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Original images by Michael Morse & Polina Zimmerman

You want to write? Are you moving to New York? L.A.? Headed to an MFA program somewhere?

You’re staying in the town where you grew up?

Can that work?

Writing and Publishing

Right off the bat, yes, you can stay in your hometown and write.

Publishing, that’s another story.

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I want you to take a few moments to look back over your life and consider the things that you are obsessed with, or WERE obsessed with. Those interests, addictions, hobbies, jobs, and skills can really help to create stories that have a strong sense of authority, riddled with details that somebody outside of those habits just can’t get to. Let’s go deeper.

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“Life is a banquet and most poor bastards are starving to death!”

—Patrick Dennis, Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade

The strongest, most eccentric female lead ever created was written by a man who struggled with his sexuality and died a servant to the wealthy after becoming the first author in U.S. history to have 3 consecutive books on the New York Times Best Seller list. Why hasn’t Hollywood optioned this story yet?

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Header image via Unsplash

I realize this seems like a bizarre time to bring up the trigger warning controversy that has plagued the small press internet horror community for thousands and thousands of years. There are clearly more significant and drastic events taking place in the world. However, I work the night shift at a hotel, and hotels are considered essential businesses, so how else do you expect me to distract myself at the front desk until my shift ends?

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Original Images by Ry Young & Valentina Degiorgis

I didn’t do much before quarantine. I wasn’t the kind of person who went to cool, underground shows at dive music venues. I didn’t spend whole Saturdays shopping at boutiques. Not really a fan of festivals. Some of this has to do with the low rate of pay that comes with the territory of being a writer and working in the book business.