Matt Nagin interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

When did your love of books begin?

My love of books started in eleventh grade. I had a high school English Teacher who inspired me tremendously. His classes were creative and funky. He sprayed the class with flour from giant fans while 80’s movies played in the background. We had another session in an auditorium where he read us Edgar Allen Poe in the dark, his face illuminated only by flashlight. It was so different from other classes that I started wanting to read more. 

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

Around the same time, I took a poetry class in a Penn State Summer program I attended while still in high school. Poetry was exciting and new. I started writing a ton of poems on black and white marble notebooks. This led me into fiction classes, which I took while studying English Literature at Cornell. The feedback in these classes was positive, so I started to figure maybe I could become an author. 

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

The process has been great. It's fantastic getting your work out there. When you get positive feedback it's even better. The downside is it's hard to market books today and get decent sales. It’s also hard to get published in various markets, so you constantly deal with rejection. All that being said, I am very happy when I complete projects and put them out there. 

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Writing can be a liberating experience. I've found it's a great way to learn about yourself and maybe even exorcise some demons. That said, it is a challenging venture. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really feel the need to pursue it. 

Another pointer is to keep it fun. If you enjoy it, while writing, the audience most often will too. 

A third pointer is to try and make writing a daily habit. Particularly if you're writing a novel, it takes consistency and dedication. Don't wait for inspiration. Write every day. 

Tell us about your book/books:

My latest work is a humor book, Do Not Feed The Clown, consisting of 34 short pieces and it’s available on Amazon, B&N and at other outlets. The book satirizes various aspects of contemporary culture in a lighthearted way. I also published three poetry books, the latest being Notes From The Bonfire, that covers my experience getting covid in March 2020 and my reactions to the pandemic during that tumultuous time. 

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

The writing/reading community is very supportive. They will buy your books or encourage you. For me, this is one of the biggest positives of social media.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

I would thank them for checking out my work. That means the world to me. Any reader willing to check out my writing—which tends to push the envelope—and challenge the status quo—is terrific in my mind. I think that's a key purpose of creativity by the way....the Dionysian thing...to ruffle feathers and offer new perspectives that are often quite contrarian.

Where can people connect with you?

@MNagin on Twitter. @naginplease on IG. themattyworld.com for my website. I also have a monthly email blast that offers free jokes/videos, discounted show tickets, and more…DM me and I'll add you to my email list. Thanks!