I'm a Fan: A Novel

by Sheena Patel

up. I fit into spaces which already exist and contort myself to fit a shape which has been allocated for me.

I have an English degree yet when faced with the task of writing, I am almost adrift. I rely on autobiographical detail, I masticate my life, spit it out and decorate it on the page.

Comment on Personal Essays?

Are the cravings for a fanbase an expression of how politically powerless we really feel? Or is it something else entirely? Though we insist we are Socialist and Marxist in our ideals, is social media and our pursuit for fame within this structure not the purest expression of individualistic, Thatcherite neo-colonial politics where we transform into scripted individual brands, launching ourselves like start-up companies while masquerading as being ‘in service’ to our ‘communities’ by ‘taking up space’ as if by being true to ourselves, we’re doing everyone else a massive favour?

influencers and social media

this one went on a date, is looking for love, puts up screenshots from Hinge for their six hundred followers and makes self-deprecating jokes about themselves, embarrassed about their search in this automated time where an algorithm has to get to know you before a human being can—where the algorithm gets to know you more intimately through the hundreds of false start conversations you have about what your favourite colour is and how many siblings you have

Online dating

i might look innocent but i screenshot a lot

There is never a moment I think being this available is a bad thing for me. I reason, a main character would go, a main character says yes to life.

The validation a relationship bestows upon a woman’s personhood still exists and has to be internally fought off if a union hasn’t been achieved. The world is built for couples. Even unhappy ones.