Few authors have been as ahead of their time or had as lasting an impact on literature as the inimitable Oscar Wilde. We spoke with him about all things Dorian Gray, his home country and more.

Young Adult Magazine: Tell us a little bit about the history of Dorian Gray.

Oscar Wilde: I’m a playwright by trade, but had grown slightly weary of the pace of theater. As a bit of a rest and as a result of an authors’ dinner I had gone to, I decided to play around with a serialized story, which was an early draft of Dorian. I took the published version and expanded upon it, and that became the novel.

YA: Where did the idea come from?

OW: Where do any great ideas come from? I had personally been struggling with the fear of aging as well as aspects of my sexuality and vanity. My subconscious turned those into Dorian in the prism of my mind.

YA: The book was heavily edited without your permission. Thoughts on that?

OW: Clearly it was ahead of its time and the editors thought they would lose money and their hides publishing as is. It eventually came out as it should have first been published.

YA: The book has had countless film and television adaptions… do you have a favorite?

OW: For film, League of Extraordinary Gentelmen. For TV, Penny Dreadful. The one thing the two have in common is they are very much not direct adapatations. I love seeing the synthesis.

YA: Any advice for aspiring writers?

OW: Be who you are no matter the consequence. There’s a story to be told there.