How we work: Stephen Fry, actor/writer

Takes on other jobs when writing an article or review, or acting, but cannot when writing a novel:

"I don’t take another job. I don’t do anything. I go up to my house in the country and pull out all the plugs, virtually. I just do it nonstop until I’m finished. I envy writers who can write on planes and take a break for a week and then get back to it. I have to get into a sort of zone. [...] With writing, I don’t know what it is. I just have to get into a complete world. It has something to do with an inability to concentrate, which is the absolute bottom line of writing."

More how we work.

Comments

[david Ditchfield]

just wrote a huge letter to you then wiped it by acciedent . thinking about it you would have been bored .

dave

[pete]

message to steven fry ,i will start by saying that your program on bbc 2 on manic depression has inspired me to write to you , I am an ex lance corprol ,parachute regiment and have suffered bipola for 20 years being hospitalised several times I cope very well with my illness , I am not writting to you regaurding this subject but would like your advice on my ideas for help in the writting of a book subject ( stopping the war in irak )it has humour , it's true ,mad maybe but in my mind could have worked and tittle (lisen).I wont go on just to say I would be most greatfull for your help , guidance and contacts ,I am hoping that you could give me an hour of your time pete

[K. Shapiro]

Mr. Fry,
I have read your books, watched everything I
can find that you have been in. Loved Peters
Friends, and especially Kingdom. Thank you
for bringing so much intelligence to life.
Your sense of humor is excellant and pithy.
Moah is my Washpot had so much feeling, I
felt as if I was there, and was glad I was not. Been a fan since Blackadder, which I watched to see you and Hugh Laurie. In short
thank you, I enjoy your humor and intelligence, and am looking forward to more
Kindom episodes.

[Anita Fincham]

Stephen, you have been and are an inspiration to myself and many for your honesty, courage, and integrity. thank you so much.... Anitax

[deborah dennis]

Absolutely adore you. You are brilliant, but than you already know that. I saw you on a show Tristam Shandy, where you took a tour of his house and were so knowledgeable of his work and history. Was very immpressed and happy to know you're not just a pretty face. Also loved you in Oscar Wilde. Very hot.
Best regards, D.

[john williams]

whilst watching an episode of qi included the subject of depression yourself and alan davies commented on a book ( possibly quiet mind) not sure could you let me know correct title and author please

[amanda sutcliffe]

dear steven,
you are brilliant!i could watch you all night,just soaking up your quiet manner and imformative delivery of speech.
i love you,i wish i could meet you and just have a chat about your interesting career,
your life has been truly amazing dont stop
the things you are doing.
a superfan amanda.

[Rudy Di Maggio]

Hi Mr Fry

I just happened to catch your comments on tv regarding your appraisal of God. In simple you said there could be a God but he was not a merciful God. You gave some examples of why God, in your opinion, was not merciful. The examples you gave were quite logical and hence very difficult to argue. I agree in simple terms your appraisal has the spark of truth to it. But in consideration of birth, death, the begining of life, the begining of the universe etc.. Ones considerations can get pretty complex.

I have attached a copy of an email that I have sent to varies people asking for there assistance. Anyway have a read it is a true story.







Dear Mr. Matt Fleming

I have been searching for a good writer that will hopefully become interested in writing a novel based on my true story. I would be pleased if you could assist me passing this email on to Josh Ritter.

Thank you. Cheers-Rudy Di Maggio

Here I t is…….

The reason I am telling you the story it is simple. If you are having doubts in you faith or if you are searching for the answer to the greatest question of all time ( Is there a God?). Well, this story confirms there is a God. But before I begin I would like to give you a friendly heads up. Firstly I am not a good writer, secondly my spelling is not the greatest and lastly to convey a story like this one you needs the first and second attributes I just referred to. Ha! Ha!

This story is the first of five extraordinary events that I have experienced over the years. This first event is probably the easiest one to explain. If you can come to grips with the fact this happened to me when I was five years old and that the content is well beyond the mind of a five year old. Then you can start to believe the story is true. Although I have used no poetic license and I have not fabricated one iota of the story, In the final analysis, I am the only person that really knows the story is true.

And so It begins.... My brother Richard (age 6) and I (age 5) were at Mrs Frew's house, she was are baby sitter. On this particular day three of her teenage children were home. Kenneth was 19, Bruce 16 or 17 and Ruth Eileen had just turned a teenager ,she was 13. All three of the teenagers were in the kitchen with Richard and I having a little chit chat while Mrs Frew was in an adjoining room ironing.

Kenneth and Bruce told us they had built a rolly-coaster with help of their father, I think the father was an engineer. To a 5 and 6 year old, a roller-coaster was pretty exciting stuff so we ask if we could see it. They said sure it was in the back yard and they would take us to see it. So out of the kitchen door onto a 4 x 6 foot landing that was say, 10 to 12 feet off the ground. To our left were the stairs leading to the ground level and back yard. To are right and straight ahead was a 4 foot high railing that encompassed the 4 x 6 foot landing. So it was down the stairs and 20 yards ahead of us, there it was. When I got to the coaster I knelt down along the front right side of the coaster, Richard stood to my left, Bruce was directly across from me, Kenneth to his right and Ruth Eileen was standing at the rear of the coaster. The coaster was covered in sheet metal. I stood up and looked inside, it had a bench seat and a big black steering wheel. I knelt back down and stared, in awe. This was a great coaster.

Mrs. Frew called out to Kenneth to come down to the side of the house and pull the garden hose down from the retractable hose reel which was to high for her to reach. Their father mounted the reel so high it was difficult for Mrs Frew to grab the end of the hose. I think it worked similar a shade. Anyway Kenneth went off to help his mother while we continued to look over the coaster. 1 or 2 minutes later, we could hear Mrs Frew shouting something from the house, then she started screaming. Bruce and Ruth Eileen immediately ran down to the house to see what was wrong, Richard and I followed. When we got to the house there was some sort of commotion at the backside of the stairwell/landing. As I reached the backside of the staircase I found myself standing at Kenneth's feet. He was laying on the ground and he wasn't moving. He had fallen from the landing, broke his neck and died instantly. All I really understood at the time was something is terribly wrong. I looked at Bruce and Ruth Eileen they were crying. Then I looked up at Mrs. Frew and she was crying. I knew something was very wrong.

The next thing I knew I was up in the air. Looking down at all of us. So there I was looking down at myself. At about an angle of 20 degrees off to my right and from a height of say,20 to 25 feet and feeling very calm and secure about the situation.

Then I was aware of an entity that was communicating with me. First he or she expained where he or she was relative to my position. The entity was just behind me and off to my left. No words...I just instantly knew. Then the entity said; (and this is word verbatem), " I want to ask you a question but you do not understand what death is about "( I received the words but heard no sound). Instantly the entity gave me knowledge about death and then asked; " Would you like him to live"( again this was word verbatem). So I thought Buce and Ruth Eileen were crying, Mrs. Frew she was crying and given the knowledge I had just received I replied; " Yes". Then the entity told me; " All your questions will be answered when you die"(again word verbatem) these words meant absolutely nothing to a five year old child. And, this time, the entity gave me no knowledge to help me undertand what he /she had just said. Immediately after that I was back in the kitchen again. Where I was fifiteen minutes earlier. We were all there including Kenneth. And the entity,who was now directly behind me, explained, in an instant, in absolute clarity ( to a five year old); the last period of time is being repeated you must do exactly as you had previously.

So I did everything as I had before. I mean everything. Every little smile, every question, every ooh and every awe. When we got to the coaster I knelt where I had before. I stood up and looked inside the coaster then knelt back down. Mrs. Frew called Kenneth and off he went. Then the entity told me to stand up and tell Bruce to go help Kenneth. I stood up looked at Bruce and said; " Bruce you have got to go help Kenneth". He turned and walked off towards the house. Bruce was 16 or 17 years old, I was only five. He didn't ask why. He didn't ask why he had to go and help. He said nothing. He just did as I requested. Again 1 or two minutes later we could hear Mrs.Frew yelling something so Ruth Eileen, who was still with us, quickly made her way to the house. And Richard and I followed. When I got within 10 feet of the stairs the entity left me and I began to think I may have done something bad. I Thought I might get in trouble. I did not understand what had just happened. Just then Mrs Frew appeared and said; " Rudy the kids told me you knew this was going to happen. How did you know? Well, at that point I could not talk. And even if I could. How would a five year old child explain what just happened. Yes Kenneth did fall but Bruce, who was standing below, cushioned his fall.

The greatest part to this story and you might have already guessed it. Was the statement; " All your questions will be answered when you die". Naturally when I was much older I realized this entity came from the supreme source. Whether entity was God or one of his messengers I don't know. I was not told. But I am lucky in the fact, I actually know there is a God, a Supreme Source. And look at the power that was demostrated in the story.

It is much easier for me to explain person to person. I should get together with a good editor and write something more detailed.

There is so much more to tell and this was number one. The last two happened at about age 60 and 61 respectively. I believe those two gave me an indication as to what sort of power we may have when we pass on. But this is an purely my own assumption but extremely interesting.

Feel free to ask any questions. And feel free to pass it on to whoever.

Cheers- Rudy Di Maggio

P.S. Writting is my pet peeve. Really!!!!