Inside the Mind of Ottessa Moshfegh: Alienation, Obsession, and Writing the Unlikeable

In this episode of Sick Sad Lit, I sit down with acclaimed author Ottessa Moshfegh to dive deep into her writing process, the evolution of her style, and the themes that haunt her fiction. From McGlue and Eileen to My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Death in Her Hands, and Lapvona, Moshfegh’s novels consistently interrogate the limits of identity, the grotesque and sublime aspects of embodiment, and the ways confinement—physical, psychological, and societal—shapes human existence.

We talk about the impact of the pandemic on the writing of Lapvona, her fascination with characters trapped by obsession and circumstance, and her insistence on writing what scares her most. She reflects on aging, self-discovery, and what it means to measure a life in books, all while navigating the tension between private creation and public literary identity.

Whether you’re drawn to her unflinching portraits of isolation, her ability to make the grotesque beautiful, or her sharp insights into the contradictions of being human, this candid conversation offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of today’s most compelling writers.

Visit and subscribe to Ottessa's Substack. (It's well worth it, trust me!)

Join the conversation on our Sick Sad Friends Discord.

Visit the Sick Sad Lit website for essays, author outtakes and more.

Follow Sick Sad Lit on Instagram.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.