Yanyi .'s Blog, page 2

Writing strategies for perfectionism

Letter: ‘How Do I Find Joy in Big Writing Projects?’

A book worth working on starts out as a kind of mystery. Without that tension of uncertainty, there’s no risk—and no stakes—to the project at large. It’s a long journey. But there are ways to make the long journey pleasurable and even calming.

A perfectionist mind is always of two minds. There’s the mind who turns toward what one would do naturally, then the perfectionist mind that (usually) eclipses it. Instead of running forward smoothly, the ...

‘Lately, All My Stories Fall Short.’

Hi Yanyi. I’m at a standstill where writing fiction is concerned. I’ve been writing consistently for a few years and I’ve been lucky to have a writing community to support me and give me feedback. Lately, every time I finish a story, I feel like I’m aware of how the story falls short and my limitations as a writer. I’ve been struggling to improve my understanding of my craft and how to make it better. I’m also a little frustrated at how long it takes me to finish a story. Any advice?

Karachi

Dear ...

‘What Are Friendships to a Writer’s Life?’

Hi there,

It’s Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, starting today. And happily, there’s a lot to announce in celebration—

New course offering

On top of teaching a poetry manuscript class for Asian American poets with One World this month, I’m very excited to kickstart course offerings at The Reading, rigorous writing and writing-adjacent courses from me and friends of mine. The first class, which will start in July, is Foundations of Asian American Studies with Ida Yalzadeh. The course ...

Writing friendships and saying yes

Letter: ‘What Are Friendships to a Writer’s Life?’

My best writing friends have come out of situations when I’ve just said yes. Yes, complete stranger, I’ll go out on a limb and show you my latest work in a coffee shop and talk to you about yours. Yes, stranger who I mistook for someone I went to college with, I’ll keep talking to you about dictionaries and weird poetry facts that only both of us seem to know. Lifetime friendships? I couldn’t have guessed.

It continues to surprise me, too, how muc...

Foundations of Asian American Studies with Ida Yalzadeh

Course Logistics

Instructor: Ida Yalzadeh
Dates: July 14, 2022–August 11, 2022
Times: Thursdays, 7:30pm–9:30pm EST
Enrollment: 15 students

Course Description

This is for all the Asian & Asian American identifying folks who want to think more about the history of their communities in the United States. It’s about coming together as a collective, thinking about the flows and friction of people, labor, capital, and ideas that got us to where we are. It’s about recognizing the history of our communities a...

‘What Does Better Writing Feedback Look Like?’

Hi there,

This April’s Writing Space will be in exactly one week. To sign up for free, you’ll find the member code at the end of this letter. See you there!

Now, on with the work.

Dear Yanyi,

I’d love your thoughts on the best way to give thoughtful, smart feedback to fellow writers who you may be in formal writing groups with (or informal ones). And also, how to lead feedback sessions that are generative, illuminating and challenging (in the best way possible). I guess, I’d also like to know in wha...

A few different paths with the MFA

Letter: ‘Is an MFA Worth It?’

My poetic education was largely (and still is, even after an MFA) that of an autodidact. I took three workshops in college and then kept on taking workshops in New York City, which led me to libraries, fellowships, and, most importantly, friends. Friends who would tell me how this whole journal process worked; friends who asked me if I was going to apply for such-and-such fellowship, the one I hadn’t yet heard of. By the time I got to NYU, I had already won the first...

‘Is an MFA Worth It?’

Hi there,

The first month post-publication of Dream of the Divided Field has felt like an absolute whirlwind. I had interviews come out last month in Keep the Channel Open, Electric Literature, wust el-balad, and Poets and Writers. And I got to meet some of you in person for the first time!

I’m trialing comments! You can now log in to comment on posts like today’s letter. Let me know what you think, perhaps as a comment. :)

Calling all Asian American poets: I am teaching a poetry manuscript editing...

‘How Do I Let a Draft be a Draft?’

Hi there,

If you are still looking to get some dedicated writing time in with a group of other writers from The Reading, there is one more Writing Space for this month on Thursday, 3/24 at 14:00 EST. Subscriber code at the end of this letter.

Now, on with the work.

Dear Yanyi,

Thank you for The Reading, and thank you to all of the writers asking questions I didn’t know I was carrying myself. This has been a really treasured component of my never-ending writing education, and it’s great to be here wi...

‘Why Do You Write?’

Hi there,

My second book, Dream of the Divided Field, came out this Tuesday (along with my first audiobook). I am pretty proud of it. You can now read an interview I did with Poets & Writers if you’d like to learn a bit about the process.

Spring tour dates in New York City and Vermont (including some online events) are at the end of this letter, along with dates for Writing Space (x2) and Hotpot, which return this month.

Now, on with the work.

"Migrants," from Dream of the Divided Field.

Yanyi,

Why di...