HOLA! CULTURE

Isabel Allende on writing, resilience, and magical storytelling: "I Accept that mysterious dimension in my life..."

The bestselling author of 'The House of the Spirits' shares her thoughts on magical realism, creativity, and her new BBC Maestro course

Deputy Editor Miami

UPDATED DECEMBER 4, 2024 7:52 PM ESTDEC 4, 2024, 7:52 PM EST

At the impressive age of 83, Isabel Allende is as vibrant, inspiring, and sharp-witted as ever. Whether you are reading her words or watching her speak on a stage about her career, her rebellious beginnings, or the magic of storytelling, her energy is contagious. She leaves readers and listeners feeling empowered and ready to tackle their own creative journeys. For aspiring writers—especially women—seeking to learn from someone who has lived it all, Allende is the mentor they’ve been waiting for.

The Chilean-American writer has had an illustrious career of over four decades, and her name has become synonymous with magical realism and powerful narratives that blend reality with mystical and deep human emotions that reveal universal truths. Born into a patriarchal society, Allende carved her path as a self-proclaimed rebel and feminist, challenging norms in her personal life and through her stories. Her groundbreaking debut novel in 1982, 'The House of the Spirits', was initially written as a letter to her dying grandfather and then it became a powerful multi-generational novel that propelled her to worldwide fame.

Isabel Allende poses in her house in Caracas in 1985, after publishing the book that brought her international recognition, "The House of Spirits"

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Her more than 28 books—from historical fiction like 'Daughter of Fortune' and 'A Long Petal of the Sea' to deeply personal works like 'Paula'—have sold over 80 million copies in 42 languages. She is also the author of 20 New York Times bestsellers.

In her work, she explores women’s stories, resilience, and the power and pain of love and loss. Allende inspires readers and writers alike, creating a lasting impact with her unique approach to storytelling.

In preparation for this interview, I listened to Allende’s appearance on the award-winning podcast Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, where her humor and honesty shone through. Isabel has a rare gift of telling it like it is. She can discuss tough, deeply emotional topics in a way that feels light, comfortable, and even magical. Yet her perspective often carries a sense of wonder, leaving listeners feeling empowered and enchanted by her personality.

"Emotions are universal. That’s why my books resonate across forty-two languages—we all feel pain, love, fear, and hope."

Isabel Allende

This year, Allende is taking her storytelling expertise to the e-learning platform BBC Maestro with the launch of her new course, Magical Storytelling. In the program designed to empower aspiring writers of all levels, Allende will teach students how to draw from personal experiences to craft compelling, authentic stories. She will guide them in finding their voice and true to her approach, she invites all participants to embrace the art of surrendering to the creative process, be open to vulnerability, humor, all with the goal of sharing our own unique truths.

HOLA! had the opportunity to ask Allende about her creative process and how she breathes life into her characters. She also shares her experience writing a children’s book, her hopes for aspiring authors, and her New Year’s resolution. With her signature wit, wisdom, and humility, Allende reminds us why her voice continues to be one of the most influential in contemporary literature.

I watched the trailer of your BBC Maestro course and you mentioned "surrendering to the process of writing." With over 40 years of experience, how has your journey as a writer evolved, and how/when did you first learn to surrender to the writing process?

I wrote my first novel, The House of the Spirits without really planning to write a novel, it started as a letter. I wrote more than 500 pages without an outline, stumbling along the way, letting the story tell itself. Since then, the process has not changed much.

Of course, every book is different, and each one has its own requirements, but I tackle the task with an open mind, experimenting, asking questions, letting the characters evolve and tell their stories.

Often the research helps me to create the plot. I don’t try to control the first draft too much, but I am very strict and meticulous on the second and the ones that follow. Correcting and editing is essential

You have written some magical masterpieces. How do you define "magical storytelling," and why do you think it's important in today's literary landscape? Do you find that some of your work has more magic than others?

I don’t think that magic realism is like salt and pepper that you sprinkle on every story for flavor and effect. There is a difference between fantasy and magic realism.

The first has no visible manifestation, like the invisibility cloak of Harry Potter that no one has ever seen, and the second happens in real life all the time, premonitions, insightful dreams, coincidences, synchronicity, etc. not to mention superstitions, psychics, astrologers, esoteric healers, etc. And isn’t religion also magical thinking?

Humans are emotional creatures, few of us are fully rational. I believe life is mysterious, a lot happens that we can’t explain or control. I accept that mysterious dimension in my life and it permeates my writing.

"To convey an emotion I also have to feel it. That cannot be fake, it must come from a place of truth. If something doesn’t move me, I cannot expect the reader to be moved."

Isabel Allende

Your stories powerfully delve into emotions like loss, pain, and empowerment. How do you tap into these feelings to convey them so authentically on paper?

To develop a character, I must put myself in his or her skin. I must feel and think like the character, To convey an emotion I also have to feel it. That cannot be fake, it must come from a place of truth. If something doesn’t move me, I cannot expect the reader to be moved.

I write about relationships and emotions that are common to people all over the world, like love, fear, pain, loss, hope, redemption, that’s why my books work well in forty-two languages. We have more similarities that bring us together that differences that separate us.

Many aspiring writers struggle with fear and self-doubt. What advice would you give them on overcoming these obstacles and embracing their unique voices?

Don’t expect your writing to give you fame or money, write because you love the process. Don’t plan to write a masterpiece, it seldom happens. Get started knowing that you can always correct a bad page, but you cannot correct a blank page. Write, write, write, you have to train the muscle. And read a lot. Which kind of books do you like? Look for good authors in that genre and study them.

I also love your children's book "Perla, the Mighty Dog." How does your creative process differ when writing for children compared to your other works?

Writing for little children is much more difficult than one would expect. Those books have very little text because half of the story is told by the illustrations, they must be simple, clear, linear and related to something that happens in the kid’s life.

It could be something very basic, like colors or sounds of animals. I need to tell a story, it’s very hard for me to stick to just a few words. Fortunately, I have a fantastic dog, Perla, who is exactly like the character in the book: small, scruffy, funny, fierce, self confident and loyal to death, she inspires me.

"A blank page is intimidating, but I remind myself it’s the first step in discovering something extraordinary."

Isabel Allende

As a storyteller who deeply values human emotion and intuition, I have to ask you a controversial question: how do you imagine the role of the writer evolving as AI becomes more integrated into various aspects of our lives, including the arts?

I am fascinated by the infinite possibilities of AI. Many artists feel threatened because AI might take over and replace them. I don’t think that will happen. If used properly, it will be very useful in creativity. I want to learn to use it especially for research, that’s my New Year’s resolution.

You've been such an inspiration for female writers everywhere, especially in Latin America. At your age, how does it feel to see your influence on the next generation?

I am very glad that the success of my books has opened the way for many other women writers and that some of my books are read in high schools and colleges, so every year I have a new wave of young readers.

Influence? I don’t know. Only time can determine the importance or the influence of a book or a writer.

Watch the trailer of Isabel Allende's Magical Storytelling

And looking back on your incredible journey, what kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind in the literary world, and how does "magical storytelling" fit into that vision?

I don’t think that every book is magical, but I think that there is magic in the process of creating art or literature. The creators are like a medium, they plunge into the process with passion, joy, fear and doubts, they invest in it all they have, all they are, it’s a vocation, and addiction. In the BBC Maestro course, I tried to convey my enthusiasm for writing. I hope that the people who use the course will lose the fear of the blank page or the blank screen and simply enjoy the magical craft of putting a story together.

Regarding legacy, I never think about that. After death, there’s nothing. How many writers are remembered? Only a handful. Why would I worry about my legacy in the literary world.

Isabel Allende's Magical Storytelling course is now available on BBC Maestro at bbcmaestro.com.