I am big fan of essays that are published in New Yorker. Malcolm Gladwell, David Grann and other New Yorker writers, how do they do it? Their essays are superb! They're beautifully written and their emotional impact is just perfect... Could I ever write like that? Any help in this regard?
Yes, you can write like that, though it's going to take a lot of time and practice. Just keep reading and writing.
well just on pure statistics. you have 8.2 million people hear. so if some tinny percentage of people in a population are amazing essayist then you get a few right in NYC. add in that they most likely have access to more axulirty factors that make a good essayist and a greater percentage of that tinny percentage get better and or noticed. then you probably get what i best described by the idea of brain drain. so you get a flight of human capital that fits in that small percentage requirement into NYC.
the new yorker features the creme de la creme of the writer's art... you may be able to match their excellence in wordsmanship some day, if you have both the innate talent and can perfect the requisite skills... however, only a rare few ever reach those heights of expertise, sorry to say... the good news is that doesn't mean you can't be at least a good writer, if you work hard at it... jb... the oddsof making it into the ny-er are much more astronomical than 8.1 million to 1, since those whose work is featured there are not all residents of NYC...
I think it should be mentioned that not only does the New Yorker publish some of the best essayists working today, those essayists are helped along by some of the best editors in the business.
I had to read the Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell for school...it was interesting but quite the tedious read as well.
Just drive there? Seriously though, loomingtale, just approach this logically... Those people already got there, right? They're just overrated apes like you and me, right? Look at their biographies, research what kind of background they have. If you want to be as "good" as them, find out what their formula to success is and adapt it so that it works for you. Most importantly though, don't let anyone intimidate you into thinking you can't reach their level. Be an unstoppable force, and avoid the immovable objects that are fear and self-doubt.
@Thrpmnambular: You've read too much Anthony Robbins Optimism is a good thing, but New Yorker guys really are the best essayists out there. I know I can be a good essayist, and if lady luck helps me out, maybe just maybe, be able to write like them.
Eww, no. I'm not into optimism, only when I'm this tired do I start to sound out of character. Perhaps we could call it tenacity? haha Really though, I just try not to put people on pedestals...except J.R.R. Tolkien, he can be on a pedestal.
