Thank you so much for this. Your literary shares are always generous and I discover something new in them every time. AAMARP, who knew? Not I! And I lived in Boston. You previously shared a reference to Tracey Ermin, another artist unknown to me. I watched her Tate appearance yesterday online. Her bodily history, her rage, mesmerizing. She said she recently walked the alley in Margate where she was raped at 13, and the feeling was "whatever," no fear, because Margate is hers now. She bought up all the good real estate. So thanks. I would have missed it if not for you.
Loving this Gun Island, it's strange and so different from anything I'm exposed to now, I'm in Los Angeles in the pit of hell and this is a nice burst of Indian, New Yorkian and Calutta magic. Sometimes that's all you need to get you out of a funk - a great new book, thanks for this!
Thanks for this list, I am really looking forward to watching the Secret Agent.
And thank you for taking questions on writing, it is very generous to share your time and knowledge with us. I have so many things I want to ask, but I’ll just start with the first that comes to mind:
I am currently writing a story that takes place in a very real place, but a place where the everyday reality of life is so brutal and unforgiving that for the average American, reading about it could feel offensive. I don’t want to soften it, as I feel its authenticity is a big part of what makes it what it is, but I also don’t want to turn off potential readers. You are someone who has fearlessly gone all in with your writing, and with great success. So I’m wondering, how do you navigate criticism or pushback from editors/publishers/readers for being to real and raw? How conscious of this are you when writing, and do you ever feel the need to hold back or omit certain things?
quick question before i respond more fully: have you already experienced "criticism or pushback from editors/publishers/readers for being to real and raw?"
Only a little. I am an amateur, so my audience so far has mostly been friends/family who are generous enough to read my work and provide their feedback. And they’re cool. They get it. They’re not the ones I would expect to have a problem with this kind of stuff.
But my most recent draft is an entirely different beast. I’m not sure how even my friends or family will react, as no one has read it yet. But if they still like it, then I’ll make an attempt to get it out into the world, and I’m just unsure what kind of response I’ll get from the wider population.
Arda Umurhan is a genius.
i had no idea until now... but you're way ahead
Thank you so much for this. Your literary shares are always generous and I discover something new in them every time. AAMARP, who knew? Not I! And I lived in Boston. You previously shared a reference to Tracey Ermin, another artist unknown to me. I watched her Tate appearance yesterday online. Her bodily history, her rage, mesmerizing. She said she recently walked the alley in Margate where she was raped at 13, and the feeling was "whatever," no fear, because Margate is hers now. She bought up all the good real estate. So thanks. I would have missed it if not for you.
Loving this Gun Island, it's strange and so different from anything I'm exposed to now, I'm in Los Angeles in the pit of hell and this is a nice burst of Indian, New Yorkian and Calutta magic. Sometimes that's all you need to get you out of a funk - a great new book, thanks for this!
I loved going to Fishbone way back when in shitty little punk clubs. 80's Angelo was so cool and HOT
Exit 8 is so good. I went in knowing nothing, expecting little, and came out shook, and unexpectedly moved.
Thanks for this list, I am really looking forward to watching the Secret Agent.
And thank you for taking questions on writing, it is very generous to share your time and knowledge with us. I have so many things I want to ask, but I’ll just start with the first that comes to mind:
I am currently writing a story that takes place in a very real place, but a place where the everyday reality of life is so brutal and unforgiving that for the average American, reading about it could feel offensive. I don’t want to soften it, as I feel its authenticity is a big part of what makes it what it is, but I also don’t want to turn off potential readers. You are someone who has fearlessly gone all in with your writing, and with great success. So I’m wondering, how do you navigate criticism or pushback from editors/publishers/readers for being to real and raw? How conscious of this are you when writing, and do you ever feel the need to hold back or omit certain things?
quick question before i respond more fully: have you already experienced "criticism or pushback from editors/publishers/readers for being to real and raw?"
Only a little. I am an amateur, so my audience so far has mostly been friends/family who are generous enough to read my work and provide their feedback. And they’re cool. They get it. They’re not the ones I would expect to have a problem with this kind of stuff.
But my most recent draft is an entirely different beast. I’m not sure how even my friends or family will react, as no one has read it yet. But if they still like it, then I’ll make an attempt to get it out into the world, and I’m just unsure what kind of response I’ll get from the wider population.
im putting up a response - please forgive me if i roam to far off base...