Go grab a cup of tea (or coffee, or whatever comforts you), settle in, and get ready to feast on some honest, soul-stirring truth.
Every time I talk to Derek Davidson, I come away feeling both deeply seen and quietly encouraged—like someone just handed me a lantern for the darker parts of the “thick forest” and the writing life.
Some conversations cut straight to the bone. This is one of them.
Derek Davidson speaks with raw honesty about the inner life of a working writer. From his defiant answers to a brutal inner critic—“I’m garbage, so be it; this garbage-person is still going to write”—to the slow, ornery persistence that keeps him returning to the page, Derek offers something far more valuable than polished inspiration: truth.
He talks about the ache of feeling “not enough,” the loneliness of pressing your face against the glass of the literary world, the shame of being a slow writer, and the fear that time (and memory) might run out before the work is done. And yet, in the darker seasons, he gathers his literary found family close—Borges, Eco, McCarthy, and the rest—and reminds himself: We create our own lineage.
This piece is for every writer who has ever battled self-loathing, imposter syndrome, or the quiet grief of a manuscript that takes longer than expected. It’s a reminder that the writing life is rarely glamorous, but it is deeply meaningful—especially when we show up anyway.
If you’ve ever needed permission to be imperfect and still write, this Q&A is for you.
Please share in the comments what resonates with you — Derek would love to hear it! And since he’s such an integral part of this community, let’s give this wonderful feature the celebration it deserves.
~Brandy