Writing, Corn Mazes, and The Middle East

Friends,

I feel like the rare writer who did not dream of becoming one. Many of my counterparts speak of writing out stories with crayons, taking a multitude of English courses or getting an MFA right out of college. I was also fascinated by creative writing. I was excited by the challenges teachers would dream up for us. I kept a folder of all the things I was most proud to have written. But it never once occurred to me that I could pay my bills by becoming a writer. In my mind that kind of thing was reserved for talent as large as Toni Morrison. 

Even after 4 years of writing a weekly blog that was constantly growing in attention- enough to land me an agent and start working on a book proposal, I was still unsure. My agent and I communicated by phone for months before we were finally able to meet in person. We were at a Festival for writers- how perfect! And it was incredibly meaningful to sit with her over my proposal and work to perfect it. At some point during our time together, we were interrupted by someone who knew her. They exchanged hugs and the woman turned to me, "and what do you do?" she asked. Let me tell you how my brain tripped all over this question. At the time I was a resident director making 20K, living in the bottom of a dormitory. I was a blogger but most days I spent being mistaken for a college student. I desperately wanted to be a writer, but could I call myself that just because I wrote on the internet? Publishing myself didnt really feel like a qualification. 

I took so long to respond, my agent answered for me. "She's a writer." I just smiled and nodded. 

When we left that building my agent immediately sat me down and reviewed what just happened. "Austin," she said, "you. are. a. writer." Then she made me repeat it. And repeat it again. And repeat it again. And repeat it again. and then once more for good measure. "I need you to believe that you are a writer. This is your beginning". 

I dont know what project you may be working on right now. I dont know where you are in your dream project or the pivot you are making or the art you are creating. But I want you to know that this is only your beginning. And the first step is not being published. Or having representation. Or receiving payment. Or having an award. The beginning is believing. 

November marks an event that I have loved for years, called NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month began as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. And I love it because its a beginning. NaNo doest ask if you're published or making money or if you even have a plan. All it asks is, "do you have a story to tell?" I hope that this month, whether you participate in NaNoWriMo or not, that the answer to the question is still "yes". 

A FEW MORE THINGS FOR YOU THIS WEEK…

I shared this with my Patreon Troublemaker’s community earlier this week. If you are looking to go deeper in your John Lewis style “good trouble” you are more than welcome to join us.

My husband and I went to a corn maze over the weekend. The first date I planned for him was a corn maze and we’ve made it a tradition ever since. That first time I never imagined that 17 years later we’d be doing it with our 6 year old leading the way. It was a lovely time • And it feels absolutely ridiculous to share about a corn maze right now.

The rise of Islamophobia and Antisemitism globally. Watching the Palestinian people suffer so intensely, every day filled with death and destruction. The rising genocide in Sudan. The earthquakes in Afghanistan. The mass shooting in Maine. It’s all absolutely overwhelming. And so often it feels like the list of “things we can do” amounts to so little. Once you have given, once you have gone to the protest, once you have taught the class, once you called politicians, once you have written and shouted and cried- and the violence continues to sweep through the land. And it feels as if even who survive will ultimately drown in the tsunami of madness. It seems the last thing we could give is our joy. Like maybe we could trade our own joy for just a little bit of peace somewhere else…

(Check out the rest of the essay at my Patreon)

This video of Ta-Nehisi Coates is a must-watch

Loved this article - My first protest was definitely at 15 or 16 for farm workers rights! Also, this line blessed me "fitting orthotics into our Chuck Taylors" 😜

Learn more about NaNoWriMo! You are a writer!

I adore Kiese. And if an interview of mine ever started with “what is bringing you joy lately” I might cry.

So let me ask you, what is bringing you joy lately? Comment below. I would LOVE to hear!

- Austin