Grow Your Writing with Julián
Julián Delgado Lopera (he/they) is the author of The New York Times acclaimed novel Fiebre Tropical (Feminist Press 2020), Winner of the 2021 Ferro Grumley Award and a 2021 Lambda Literary award; finalist of the 2020 Kirkus Prize in Fiction and 2021 Aspen Literary Prize. Julián is also the author of ¡Cuéntamelo! (Aunt Lute 2017) which won a 2018 Lambda Literary Award and a 2018 Independent Publisher Book Award. Julián’s fellowships and residencies from The New York Public Library, The National Endowment for the Arts, Black Mountain Institute, Creative Work Fund, Hedgebrook, California Arts Council, San Francisco Arts Commission, Headlands Center for The Arts. Their work has appeared in Granta, Teen Vogue, The Kenyon Review, McSweeney’s, The Rumpus, The White Review, to name a few. They are the former executive director of RADAR Productions and one of the founders of Drag Queen Story Hour. Julián has lectured and taught creative writing at Tin House, San Francisco State University, UNLV, NYU, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Catapult, VONA. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Julián currently resides in San Francisco. Their second novel is forthcoming from Liveright. Watch their TED Talk Here.
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Apply to join Julián’s small group of writers that they will lead through our unique 12 week mentoring and workshopping program.
Learn More about Julián with Our Mentor Interview
What excites you most about writing?
“Weaving stories, delving deep into a character’s life, feeling the texture of a specific word is my absolute favorite past-time. Surprising myself with the unexpected turns in my writing process. I grew up during a civil war watching telenovelas in my grandmother’s house. I learned about language through my grandmother, nail salons, grocery stores and the absurdity of surviving through so much violence. Storytelling has always been at the core of how I’ve engaged with the world. It’s with me when I wake up and throughout my day. Writing is my longest relationship, the most challenging one, one that has nourished my life in surprising and profound ways,” Julián said.
What mindset does a writer need to grow?
“A soft discipline is essential. Waiting for inspiration is fruitless. Showing up to your work consistently is what forges growth as is making space for all the different aspects of writing: community, research, reading, etc. Curiosity about one’s own process, what works for you i.e what time of the day am I at my best? What do I need around me to work? What kinds of routines better support my writing process? Supporting other writers is also essential for one’s growth. As in, attending readings, exchanging work with others, being in dialogue with writers. Reading widely. That is, read everything and anything. Read books in translation. Styles that are very different from your own. Read poetry, a lot of poetry. Read cereal boxes, tv guides, menus.”
What three words best describe you as a mentor?
“Supportive, insightful, and encouraging.”
What makes a good writing mentor?
“A good writing mentor pays close attention to the writer’s vision for their work. This allows the mentor to provide personalized guidance and constructive feedback that respects the writer’s voice. Offering honest feedback is also crucial. Pointing out strengths as well as areas for growth. In addition, a good mentor has been around literature for a second and has read widely. This means, the mentor has spent enough time steeped in literature and the literary world but also has read literature in translation, literature very different from their own style. Writing is a very vulnerable, iterative process therefore patience and encouragement are also crucial in a mentorship relationship. As is honest, consistent communication. Lastly, a good mentor can adapt their approach to better suit the needs of the writer.”
What is your style of feedback?
“I ask the writers to submit with their manuscript a one-page of “writing ones” which includes a description of the writing process, craft choices and any major questions they have for this round of feedback. The notes give me a sense of the writer’s vision and what to focus on when reading. I like to highlight places in the text that feel vibrant and also places where I have questions or where some of the issues the writer is bringing up feel activated. I do a lot of work on the actual manuscript. Finally, I like to have a conversation. This part is very important, to have an oral feedback session.”
What was the most recent "standout" book you read?
“I recently re-read 100 Years of Solitude for the 5th time. I love re-reading books. There’s a deeper and nuanced experience when re-reading a book. I went back to that novel because it’s such a masterpiece and the project that I am currently working on is set in a similar fictitious place where ghosts and the supernatural are part of every day. Also, it’s such an exquisite drama and it’s part of my people’s literature.”