Headshot of author Thuy On

IG: @poemsbythuy

Twitter: @thuy_on

Publications: Turbulance

TRANSCRIPT

Noè 

Welcome to Why Write, a super short podcast that asks writers just that, why they write. Hi, I’m Noè Harsel, a writer and Chair of Writers Victoria, and you know, I’m excited to chat to a diverse group of writers and simply ask, why write? I’m glad you’re here with me.

Today we have Thuy On. Thuy is an arts journalist, editor, critic and poet. She’s currently the reviews editor of Arts Hub. Her first book, a collection of poetry called Turbulence, was published in 2020 by UWAP. Her second collection, Decadence, will be released later this year in 2022.

So welcome to Why Write, Thuy, you are a well-regarded and well-known arts reviewer and writer across many national newspapers and websites, as well as an incredibly powerful poet whose work I truly love. It is so great to have this chance to chat with you today. So let’s get right to the big question. The reason why we are here tell us, Thuy, why do you write?

Thuy 

I write because I can’t not write, I write because, for me, it’s a compulsion and an imperative. And because I work across different forms, sometimes I feel like, you know, one part of me is, is writing. And then the other part is resting. But they sort of talk to each other people find it weird that I’m a critic and a poet, but I find that they’re pretty much both sides of the same coin. They both require concentration in intense modes, and you have to have so much passion for both, both types of writing. So poetry is only sort of a recent form of writing for me, but criticism I’ve had over 20 years of experience. So poetry, I’m just sort of catching up on that.

Noè  

That’s really interesting. I did not I did not realise that the poetry was a new part. But I do, I really appreciate what you’re saying about it being the two sides of the one coin. And I’m interested in that, that reviewing, so for you, what would you consider to be the art in the reviewing? So like, what is it that you love? What’s that precious nugget of joy for you in the review form?

Thuy 

It’s really hard to say but I, I write for the reader. I don’t write for the author, I don’t write for the PR person, I write for someone, for an imaginary audience, who’s going to read my review and think, okay, so that show or that book is worth attending, or reading, I have this sort of person in mind, who is literate and interested in the arts and just wants to know, if this, if this art form is worth it, but also I write, also, just to provide context, you know, because loads of people read reviews and don’t buy the book and don’t see the show, they just need to know what’s around them just to be informed. And I think it’s incredibly important to be informed, because there’s just so much out there, we can’t read everything, we can’t change everything, but at least we can have the knowledge of what’s out there. Even if you just use it for dinner parties, you just at least you’re informed. I think that’s incredibly important as well, instead of just you know, watching some old American Netflix thing. I mean, we really, I really do believe in Australian culture and trying to promote it as best as I can.

Noè  

I really love that idea that the review isn’t, I love what you’re saying about the review, not just being a sales tool. But it’s an informative tool, that there’s so many facets to the reason why people read reviews, it’s not just to convince me to buy the book. But you know what, maybe I’m never going to buy the book, but I want to know what’s out there. I think that’s I think that’s a fascinating reason to be writing and reading reviews that I haven’t really clocked through. But you know what, you’re right. I read many more reviews than the books I buy. And you do reviews on a huge array of art forms. I mean, how do you keep all of that? So you do not just book reviews is what I’m saying. You’ve I mean, I’ve recently read reviews on you for the comedy festival, for example. I mean, how do you do that in your mind? Like, how does it happen for you?

Thuy 

I don’t really think it matters. I think, look, I think if you write you can write up just about anything. So I really don’t differentiate between writing review about comedy, or a book, or a musical, which I’ve done all you know, is just, I just like writing. So and I think people who like to write can quite easily jump form. Not everybody just like sticks to a very stringent form of genre writing. I only write novels or only write this, I think, I think most writers when you talk to them move around quite a lot. And I think that’s also because of market need. We can’t all survive doing the one thing you don’t survive very well, you know, well, all you can do is write novels. That’s why lots of writers are journalists and teachers and write across form and so we move around a lot and that I think the versatility of writing is what excites me because if I get totally bored writing a book review, I know that I can go and write about live performance. Or I can go and write a poem for my own indulgence. Not that, may not ever get published, but I know that I can do it.

Noè 

I think that’s really interesting. I mean, with all your experience and background in reviewing then, did it make you especially conscious of the notion, that I’m quite aware that these can be constructed and in times very arbitrary, these notions of what’s good and what’s bad in both literature and the arts, and did that have any impact on you in your writing? With your with your poetry, for example?

Thuy 

Sometimes, you know, little bit of knowledge is not a great thing, because I know the industry, so well. And because I’ve been a critic, you know, for so long. But at the same time, I also know that is so subjective, that’s why there are so many different critics who have the same, who see the same show, and then have completely disparate opinions. I mean, I’ve been having arguments about Hamilton. Everybody, I know love it, I hate it. There you go. And I, I went on my Facebook page and did a whole spiel of eight reasons why I hate Hamilton. It wasn’t actually a review. It was just because I was so fed up with all my friends and colleagues going, ‘Oh, my God. And also Hamilton was fantastic.’ And I’m like, seriously, I’m the only one. I’m the only detractor the whole of Australia who hates it. So you have to be fearless. And you have to be brave, if you want to be critic, because if you are in anyway swayed by the majority, you are not a critic.

Noè  

Yep, I can imagine, I can imagine that. And with your own writing, then, did any of that influence you or come in don’t know, so much influence you, but come into your mind, as you are writing, like all these people that I know in this industry that I’m part of?

Thuy  

I’m pretty sure, you know, if so I’m working on my second poetry collection, is coming out in July is called, Decadence, and actually is quite an interesting question, because there’s a lot of information in Decadence about the industry. Okay, so I write about book blurbs, I write about the literary grants, I write about criticism, I write about stuff that only I can write about, in poetic and sort of prose poems form. So I’m sort of engaging the industry in a very sarcastic and satirical way. And I’m pretty sure there’ll be some sort of, you know, some point that some sort of, you know, kickback or reviews, slightly smarting about that. But I really don’t care. You know, this is this is my way of engaging with with the industry. Bringing both forms together, writing about criticism as a poet.

Noè  

That is fascinating. I’m actually on the edge of my seat for that. That sounds so exciting, about bringing that together. And I guess with what you’re saying, you actually have to be fearless, which is, in writing in general, one has to be fearless. Because you can think about what’s going to happen, the chances of your book getting published, is so small, getting sold, getting seen, getting reviewed, all those things, you can’t think about, the future. So for you, it’s yourself, you would have learned that through the process of being the critique. Now having to put yourself forward as the writers is, in a way do you think that made you more fearless?

Thuy  

Yes, I was like, and also because I know what’s out there. Okay, so Decadence to me, I mean, I’m sort of maybe I’m just wrong here. But to me, it’s, I haven’t read another book like this. Because last year, I was, I was the Convening Judge of the Vic Premier’s Lit Awards in poetry. So I read like 60-odd poetry collections. Okay. So when it came to the building and writing my own, I just thought, ‘well, I haven’t read a book like this.’ Like, I have read loads of books about lots of other topics, but no one has really interrogated language and grammar the way I have the way I’m doing right now. So I know from a market perspective, how to, I suppose distinguish myself away from the pack. So that’s also that’s just inside the knowledge, I guess. So it’s not like, oh, no, there’s another sort of book about something that everybody else written about. But even if there were you know, five other books about language, and criticism in poetry wouldn’t matter, I still would have done the same thing. Because this is my perspective. It’s no one else’s. So I wouldn’t make it, I just I’ve gotten to this point in my career where I just don’t care. You know, I have to have the, you have to be brave and you have to write and and feel like it’s something within you not affected by the market about or future future review. Imagine if you’ve writing something thinking, ‘What will future reviews say about this?’ You just won’t do it. You’ll just be so stymied in your approach that you just won’t realise you’re lying. You think, Well, I’m gonna get criticised for A, B, C, and D. And that’s a really bad way of thinking because not everybody will like your work. And there’s loads of people that will just go ‘oh, gosh, this person is complete upstart. She can’t write. This is not you know, this is not poetry.’ There’ll be so many detractors waiting to trip you around. You just have to forget it all and just do what feels to you a natural thing and be the damned with reviews. You know, and I’m saying this as a critic.

Noè  

I think that’s amazing. And it’s such a lesson in confidence, bravery and just you know, believing in yourself. And that is a great lesson. Thank you so much Thuy, you have given us so much to think about, so many reasons why we should be confident ourselves in our writing. So thank you for your time.

Thuy 

No worries. Thank you.

Noè 

Thanks for listening. We would love to hear why you write. Tell me at whywrite.com.au Why Write is a Writers Victoria podcast. All programs and information about becoming a member with us at Writers Victoria is available at writersvictoria.org.au We hope you enjoyed Why Write and if you did, please tell your friends and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Why Write was recorded at Brand Music and engineered by Michael Burrows.

 

Original Music by Michael Burrows.