Nina Palattella
Editorial Mentorship Letter
The characters of Adam, Adam’s father, and Travis have been with me for a very long time. They first appeared in a novella I wrote during my freshman year at Kent State University in Ohio, which I later edited down to a long short story. While I am grateful to that original work for existing, as I’ve continued to write and improved my skills, I’ve kept these characters in the back of my mind, wondering if one day I might be able to find a more fitting home for them. I now think I have.
I moved to New York City (specifically, to Queens) in 2021. I love living here, and I will talk about that at length to anyone who will listen. New York City casts a long shadow on fiction, on media in general, on the cultural imagination. As a writer, I’m drawn to the idea of the city as much as the fact of it—what does this huge, complex place mean, for people who are peering in from the distance, for those who have always lived here, for those who used to be outsiders but now find themselves within it? While the city represents the stuff of dreams and glamour for many, it can also be deeply isolating. I wondered: What would happen if someone like Adam moved here, not because New York City represented the fulfillment of some dream but because it would be the ultimate place to escape?
Earlier this year, I read the book How Not To Kill Yourself: A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind by Clancy Martin. It is a deeply affecting and unique work, and it influenced the later writing and editing process of this story.
Nardine is a joy to work with. She offered generous insight into what she enjoyed about the story as well as wise, constructive feedback. From her, I gained a deeper understanding of how a reader might see these characters and how to alter my language to make certain scenes more impactful. I’m grateful for the mentorship opportunity.
I moved to New York City (specifically, to Queens) in 2021. I love living here, and I will talk about that at length to anyone who will listen. New York City casts a long shadow on fiction, on media in general, on the cultural imagination. As a writer, I’m drawn to the idea of the city as much as the fact of it—what does this huge, complex place mean, for people who are peering in from the distance, for those who have always lived here, for those who used to be outsiders but now find themselves within it? While the city represents the stuff of dreams and glamour for many, it can also be deeply isolating. I wondered: What would happen if someone like Adam moved here, not because New York City represented the fulfillment of some dream but because it would be the ultimate place to escape?
Earlier this year, I read the book How Not To Kill Yourself: A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind by Clancy Martin. It is a deeply affecting and unique work, and it influenced the later writing and editing process of this story.
Nardine is a joy to work with. She offered generous insight into what she enjoyed about the story as well as wise, constructive feedback. From her, I gained a deeper understanding of how a reader might see these characters and how to alter my language to make certain scenes more impactful. I’m grateful for the mentorship opportunity.
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