2023: A Year of Fire Essay's
I discovered a lot of great writers this year, here are my favorite essays from 2023
When I was 16, I told my favorite teacher that I wanted to “write a book” he laughed kindly and said, “well Mr Fritz, that’s definitely possible, but if you want to be a good enough writer to get a book deal, make sure you’re reading just as much as you write.” A couple of weeks later he handed me a copy of “Readers Digest” and said, “get to work on that novel.” Since then, I have found inspiration while reading the words of others. That inspiration has come through poetry, novels, biographies, and of course essays.
I already shared my reading list, it includes a collection of every book I either read or listened to, it also shows how many books I didn’t get to finish. I love reading, but life happens, and I don’t know how to read one book at a time. I think that’s why I love essays and blogs so much. They’re shorter, usually cover 1-2 topics, and can be read quickly. As a result I have read hundreds of pieces this year. As 2023 comes to a close, I want to share some of the essay’s I enjoyed the most.
Title: How I Met Your Mother.
Author: Marc Typo
Why: I have been on Substack for the better part of three years, and while I love the platform, one of my biggest challenges has been finding Black and Brown creators. Marc is a Black creator who writes letters to his son that we all get to read. His words are full of passion, love, and honesty. The post, “How I met your mother” is a simple love story but in it I could see myself, the journey my partner and I have taken, and what love looks like to another Black man trying his best to make it in this world. I really appreciate Marc’s writing, and he’s quickly become one of my favorite writers. I hope you guys will read this essay, and check out his others.
Title: A Dope Beat to Step To
Author: Kerra Bolton
Why: I do not remember how I found Kerra’s page, it might have been on a day where I was hell bent on finding someone on substack who wasn’t writing about politics, Chat gpt or COVID conspiracies, it might have been during that 72 hour period where I decided to use Threads, and discovered that a lot of BIPOC creators were there, or maybe like most of the essay’s that stick to my rib, her work found me. Either way, “A dope beat to step to” was a short post that found me at the right time.
I try to write from a place of love, I do this because it feels good, and I think I have something to say. I also write because I’m still hoping to one day get a book deal. Publishers don’t pay attention to people with small audiences, and at times that realization pushes me to force out content from fear of not growing fast enough, or at all. “A dope beat to step to” is Kerra confronting the capitalism, and the grind culture that can impact our writing. Are we writing and engaging with people because we want to, or because it will grow our list, or get us more paid subscribers. Kerra decided to remove the paywall from their newsletter because they’re choosing to write and share freely. I want to write because it feels good, and I hope to share with others so they might feel something too.
Title: Envy As Dangerous and Delightful
Author: Sadia
Why: At the end of 2020, I promised I would give myself radical love. It was a big goal from someone who had just started therapy and was beginning to unpack a lot of complicated feelings. 2021 was the year I began to practice that “radical love” and while doing this, I quickly realized that if I was going to be different to myself, I would need to be committed to slowing down. Slowing down how quickly I became angry at myself, slowing down the pace in which I worked, slowing down to appreciate the beauty that was around me, and slowing down to appreciate the people in my life. The more I have done this work, the better my life has become, but no matter how much you grow, there is still space to become stagnant, and we are human, so at times we will fall short.
Sadia “Envy as Dangerous and Delightful” came at a time when I was falling out of practice from the things that helped me grow, and instead of choosing love. Falling out of that practice had me prioritizing things that were unhealthy and unnecessary, looking for title’s and status to make me whole when I already know this road is a dead end. Sadia’s essay made me reflect, it made me feel, it made me stop. I hope you take a moment to read it, I plan to go back to it often.
Title: Daddy Issues: My Path to leaving Abandonment Jail
Author: Karina Maria
Why: I almost didn’t include this on the list because it came from my publication, and this post isn’t about self promotion. But when I think about writers that made me feel something, I would be lying if I didn’t include Karina Maria essay. When I started therapy, I assumed it would be 45 minute sessions of someone telling me that “I was trash” instead it has been a deeply healing process of sharing, reflecting, confronting and healing. It’s much clearer to me today how things that happened when I was younger deeply impact some of my behavior today. I love that I get to heal wounds I didn’t even know I had. Karina’s post felt like someone who faced their past, refused to look away, hugged her inner child and is now sharing their story.
A story that is honest, raw, and important. I remember reading her first draft, it felt like time had stopped, in reality, I was holding my breath her words had captured me. The pain she shared of growing up without her father resonated, I grew up without my mother, and my father while present was not always emotionally available. That too left me with wounds I needed to heal. I am also lucky enough to know Karina outside of the confines of the internet. She has always been a person I perceived as beautiful, inside and out, and bringer of joy. I couldn’t imagine that someone so wonderful could have felt pain so deep. Yet, despite that pain, she was sharing with the world.
Karina was willing to show her heart on her first essay. It inspired me, if she could do it, then I had more to give, I could dig deeper, there was more to grow. Good writers have a way of helping you see beyond your limits.
Bro, a million thank you for real. Appreciate the mention, but also happy we’ve connected as well. Happy New Year to you and yours!