Richard Price

(http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200804/20080428_price.html)

Richard Price is not afraid to say that he has talent, and to be quite honest, he certainly does deserve the credit he gives himself. Through his talk with the audience members and answers to their questions, it became clear that he was well aware of his natural writing abilities. At the same time, he remained genuine and down to earth, never giving off the feeling that he was above anyone else in the room. In fact, he was rather funny, and while his blunt remarks often caused waves of laughter throughout the audience, his humor never appeared deliberate or forced.  When asked about his writing, he emphasized intuition, which seemed to play a large role not only in his work, but also in the way he carried himself and interacted with people. He was clearly not here to put on an act, and did not attempt to impress others with haughty responses to questions. Instead, his replies were candid and truthful, allowing the audience to feel comfortable with the esteemed and successful writer. For instance, he made a quick reference to some author, and then joked that he was quoting from a writer he had never even read before. Certainly, he could have left that detail out, but by mentioning it, one could see that he was truly a humble and comic man.

His humor was also evident in his writing, especially in the excerpt he read aloud from his latest work in progress. His repetition of the word “God” was just the touch that pushed the audience into hysteria. After his reading, I wondered how he learned to craft such an entertaining and clever style of writing. Later, when someone asked him that very question, I was not surprised that he did not accredit his sharp work to any of his former teachers. He claimed that they were only able to provide him with encouragement, which was enough for him to continue honing his writing skills. He also compared writing to running, describing it as something instinctive, rather than something that could be taught. While I always looked at writing as a skill developed through practice and learned techniques, I can tell that for Richard Price, it truly is an inborn gift.