Do's and Don'ts: Kirsten Chen, @hotgothwriter
Writer, creative strategist, and archivist Kirsten Chen shares her Do's and Don'ts on building worlds through creative work
By Rayna Holmes
Known as WNBA's first event Fashion and Lifestyle Writer, Kirsten Chen is a cultural strategist, writer, and activist who brings unexpected perspectives to familiar territories. With bylines in HYPEBEAST, WNBA.com, Boardroom, OFFICE Magazine, V Magazine, Complex and more, Chen covers the intersection of style and sports, all while building a vintage porn archive on the side. Needless to say, she knows a lot about uncovering and growing worlds through creative ideas.
Do's and Don'ts is an ongoing series for Metalabel Studio where we ask interesting creative people to share their learnings about the artistic ecosystem. No fluff, just practical insights from those who've been in the trenches.
These conversations aim to capture the unwritten rules and hard-won wisdom that doesn't make it into portfolios or press releases, but we often wish we had sooner.
From the mind of Kirsten Chen: the do's and don'ts of building worlds through creative work
Do
Embody how you want your piece to feel. Live it. I’ll wear fragrances or shoes that capture the writing that I’m working on.
Brainstorm freely. Be uninhibited. Spam yourself. Write down all your little thoughts or inclinations, then refine and reduce later.
Research as much as you possibly can. Get excited about being a nerd, so that you can become an expert.
Be delusional. Writers need to fully believe that an idea is worth investigating or pitching.
Go with the flow. Go to the afterparty. Talk to the person in line for the bathroom with the good outfit. Stay curious because the real research happens outside of traditional sources.
Don't
Don't let anyone disrespect your craft. There’s no such thing as a “write-up” and an inquiry for coverage isn’t a “collaboration.”
Don't feel pressured to post every piece. Some things belong in your portfolio upon request.
Don't repeat the same question that’s been asked a million times.
Don't get so caught up in the perfect, polished beginning that you never start writing. I’ve written articles backwards, from the last sentence to that intimidatingly hard introduction.
Don't be afraid to ask for a minor extension. Good writing takes time.