Charting in a patient’s electronic medical record was the extent of the writing I did after grad school. There’s a bit of art to charting with all the abbreviations and acronyms, but no literary masterpieces by any stretch of the imagination.
How to start writing again
Following the D.C. move, I felt the urge to write again, but how do you even begin writing again after 30, feeling unsettled from a cross-country move and suffering from incredible homesickness? There is a myth that writers write in seclusion, a romantic image of the lone writer, churning out pages in a cabin far from civilization. While that may be how *some* folks write, I needed community (and encouragement) to start writing again.
The first few attempts at finding a writing group failed, but I learned *so* much about D.C.’s networking culture. I also learned that being repeatedly asked to explain my lived experience as an Asian American woman was exhausting. (And I was almost always the only person of color at these meetings.) I needed a space where I didn’t have to explain or justify my lived experience, culture, language, (ME!) in the beginning and most vulnerable stage of a piece.
Writing is hard enough.
So, I co-founded a writing group with another writer, Chris Paek, in 2017. We met through the Progressive Asian American Christian facebook group founded by Liz Lin and Lydia Shiu. In Write On, PAAC, we host online writing workshops, share resources, calls for submissions, and the best encouragement (via the funniest GIFs).
Earlier this year, I published my first (paid!) piece (since 2009!) because of the writers in Write On, PAAC. They helped nurture my words, providing honest feedback, and much needed encouragement. I had initially planned to publish the piece as a blogpost, but took the leap to submit to Inheritance Magazine’s Issue 63. Holding a physical copy of the magazine and seeing my words in print (alongside illustrations!) felt… really good. Affirming. I can do this!
I’m so glad I didn’t stop trying to find a writing community after those first few unsavory attempts. It’s so necessary as a writer to find people you can trust to care for your work. This is a shoutout to Mel, Chris, Virginia, Iris, Lindsey, Jennifer, Renee, and Desiree for being my readers for the piece. Thank you. And to Laura T. for being the very first person to read the very first draft and believing in me!
A significant contributing factor in my decision to write a cookbook stems from the incredible community of writers in my life who give me so much courage.
Writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Find your people.
加油!
Marsha
@princesshungry
This Week’s Specials
Here are my top 5 faveee food, writing, or food-writing pieces for the week. Occasional basketball or yoga appearances. And also, podcasts.
This Podcast Delves Into Mumbo Sauce, Jumbo Slice, and Other DC Foods: Dish City explores the history behind DC's most "iconic" foods. by Daniella Byck
Incredibly proud of my friend Ruth Tam and her new podcast, Dish City presented by WAMU. The first episode launched yesterday! Listen here!
America’s First Taco Editor Says That Burritos Are Actually Tacos by Helen Rosner
A TACO editor?? Talk about dream job.
The Charcuterie Board That Revolutionized Basketball by Baxter Holmes
Diagraming plays on a charcuterie board? Yes, please.
How I Find Home in the Persian Poetry of Hafez by Elham Khatami
“Despite the fact that Ladinsky cannot read or write in Persian, he has published several translations of poetry, which he attributes to Hafez; The Gift, first published in 1999, is perhaps the most popular. I didn’t recognize any of the translations from my own personal experiences of listening to Hafez, nor were Ladinsky’s renditions written in Hafez’s traditional ghazal style, made up of about seven couplets, or beyts…I soon learned that not a single one of Ladinsky’s poems resemble anything Hafez wrote in Persian.” Seriously, Ladinsky? SMH.
My brilliant friends Chris Paek and Liz Lin also launched their podcast, Top Five Podcast where they break down everything - pop culture, politics, race, food, religion, family, thirtysomething life, and all of their top fives. I have not been a regular podcast listener before, but there is something comforting listening to familiar voices talking about things I also care about. Between Dish City and Top Five, I am now a podcast listener!