Five Acclaimed Novelists on the Art of Storytelling

Margaret Atwood, Jesmyn Ward, Jhumpa Lahiri, Joyce Carol Oates, and Ottessa Moshfegh discuss the craft of writing and the power of fiction

Mar. 23, 2026 at 8:09pm

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In a wide-ranging conversation, five of the most celebrated novelists of our time - Margaret Atwood, Jesmyn Ward, Jhumpa Lahiri, Joyce Carol Oates, and Ottessa Moshfegh - spoke about the art of storytelling, the challenges of the writing process, and why fiction remains vital in an era of competing narratives and information overload.

Why it matters

As the world grapples with a proliferation of narratives and a perceived crisis of truth, these acclaimed authors offer insights into the enduring power of the novel to illuminate the human experience, challenge assumptions, and provide 'everyday epiphanies' for readers.

The details

The writers discussed a range of topics, from Atwood's observation that 'what you can get away with' in art depends on the time and place, to Lahiri's resistance to the 'dichotomy' between fiction and non-fiction. They also reflected on the unique abilities of novels to create empathy, explore complex characters, and deliver revelations that feel essential. Despite the sense of 'futility of narrative' in the current moment, the authors expressed confidence in the continued relevance and importance of the novel as a form.

  • The interview took place in early January, just before the events in Minneapolis that would 'explode into a theater of state violence'.
  • The article was published on March 23, 2026.

The players

Margaret Atwood

A celebrated Canadian novelist known for works like 'The Handmaid's Tale', which has been seen as an allegory for our times.

Jesmyn Ward

An acclaimed American novelist who has helped usher in a renaissance of Black Southern literature in the U.S.

Jhumpa Lahiri

An Indian-American novelist whose works, like 'The Namesake', explore the experiences of immigrants and their children.

Joyce Carol Oates

A prolific American novelist known for works that challenge readers' sensibilities, such as her latest novel 'Fox'.

Ottessa Moshfegh

An American novelist whose protagonists are often 'thoroughly unlikeable' characters who nonetheless captivate readers.

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What they’re saying

“Art is what you can get away with,”

— Margaret Atwood

“If you could read Toni Morrison, why would you read AI?”

— Joyce Carol Oates

“I need to go through the entire process, because there are things that I'm learning and revelations that I'm working my way towards, and I need to do that work because it enables me to keep living.”

— Jesmyn Ward

“The line between fiction and nonfiction or some sort of 'truth' is, as Lahiri says, 'a dichotomy that I'm more and more resistant to and trying to move away from or to challenge because it's that razor's edge that is really the space of so much writing and literature.'”

— Jhumpa Lahiri

The takeaway

In a world increasingly dominated by competing narratives and information overload, these acclaimed novelists reaffirm the enduring power of fiction to illuminate the human experience, challenge assumptions, and provide readers with 'everyday epiphanies' that feel essential. Their insights underscore the continued relevance and importance of the novel as a form, even as the boundaries between fact and fiction become ever more blurred.