What is Essence of Toast?

Part personal essay, part cultural criticism, part self-help.

I started this newsletter as a way to capture (and share) reflections on the writing process and the world I write about at a quicker pace than I tend to find elsewhere. I’m a slow writer, currently working on a book of personal essays exploring my anarchist punk adolescence, my younger brother’s schizophrenia, homelessness, and addiction, and my own ongoing process of figuring out how to take care of myself as an adult when I don’t always feel that great about the world.

These essays/letters bounce off similar topics—like illness, subculture, and care—but also focus in on the writing process itself. I’m fascinated by questions like:

• How can I honor my limitations, ADHD brain, and idiosyncratic strengths while still actually finishing projects?

• What do organization and narrative structure look like when working outside of literary conventions?

• What are ways of drawing inspiration and guidance from the everyday things with which I come into contact? And how do my ethics and politics show up in this engagement?

If you’re also curious about these kinds of things, or you’re generally looking for fresh energy and perspective around your creative work, subscribe to join me in these ongoing considerations. You can always read the archive on Substack. (These letters are and will be free; in the future, I may add additional paid subscription options.)

You can also follow me on Instagram, and learn more about my work here. I host a podcast called Experimental Practice which you may be interested in, too.

Thanks so much for being here—it means a lot to me!