
From the Desk of … Carmen Maria Machado
This week I asked fiction writer, critic, and essayist Carmen Maria Machado to share a picture of her desk and answer the question: Messy or clean?
I’ve always really loathed the pervasive, smug aphorism that clutter on one’s desk is a sign of genius, and order signifies a person without creativity. My own has its tchotchkes and supplies, but I always keep it tidy. I have difficulty working if things are out of place. If my workspace is messy, it means that I’m stressed out, that something’s seriously wrong. All of my best work—fiction and nonfiction alike—has been born and wrought at a neat, clean desk. – Carmen Maria Machado
- From the Desk of … Camille Rankine - July 26, 2016
- From the Desk of … Janice Lee - July 19, 2016
- From the Desk of … Chloe Benjamin - July 5, 2016