"I'm a Working Writer." A Chat with Aiden Grace Smith, Professor of Writing & Publishing

Professor breaks down the world of publishing for students

Friends, I come with news of another interview, freshly wrapped!

Today I had the delight of speaking with Aiden Grace Smith. Aiden is a Professor at both Emerson College and Quincy College. Aiden was also brave, generous and kind enough to be the first interviewee in my new series of speaking to people beyond journal editors.

When I was looking for interview subjects, Aiden sent this summary of their work:

In all my classes, but especially my creative writing classes, we talk about the process of publication from the start of the semester.  Some of the ways I introduce the topic include talking about different pathways to publication, the realities of the market, how siloed different parts of the lit world can be (I have a couple specific discussion topics for this), and literary world drama and gossip (delicious!).  We talk a lot about bias, exclusion, subject position and audience (I have good readings with discussion guides).  I also have a real focus on how to be a good literary community member…I show them the practicalities of being a working writer. 

In today’s conversation, we covered a lot of ground. We talked about the way the publishing world is “siloed” and how that means different paths for different writers. What does success mean to you? Is it getting a book deal with a Big 5 publisher? Is it having an audience among a certain group of people you enjoy and respect? Where is the balance between satisfaction and complacency? Can writers “have it all”?

Truly, Aiden is a guide I wish I had twenty years ago. We discussed the necessity for writers to be organized if they want to grow their careers as well as the “gig musician” model of building a life as a writer. “What is it you want to get out of being a published author?” Aiden discusses with their students, while also teaching them the many paths available to them.

Aiden also gave practical tips for understanding lit mags and submitting to them, such as what red flags to look for, what to say in your bio if you’ve never published before, how to approach the idea of lit mag “tiers” and simultaneous submissions, as well as how to approach grants and fellowships.

There was so much more, including whether lit mags are in crisis nowadays, why so few MFA programs teach the practical aspects of publishing and understanding lit mags, and thinking about building one’s writing career “locally” versus on a larger scale.

To everyone who came out today, thank you for participating!

And a special thank you to Aiden for taking the time to share their knowledge, insights and experience with all of us.

You can learn more about Aiden’s writing here & follow Aiden on X here.

Also! If you have other ideas for people you’d like me to interview, or you think you’d like to speak with me sometime, drop me a line anytime. Always open to suggestions!

Now, here’s Aiden: