The New School’s Creative Writing courses have inspired a wealth of published material, including several recent releases.
Professor Susan Shapiro’s smart new book, The Byline Bible (Writer’s Digest Books) was directly inspired by her popular course Writing for NYC Newspapers, Magazine and The Web, which she teaches at The New School. Drawing from her 25 years experience as both a freelance writer and professor, the book serves as a how-to guide to publishing, from composing an essay or op-ed, to submitting and strategizing post-publication. Are cover letters daunting to you? Samples provided. Want to sell a humor piece? Read the hilarious ones her former students have published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and McSweeney’s. In this guide for aspiring nonfiction writers, Shapiro makes an intimidating industry approachable.
Former New School student Seth Kugel (first published in Shapiro’s class) was The NY Times Frugal Traveler columnist for six years. In October, Kugel published Rediscovering Travel: A Guide for the Globally Curious (W. W. Norton). His approach to “travel on the cheap” offers an important resource for aspiring globetrotters. In Rediscovering, Kugel sets his critical eye to the trappings of the travel industry and how major tourist destinations often draw attention away from the potential for greater personal experiences. He offers a remedy: Don’t rely on Google, TripAdvisor, or any of the usual suspects. Instead, opt for spontaneity and instinct. The wanderlust that permeates the text is more than a guide to off-the-beaten-path discovery; it’s a paean to the many cultures of the world.
New School MFA graduate Jennifer Baker—now an editor at Electric Literature—recently shared her knowledge with Shapiro’s students, along with her dazzling new book Everyday People: The Color of Life—A Short Story Anthology (Simon & Schuster). In compiling this trove of short fiction, Baker chose quality writing that is as remarkable as it is diverse, mixing both well-known names and emerging voices. Through the vast landscape of experience, this collection distills poignant tales of human experiences.
Fiona Taylor authored one of the most subversive pieces of The Byline Bible, a parody work titled “The Handmaid’s Tale: The Lost Pence Prequel.” Taylor co-edits the humor website TheBelladonnaComedy.com (tagline: “Comedy and satire by women, for everyone.”) and collaborated with cofounders Caitlin Kunkel, Brooke Preston, and Carrie Wittmer on a new title, New Erotica for Feminists (Plume). This hilarious collection offers micro-doses of short humor pieces for the age of #MeToo. Well-crafted and concise, New Erotica feels like a reactionary antidote to the political vitriol in today’s climate.
Steph Auteri’s A Dirty Word (Cleis Press) offers a candid collection of essays, with pieces that range from wisdom for her young daughter to frank discussions about waning libidos. Auteri addresses subjects like consent, sex drive, and the fight for control of sexuality with refreshing honesty. Auteri has been covering sexuality and women’s health in Vice, The Atlantic, Salon, and Pacific Standard for 15 years. The writing is distinct and empathetic.
Melissa Dahl, an editor of New York Magazine’s recently revamped The Cut, shared her life experience, practical advice, and secrets of success with New School students. Dahl’s fascinating first book, Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness (Portfolio) is the first of its kind, a thoroughly researched analysis of awkwardness that’s as entertaining as it is illuminating.
This selection represents just a small portion of the many writers who have spent some time, in one way or another, at The New School. From an inspiring approach to the travel genre to satire with a feminist bend, each one of these books is thematically linked through a desire to express complex feelings not only about the world we live in, but also the self. And while it may be hard committing to a book for the end of the year, this list is a great place to start.