Influences and Transformations in Writing

This chapter reflects on the significant influence of a mentor on the speaker's writing journey and teaching philosophy, emphasizing the importance of voice, structure, and creativity. It captures the speaker's transition from aspiring poet to prose writer, along with their experiences in professional writing and the creation of a magazine, 'Stranded.' The discussion also critiques the literary world, focusing on the speaker's first published work in the New York Review of Books and their perspectives on the writer Albert Goldman.