5 Millennial Writers You Should Have Read By Now
With a burgeoning population of millennial authors already assuming the position for fiction's next greats, there are still a many other talented young folks shifting taking fresh approaches to creative nonfiction. Yes, most of them blog as well, but their work amounts far beyond any of Hannah Horvath's memoirist ambitions.
1. Danielle Henderson
There's a good chance that you've either stumbled upon the Feminist Ryan Gosling "Hey girl" meme or flipped through the book at an Urban Outfitters somewhere, and you have Danielle Henderson to thank for those tongue-in-cheek Women's Studies quotes matched with dreamy images of the sensitive Gosling. Henderson, a graduate student of Women's Studies, says she started the meme as a joke with her classmates to help with studying. With the Tumblr now in syndication, Henderson continues to wrack up great writing credits and a new editor position at Rookie. She is currently working with The Feminist Press on her next project.
2. Stuart Schuffman
Stuart Schuffman, or broke-ass Stuart, as he calls himself, wants to be your resident go-to chief on all things inexpensive and fun. After marketing himself around San Francisco with zines about how to do awesome stuff even if you have very little money, he launched his site with tips on living cheaply in San Francisco in New York, with guest bloggers sharing their own broke-life adventures. In 2011 he released a book giving advice on everything from cheap airfare to road-tripping to dating when broke called Young, Broke, and Beautiful, which was also a short-lived yet fantastic travel show on IFC. The most empowering message? You can still have the fun of a rich kid, even on a budget of minimum wage and student loans.
3. Andrew Forsthoefel
This guy. After graduating college in 2011, Andrew Forsthoefel decided to accommodate his post-graduate curiosity with a journey across the United States — by foot. The blogged about his journey here, came back a year later, turned his audio footage into a radio documentary, and was featured on This American Life last month. The purpose of his journey, he said, was to ask the people he met along the way what advice they would give their 23-year-old selves. Now that he's returned home, he's working on a book about the experience, and if you listen to even ten minutes of the broadcast, you will be excited for it.
4. Madison Moore
Madison Moore just completed his PhD in American Studies at Yale, where he spent more time writing articles for VICE and Thought Catalog in New York than holed up in a library in New Haven. His specialties include alternative subcultures, "Lady Gaga and the High Heels of New Feminism," and lecturing on what we can learn from Tina Turner. Moore seems most fascinated with female pop icons and their moment in culture, recently completing an ebook titled, How to be Beyonce.
5. Leandra Medine
Better known as The Man Repeller, Leandra Medine brings a comedic voice to the usually stuffy/snobby discussion of high fashion and designer labels. She started blogging after graduating from the New School in 2011, and the Man Repeller has launched her into a go-to guide for typically strange, always quirky clothing combinations. In September her first book, Man Repeller: Seeking Love, Finding Overalls is slated for release, detailing her journey to sequin blazers in a voice that's Mindy Kaling meets Plum Sykes.
