Who are you?
My name is Kyle Lukoff! I'm a former school librarian, now a full-time author, currently based in Connecticut.
What do you write?
My very first major writing project was a novel (maybe novella) that I hand-wrote on the back of scrap paper while working at Barnes & Noble. Writing soon became a major part of my life, but I never thought I'd be able to make it my full-time career, let alone that I'd have 20+ published books. Right now, my work is fairly evenly split between books focusing on trans characters/themes, and books that are more largely about feelings, relationships, and communication. Sometimes I daydream about what I would do if I won the lottery and never had to worry about money again, but all I can imagine is writing more books, which I think means that I’m incredibly lucky.
Where do you write?
I used to only be able to write in coffee shops and occasionally libraries; nowhere too quiet, nowhere too isolated. I’m an extrovert and focus best when I’m tuning out white noise. Then, when COVID hit, I had a whole novel to write and was only able to do it out of my tiny Brooklyn apartment. Now I can write from anywhere—airports, hotel lobbies, or my beautiful rolltop desk in my office at home. I mostly use my trusty laptop, but sometimes, especially picture books, I write with a notebook and pen. If I’m using my laptop I only ever write in Word, for some reason no other programs appeal to me.
When do you write?
I usually write in the mornings, but I can write any time before dinner if my schedule requires it. I can usually only work on a project for about two hours before my brain feels like it’s out of juice, but right now I’m on a tight deadline so I’m forcing myself to write at about twice the level I usually prefer to. I generally split a given project into chunks depending on where I’m at in the process—1000 words if I’m drafting, or a number of chapters if I’m in revisions (for example, if a book is 40 chapters and my deadline is in two months, I’ll try to work on two chapters a day, which means that it’ll take less than one month to go through it once, and then less than one month to go through it a second time. I usually manage three go-throughs in that amount of time. Fingers crossed I can keep that up with this current novel).
Why do you write?
I started writing as a way to make myself feel better. I was bored and lonely a lot after college, and “writing a short story” made me feel better than “I have nothing to do.” Then, once it started to seem like there was a market for trans stories by trans authors, I wanted to be part of that movement. And then, once I decided to leave my job to write full-time, it was the beginning of COVID, and I was bored and lonely all the time, and my trusty coping mechanism became how I was able to afford rent and health insurance. Now it’s just my job. A fulfilling, wonderful job that I am beyond lucky to have, but also just my job.
How do you overcome writer's block?
I’ve never had writer’s block, exactly (knock on wood). I’ve never felt so stuck that I couldn’t keep going the next day. But if I’m having a hard time figuring out how to move forward with this chapter, I usually take a break and do the dishes, or put away the laundry, and then try again. If I’m really stuck that just means it’s time to stop for the day. I usually figure it out by tomorrow.
Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?
I love cooking; it’s not unusual for me to spend two hours making dinner. I also like reading, jigsaw puzzles, hikes, and riding my bike.
My thanks to Kyle Lukoff for today's interview.
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