Felicia Zamora
“Thinking of the longevity of the work—collapsing linearity into the strange and false construct that it is—takes a large amount of pressure off of writing.
Writers Recommend
In this online exclusive we ask authors to share books, art, music, writing prompts, films—anything and everything—that has inspired them in their writing. We see this as a place for writers to turn to for ideas that will help feed their creative process.
Olivia Wolfgang-Smith
“I find photography archives most useful for jump-starting my writer’s engine in their total dissimilarity to prose—amateur snapshots from remote historical eras feel particularly effective as unofficial writing prompts.
Mai Der Vang
“Somewhere in that daydream or meditation, I begin to channel ideas, words, phrases, and it often feels as if my ancestors are working with me and through me to say what needs to be said…
Olufunke Grace Bankole
“Now I know there will be days when the work feels stale or I’m just pulled to do something else.
Vidyan Ravinthiran
“If you’re not machinic then standstills and goings-astray are to be lived with and through.
Tree Abraham
“When I am stuck, I return to these folders until envy thrusts me back to making, their luster still lingering on my fingertips so that my words pass through theirs as I type.
Ruben Reyes Jr.
“If it’s good enough, an album will offer a sense of flow and consistency that helps me write. The vibe and genre should match what I’m working on…
Jordan Pérez
“Sewing reminds me that I can start with a scrap of fabric or an odd button and just follow myself through leaps of inspiration until I’m left with something that seems like it was always there, that feels honest.
Brandon Shimoda
“Writing poems for my grandmother was a way to talk to her about the world she was leaving behind.
Jessie van Eerden
“What larger story can hold my own? To strive toward originality, I tend to root in origins.