One Word That Describes Robert M. Dowling as a Writer is . . .
Locomotion
noun
“The thing about the word locomotion is it has loco and motion in there. Crazy emotions flying all around. There’s a lot under that word.”
Robert M. Dowling is an excavator. For some, a basic covering of the works of the authors being written about is enough. For Robert, no stone is left unturned. His biographies go deep, revealing all the influences, context, and history of the authors he analyzes.
Robert is fascinated by the way these authors craft their stories. “They’re world creators.” He explains, “Sam Shepard was, as was Eugene O’Neill.” Robert refuses to let any part of the author’s life get away from him. “For people like myself, knowing more about the background of a work of art inflates my sense of wonder and enriches my experience.”
To describe himself, Robert chose the word locomotion. It reflects his approach to writing, a constant, methodical, and persistent energy that leads to thorough and well-written work. Each paragraph, each word, leads into one another smoothly, like the cars on a train. It doesn’t stop at one layer though, before ending our conversation, he added, “The thing about the word locomotion is it has loco and motion in there. Crazy emotions flying all around. There’s a lot under that word.”
Robert M. Dowling’s biography, Eugene O’Neill: A Life in Four Acts was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in 2015. His new biography, Coyote: The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard has been lauded in such publications as Atlantic, The New Yorker, and Wall Street Journal.
Interview by Jake Stanchfield