Tao Lin
Tao Lin
Tao Linis an American novelist, poet, essayist, short-story writer, and artist. He has published three novels, two books of poetry, one short story collection, and one novella in print as well as an extensive assortment of online content. His third novel, Taipei, was published by Vintage on June 4, 2013...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth2 July 1983
CityAlexandria, VA
CountryUnited States of America
considered family written
I think I've written about family and things in 'Taipei' which could be considered Asian culture.
experience focused written
I haven't written about an immigrant experience because I haven't experienced that before and am focused on existential themes.
poetry wrote
My first book was poetry, but I didn't write it first. I wrote it third. So my first two books were prose.
I like most any place if I have Internet access.
people
A lot of people think I'm a vegan. I'm not.
accurate closer creating meaning static view
I don't view my memory as accurate or static - and, in autobiographical fiction, my focus is still on creating an effect, not on documenting reality - so 'autobiographical,' to me, is closer in meaning to 'fiction' than 'autobiography.'
certain context discern effect effects good
I can discern that certain things have an effect on certain other things, but I don't view those effects as good or bad. If a context and a goal is defined, I could say if it's good or bad. But overall, I don't view things as good or bad.
almost music specific time
I listen to music almost any time I'm not sleeping, 'hanging out' with specific people, or showering.
arrive computer leaving music somewhere specific
I don't have specific music for when I'm writing. I'm usually listening to the same playlist or 'artist' before I arrive at the computer as when I'm walking somewhere after leaving the computer.
concept understand
I don't think I understand the concept of regret. Because if I regret anything, that would mean, like, I hate myself.
amount certain sure terms time whenever worked
I feel 'proud' whenever I feel that I've worked on something for a certain amount of time with a certain amount of attention. I'm not sure if I think in terms of 'pride' though.
definition depressed people seems sign weeks
I don't have a definition for depression. I'm productive, and that's not a sign of depression, right? And I don't have weeks where I don't leave my bed. It seems like depressed people have those.
affects choose editing music published songs time type within words
I don't think music affects what words I choose to type in what order, within what punctuation, at this point, because I'm rereading and editing each sentence, at this point, in my published books, probably 100-150 times each, on average, and listening to probably 20-60 different songs in that time.
arts facial funny major obituaries people
I think it would be funny for people to read in obituaries of me that my major contribution to the arts was the popularization of the phrases 'neutral facial expression' and 'screaming in agony.'