Telling Alice about rumors that Jane Austen was often interrupted while working, Fay argues that such interruptions would represent a valuable connection to her household and the outside world. Rather than hindering Austen’s writing, Fay believes that this immediate connection to other people and society at large would have fueled Austen’s creative energy. Again, the idea of the reader and the influence of historical context are presented as key ingredients in the creation of fiction.

Here, Fay also complicates her analysis of the burdens placed on female writers. She begins by acknowledging that women often end up catering to the…