The Proust Questionnaire: Anne DeGrace

The Proust Questionnaire is believed to reveal an individual’s true nature. We have asked Incite authors 17 questions inspired by the questionnaire in an attempt to uncover who they are…

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A sunny fall day—late afternoon, long shadows—walking in the woods with a few good dogs. There might be a crow in the top of a Douglas Fir, making chortling sounds.

What does your ideal day look like?
I think I just described it. You expected writing to figure into it, didn’t you?

What is your greatest extravagance?
I asked my partner. He said: “dogfood.” This might be true.

What possession would you be heartbroken if you lost?
My faculties. I’m in possession of them right now, but I’m terrified of losing them. But would I know enough to be heartbroken?

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I’ll never tell.

What childhood fear has followed you into adulthood?
The fear of looking foolish. The fear of losing my faculties came much later.

Do you take comfort in darkness or light?
Is this a trick question?

Do you remember your dreams?
In a whispy sort of way. The good ones involve dogs and forest walks; for information on the bad ones, see”childhood fear” question.

How do you collect snippets of observations and ideas that come to you unexpectedly?
Not trusting my faculties, I write them down on small pieces of paper. Then, if I’m smart, I transcribe them into a “miscellaneous ideas” file on my computer, because an hour after I handwrite anything, I can’t decipher it.

What emotions do you experience when you sit down to begin a new work?
That’s the other fear: that I won’t be equal to the task. This self-doubt continues throughout the writing process, which is why I find first draft so hard. Re-reading, the feeling is most often relief: it’s never as bad as I thought.

What is your favorite way to avoid writing?
I’m avoiding it right now, filling out this questionnaire. There are so many ways!

Does being in love propel or postpone your work?
In the first blush, postpone for sure. It’s a happy problem, though. Once things settle out, it’s business as usual.

How do you work under pressure?
Quite well, actually.

What published book do you secretly wish you had written?
Oh, my. There are so many. Franny and Zooey, maybe.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Franny.

If you were reincarnated as a person or a thing, who or what would you be?
Definitely a teapot.

Tell us one thing you can’t prove but believe is true…
Well, it’s not reincarnation (although I’d like to be a teapot). I believe in the capacity for kindness in all human beings. Dogs, too.

Thank you to Dany Laferriere, CBC and Vanity Fair for the inspiration.