In Conversation with Danzy Senna

Danzy Senna, USC Dornsife professor of English and celebrated author of the novel Colored Television, joins her fellow author (and former student) Jonathan Escoffery for a lively discussion of her literary journey, central themes in her work — including mixed-race identity, artistic ambition and bohemianism — and more. Lauded by The New York Times, The Washington Post and others as one of the best books of 2024 and dubbed “The New Great American Novel” by the Los Angeles Times, Colored Television sets a new standard for contemporary fiction. Senna is also the award-winning author of Caucasia, Symptomatic and New People, works that have cemented her reputation as a bold, witty voice in American literature. She shares her stories firsthand with Escoffery, an award-winning writer whose critically acclaimed debut novel, If I Survive You, was named “Best Book of 2022” by NPR and a New York Times’ Editors’ Choice. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:40 Welcome by Interim Dean Moh El-Naggar 00:04:35 The Sophomore "Curse": Navigating Second Novels 00:11:39 Artistic Vision vs. Commercial Pressure: Navigating Race and Creativity 00:16:54 Biracial Identity 00:21:31 Characters, Choices, and the Writer’s Shadow 00:26:03 Senna's Inspiration 00:28:42 Los Angeles: Dreams and Dystopia 00:30:57 Creativity, Academia, and Making a Living 00:33:40 The Rewards of Teaching 00:35:28 Becoming a Fiction Writer 00:37:57 Finding your Rhythm as a Writer 00:41:16 Audience Question: Race, Art, and the Impulse to Leave America 00:45:14 Audience Question: What Makes a story movie-worthy? 00:48:14 Preserving Your Creative Energy 00:49:19 Audience Question: Finding Fresh Stories to Tell 00:52:55 Audience Question: What is your teaching philosophy? 00:56:55 Audience Question: Recommended Reads from Danzy