A whip-smart satire on clowning as an ‘art form’ - Kristen Arnett treats us to hilarity on every tightly observed and juicy page
- CWIP
- 29 minutes ago
- 3 min read
For readers who haven’t (yet!) read ‘Stop Me If You've Heard This One’ can you tell us about it in one sentence?
It's that classic story we all know: lesbian birthday party clown in Orlando, Florida hooks up with a much older female magician in order to take her art to the next level.
You write brilliantly about a group of friends navigating life -are you still in touch with your own peer group and what rules do you have about plundering real scenarios especially if they are fuel for humour on the page?
I'm incredibly close with my friends (we've known each other for years) and we support each other through everything! I'm estranged from my family so this friend group has really stepped up and held me in incredible ways, from holidays to birthdays to vacations, you name it, they've been part of it! I'm generally very careful about putting anything from "real life" into my fiction because I very much respect my friends' privacy. I think I'm lucky that I live in Florida because there is always something to write about here - very cool, very weird, wildly strange! Never at a loss for plots over here!
What is your own experience with clowning, and would you share how you see it as an art form?
Growing up in a tourism hub (say Orlando three times and Walt Disney's disembodied head shows up in your mirror), I've spent a lot of time around performers, especially clowns! I've never done any official "clowning," but I would be lying if I didn't admit that I love to be the biggest clown in the room, which often means I'm trying to get a laugh out of anyone around me at a party or any event. Art is something that holds a particular kind of beauty for the creator, so I absolutely believe that clowning is an art form. The people who clown day-in, day-out would very much tell you the same!
Which witty novel inspired you the most growing up?
My parents were very strict and very religious, so most of the books I read I had to hide. I found Matilda by Roald Dahl to be wildly delightful, because unlike most children, she had the kind of psychic abilities that allowed her to "get even" with all the grownups in her life. What child doesn't wish for that kind of power? I feel like that book was especially funny for kids because the humor doesn't belittle the reader. Kids are incredibly funny, too!
Where do you write? Do you need silence, crave music or manage with people drilling outside your window/other? Any writing habits gratefully received.
I can write anywhere, any time, in any situation! For most of my writing career, I had to find spots whenever I could in order to just jot down a few words. Back when I was a full-time librarian, I'd hide out in a corner after a reference shift just so I could try and write a chapter. I like noises and music and caterwauling. It reminds me that I'm writing about people, and I think that makes all of the characters feel especially large and loud and alive! The rule I like to apply to myself is just to try and get a small word count done every day; even 200 words is something. If I can get a couple things on the page (regardless of if they'll wind up in the final product), then I get into a good rhythm that feels productive.
Finally, can you tell us why you think CWIP is important?
How wonderful to have an award that celebrates the fact that women writers can be so terrifically funny! It's hugely crucial and frankly so encouraging. It's such a fight to get anyone to recognize the fact that there are hoards of hilarious women authors writing some of the funniest stuff you've ever seen. Getting to enjoy this, all together, is a miracle.
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