David Yoon

How did you become a writer?

I’ve always wanted to write, ever since I wrote a story in 3rd grade that made my whole class crack up laughing. That was a total high, connecting with everyone like that! From then on, my favorite classes in school were English, I majored in English in college, and went on to get an MFA in writing. So in a way, I’ve always been a writer—writing has been my way of making sense of the world and creating my own space to belong in.

Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.).

My high school English teachers were my first mentors. My friends were next. We would do things like go to the beach and act out the entirety of Death of a Salesman, because we thought that sort of thing was cool. We were total word nerds and did not give two grapes about it.

Authors I keep returning to again and again are Kurt Vonnegut, Kazuo Ishiguro, Margaret Atwood, Celeste Ng, George Saunders, Blake Crouch, Elmore Leonard, Haruki Murakami, and so many others. And call me biased, but I’ve always admired the hell out of my wife Nicola Yoon’s writing, too. 

When and where do you write? 

I write in the mornings, through lunch, until it’s time for my daughter to come home from school. My wife bought me a big fuzzy orbit chair that I like to hide in and do my work in silence and darkness. I’m a friggin’ embryo in an egg.

What are you working on now? 

Lots of things! I’m getting ready for the launch of my second adult novel, City of Orange, which is an intimate post-apocalyptic thriller. I’m also working on another adult book exploring toxic masculinity. Nicola and I might be working on something together, but you didn’t hear that here. ;) 

When I’m not writing, I’m reading manuscripts for our publishing imprint Joy Revolution or working on story development for the Yooniverse Media/Anonymous Content partnership. It’s a fantastically busy and fun time for which I’m grateful.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? 

Never! 

(Has everyone left the room? Okay. Of course I’ve experienced writer’s block. But you get over it by showing up, day after day, even if no words come out. You just have to trust that they eventually will—and they always do.)

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

The great Margaret Atwood, who I saw speak at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo (which is a really nice embassy), said Read, read, read and write, write, write. The read, read, read part means: read anything you can get your hands on, even if you think it’s not for you, because you never know where inspiration will come from. The write, write, write part means to write as much as you can, because that’s the only way to develop your unique voice. Begin by imitating, then move on to experimentation and synthesizing.

What’s your advice to new writers?

Two things, really.

First, go to writing school if you can. I know they can be expensive, but it’s a good, quick way to find people who are as passionate about writing as you. Also, the connections you make will last a lifetime. I went to Emerson College, and my writing friends have almost all been published, and we help each other out however we can whenever we can.

Second, get an agent. You can’t grow your writing career without one.

David Yoon is the New York Times bestselling author of Frankly in Love, Super Fake Love Song, and for adult readers, Version Zero and City of Orange. He’s a William C. Morris Award finalist and an Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature Honor book recipient. He's co-publisher of Joy Revolution, a Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color. He's also co-founder of Yooniverse Media, which currently has a first look deal with Anonymous Content for film/TV development. David grew up in Orange County, California, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, novelist Nicola Yoon, and their daughter. Davidyoon.com