Tarot Interviews | S01E01
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Lauren Beukes, the acclaimed South African novelist, journalist, and TV writer, recently shared profound insights into her creative process and the emotional core of her work. Known for novels like "The Shining Girls," "Zoo City," and "Broken Monsters," Beukes has earned multiple accolades including the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Our conversation revealed the complex intersections between violence, creativity, and the human experience that permeate her storytelling approach.
When discussing her writing process, Beukes described herself as a "headlighter" – someone who knows their starting point and destination but only sees about twenty feet ahead in the creative journey. This approach allows her to follow intuitive narrative paths while maintaining a broader structural framework. Despite her meticulous planning, Beukes embraces the moments in writing where characters shift unexpectedly or dialogue takes surprising turns. These moments aren't mystical possessions but rather the natural outcome of deep engagement with the creative process, where thinking and writing shape the storyteller as much as the story itself.
Perhaps most revealing was Beukes's discussion of "The Shining Girls," a novel stemming from her rage about gender-based violence in South Africa. She wrote the book in response to the horrific murder of someone she knew, deliberately crafting scenes of violence to be genuinely upsetting rather than titillating. Unlike typical serial killer fiction that positions readers on the killer's shoulder, Beukes centered the victims' experiences, exploring their rage, fear, and all they would lose. This approach has resonated deeply with readers, particularly survivors who have approached her to say, "The way you wrote about it was right. That's what it felt like for me." These moments of connection, where fiction serves as a vehicle for authentic human experience, represent the some of the most meaningful accomplishments in Beukes's career.
Beyond her approach to depicting violence, Beukes discussed her novel "Zoo City," featuring a young woman with a magical sloth on her back who can find lost things. The image came to her fully formed, exemplifying her penchant for fantastical elements grounded in real-world settings. Her latest work, "The Geckomancer's Lament," continues this tradition, combining whimsical elements with themes of betrayal, gaslighting, and colonial resistance. Beukes notes that despite its apparent silliness, the story reflects contemporary anxieties about being unheard amid global horrors, likening it to the experience of Cassandra in Greek mythology.
Throughout our conversation, Beukes expressed thought-provoking perspectives on feminine energy, describing it as "fierce and ferocious and full of knives" rather than passive or nurturing. For Beukes, being a woman means constant struggle against patriarchal structures, from voter rights suppression to pay discrepancies. Yet she also finds joy in feminine experience and emphasizes the importance of balancing analytical thinking with intuition and creativity. This complex understanding of gender informs her characters and narrative choices, creating stories that challenge stereotypical representations while honoring lived experiences.
