30 (-1) Questions with Thirty West

Featuring Alexandra Naughton

In November of 2023, Thirty West Publishing House embarked on its most ambitious #AntiWriMo project to date: The Ternion. This three-novel series is written by 9 authors, all written in one month. The Ternion is an experiment in creativity, community, adaptability, and stress; and it was successful.

Today, we are proud to take a moment to highlight one of the many people behind the pen involved in this incredible collaboration.

Alexandra Naughton is a writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Be About It Press, established in 2010. Her writing has been widely published on the web and in print, and she performs regularly in the Bay Area, Philadelphia, and elsewhere.

1. How does writing intersect with your personal life?

Most of my friends are writers. We don’t always talk about writing, but with some friends, it’s what we mostly talk about. I think it’s important to have friends and people in my life who understand how stressful and exciting writing and doing the work can be who I can vent and create with.

2. Do you have a dedicated space to write, or are you a roamer?

These days I do most of my drafting on my phone when I'm out and about with my daughter. Whenever I get some quiet time to myself that's when I get my laptop out and start building things out and editing. Back when I was commuting several hours a day to work via bus, I used to write in a notebook, all long hand. I miss doing that. Not to say I miss commuting or taking public transit daily, but I miss that quiet time in the morning and late afternoon when I had nothing to do but read a book or write in my notebook.

3. In your opinion, what is the best piece you’ve ever written?

I still like a lot of the things I’ve written. I still feel excited when I perform my older work for an audience. I think that says something!

4. What fictional character would your best friend compare you to?

I asked my husband and my sister and they both said they couldn't think of anyone they would compare me to. My husband initially said “Daria, but not really because you're not glum,” and that's not the first time I heard that. It's probably my voice. My old coworker called me Daria, and one year I was Daria for Halloween. 

5. Which writers had the most influence on your style? On your content?

Style-wise, it's probably Lorrie Moore and Stephen King. I've recently been into Eve Babitz and what she does on the page is so fun and chatty and I've kind of been studying that. 

When I first read Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson, it opened up a whole world for me. I remember thinking like, oh I actually can write about that. It inspired me to start piecing my short stories together into a narrative. I got American Mary out of that.

6. What is the biggest challenge you've overcome as a writer?

Myself. Getting over myself and quieting the negative self-talk that starts in and tells me I'm not any good at writing and why am I wasting my time trying to make something.

7.Do you like to annotate books as you read them?

I wish I did that because it seems like a cool habit and it must be neat to go back and reread your thoughts but I never think to do that while reading.

8. What project should you be working on right now?

There's always something I could be working on and adding to and reading again out loud to catch any sounds that need to be changed but right now I'm taking a short break on my big projects. I signed up to contribute some poems at an event centered around The Sopranos so I've been thinking about what I want to write for that and how I want to present myself for the event.

9. What was your first publication?

When I was a kid I wrote a poem called “My Window” about the elderly man who lived across the street from my house and sat in his window every day just watching people pass by. It was written from his point of view. It was published in the “yearbook” for the Palumbo day camp I went to that summer. Unfortunately, I don’t have a copy of it. 

10. What does your editing process look like?

Editing is so fun. It’s where the magic happens. When I have a finished draft I like opening the file at various times, rereading it, and making tweaks as I comb through it.

11. What was the fastest you ever decided to DNF a book?

Does “DNF” mean “do not finish?” I hated reading Norwegian Wood and I put it down because I hated all of the characters and didn’t care what happened to them.

12. Which point of view is your favorite to write from and why?

I like them all. Second person can be really fun and challenging. My book a place a feeling something he said to you is written in the second person. I think close third feels really nice and natural. First person is cool too but can be annoying when you have to remind people it’s fiction!

13. What media besides books inspire you?

I love TV and movies. 

14. What’s your favorite TV show and why?

Probably Breaking Bad. I've watched it at least six times. It's dumb but incredibly well-crafted and exciting and the visuals are perfection. I can only hope to write a book that someone loves as much as I love that show.

15. Is writing your full-time job?

My full-time job is being a mom but I rarely stop thinking about writing.

16. How old were you when you first started writing?

Starting in the first grade I was writing stories, and I was making up stories before that.

17. What did you want to be when you were a kid?

I wanted to be a photographer but my dad said it was hard to make money in that profession and was also expensive to do. I really wish he hadn’t told me that. He could have at least encouraged me to pursue it as a hobby.

18. Do you write while on vacation?

I can't remember the last time I was on a real vacation. Vacations to me don't mean traveling somewhere and having a super full itinerary of sights to see. Vacations are time alone when I don't have to do anything or answer to anyone. During the early pandemic, I was working from home from the minute I rolled out of bed until very late at night and I wasn't getting that quiet time from commuting to. It burnt me out and I ended up requesting a week off from work so I could stay at home and work on my novel. It was great. I took walks around my neighborhood, ordered Popeyes chicken, and stayed up late listening to music loudly and typing away on my manuscript. I fantasize about going somewhere alone, staying in some fancy hotel or a beautiful villa with a pool, and just working on a project. Maybe someday!

19. What does “made it” look like to you? 

From what I’ve heard and experienced, no matter what is achieved it won’t feel like enough. We’re always going to want more because it’s not about getting things out of it, it’s about making them in the first place.

20. When do your best ideas come to you?

Classically, in the shower.

21.  What was your favorite class in school?

Social studies, in grade school. Mrs. Phillips, my teacher, was incredibly encouraging and showed me that I am a good writer.

22. What are some of your favorite writing-related resources that you would recommend to aspiring writers?

Just follow what interests you, read as much as you can about it, and try to expose yourself to subjects and styles that you might not normally seek out. And just write. There’s no magic formula but you have to put in work.

23. If a witch was going to turn you into an object beauty-and-the-beast style, what would you want to be?

A painting on a wall directly across from the television.

24. Who is your go-to character in Mario Kart?

I always choose Peach.

25. What was your biggest fear when you were 11?

My biggest fear and also my greatest intrigue: Bloody Mary

26.  What was the hardest part of working with multiple authors for the #ANTIWRIMO project?

Trying to calm down the control freak within.

27.  What do you like to listen to while writing?

For a while I was listening to Lana Del Rey exclusively while writing, then it was The Weeknd, but these days I only listen to reggaeton and latin trap.

28.  Do you have any future projects you're excited about?

There's usually something I'm excited about. I'm not sure what my new next big project will be but I'm having fun rolling with some ideas.

29.  What was the first book you ever truly loved? 

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.

If you'd like to learn more about the incredible Alexandra Naughton—or read more of her numerous works—check out her website at www.alexandranaughton.com or see her live at the “Ternion Launch Party” at Philly Small Works Gallery on July 27th. 

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Escaping Emily, part of The Ternion, is out now. You don’t want to miss this huge moment from Thirty West.