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Distinguished writer Yann Martel on Life of Pi and more

31 Oct 2024

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Yann Martel (left), the renowned Canadian novelist and author of the best-selling novel Life of Pi, speaks candidly of his experience, from overcoming writer’s block to finding a sense of wonder in life.
After the well-attended event by HKBU staff, students and members of the public, Mr Martel stayed behind for the book-signing.
Mr Martel hosted the Masterclass “The Writing Life—Yours, Mine” for HKBU students.

Yann Martel, Booker Prize recipient and renowned Canadian novelist and author of the international best-seller Life of Pi, was welcomed to HKBU’s International Writers’ Workshop (IWW) on 21 and 22 October. Founded in 2004 with a mission to promote literary and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the world, the IWW is one of the signature programmes of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at HKBU.

After the opening remarks by Professor Daniel Lai, Dean of Arts and Social Sciences, Mr James Shea, Associate Professor of the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing and Acting Director of the IWW, introduced Mr Martel. Following a literary reading by Mr Martel, and Dr Patrick Holland, Assistant Professor of the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing of the Academy of Language and Culture, engaged Mr Martel in a candid and insightful sharing about Life of Pi, his writing and life philosophy, the sense of wonder, and how to overcome writer’s block.

 

The essence of Life of Pi

Mr Martel began by reflecting on the message of Life of Pi. “All I wanted to do with Life of Pi is explain to you that life is an interpretation, life is subjective.” He emphasised that while certain facts are inescapable—such as life-altering accidents—what truly matters is how individuals interpret these events. He illustrated this with the narrative structure of his novel, where a singular set of facts leads to two distinct stories, prompting readers to consider, “What for you is a better story of your life?”

 

The journey of writing

On his personal journey into writing, Mr Martel admitted, “While I was waiting for my life to start, I started writing.” He recounted his early days at university, where he penned “dreadful plays” and “bad short stories”. Despite initial doubts about his talent, he persevered. “The more I did it, the more I liked it... at some point, you get better and you’ll also get luckier.”

 

Navigating writer’s block

When discussing the challenges of writing, Martel shared his experience with Life of Pi and offered the audience a refreshing perspective on dealing with writer’s block.  “Life of Pi was a joy to write. There were no challenges! The only challenge was the editing process, where my editor had to cut down a 50-page long scene. Back to writer’s block, if you’re stuck, don’t keep working at it. My best advice is to walk away. Walk away, go listen to music, drop it for a few minutes. An hour or a day, two days. Forget about it. It’s likely when you’re going to come back, you’ll have new ideas.”

 

Cultivating a sense of wonder

Finally, Mr Martel touched on the importance of maintaining a sense of wonder in life. “Wonder is at the core of life. It’s at the heart of religion, it’s at the heart of art. And I believe it’s at the heart of a fulfilled life.” He highlighted that wonder can be found in everyday experiences, from a beautiful sunset or a simple cup of coffee, to a full-blown religious experience or a page in a novel.

The event not only celebrated Mr Martel’s literary achievements but also reinforced the IWW’s mission to foster creativity and cultural dialogue in the literary arts, and inspire young writers to explore their own narratives and embrace the beauty of story-telling.