The Curious Life of an Extra
Playing bystanders and party guests was supposed to be a temporary gig. It turned into a viable, and surprisingly fulfilling, way to make a living.
The Business of Creativity
How artists navigate their industries, hone their craft, and make a living
My 150 Writing Mentors and Me
What interviewing an author a week for several years has taught me about finishing my novel
The Intimate World of the Performance Artist
The dancer and choreographer Okwui Okpokwasili takes the stage alone in her acclaimed work Bronx Gothic. But behind the scenes, things get a little more complicated.
Saving One of Western Art’s Most Iconic Paintings
Inside the massive, two-year museum effort to conserve The Blue Boy, Thomas Gainsborough’s famed 18th-century portrait
How My First Novel Became a Movie
It took 14 years of false starts, navigating Hollywood, and a modest payout for my book Carrie Pilby to be adapted into a Netflix film.
Marjorie Liu on the Road to Making Monstress
The comic-book writer discusses working for Marvel, the loneliness of novel-writing, and why her epic-fantasy series is mostly populated by women and characters of color.
Why I’m Still Trying to Get a Book Deal After 10 Years
A writer explains her dedication to becoming a published author—and how her approach has changed over the last decade.
The Remarkable Rise of Tiffany Haddish
The standup and Girls Trip star had a breakout summer, and her success points to how comedy has—and hasn’t—changed for women and entertainers of color.
What Lena Waithe Wants From Hollywood
The Emmy-nominated actress and writer on what’s next after Master of None, creating her own show, and forcing the industry to pay attention to new black talent.
Why Aren’t There More Women Working in Audio?
Like with many STEM-oriented fields, music production and sound engineering are dominated by men—though that’s very slowly changing.