I was immediately drawn to Yrsa Daley-Ward’s novel, The Catch, because of its themes of identity, self-actualization, motherhood, sisterhood, and the role women play or are expected to play in their families.
The Catch is Yrsa Daley-Ward’s debut novel following her collection of poetry (Bone). Yrsa’s work has always had a profound resonance that comes directly from her soul to the reader’s, and her debut, which The New York Times has called a “risky, reality-bending thriller,” is no exception.
I got to interview her and she shared what she sought to explore when writing this novel, her creative process, and how she finds her inspiration from within.
Read my interview with Yrsa Daley-Ward below.
The Catch explores the ways women “disappear” in the eyes of their family. What cultural observations about women in family dynamics were you hoping to unearth or confront through your characters?
I wanted to explore the quiet erasures and the large, obvious ones too – how girls and women are often expected to take up less space, or to contort themselves into roles they never agreed to, or forced into ‘carefulness,’ In particular, I was interested in how daughters are seen not as full people but as extensions of their mothers’ unfinished dreams, or as burdens, or objects to control. Through Clara and Dempsey, I was looking at what happens when women try to reclaim authorship over their own story, especially in families that never gave them the confidence or permission to do so.
Your writing is known for its intensity and emotional clarity. What rituals or practices help you stay grounded and clear-minded when you write?
I try to keep the noise low, both literal and sensual. I walk a lot and drink a lot of tea. I handwrite before I type. I also make sure to say what I write aloud to hear when something’s true or when I’m performing. I’m less interested in sounding clever and more interested in sounding real. As much as I can, I tell the truth. I let myself be human first, writer second.
I look for openings. I pay attention to what hurts, what repeats, and what haunts. That’s usually where the work begins.
Parts of the novel are set in the 90s. As someone who grew up in the 90s, I find that endearing. What are some of your fun childhood memories/things from the 90s that you’re nostalgic about?
I remember writing poems on dial-up computers and making mix tape love cassettes! I think I’m nostalgic for how much longer everything took, the gaps between things. Also, 90s rnb, gel pens, and that strange freedom of being unreachable. My mother was alive in the 90s. More than anything, I miss her.
Do you have a favorite character in The Catch, and (if yes or no) why?
I love them all. They’re impulsive and magnetic and don’t always say the right thing. They resist being saved, even when they want or need to be. Writing the sisters felt like giving voice to every unruly, brilliant person I’ve ever known, including the parts of myself I have been and still wish to be.
What does a typical writing day look like for you // or where do you go to seek inspiration?
It changes depending on what I’m writing, but I always start early. I write best when I haven’t spoken to anyone yet, when the world is still soft and possible, light around the edges. I’ll sit with coffee and try to stay off my phone. If I get stuck, I go for a walk or I read poetry. I’m always reading. I don’t really wait for inspiration. I look for openings. I pay attention to what hurts, what repeats, and what haunts. That’s usually where the work begins.
