问:你是否认为初次从事小说写作的人在着手写长篇小说之前应当先写短篇小说? 答:我认为,创作长篇小说之前是否先要以短篇小说入手完全是个人的事情。这取决于作者认为什么形式使他(或她)更为得心应手。问:一个作家怎样才能实实在在地养成自我批评的本领? 答:写小说有两个阶段:创作阶段和修改阶段。我以为,一个重要的问题是不要让这两个阶段同时出现。当你落笔成文时,不要当批评家,因为这会束缚你的创作。 Q: Do you think first-time writers should write short stories before they start writing novels? A: In my opinion, it is entirely personal to start short stories with novel ones. It depends on what form the author thinks makes him or her more handy. Q: How can a writer develop a self-critical ability? A: There are two stages in writing novels: the stage of creation and the stage of revision. I think one of the important questions is not to let these two phases appear at the same time. When you finish writing, do not be a critic because it will bind your creation.