A Conversation with Irene Wittig on: The Relationship with Readers

Some writers arrive early. Others arrive later, carrying with them a lifetime of observation, experience, and quiet attention to detail.

Irene Wittig is one of those writers. Her work spans novels, short stories, children’s books, and even a book on ceramics, each shaped by a deep curiosity about people, place, and what lingers beneath the surface.

In this conversation, she reflects on the relationship between writer and reader, the role of honesty in the writing process, and the quiet satisfaction of being understood, sometimes in ways she didn’t expect.

The Conversation

What does it feel like to know that someone is reading your work?

It’s a wonderful feeling to think that your thoughts and words will resonate with someone. You can’t be sure that that will happen, so it’s helpful to be in a writers’ group or have a professional read it before you send it out. Friends and family might not be as honest as you need.

Have you ever received a message or reaction from a reader that stayed with you?

I have not received any personal messages, but I read all the reviews on Amazon. In the case of my novel All That Lingers, it was interesting and often gratifying to realize that what I wanted to express was what resonated with readers.
Sometimes they even saw more than I realized I’d said. That was a lovely feeling.
I’ve also had the privilege of having the book read by book clubs in which I participated. That gave me the chance to answer questions and provide the background to a novel that was quite personal to me.

Do you think about your readers while writing, or only after?

I am in my own world when I first write, but being in a writers’ group helped me see what a reader sees. It’s one way, especially for new writers, to know when a transition is needed, when a setting is more than a time or place. It’s also a description of what the character looks like, hears, sees, tastes and smells.
I start off with characters and imagine what their lives are like and what they would do in different circumstances, but I think it’s important to write what is important to you, and not to write for what you think is popular at the moment.

Has being read changed the way you see your own work?

I was late to writing, so the acceptance of my writing has been gratefully received.

What do you hope readers take with them after finishing your book?

I have written two novels, a book of short stories, a book about ceramics and two children’s books. They are all very different, of course, so my hope is that each finds just the right reader at just the right time.

A Closing Note

There is a quiet trust in Irene’s words: the belief that stories will find their way, and that readers will meet them when they are ready.

If something in this conversation resonated with you, you’re warmly invited to leave a comment below. Sometimes what lingers is not just the story, but the recognition within it.

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