Q&A with Jordie Devlin McMorrow
“Half Full” by Jordie Devlin McMorrow is a short story that left us intrigued. With a few pages, it gives a glance of a life analyzed, a life compared — the wondering of am I doing well? Am I fulfilled? The quiet disconnects that can happen when living in a space with someone in similar circumstances, yet with a different perspective. Read below for an interview between McMorrow and our managing editor, Mina El Attar.
I felt a looming sense of dread reading this story, wondering how I could be living a more fulfilling life. Was this how you felt writing it? Did something personal inspire the narrative or was it disconnected from reality?
Sorry for giving you a looming sense of dread, it was not intentional haha. I can’t say I feel anything specific when I’m writing any story. It’s only when the first draft is finished that I really have any idea what it’s about. If I was to guess at what inspired this one, it’s probably the fact that I am not great at appreciating what I have. I’m also surrounded by people who enjoy the little things. I think the world is probably split into two types of people, those who see the glass as half-full and those who see it as half-empty. In this story you have a couple who represent each side. James is unsatisfied and seems to be having an existential crisis. Dani meanwhile seems content in her own world or at least oblivious to all that could be going wrong and does not worry about whether she’s living a life of purpose or not.
Do you tend to think about themes or symbols when writing? If so, what are some narrative tools or literary devices that you employ in your work, particularly in ‘Half Full’?
No, nothing is ever conscious or planned. With this story the first three lines came to me randomly. I knew it was a dream, so I kept writing to see who the character was that had dreamed those symbols.
Did you find that this story came to be effortlessly, or did you experiment with different narrative styles and structures during your writing process?
The first quarter of this story came pretty easy. Up until the point where James checks his emails. But I have to admit I struggled with figuring out where to go. I had a sense that it would be a “day in the life” kind of thing. But after a couple of drafts I kept thinking “this is a story about nothing” and was worried it was too boring.
Do you feel as though you’ve learned anything from writing this story? How might it influence your future work?
Yeah I think I’ve learned that the mundane can still be interesting. I did not think anyone would want to read this story let alone publish it, so there’s definitely a lesson in there somewhere. I guess every life is filled with unremarkable days where nothing seems to be happening. But you can find beauty in anything, as cliché as that answer is.
