mirror up to life,” Erdrich said.

Erdrich’s identity as an author of Native American heritage plays a major role in the themes of her novel, augmenting her ability to impact readers. For audience member Jack C. Tripp, Erdrich’s dedication to authentically relaying Indigenous experiences was evident.

“Seeing the unique perspective from an Indigenous author felt like a very true representation of a place to me that I've never been to,” Tripp said.

Erdrich’s identity, fueled by her descriptive prose, contributes to her storytelling capabilities. Attendee Stephanie Parry remarked on her love of fiction broadly for its ability to transport people through time and space.

“I love having places described to me that I've never seen, or time that I've never thought of or none of us will have ever experienced in the present day,” Parry said.

As a seasoned author, Erdrich offered straightforward advice to readers and writers alike in the audience. During a short Q&A session, audience members learned about how to write fiction and heard tips on how to develop characters and generate “emotional resonance” between them. This emotional connection between characters plays a key role in Erdrich’s writing.

“I think [this emotional resonance] is something that readers often sense subconsciously, but to hear it vocalized articulately by a writer was really powerful,” Tripp said.

The connection between characters, to Erdrich, is more about authenticity than concocting relationships. During the open Q&A portion, an audience member inquired about the evolution of Erdrich’s voice. While she acknowledged changes in her authorial voice, she shared her own sure-fire way to develop a clear, authorial voice: “You just become who you are.”

This voice is palpable both in Erdrich’s writing and in her stage presence. Attendee Brenda Barry noted the tangibility of Erdrich’s authenticity from her seat in the front row.

“You could really feel what kind of a person she is and her genuineness and her concern,” Barry said

Erdrich concluded her talk with a dedication to the booksellers of Hong Kong who went missing following their smuggling of banned books. This marked the latest in her recent series of dedications to poets who have been “silenced” and other marginalized authorial voices. As the owner of a bookstore herself, Birchbark Books, Erdrich recognized the stakes held by this role.

“We are keeping every kind of hope alive in a democracy,” Erdrich said.

Erdrich left audience members with a final call to action in the modern literary climate: “Don't forget the booksellers.”

—Staff writer Madelyn E. McKenzie can be reached at madelyn.mckenzie@thecrimson.com.