NYC Through a Writer’s Eyes

New York City, the moment you mention the name, famous landmarks will come into mind. Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Broadway, Times Square, yellow taxis and the list goes on. Although I’ve never been to New York before, I see and feel New York vibes through Laura Yan’s photos and writing. She puts her stories and dreams into writing and captures beautiful shots of fashion, people and New York City through her photos. Laura tells us more on what influences her and her passion for writing and photography.

How old were you when you first started writing?

I don’t remember the first piece I ever wrote, but ever since I was very young, I loved reading and making up stories in my head. Make believe definitely used to be (and still is!) my favorite game. When I was eight or nine I distinctively remember writing a lot of fiction. It was a lot of science fiction/fantasy and it was in Chinese, modeled after short stories or novels I’d read.

Where do you get your ideas?

They come from everywhere. Especially living in the city, anytime I go outside ideas hit me in the face from every direction. The subway, a park, a passerby, my friends…everything. I also get inspiration from photos I see on Flickr or books and movies. Music is also a great source of ideas. Certain songs suggest stories that have to be written.

What and who influences you the most when it comes to writing?

My earliest influence was definitely Stephen King. I was a huge King fan girl back in the day. I think out of all his works, there are only a few that I haven’t read. And this is including the giant ones like The Stand, Desperation and the whole Dark Tower series. When I read his On Writing, though, it seemed to set in my mind that this is what I have to do, not just now but in the future. More recently, since I’m making my way through Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace is a huge influence. I find myself adding excessive parentheticals and observations and ironic bits into so much of my writing. I’m really influenced by pop culture and the whole music, arts and fashion world in general. Seeing something or reading something easily influences the way I write.

How much do you feel you’ve improved in the last few years?

Immensely. I mean, I would hope, it’s a constant struggle and constant improving thing, but if I read back on stories or blogs I wrote in the past years, sometimes it just seems so embarrassing. I used so much passive voice and unnecessary description and bland characters! Just growing older and experiencing more of the world, as well as reading more (and different) books helped a lot.

What is your favorite place to go and think?

Parks, in the subway, long walks (especially down West 10th street, my favorite street in all of New York, but my rooftop might be my absolute favorite. It has the most incredible postcard-view of the Manhattan skyline and the air is generally perfect for thinking.

How do you divide your time between writing and photography?

There’s not really a set formula. I bring my camera everywhere I go and some days are more photo-oriented days and some days writing. But since I always have camera and notebook on hand, it’s easy to switch between whichever I’m more inspired to do. Photography is especially good for late nights. I run Photoshop and talk to my friends online while uploading and posting on Tumblr. Writing takes more of a focus to sit down and just do or when I get desperate enough, I won’t be able to help but write ridiculous amounts for long periods

Any plans to publish your novel?

Yes! I’m currently querying a lot of agents and if I don’t hear back after a while, I’m going to query a lot more and start working on new material. If all else fails I’m considering self-publishing. It seems like the sort of thing that I’m driven and motivated enough to pull off. But if you’re an agent/publisher, please don’t hesitate to send word my way! Even if it’s old fashioned and business driven, there’s still something in that traditional route I’m very fond of.

How long have you been trying to get it published?

I’ve only recently began writing a query and submitting to agents, so about two months, I think. I only did electronic queries so I’ve only gotten a few emailed rejections from agents (but I’m not giving up just yet!) My advice for writers who want to get published is probably to remain optimistic, dedicated and open minded. I’ve learned a lot regarding the publishing world, like my perception of it changed dramatically when I worked retail at a bookstore a few years back. More recently I’ve read so much about how authors really just don’t make any money. Regardless of how difficult or easy it might sound when you’re reading about it, you should start applying and going for it to get a true taste of what it’s like. And remain optimistic. I think that’s pretty much my rule on life.

You can find Laura Yan on her blog and on Flickr.