🆆 What is Writer-ish?

Writer-ish is about paying attention and embracing the fluidity of our creative lives. As a bestselling author and writing teacher with three decades of experience, I've found that our most powerful stories often emerge from small moments and careful attention.

I've built my literary career by listening to what is true for me and my work. This includes writing that's fun and commercial as well as writing that pays the bills. I've taken detours and had long stretches of non-writing while finding my way. Each pivot taught me something new about paying attention to what I needed as a writer.

My current passion lies in micro prose (300 words or less), a form that helped me transform a 90k+ novel into an award-winning chapbook of 36 prose poems. I’m all about trusting your instincts when it comes to deciding what to write next.

🆆 About Darien

I'm an international bestselling author (published as both Mia King and Darien Gee with Penguin Random House), poet, and writing coach with nearly 30 years of teaching experience. My work spans multiple genres—from full-length novels published in 11 languages to award-winning micro prose and poetry collections. Notable works include Other Small Histories (Poetry Society of America Chapbook Fellowship Award), Nonwhite and Woman: 131 Micro Essays on Being in the World (IPPY Silver Award), and Allegiance (IPPY Bronze Award). Most recently, I served as the Third Distinguished Mark Twain Writer-in-Residence at the University of Connecticut, following Alexander Chee and Justin Torres.

I teach at Hugo House, Craft Talks and UCLA Extension, and offer micro prose workshops and coaching through my teaching website at writer-ish.com. I recently joined the board of Short Reads, an online literary journal. I also serve on the Hawai‘i Island Leadership Council for Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. We moved around a lot when I was growing up. Now I live and write from the island of Hawa‘i, which has been my home for over 24 years.