As I write, I control my anxiety and anguish thanks to the invaluable aid of irony and humor. But every night I am subdued by an anxiety that knows no irony, and I must wait until the next day to rediscover the blend of anguish and humor that characterizes my writing and that generates my style.

In this quote, Enrique Vila-Matas reflects on how irony and humor serve as tools to manage his inner anxiety and anguish while writing. He acknowledges that his writing process allows him to channel these difficult emotions into something creative and productive, using humor as a way to cope. This suggests that humor and irony are not just stylistic choices for Vila-Matas, but essential coping mechanisms that help him navigate emotional turmoil.

However, Vila-Matas also reveals that despite the relief he finds in humor and irony, there is still a deep and persistent anxiety that he experiences every night, which seems beyond the reach of these tools. This form of anxiety, which "knows no irony," represents a more profound or existential type of distress that cannot be alleviated by humor alone. It is a reminder that while creativity can help manage certain emotional states, other forms of anxiety might still remain unresolved.

The quote highlights the duality in Vila-Matas's experience: while humor and irony are key to his writing style and help him manage his emotional struggles during the day, they do not entirely shield him from the intensity of his anxiety at night. This cycle of emotional highs and lows—where he waits until the next day to rediscover the balance of anguish and humor—underscores the complex relationship between the writer's internal world and the creative process.

Ultimately, Enrique Vila-Matas’s quote speaks to the therapeutic power of writing, where humor and irony can provide emotional relief, but also acknowledges the ongoing challenge of confronting deeper, more unresolved anxieties. It offers insight into how a writer’s internal struggles shape their work and creative identity, blending personal turmoil with artistic expression.