What's 'normal' and do we really want to go back there?

Jun 15, 2020 7:28 pm

Hello writers,

The world is still a fraught, tense place. While there’ve been some wins, there have also been major steps backward. In light of everything going on, it feels really strange to try to bring you an ordinary writing-related newsletter.

Then again, publishing itself has been a maelstrom over the past couple of weeks. If you haven’t heard about all the shakeups, episode 132: Pressure Points of the Print Run Podcast provides a general overview of what to go look up. Agent Laura Zats puts it well: publishing is undergoing a stress test, and it is failing that test. An industry that was already built on shaky and unfair practices is finding it difficult to keep going as it was before.

Even within publishing, the most vulnerable among us are being openly attacked. Last week JK Rowling--she of the utterly massive platform that is Harry Potter--blithely tripled-down on her anti-trans beliefs (which partially derailed the ongoing work around Black Lives Matter, and was particularly insulting in the midst of Pride month). JKR has a lengthy history of being problematic, and the Harry Potter books/world have plenty of issues (yes, that’s an entire thesis on the topic). And yet she still has millions of followers and will likely continue to get book and movie deals.

It didn’t take long after lockdowns started for people to long for “a return to normal.” But normal had a lot of really terrible aspects. We shouldn’t be striving for a return to that. We should be taking this global pause to rethink systems we thought couldn’t be changed, and imagine new ways of being and behaving. Then make those normal.

I encourage you to read up on the intersection of Black and trans identities, and contribute to help people who live at that intersection.

Because everyone could do with a pick-me-up, I highly recommend one of my favorite desserts: Lemon Cloud Pie. I’m allergic to eggs and can’t have lemon meringue, but this hits the same spot through the magic of condensed milk. Delicious. Pie crust optional.

I’m still working (very slowly) on my next big Monstery thing, and will hopefully have an update for you next time.