Ben Purkert: On Taking Time to Write the Right Book
Ben Purkert is the author of the poetry collection, For the Love of Endings. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Nation, Slate, and the Kenyon Review, among others. He is the founder of Back Draft, a Guernica interview series focused on revision and the creative process.
He holds degrees from Harvard and New York University, and he currently teaches at Rutgers. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ben Perkert
In this post, Ben shares how Mad Men inspired his debut novel, what his editor helped him understand during the revision process, and more.
Name: Ben Purkert
Literary agent: Alia Hanna Habib, The Gernert Company
Book title: The Men Can’t Be Saved
Publisher: Abrams/The Overlook Press
Release date: August 1, 2023
Genre/category: Fiction
Previous titles: For the Love of Endings (poetry collection)
Elevator pitch for the book: The Men Can’t Be Saved tackles a haunting question: What do our jobs do to our souls? Seth is a junior copywriter whose latest tagline just went viral. But when his job lets him go, he can’t let go of his job. Readers join Seth as he tries to find salvation—and he might get there, if he could only get out of his own way.
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What prompted you to write this book?
I loved the show Mad Men when it debuted. I had just started working at an advertising agency, and it was thrilling to see that world depicted on screen, a world full of personality and electricity and, at times, toxicity. I wanted to write a novel that explores what that world looks like today, and how it has and hasn’t changed since the Don Draper era. I think it’s more unchanged than we might think.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I started working on the book nearly a decade ago, while I was still employed as a copywriter. I wouldn’t say that the idea for the book necessarily changed, but I did rewrite the book’s opening at least a dozen times. It was very important to me to get the character’s voice right.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I learned a ton from my editor. Because my background is in poetry, not fiction, I wasn’t as attuned to character development initially. His edits helped me see the importance of giving my main character a backstory, and how to get readers more invested in his journey. This is especially critical, given that he’s not the most likeable! Though some readers may disagree. Personally, I have a soft spot for him. He’s trying, like all of us.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I knew I was writing a novel about the advertising world, but I wasn’t expecting the book to cover all the material it did. If you had asked me early on if this novel would explore questions of addiction and religion, I would have said no. But that’s the thrilling thing about writing: The book has a mind of its own. It runs out ahead of you, and your job is simply to chase it.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
You know that meme about how men will do anything other than go to therapy? My hope is that this novel sheds a little light on why men behave the way they do, and how that behavior often thwarts intimacy. My main character so desperately wants to be the next Don Draper. But what he really needs more than anything is a friend.
If you could share one piece of advice with other authors, what would it be?
My favorite piece of advice is from former US poet laureate Tracy K Smith: Read as widely as you can, and sometimes read against your own tastes. If you dismiss a book simply because it’s not written in a register you particularly love, you risk missing out what it might have to teach you. And also, take your time. Most books benefit from a little extra patience.
While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.