Writing a novel is a lonely endeavor, one which requires 1000’s of hours in quiet solitude. Or so I used to consider. Within the years after the pandemic, I began assembly with 4 different writers — Jade Chang, Angela Flournoy, Aja Gabel and Xuan Juliana Wang — for normal work periods at Little Dom’s, the comfy Italian American restaurant on Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz. We sat cloistered in a nook sales space and adhered to the Pomodoro technique, rising the same old 25 minutes of labor to 40, with breaks in between to speak, over big meatballs in marinara sauce, fried potatoes with garlic and lemon, butter lettuce Italian tuna salad. What did we speak about in these breaks? Seldomly about our e book initiatives — however all the pieces else, from the intense to the frivolous. The purpose wasn’t to share pages or workshop chapters. All of us had printed one e book and have been writing our sophomore manuscripts. The purpose, merely, was being collectively, bearing witness to one another’s lives, week by week, as girls and as mates.
This fall, three from our group have new novels out: Jade Chang’s “What a Time to Be Alive”; Angela Flournoy’s “The Wilderness”; and Aja Gabel’s “Lightbreakers.” We met up for lunch, no laptops this time, to replicate on the years since we started assembly for “poms.”
Jean Chen Ho: So, how did we begin writing collectively at Little Dom’s?
Jade Chang: I believe that we began with solely working collectively sometimes. And I really feel like there was slightly skepticism. However then folks appreciated it …
Aja Gabel: I used to be very skeptical. I by no means labored with different writers earlier than.
Jade Chang, left, wears a classic tuxedo shirt and customized pants; Angela Flournoy, heart, wears a classic vest, Melody Ehsani earrings and classic customized bracelets and rings; Aja Gabel, proper, wears an Ali Golden gown.
Xuan Juliana Wang: The pomodoros helped.
AG: Yeah, setting the timer. I had an workplace that I paid for, after which I’d typically go to satisfy up with you guys at Little Dom’s, and I began to understand I’d get extra completed in a shorter period of time, with you guys. Normally if I attempt to work with somebody, I’d simply speak and speak and speak and speak and speak, be completely distracted. However as a result of all people was actually centered on their novels …
Angela Flournoy: I imply, it’s very onerous to write down a second e book. So it helped to really feel such as you’re not alone. I additionally suppose that for me, I put apart my skepticism as a result of I had been inside, loads, speaking to a baby all day. I wanted to be exterior, speaking to adults.
JCH: How far alongside was everybody on their e book initiatives earlier than the poms and co-working began?
AF: After I began working with you guys, in January of 2022, I used to be engaged on my memoir. I gave myself till June, then I bought the e book by August. After which the second 12 months of poms, 2023, was all novel. I hadn’t actually labored on it since 2019. It was dormant as a result of I used to be taking good care of a baby.
JC: I knew what I needed to write down, I knew how I needed to write down it, however I hadn’t actually discovered the voice but for this novel. I had a number of notes, pages and pages.
AG: After I actually began writing with you all, I had a draft however was like, “God, it’s good to repair this.” This was just like the fifth or sixth draft. I did the entire last draft with you guys, which was sort of a page-one rewrite. I simply began originally and rewrote all the pieces once more. I pulled some stuff from earlier drafts.
“The sheer pleasure of creating up tales about folks whereas sitting there with different people who find themselves so good at making up tales is simply so enjoyable.”
XJW: I used to be at a spot the place I couldn’t write something. Generally it was simply having that set time, forcing your self to write down something down. After the pandemic, and after having youngsters, it was like I forgot who I used to be and tips on how to be — after which it took the poms, half-hour at a time, to recollect who I used to be once more, a author.
AF: That’s lovely.
AG: I had been writing and rewriting this novel since I bought it in 2020. I felt like I won’t end it. However I believe seeing how decided you guys have been to complete jogged my memory that that’s the mode it’s important to be in.
JC: Oh, no. Is our closest equal like being a run membership?
JCH: Ew! No —
AF: Completely not.
JC: I assumed run golf equipment are about, like, not being aggressive, and everybody ending? I imply, the very last thing I’d ever do is be part of a run membership, so actually, I don’t actually know.
AG: Once we did poms, I must include a plan as a result of we solely had the 40-minute chunk, so I used to be like, “I’m gonna do that scene right now.” And once I’m alone, I believe I’d simply be like, “What’s my feeling right now?” After which it could take eight hours, and I’d get the identical scene. At a sure level, whenever you’re writing a novel, you simply want to complete it. You may’t simply really feel your method by.
“I imply, it’s very onerous to write down a second e book. So it helped to really feel such as you’re not alone.”
AF: I really feel like there was a second Jade began cracking the whip slightly bit at work. We began having timed breaks. Earlier than that, the size of the breaks in between working was purely primarily based on vibes!
AG: Who was accountable for making the poms longer?
AF: Did they was half-hour? 25? That wasn’t sufficient time.
JCH: Effectively, I’ve to say it’s very inspiring as the one who hasn’t completed their novel to see all of you guys get there, and now your books are all popping out this fall. Are you able to speak about the way it feels to not solely have written these books collectively, however to be in the identical publication season?
JC: It’s a lot enjoyable! What a bizarre shock and deal with. After I printed the primary e book, I solely knew one different one that had ever written a e book. I didn’t know another writers. I hadn’t gotten an MFA. I didn’t have mates the place you get the behind-the-scenes story of how the e book was written.
AG: Yeah, as a result of we have been there when the stuff was made, you realize? After I had the primary e book out, there have been people who I’d see who got here out similtaneously me, and I used to be like, they will need to have completed one thing higher than me. However all of us have been collectively when these items was all getting cooked. I do know all of us labored onerous. Are you and Julie going to come back out in the identical season?
JCH: I hope so!
AG: Is our publication affecting you guys?
JC: Yeah, have you ever been nervous?
JCH: Oh, it’s a lot enjoyable when it’s not occurring to you. Not one of the nervousness.
XJW: Yeah, it’s method extra enjoyable!
JC: Actually?
XJW: It makes me really feel like it’s doable for me to complete writing the second e book. Watching you three do it, it wasn’t like I obtained the spark and I simply abruptly rushed the tip of this e book. It takes time.
“This was a group of mates that, even when I hadn’t completed my second e book, I’d nonetheless be actually grateful for.”
JC: No, it’s a slog for everyone.
JCH: We’d at all times speak very organically about issues that we’re having in our books that we needed to resolve, however it at all times felt like we have been simply assembly up as mates. And we met up a lot exterior of doing pomodoros too. Plenty of occasions we might go straight to completely satisfied hour after writing, or we might eat dinner collectively, or we might go to literary occasions collectively. There’s a lot we learn about one another, like having to handle youngsters, household stuff, making an attempt to get jobs, relationship, engaged on screenplays, occurring pitch conferences or the entire different issues that come up. Being a author is only a small a part of the entire image, to me, of our very wealthy and really nourishing friendship.
XJW: One factor you guys taught me, which I wouldn’t have realized exterior of this, was when Jean obtained her web page proofs again, you have been really having enjoyable doing all of your web page proofs at pomodoros. I at all times thought web page proofs have been pure torture. And then you definitely guys have been making it so enjoyable, in a superb temper. That’s the final a part of modifying the e book earlier than it comes out, you’re not supposed to consider it because the worst chore ever. Once we have been working collectively, I used to be at all times in a superb temper. I’m going to get by this chore. After which, you realize, have a drink.
JC: Oh, sure, having treats in any method is sweet.
JCH: How did we begin making Little Dom’s our essential writing workplace? As a result of we began at Alcove, and we tried different locations.
AF: On the weekends Julie introduced her youngsters there, I introduced mine there. So it wasn’t like we have been simply there throughout weekdays, working. And simply speaking to the individuals who work there, Danny, Laura, Noah, Emily. And in addition at all times being, like, for those who want me to maneuver, inform me to get the f— out of right here. Not being entitled to the area. As a result of, I imply, we must always acknowledge that it’s not what you’re purported to be doing, opening your laptop computer at a restaurant!
AG: I believe they have been charmed by the truth that we have been all mates, too.
JCH: OK, final query. What has been your favourite a part of this pomodoro writing expertise and being on this group?
JC: The sheer pleasure of creating up tales about folks whereas sitting there with different people who find themselves so good at making up tales is simply so enjoyable.
AG: This was the primary good friend group that I had in L.A. That’s actually necessary. Some folks don’t have that, a bunch of mates that they will hang around with often. Like, I’ve a number of mates, right here and there. However this was a group of mates that, even when I hadn’t completed my second e book, I’d nonetheless be actually grateful for.
AF: I believe the factor that made me notice how a lot enjoyable pomodoros felt like is once I needed to actually conceal to complete the e book. I used to be like, oh, that is hell! I wrote so many 1000’s of phrases, however I’m simply alone at residence, making my again damage, hunched over my desk. However I simply wanted to go slightly feral.
XJW: I really feel like I couldn’t have imagined one other option to reemerge into the world, after the pandemic. All the pieces was there, friendship and mother recommendation and making Friday evening plans, and we may riff off of one another and speak about all the pieces. All my favourite issues. Even when nothing else was going effectively, I had this area.
