A conversation with award-winning author Amy Tan 

Rachel Benton

One of the sparkling jewels in the Washington Center for the Performing Arts 2026–27 season, “An Evening with Amy Tan,” is happening on Oct. 7.

During this special evening, Tan will discuss her latest work, “The Backyard Bird Chronicles,” a true delight for the soul — for birders and non-birders alike. 

If you have ever wanted to hear from this beloved, award-winning author in person, this is your chance. Hurry and get your tickets now before this special evening sells out! 

I feel truly honored and beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with Tan, who is every bit as lovely, kind, generous, and humble as one could hope.  

Enjoy!  

The conversation 

Benton: In your book, you discuss the process of learning how to draw. What would you say to someone who feels almost gun-shy about picking up a pencil, or who is just beginning their own journey with drawing? 

Tan: “First of all, realizing that it is not a natural talent. Everybody thinks, ‘Oh, you’re talented; I could never do that.’ Well, here’s the thing they haven’t done, probably: they haven’t taken a lesson or practiced every day. If you do that with almost anything, you will get better. People assume it’s a natural talent, and I don’t know what that means, because even the most talented musicians still must practice. That would be a mindset difference. 

“The other is to recognize that the beginner state is a lovely state to be in, because everything is open to you, and everything you do is learning, and learning is exciting. You have a new skill and understanding; that is what is wonderful. That is the biggest thrill, and I try to remind myself, even after 10 years of drawing, to be a beginner each time. Don’t think that you are the person that knows it all because then I will never learn anything.”  

Benton: That is so true! I also love how, in your book, you talk about learning from someone younger than you, and you have explored intergenerational wisdom in books like, “The Joy Luck Club,” too. Could you speak more about the importance and benefits of being willing to learn from individuals across generations? 

Tan: “What I think is important at my age, I am now 74, is to stay in touch with the younger generation because I find that there is a lot I don’t know about their hopes and ambitions, and the realities of the world that they face.

“If you are going to do, for example, climate conservation, which I am heavily involved with, you need to know what’s at stake. It’s not going to be that I suffer the consequences of global warming as much as the generations after me. I need to stay involved with the younger generation, and I am talking about kids and teens. This eludes us as we get older and hang out with people our own age. I see how much I don’t know.  

“I think for younger people to be in touch with the older generations, it is so important for them to get those stories from their elders, because it will be meaningful to them later in life. You can learn things online certainly, but what is missing is the very real perspective of somebody and how that information impacts them and their circumstances.”

Benton: I’m curious about some of the stories that you haven’t put on paper, or maybe that you have been told yourself, that have inspired you?  

Tan: “I have so many stories that I have written the beginnings of that I have abandoned, and yet those little kernels are still interesting to me, but it just was not the right time to write them. The novel I’m writing now is one I started in the early 2000s, abandoned, and now picked up because something about it is relevant to me.

"Stories will come to us at different points in life, and it is as much to do with my personal life as I get older as it is with what is happening in the world at that time. Novels, in a way, are like diaries of thought and emotion of what was going on at the time; it is such a huge part of writing. No one, except the author, will ever really know the actual details of the day that led to that revelation to the writer.”  

Tan and I discussed more than what could fit in my limited word count for this column. To read more of our conversation, click here. 

Rachel is a writer, arts advocate, performing arts enthusiast, and passionate about our beloved Thurston County. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in History and Political Science and a minor in Music. You can enjoy more of Rachel's writings by visiting her website. All inquiries for Rachel can be submitted here.