I: Structure

How I think about writing (an occasional series).

For a couple years I’ve spent one week in the summer meeting with college kids and talking to them about the kind of writing I do. Since I was an editor for 6+ years and a writer for about as long, I draw on both kinds of experience. Over time I’ve developed a bit of a spiel and I thought I’d put the spiel here. I’m going to break it up over a series of posts.

This is all going to be a little basic and also—this is important—it’s not advice on how to get published. I have no advice on how to get published, especially for new writers coming up now. Finally, right now “the kind of writing I do” = research-driven essays and reviews with some personal writing. Not reporting. Maybe one day reporting! But not today.

I’m not absolutely sure of the order I’ll do these in, or how many of these there will be, which is a little funny given number one is, well….