writing on Vice

Anton Chekhov Versus Jeffrey Dahmer

For some reason I think about the cannibalistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer every time someone mentions Anton Chekhov, a forefather of the contemporary short story. I can’t help but want to draw them out, to put them together in a cage and watch their brains bump. And so the other day I started culling quotes from both and began to find weird intersections between their thoughts. Full story

A Black Flag Kid Wrote a Book of Poems

By now you've probably heard about the Black Flag reunion that everyone is creaming themselves over. What you might not have heard, however, is that Chuck Dukowski's stepdaughter, Mira Gonzalez, is publishing her first book of poetry, and it's the bee's knees. Full story

Prelude to 'Solo Piano Music'

Why the World Should Read Syria’s Fawwaz Haddad

Like much of the literary elite in Syria, Fawwaz Haddad has watched his country disintegrate over the past 20 months. His stories explore the limits placed on Syrian society, zig-zagging between high-minded principles and the dirty business of everyday life. Full story

Room Service with Tracey Emin and Gary Indiana

The following is a conversation between Gary Indiana and Tracey Emin at the Standard Hotel. In it, the pair discuss everything from writer's block to the fucking habits of the young and old. Somewhere along the line they order room service, too. Full story

James Greer: Making the World His Bitch (and Elephants)

Talking to the former Guided by Voices guy about kicking life's challenges in the dick, his new collection of short stories, and something about Steven Soderbergh and Broadway. Full story

All Advice Is Bad

The arbitrary brain feed of writerly legends who could easily be the faceless guy at the bar crying into his shoulder bag. Full story

BizarroCon Is the Writers’ Retreat From Hell

Eraserhead Press hosts the most insane literary minds this side of Ted Kaczynski's shack. Full story

Written in the Writing

Graphologists Read Between the Letters

Sheila Lowe has been analyzing handwriting for over 40 years. She looks at one scribbled line and can tell you all kinds of secret stuff about yourself. It’s scary. Full story

From Velvet

I'm Half Dead

I’m half dead from grief because I turned into trash. There was the day I hit my dog. I changed sides. I went to the killer side even though I was fraught with fear. I was garbage inside. I had become trash. What could I do if I couldn’t touch her without making her bleed. Full story