Patricia Lockwood, the American poet, novelist, and essayist, recently discussed her experiences as a judge for the Booker Prize, her evolving relationship with social media, and the creative process behind her latest work. Known for her distinctive prose that blends surrealism with internet culture, Lockwood has gained recognition for her novels and poetry, including the viral poem "Rape Joke."
Lockwood’s debut novel, *No One Is Talking About This*, explores the disorienting effects of the internet, portraying a protagonist navigating the overwhelming landscape of online media. Her second novel, *Will There Ever Be Another You*, draws on her personal struggle with migraines and hallucinations following a bout of Covid-19, using this experience to parallel the unsettling nature of contemporary news and online conspiracy theories.
In early 2025, Lockwood decided to leave social media after falling ill with a fever. She described the decision as a turning point that allowed her to reconnect with her own voice, free from the constant influx of digital noise. This shift led to a renewed poetic inspiration she describes as receiving “transmissions,” many of which appear in her recent collection *Agate Head / Stone Soup*. The poems reference a wide range of cultural figures and moments, reflecting Lockwood’s eclectic style.
Currently based in Savannah, Georgia, Lockwood was in London serving as a judge for the Booker Prize, which announced its 2024 shortlist on September 22. Having been shortlisted herself in 2021, she brought a unique perspective to the judging panel. The group reviewed 137 books, a rigorous process that came with challenges for Lockwood, who has experienced migraines since 2020. She described the intense reading schedule as sometimes causing "motion sickness" and noted recurring themes among the submissions, such as dementia and drowning in estuaries.
The panel of five judges, including journalist Rebecca Liu, poet Raymond Antrobus, musician Jarvis Cocker, and historian Mary Beard, sought to champion works they considered "endangered" within the novel form. Lockwood characterized the group dynamic as diverse and complementary, comparing themselves to a “Transformer” with different strengths. She identified her own role as both an “efficiency demon” and a passionate advocate for certain authors and works, sometimes vehemently opposing titles she felt did not deserve inclusion.
Lockwood expressed satisfaction with the shortlist, noting that five of the six titles she favored made the final cut. She emphasized her ability to recognize quality, describing two books on the list as “masterpieces.”
Away from literary circles, Lockwood and her husband Jason have developed a shared interest in agates—geodes that, when cut open, reveal intricate and colorful patterns. This hobby arose during Jason’s recovery from serious surgery, and Lockwood took the passion further by acquiring a diamond-wheeled lapidary saw and enrolling in metal-smithing classes. She explained the geological fascination with agates as uncovering unexpected beauty beneath an unremarkable exterior, drawing a metaphor to her own work of “dragging a writer from the depths of hell and raising them into the celestial sphere.”