Reassuring Words From Salman

I asked Salman Rushdie a question today on a Washington Post Chat:

San Francisco, Calif.: Mr. Rushdie, thanks for being here.

Most of your work is noted for its over-the-top style, wild wordplay, and drawn-out, boiling-over expressions. Personally, I love these stylistic flourishes -- it's a major part of what draws me to your work -- but I was curious as to how you settled in on this distinct style. Did you ever experiment with more-restrained writing styles? Did you decide to write in your current style out of personal preference, appropriateness for your stories or some other reasoning?
In short, how did you find your voice?

Thanks,
-an aspiring writer

Salman Rushdie: I found my voice with difficulty. It took me over 12 years of struggle. I'm not sure about yr over-the-top description, but it feels like me to me. That's what you need to find: the sentences that sound like you to you, that are nobody's sentences but your own.