The Write Up

Kirk Lynn


Listen Later

On this edition of The Write Up we chat with novelist, playwright, and professor Kirk Lynn about the craft of writing, the adventure of theater, and the deep desire to abandon society and escape into the wild. We also discuss his debut novel Rules for Werewolves.

Lynn began writing prose in college, but found the companionship of his desk and typewriter unsatisfying and so he took a chance on theater. It was on the stage that he found his passion for the human voice. Along with six friends, Lynn founded Austin’s Rude Mechanicals , now called the Rude Mechs. For nearly twenty years this growing company has produced some of the more daring and critically acclaimed plays to come out of Texas, a number of them penned by Lynn including Stop Hitting Yourself and Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century.

Lynn has a gift for voice. Whether he’s writing from the view point of a founding father, a new mother, or a runaway teenager, Kirk inhabits a voice to such depth that we forget the writer and engage the character. Rules for Werewolves is a chorus of voices narrating the struggles of a group of young people attempting to create an mini-utopia in the uninhabited houses of American suburbia. Lynn incorporates chapters of pure dialogue, first person point of view, and poetic inner monologues to trace the compelling story of the societal marginals.

We dive into what drives Lynn as a writer and the disciplines that shape his craft. We also talk about the path his career has taken since his early dreams of writing. We discuss his marriage to poet Carrie Fountain and how becoming parents has influenced both their work.

Lynn is currently Head of Playwriting and Directing in the Department of Theatre and Drama at the University of Texas. We talk about Lynn’s approach to teaching and the strange sensation of standing before a classroom of students as a presumed “expert.”

Years ago Lynn gave up alcohol. The experience has impacted how he approaches life and writing. He talks about drinking and sobriety with humor and insight.

Sitting with Kirk Lynn is a thrill. His energy and wit seem endless. Whether talking about Jack Kerouac, parenting, or public nudity, it’s always a pleasure to hear from this beloved Austin writer.

-Owen Egerton

 

The post Kirk Lynn appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Write UpBy KUT & KUTX Studios, Owen Egerton

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

7 ratings


More shows like The Write Up

View all
Song of the Day by KUT & KUTX Studios

Song of the Day

94 Listeners

Austin Music Minute by KUT & KUTX Studios, Laurie Gallardo

Austin Music Minute

8 Listeners

KUT Weekend by KUT & KUTX Studios

KUT Weekend

40 Listeners

Two Guys on Your Head by KUT & KUTX Studios, Dr. Art Markman & Dr. Bob Duke

Two Guys on Your Head

231 Listeners

Liner Notes by KUT & KUTX Studios, Neil Blumofe

Liner Notes

8 Listeners

Views and Brews by KUT & KUTX Studios

Views and Brews

15 Listeners

In Black America by KUT & KUTX Studios, John L. Hanson

In Black America

289 Listeners

Texas Standard by Texas Standard

Texas Standard

246 Listeners

In Perspective by KUT & KUTX Studios

In Perspective

2 Listeners

Higher Ed by KUT & KUTX Studios, Jennifer Stayton

Higher Ed

31 Listeners

The Secret Ingredient by KUT & KUTX Studios, Raj Patel, Tom Philpott & Rebecca McInroy

The Secret Ingredient

37 Listeners

KUT » Stuart Hall: In Conversations by KUT & KUTX Studios, Ben Carrington & Rebecca McInroy

KUT » Stuart Hall: In Conversations

9 Listeners

Texas Standard » Typewriter Rodeo by Texas Standard, Typewriter Rodeo

Texas Standard » Typewriter Rodeo

14 Listeners

Texas Standard » Stories from Texas by Texas Standard, W.F. Strong

Texas Standard » Stories from Texas

208 Listeners

Pause/Play by KUT & KUTX Studios

Pause/Play

39 Listeners

Black Austin Matters by KUT & KUTX Studios, Richard J. Reddick, Lisa B. Thompson

Black Austin Matters

51 Listeners

(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen by KUT & KUTX Studios, Laurie Gallardo

(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen

4 Listeners

24 Hours in Austin by KUT & KUTX Studios, Matt Largey

24 Hours in Austin

9 Listeners

Take a Moment by Marnie Castor

Take a Moment

0 Listeners

Money Talk with Carl Stuart by Carl Stuart

Money Talk with Carl Stuart

0 Listeners