[tgh] When did you decide to become a writer and how did you take that first step?

[TheWord] ?

[YannMartel] I'd say writing chose me rather than the other way around. It was really the last thing on my list, the only thing that worked for me, that gave me a sense of meaning.

[YannMartel] I started writing in 2nd year university, when I hadn't a clue where I was going in life. I wrote a dreadful play, truly something godawful, but I loved creating, I loved creating a stage and peopling it and giving things to say and do.

[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, Word.

[TheWord] How important has your support system been to you -- family, friends, etc. -- in your writing career?

[BAMAman] ?

[YannMartel] About the support system: very important. I've been lucky to have parents who always supported me, never rolled their eyes, stroked me the right way, happily allowed me to live off them long after I was at the age when I should have been doing that. I was very lucky.

[YannMartel] AM very lucky.

[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, Bamaman!

[YannMartel] To be honest, I don't really know why things have worked out so well for me. I don't mean to say that I'm not good. But I see other people who seem to have more talent, more literary wherewithall.

[YannMartel] (I say that, then I look at what they write and I realize that there's a je-ne-sais-quoi to art, an unfathomable component that can't be taught or really developed, a sense of what works.

[YannMartel] Who has that and who doesn't is cosmic luck and cosmic injustice, I guess).

[BAMAman] How can a writer break into the publishing scene with such a deluge of submissions out there?

[mallory] ?

[YannMartel] About the deluge: persevere. Just keep on writing. But you shouldn't be attached to results. I started writing with no idea that I could get it published. It was just something profoundly satisfying.

[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, Mallory.

[YannMartel] And there may be a lot of ms out there, but how many are good? Keep writing, keep thinking, and one day something will happen. What you want to avoid is success-hunger. That is very hard to feed.

[mallory] Has it been "easier" for you to sell other works after being published or do you have to start the submission process all over again with each new piece you're trying to sell?

[BAMAman] ?

[YannMartel] No, it's been easier each time, especially now, after Pi. But now there's the danger that I'll be pigeon-holed. "Oh yeah, the guy who writes about animals and religion. Read him, done that."

[Nessie] ?

[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, Bamaman.

[BAMAman] How do you personally come up with the ideas for your novels? Your work seems to be so well-thought out.

[YannMartel] But whatever you do, there are risks.

[MOD-CINDY] It's ten till....please, if you have any questions, speak now. We'll be closing the floor soon.

[tgh] ?

[rtrdogs] ?

[YannMartel] The premise for Pi came to me from another novel, as I mentioned above.The rest was inspiration, research and hard (pleasurable) work.

[MOD-CINDY] Ok, I'll call on those who have questions, But now the FLOOR IS CLOSED.

[YannMartel] For Monkey and the Donkey, I can't remember. Inspiration. When you take writing, creating, seriously, you put yourself in a frame of mind where ideas come to you.

[YannMartel] It's a sort of faith, a receptivity, where you're always open.

[MOD-CINDY] Nessie, go ahead!

[Nessie] I got bit by the time zone bug so I just made it in time! With religion as such a strong theme in your novels, have you ever felt any type of backlash from others?

[YannMartel] No. Mind you, Canada is a very secular country. No fundamentalists of any stripe have attacked me. Then again, I don't think fundamentalists read fiction.

[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, tgh!

[YannMartel] I would actually welcome a debate with a Christian fund.

[tgh] Do you have a Web site or is there another way fans can write to you/find out more about you and your work?

[YannMartel] No, not really. I mostly let the world know about me through my books.

[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, rtrdogs!

[YannMartel] I believe my Cdn publisher is preparing a reading club guidebook to Pi.

[rtrdogs] Do you think Pi's story is completely told or do you see yourself revisiting him in a future novel?

[YannMartel] I had thought of a sequel in which he would be working in the House of Commons (Cdn's House of Reps). But that died somewhere along the way.

[YannMartel] But I will come back to this mix of animals and religion. I find that very stimulating.

[MOD-CINDY] Well, our time is nearly up....I want to make sure that I get to wish you luck...I'd love to see you receive the Man Booker prize.

[YannMartel] I have another project involving three chimps as various stand-ins for Christ. Sounds like a bad joke, I know.

[Nessie] Thank you Mr. Martel.

[tgh] Yes, thanks for taking our questions.

[MOD-CINDY] * * * A very special thanks to author Yann Martel for sharing his insight and expertise with us today. * * *

[rtrdogs] thank you

[TheWord] this was great, thanks

[mallory] Good luck on the Booker!

[BAMAman] Thanks Yann.

[MOD-CINDY] Er...chimps. That would be interesting, to see how you carry that off.

[YannMartel] My pleasure. It's fun doing this. Everyone keep their fingers crossed on Oct. 22nd!

[MOD-CINDY] * * * A transcript of this chat will be available in the Industry Interviews section of FictionAddiction.NET * * *

[MOD-CINDY] * * * Thanks once again to author Yann Martel for being here. You can pick up his novels, "Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios," "Self" and "Life of Pi" at your favorite bookstore or visit FictionAddiction.NET's emporium:

[LadyBug] Thank you and good luck. You deserve to win. Life of Pi is great!!

[MOD-CINDY] http://FictionAddiction.NET/emporium.html * * *

[YannMartel] Thank you. Good night, everyone.