Rachel Birnbaum is one of the funniest people I have ever had the pleasure of becoming friends with. She has a full-time gig as an advertising copywriter but she has always written longer form essays as a hobby. For the past few years, she has begun getting her very humorous pieces published in newspapers like Newsday and the New York Press. On July 25th, Rachel accomplished what many writers only dream of, she had an article about taxi etiquette published in The New York Times. I talked to Rachel to find out how she did it and what it meant to her.
When did you develop your love of writing?
I've been writing since high school. I initially began with creative fiction, composing lots of little short stories. Most of them have never seen the light of day, and probably never will. Unless of course you get me drunk enough. Then I’ll pull out my notebook from under the bed, and together we’ll understand why I soon switched over to writing non-fiction and personal essays.
What is your writing process?
For me, the process of writing is as much an emotional journey as it is a creative one. There are mini-triumphs, moments of dread, panic, procrastination, euphoria, relief. In high school I was on the cross-country team. Even though I was hands down THE slowest team member, I still experienced that runner’s high that people always talk about. When I construct a satisfying group of sentences or start to see an essay come together, I actually get a writer’s high.
What does writing essays fulfill for you that writing for your day job does not?
In my role as a copywriter, there’s actually less writing involved than one would imagine. In the age of 140 character sound bytes, advertising messages need to be quick and grab people instantly. (I’m sure I’ve lost at least 50% of your readers by now.) I actually like to be long winded. And it's nice to write freely without having to calculate where the sell copy comes in.
How long has being published in The NY Times been a goal of yours?
Oh, man. For a long time. I was published in Newsday a few years ago and the rush of seeing my name in print lit a fire under my ass. I have an incredible writing teacher named Sue Shapiro and she says that “clips are like crack.” Once you first see your name in print, you want to repeat that feeling as often as possible. I set my sights on many newspapers but The New York Times is obviously the gold standard.
Did you write your article with The Times in mind?
I’ve always been a fan of the Complaint Box column in the Metropolitan section of the Times and they accept unsolicited submissions. After a cab sharing experience I’d had not long ago, I felt I had an interesting enough angle to construct a piece that would be a good fit for the column. It took me about 4/5 weeks to write and edit the article. I tend to lack writing motivation for months, then suddenly find my groove and eat, sleep and breathe a story until it’s just right. But getting into The Times is tough, and I didn't actually think I'd hear back from them.
Did you get any feedback on your piece before you submitted it?
Prior to submission, my writing group and my writing teacher, Sue read my piece and offered feedback, criticism and suggestions for editing. I get attached to words and sentences, and trustworthy outsiders help me knock out extraneous or irrelevant tidbits that I wouldn’t have the heart to remove myself. UPDATE: Rachel's husband was allowed to read it as well but whether or not she followed his suggestions is unclear.
When did you find out it had been accepted?
I submitted my article the very first week of May and by the end of that month I got a maybe. In early July, I got confirmation over email that they were going to run it. I had just left a yoga class and I actually jumped up and down in the middle of a crowded street. I must have looked ridiculous but I was genuinely thrilled. I didn’t tell anyone about it in advance though, because I didn’t want to jinx it. I didn’t want to be the struggling actor who invites all of their friends over to watch their big scene…only to discover that their part ended up on the cutting room floor. So I kept my mouth shut for about three months. On July 25th, the day the piece appeared in the print and online editions of the paper, I called and emailed everyone I knew.
What was it was like seeing your name on a byline in The Times?
It is one of my biggest personal accomplishments to date. To be able to say that my writing has appeared in The New York Times is a huge coup. It also makes me want to churn out more and more of these little pieces and satisfy my publishing fix. Once something is published, it feels real. It’s out there in the world. And that’s much more gratifying than keeping it stowed away on my laptop. Or hidden under the bed for that matter.
Read Rachel's published NY Times article here
Read Rachel's published essay in The New York Press here