When Ann was in seventh grade, she read a book called How To Become An Airline Stewardess that fueled her desire to see the world.
In Ann’s words: “And that's just what I did when I graduated from URI--I went to work for TWA as a flight attendant. Back then, I thought you needed adventures in order to be a writer. Of course, I know now that all you need, as Eudora Welty said, is to sit on your own front porch.
But I did see a lot of the world with TWA, and I moved from Boston to St. Louis and finally to NYC, a place I'd dreamed of living ever since I watched Doris Day movies as a little girl. I wrote my first novel, Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine, on international flights and on the Train to the Plane, which was the subway out to JFK. It was published in 1987. Since then, I've published in The New York Times, The Paris Review, O, Bon Appetit, Tin House, The Atlantic Monthly, Real Simple, and other wonderful places; and I've won two Pushcart Prizes, two Best American Food Writing Awards, Best American Spiritual Writing and Travel Writing Awards, and a Boston Public Library Literary Light Award.
In this episode:
How Ann’s flight attendant background inspired her writing
Picking a time container to set your story in
Writing about grief and loss after personal experiences
Finding a writing process that works for each individual person
Tips for getting figuring out the freelance market
Advice on crafting your writing for the Modern Love column
Connect with Ann:
Website: https://www.annhood.us/
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Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: Available for pre-order. https://lnkd.in/eyxFTpcA
Adjunct Instructor, NYU https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html
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Recipient 2023 NYU SPS Teaching Excellence Award
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Flying High with Storyteller Ann Hood