Ricardo Lísias Discusses Writer Professionalization in Brazil at Estação das Letras Event

Writer Ricardo Lísias, a participant in the Ciclo Profissão: Escritor at Estação das Letras in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday (14), highlights the lack of professionalization for writers in Brazil. He notes that living from literature is rare, relying not just on royalties but also events, translations, and research. Lísias points out that writers lack an official class registration, which creates bureaucratic hurdles for event participation, as many venues require a legal entity. He connects this to the broader Profissão Artista movement fighting for artists' rights, expressing concern that such efforts occur during a period of diminishing rights. For Lísias, true professionalization depends on cultivating a larger readership for literary art through foundational education. He also advocates for better integration of creative writing courses in universities, citing only one such program at PUC in Rio Grande do Sul. In an interview excerpt with Daniel de Mesquita Benevides for Revista Brasileiros, Lísias describes writing as a daily practice for over 12 years, essential to his well-being.