Don’t Write Alone
Looping Music Takes Me to a “Place” Where I Can Write
Putting songs on repeat helps me get into a writing flow, return to my projects after time away, and access memories and moods more easily.
How Ambiguous Endings Lure Us In
Ambiguity in fiction, when done well, is not an escape hatch for the noncommittal writer. It’s an articulation of something otherwise impossible to articulate.
How to Get a Literary Agent
Query smarter, not harder, to find the right agent for you.
What, Exactly, Is Queer Literature?
Once I gave queer authors the keys and stopped worrying about what, exactly, queer literature meant, my students’ work taught me something about what queer literature actually is: a lens on the world.
Ruben Quesada Introduces Readers to the Expansive World of Latinx Poetics
Ruth Joffre interviews Ruben Quesada on his new book ‘Latinx Poetics: Essays on the Art of Poetry,’ the first anthology devoted to essays exploring the subject from a Latinx perspective.
The Risks, Realities, and Rewards of Writing About Social Issues
A roundtable with Kavita Das, the author of ‘Craft and Conscience: How to Write About Social Issues,’ and contributors Gaiutra Bahadur and Gabrielle Bellot.
Writing Your Own Obituary Can Teach You How to Live
Hopefully, I’ll continue to update my own obituary for years to come—and learn something about myself along the way.
How’s the Writing Going, Cheryl Strayed?
“I love writing. I really do. Even though I often hate it at various points in the process. Learning to accept that has been so important to me.”
The Dinner Table Problem
When you’re ready to pitch or publish your work, a good question to ask yourself is: Why does this need to be an essay rather than a story you tell to friends over the dinner table?
As a Disabled Writer, I Am a Rich Innovator
When I am in pain, I stare out the windows and write about a world I am too sick to access. Creating in my office reminds me that though the world can wound, it is also a wonder.
