Vonetta Young
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Writer: CNF + fiction / Find me on Instagram instead of here w/ the same handle @VonettaWrites / RIP Twitter
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Articles by Vonetta Young
Big Beautiful Home
The nightmares began weeks after we moved into Our House: Through the kitchen’s French doors, I’d see that the gate to the backyard was wide open, the wood splintered and the lock shattered. In another, when I went to pee in the middle of the night, I’d catch a glimpse of a figure in the backyard. I’d peer through the bathroom window to see a masked man standing in the middle of the lawn. Yet another: My basement office window would be shattered—nothing taken, just the locks askew and useless.
Q&A with Grace Loh Prasad, Author of The Translator's Daughter
Grace Loh Prasad is the author of The Translator’s Daughter (The Ohio State University Press, March 2024). Her essay “The Orca and the Spider: On Motherhood, Loss, and Community” was previously published in The Offing. Q&A conducted by Vonetta Young, Insight Editor. Donate to The Offing! Our Patreon supporters received exclusive access to the full audio interview with The Offing contributor Grace Loh Prasad.
Q&A with Joseph Earl Thomas, author of Sink: A Memoir
Joseph Earl Thomas is the author of Sink: A Memoir, published by Grand Central Publishing. His essay “The Den of Earl” was previously published in The Offing. Q&A conducted by Eddie Bruce-Jones, Editor, Essay. Donate to The Offing! Our Patreon supporters received exclusive access to the video interview with The Offing contributor Joseph Earl Thomas and receive other perks as well. The Offing pays our contributors, and we appreciate the help of all of our supporters in sustaining our work.
Q&A with Davon Loeb, author of The In-Betweens
Davon Loeb is the author of The In-Betweens (West Virginia University Press, February 2023). His essay “The Ruins” was previously published in The Offing. Q&A conducted by Vonetta Young, Insight Editor. Donate to The Offing! Our Patreon supporters received exclusive access to the full audio interview with The Offing contributor Davon Loeb. The Offing pays our contributors, and we appreciate the help of all of our supporters in sustaining our work.
A Formal Farewell (for now, at least)
Hello again after all this time! And happy new year! It seems that I kind of fell off the face of the earth last summer after reporting on the great time I had at the Kenyon Review Writer’s Workshop. But I didn’t fall off the face of the earth—even better, I had a baby! My son, Desmond, was born on July 11, 2021, but just barely, entering the world at 11:58pm.
“At” the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop
I’m really glad that summer writing workshops resumed this year after the abyss that was 2020. Last week, I “went” to the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop—even in the virtual setting, I’d argue that was one of the most intense conferences I’ve done. The thing about Kenyon (and I don’t know why more workshops/conferences haven’t done this) is that it’s generative, so you don’t bring something you’ve already written to have people give you comments on it, you produce new work every day.
“Write what you write”
Two weeks ago, I attended the Indiana University Writer’s [Virtual] Conference. The in-person conference scheduled for late May of last year was cancelled, of course, and it made me anticipate this year’s all the more. IUWC isn’t one of the “big name” conferences like some other’s I’ve done, but they attract huge names. I tried not to faint thinking about the fact that I was going to work with ZZ Packer. Packer is an absolute legend in her own right.
Writing *is* Freedom
I spent most of last week in Cleveland, Ohio, somewhere I never thought I’d go, for work, of all things. My spouse and I drove the way, though I’m fully vaccinated and he is half so, since I figured it’d be safer than flying.
The Gift of Writing Across Industries
I’ve written before about how writing in my business is very much different from writing literary fiction and nonfiction (and even blog posts, if I think about it well enough). I’ve avoided doing heavy writing my business, for fear that the lack of creativity required would somehow make writing in general less interesting to me, which I don’t want to happen, obviously. Business writing—especially in financial services—can feel so sterile, where everyone sounds the same.
Early Morning Angel Hours
Last week, I woke up every day between 5:15 and 5:30am. This is an extreme anomaly for me, as I am a sleeper. For the past five years almost, I’ve been a full-time writer, then an entrepreneur who set her own hours, so I’ve gotten a lot of sleep every night. But last week, I just didn’t feel like sleeping. It wasn’t insomnia. Maybe it was some other form of anxiety that pumped adrenaline into my veins, but I felt overcome with the desire to be productive.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Pitching an Investor
September 8, 2020 5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. If there is one thing Shark Tank has made completely clear, it’s that entrepreneurs should know every aspect of the numbers of their business. Walking into that room, you better know your cumulative and year-to-date revenue numbers, cost of goods sold, and customer acquisition costs, or you’re toast.
My Very Literary Valentine’s Day (& My Newest Essay)
I had the most literary Valentine’s Day of my life! So full of love and literature. First, my newest essay, “Like Breathing,” was published that morning in Barrelhouse Magazine! It was featured in a special issue called, “I’ve Got Love on My Mind: Black Womxn on Love.” The featured image of this post is the cover, “Softness is a Radical Act,” by Donyae Coles. “Like Breathing” is the hardest essay I’ve ever written. It started with a prompt while I was at the VQR Writers Conference back in 2017.
Look Ma, I’m Querying!
The time has come. After three years of writing my memoir, I am now querying agents. For my non-writer friends, this means that I’m now taking the next step toward publishing my book. So far, I’ve chosen to do it the traditional way: getting an agent, who will represent my book like an actor or athlete, rather than self-publishing. Essentially, publishing traditionally works kind of like buying a house.
I’ve been promoted!
Good literary news! I’ve been promoted to Assistant Editor of the Insight section of the literary magazine, The Offing! This is the second time in my life I’ve been promoted from one job to another. The first was at my workstudy job at the library at Georgetown, when I was promoted from Access Services Desk Assistant to Supervisory Student Desk Assistant. So, I went from being able to check out books to being able to check out books and collect fines. Pretty important stuff, let me tell you.
Repping The Writer’s Center!
This weekend, I made my first public appearance as the newest board member of The Writer’s Center! The Writer’s Center is a literary arts nonprofit located in Bethesda, Maryland. It’s *the* place you think about when you want to take writing classes in the DC area. It’s sort of like Gotham Writers Workshop in NYC or The Loft in Minneapolis. The board is making a concerted effort to bring in new voices, and I’m honored to be one of them.
Fiction or Nonfiction? How to Decide
This weekend, in a rather circuitous fashion, I opened up to my spouse about my writing process. This isn’t something that happens super-often, unless I’ve asked him to help me out with something I’m stuck on and need to talk out, or if he’s giving me unsolicited advice [which he’s learned not to do unless I’m basically on fire]. We were talking about the middle-school aged kids at our church, who are so busy with school and also commit themselves to attending youth group.
How to Live Forever, or what Diana Ross performing at age 75 made me think about
As a Christmas present to my in-laws, I got tickets to see Diana Ross perform at the Kennedy Center. This concert was this past Saturday night, so a bit after Christmas, but it was still quite a treat! Ms. Ross sang a bunch of her classic songs, and managed to wear five different dresses over the course of an hour and 15 minutes. My mother-in-law was thrilled during it all, jumping up to stand and clap, while my father in-law was more mutedly entertained, as he tends to be.
CHOOSE: My word for the year
Happy New Year, everyone! I’m always grateful to see a new year, and this one is particularly special. Everyone is doing the cliché 2020 vision thing, and while I think they might be onto something, I’ve decided to put my own spin on it. Every year for the past few years, I’ve chosen a word for the year (not original, I know, as many people do this). In 2017, it was “obedience,” as I wanted to do whatever it was God was telling me to, which, at the time, was write, write, write.
2019 and all its surprises
2019 was one for the record books for me. Not in terms of writing — I published all of one thing and received two acceptances at the end of the year – but in terms of my other career and my maturity. The maturity thing is the most important, I think. With the help of an amazing life coach, I found a new confidence in myself that was there the whole time, I just wasn’t looking for it in the right places. As a result, I learned a lot this year.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year! I’ll be back next week with a look at 2019 and all I hope to accomplish in 2020. Be well! Like this: Like Loading...
Peace in the midst of all the things
On Sunday, while waiting for the 11am church service to begin, my spouse and I fell asleep. We’d already been at church for over three hours, helping set up and volunteering in the 9am service (me as a lead usher and my spouse teaching Sunday School for the preschoolers). We’d woken up before 6am and still managed to arrive late somehow. We hadn’t been out late the night before, but we were both stricken with this exhaustion that led us to rest our eyes before the service began.
A New Stage, A New Dry Spell
So, I didn’t blog last week because I did absolutely nothing over Thanksgiving week, and I loved every minute of it. It’s not often that I get time to consciously relax, intentionally do nothing. I didn’t even read, I only watched television, kind of a lot of it. I wanted my brain to take a minute to rest. I’ve found myself in another dry spell.
The Gratitude Challenge
Over a month ago, my pastor challenged us to a 40-day gratitude challenge: every night, take a moment to list 3 things you’re grateful for from that day, and make them all different. I was tempted to roll my eyes, as I find that sort of thing cheesy, but I thought I’d do it, anyway. I can’t say my life has changed in the, what, 38 days, I’ve been doing it. Some days, I fell asleep and completely forgot to do it and had to think of what I was grateful for the day before to make up for it.
The Uncomfortable Fence I Straddle, or, I Am a Bridge Builder
Last week was a great example of this new, dual-careered life I’m living. On Tuesday, I did a reading in Baltimore as a part of the Writers & Words series (which has been going on for 5 years!). I was a bit under the weather, so I sounded way sexier than usual as I read from my short story, I Help You. My in-laws even came out to hear me read! It was an amazing time of literary goodness.
I’m reading in Baltimore tonight!
I’m chuffed to bits to be heading to Baltimore for my second reading in the Charm City (though it does make me think that one day, I should read in DC, where I actually live). The way this opportunity came about was serendipitous: I read at a small gathering this summer, and happened to be sitting next to Maria, who was introduced as a staffer for Thread, an amazing nonprofit the reading was raising funds for.
Halloween in the NYPL
If you know me well, you know I kinda hate Halloween. I’m not one to dress up in costume. I love candy, and that’s part of the problem. This Halloween, I happened to be in New York City for a business meeting (friends I didn’t see, I hope to see you next time, when I have a bit more time to hang out). When I rode the elevator up to the meeting with It, I should have known it was going to be an interesting day.
Next Steps on the Writing Front
Now that I’m done with my memoir, I’m deciding what’s next in writing for me. But just to answer a question: For those who are wondering (or keep asking), the next step for my memoir is for me to get an agent. Authors don’t usually go straight to the publisher (there are exceptions, of course). Once I have an agent, they will present the book to large publishing houses, the ones who produce most of the books we read.
Celebrations & Revelations
I finished entering edits into my manuscript last Thursday. I saved the file as a PDF and emailed it to two literary agents who’d contacted me over the summer. And then I celebrated. I bought myself a nice lunch out on Thursday, at Magnolia Kitchen & Bar in Dupont Circle, where I had grilled salmon, quinoa risotto, and asparagus, along with a class of bubbly. The celebrations continued Friday night, where I had dinner at Campono, a casual Italian place across from the Kennedy Center.
So glad to be done!
Last night, at approximately 9pm Eastern time, I finished reading my memoir aloud to myself. And I was in tears. I’d decided not hire a proofreader, but to do the job myself this time, for draft #7, by reading it aloud to catch spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. I read my book as if I were a reader of it, not the writer. It was a surreal experience, feeling so distant from my own narrative, but appreciating my book for the art that it is.
My baby got married!
Last Saturday, I took the train up to New York for my dear friend Sarah’s wedding. It was a quick trip in which I spent all of 18 hours in the city, wanting to get back home to spend time with my spouse and to rest after a very busy week. Over the prior week, I’d had a couple of business development calls and meetings.
It’s My Birthday!: The Excitement, the Fear
It’s my birthday! Actually, tomorrow is my birthday, but for the sake of this post, let’s just say it’s today! I didn’t write a birthday post last year, but it was a pretty significant year—my Jesus year. No, it’s not a religious thing at all, it’s just that Jesus was murdered and turned the whole thing on its head when he was 33, so I believe there is a certain power in being that age.
My Father Keeps Appearing to Me
It’s that time of year again, folks. On September 20, it will be four years since my father passed away. Last year, my grief was physical: I was so fatigued and sad, it had trouble keeping my eyes open during the day. Two years ago, it was a bit of sadness, but nothing like following year. And three years ago, it was all still kind of surreal, probably because I was so much in the throes of writing my memoir. The grief looks different this year. Physically, I feel fine.
“I don’t even know where I am”
I didn’t blog last week because I was readjusting to life in DC after the quiet of Banff and… I was preparing for my mom to visit! Of course, we took no pictures, so I have zero proof of her time with us, but oh well. It was my mother’s first trip back to DC since my business school graduation in 2013. DC is a *very* different city from what it was even six years ago, and it was even more disconcerting to see the city’s changes through the eyes of a visitor.
Glorious Waterfalls: How I Know Wisdom from Fear
Hello all! I forgot to blog yesterday because I’m not entirely sure what day it is. I arrived home from Banff Sunday night, and it’s taken a bit to get readjusted to my actual life. My second week in Banff was just as wonderful as the first. Overall, I managed to complete three essays and three short stories—remarkable productivity for me. This means I’m ready to start submitting work again, something I haven’t done since last summer.
Oh, the Mountain Majesty
This week has been one full of lessons: (1) It’s amazing what getting enough sleep can do to tamp down anxiety, (2) my stomach really hates mass-produced food, and (3) newer mountains are significantly larger than older ones. My first week in Banff was magical. It’s day nine of 14, and I can safely say I’m now used to the altitude, as walking up a slight incline no longer winds me, and I was able to go to the gym twice at the end of the week.
So, This Is the Point of Writing Residencies
I’m in Banff! The view of the mountains from the library (a building that looks way cooler from the outside than inside) It’s really impressive how beautiful a place I’d never really heard of can be. Banff Centre campus after dinner (well before sunset, which doesn’t happen until after 9pm) This week, 19 colleagues and I will spend time writing, reading, meeting with Electric Literature editors, and enjoying these insane views.
Preparing for Banff
Preparing for Banff This time next week, I’ll be in Banff, at the Electric Literature residency. I’m thrilled and, for some reason, not nervous, mostly because I’m looking forward to being in the mountains and smelling all the clean air. It’s been a great excuse to buy up a whole bunch of hiking rubbish I probably won’t use! I’ll report when I get there. Have a great week! Like this: Like Loading...
I Don’t Have Room for Fear
This summer has been one of the most trying in my life. Some of it is my own fault—who starts a business in the middle of summer?—and some of it seems to have fallen out of the sky—my spouse starting a new job, one of his dearest friends dying, and an incident at my church that could easily have been perceived as racial profiling. The third thing—the event of my church—has been most difficult because church is where I go to escape negativity.
No Need to Hide
I’ve alluded to starting a business, and I can now give some specifics about it since I’ve more or less formally launched (if updating my LinkedIn and Facebook jobs counts as having ‘more or less formally launched’). My business is called Vonetta Young Advisors LLC—my brand is me! Since I was a little girl, I’ve woken up every day with the desire to help people like me—women and people of color—our fair share of the pie.
Farewell to a dear friend
I’m blogging a week and a day late because I’ve had quite a lot going on, some good and some unfortunate. The good is that my business is taking shape. I’m in talks to sign my second client already and I’m attending a conference in Chicago on Friday that I hope will open some more doors for me. I’m breathless and excited about all of it, even if I’m a little afraid because this is uncharted territory for me.
My reading at Writer’s Center LIVE!
Friends, I write this post to you from the comfort of a lounge chair on Bethany Beach in Delaware! I should confess that I’ve never used a laptop on the beach, and it’s a little odd, but I look really relaxed in the reflection of this screen, so it’s not all bad. Anyway, last week, I gave my third public reading! I was a featured reader at Writer’s Center LIVE!, a literary variety show held at, well, the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD.
My Time at Juniper Summer Writing Institute
You didn’t miss a post from me last week! I was in Amherst, Massachusetts at the Juniper Summer Writing Institute, and it was rather interesting, especially in comparison to all of the other workshops I’ve done. I applied to Juniper because I desperately wanted to work with Mitchell S. Jackson, whose voice is one of the strongest in modern prose, if you ask me. I applied to Tin House Summer to work with him and didn’t get in, so I’m glad Juniper worked out. Q&A with Khadijah Queen and Mitchell S.
Always Wanted to See My Name in Print
My most recent essay is published! And it’s in print—my first print publication! It was quite a journey with this little piece, “To Be a Real Teenager.” It started as a blog post, which I modified to read at Bread Loaf last year, then modified again to submit to publications. It’s 750 words, so technically flash nonfiction, and only so many outlets take those.
How I’m Spending My Summer Vacation
Happy unofficial start of summer, everyone! This Memorial Day, I didn’t do the usual barbeque or family time—I took some down time to not do much of anything but be productive, work on a to-do list, and start thinking about what intend to accomplish this summer. In terms of writing, I’ll be attending the Juniper Summer Writing Institute, working with Mitchell S.
A Fortuitous [sort of] Annoucement
You probably heard the news yesterday that, on Sunday, billionaire Robert Smith gave the newest class of Morehouse College a gift summing some $40 million, paying off their student loans. I heard two types of noise around this: first, that it was an amazingly generous gift, that Robert Smith must be a great man (along with, “Who is Robert Smith?”); second, that student loans should not amount to that much. What I didn’t hear was very much talk about how Robert Smith became a billionaire.
That’s what they meant by reflection?
For the past week and a half, I’ve been going hard core on my memoir. I’m honored to have been selected to go to the Juniper Summer Writing Institute at UMass Amherst next month, and aside from having Mitchell S. Jackson as my workshop facilitator, I’m thrilled to be getting a manuscript consultation. Someone will read 35 pages of my manuscript and meet with me for an hour about it.
“What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About”
Michele Filgate (far right) reading her essay in her anthology, What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About, with fellow essayees Leslie Jamison (middle right) and Melissa Febos (middle left), and moderator/author Dani Shapiro (far left). Last Tuesday, I went up to New York City for the launch of What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About, an essay anthology edited by Michele Filgate, my first essay instructor.
“Practical Advice on Writing”
On Saturday, I attended the Barrelhouse Conversations & Connections Conference for the third year in a row, and I gotta tell ya, it was the best time I’ve had at any of them. Unlike, say, AWP, Barrelhouse’s conference is extremely practical. In fact, the subtitle is “Practical Advice on Writing.” Panels cover much-needed topics such as how to write dialogue that pushes the plot forward and Instagram for authors.
Truth in a time of lies
One other realization that this Lenten season brought me—other than the fact that I probably rely too heavily on alcohol to tamp down anxiety—was the importance of living in the truth, and what that means for me. I’ve been seeing a life coach, with the express purpose of getting out of my own way when it comes to re-establishing my business career. The whole process has been a bit woo-woo.
Sunday is coming, and so is wine
Easter is this Sunday, and you know what that means? Yes, that Jesus raised from the dead and such, but also that I can drink again soon! Though I’m not Catholic and it’s not required of me (and am as Protestant as they come), some years I choose to participate in a Lenten sacrifice, for different reasons each time.
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