Yanyi

30 Sep 2020 • 1 min read

The Writing: What's the most important thing you took away from doing (or not doing) an MFA?

Hi everyone, As mentioned on Sunday, if you’d like to answer one question to help me nail down my next offerings or be on the pilot list for them, please do! The survey should work properly this time. :) To end this series on the MFA (#1, #2, #3, #4,

27 Sep 2020 • 6 min read

‘When Will I Know That I’m Good Enough?’

Goodness is a pyramid scheme.

23 Sep 2020 • 1 min read

The Writing: Should I Get an MFA...if I want a writing community?

Today, I’ll be reading live at The Brooklyn Rail at 13:00 EST (e.g. right after this). Continuing the MFA series (#1, #2, #3, #4), this week’s question: Should I Get an MFA...if I want a writing community? Answer below. As usual, I’ll be here

20 Sep 2020 • 6 min read

‘How Do I Feel Less Lonely?’

Loneliness is a condition of being your only original.

16 Sep 2020 • 2 min read

The Writing: How do you negotiate the workshop gaze?

Hi everyone, This week’s question continues the MFA series (#1, #2, #3) and is inspired by a response by JinJin to the my first writing class thread on Twitter from a few weeks again. How do you negotiate the workshop gaze? This question speaks specifically to the ways that

13 Sep 2020 • 9 min read

‘I Hate Hating When My Friend Gets Ahead of Me!’

Your power is precious. Do what responds to it.

9 Sep 2020 • 3 min read

The Writing: What's the best feedback you've ever received in a writing workshop? How do you give and receive it?

Hi everyone, Thanks for your patience as I missed my own deadline at noon today whilst sweatily unloading a moving trailer. I can proudly inform all of you that I own exactly 14 “small” boxes of books of equally heavy weight and they are all towering behind me in my

6 Sep 2020 • 2 min read

‘Is the Bird I Am Holding Living or Dead?’

Another kind of letter.

1 Sep 2020 • 4 min read

The Writing: Should I get an MFA if...I live in New York City?

The end of summer has finally reached me and I’m here a day earlier than usual because of my moving and new class schedule. Today, I’m continuing the MFA series. You can read the first installment here: Should I get an MFA if…I want structure around my

30 Aug 2020 • 8 min read

‘I Can’t Bring Myself to Write Anymore.’

Now is not a time to be alone.

26 Aug 2020 • 3 min read

The Writing: Should I get an MFA if...I want structure around my writing?

Today I’m kicking off a series of answers about and around getting MFAs. I tried to answer this week’s answer in one go and it ballooned into something longer than one of my Sunday letters (I hadn’t even finished). So, I’ll be answering this question in

23 Aug 2020 • 9 min read

‘Do I Have to Be Out as a Writer?’

You're trapped in a mirrored closet. Close your eyes.

19 Aug 2020 • 1 min read

The Writing: What do you wish you had learned in your first writing class?

The school year’s getting started and I’m busy culling together a syllabus for my introduction to creative writing class at NYU. I took this question to Twitter earlier this month and was inspired by all the answers (and tips!) others gave. What about you? What do you wish

16 Aug 2020 • 8 min read

‘How Do I Get Through My MFA Program?’

Not everyone earns the honor of reading your work.

12 Aug 2020 • 1 min read

The Writing: How are you writing (or not) this year? How are you?

Last Saturday, my partner and I listened again to our Chani Nicholas horoscopes for 2020. Little did we know in January 2020 what would be in store for us this year. Thanks to Johanna for today’s question: How are you writing (or not) this year? How are you? I’