Hi Izzie,
Maicey suggested I send this to you, as you’re handling first person.
Growing up gay, I got good at reading myself into stories that weren’t built for me. I’d find the longing, the performance, the fear of being found out, and quietly run the whole thing through my own life instead. I didn’t see myself on the page, so I learned to translate. It’s a skill a lot of queer kids have and rarely get to name.
The piece: what that sideways reading does to you, and what happens years later when you grow up to write the kind of story you once had to smuggle yourself into. Personal, funny, culture-led, 700 to 900 words, and I can file it fast.
For context, I’m a gay novelist with a new book out on 18 June, tied to Pride, but the piece would stand on its own rather than sell it.
Best,
Mo Fanning
mofanning.co.uk