try writing a book under these circumstances

I really hate to be reminded that I left behind a literary utopia, but there may be something to Sara Gran's anxiety of influence argument.

Let me tell you the hard truth: Brooklyn is the worst place on earth for a writer. The competition is fierce and sometimes deadly. The “local authors” shelf in your bookstore has Kathryn Harrison and Paul Auster. Take your laptop to your local coffee shop to do a little work, and you’re likely to find Touré (“Soul City”) sitting at one end of the counter and Norman Mailer at the other.

Jonathan Safran Foer and Nicole Krauss might be sharing the vegetarian special at a booth in the back, and don’t be surprised to find Colson Whitehead and Darin Strauss commiserating about book tours over coffee and pie.

The phrase “anxiety of influence” takes on a whole new meaning when your influences are right there in the room with you, eating lunch.

(This article actually brought back some fond memories of accosting Darin Strauss on the F train before I discovered he was spoken for. I had tangentially met him at Galapagos during his Real McCoy tour as part of a hilarious Little Gray Book lecture that somehow ended with me winning a copy of Fargo Rock City from Chuck Klosterman for guessing the right answer to something I now don't recall. Klosterman signed the book - "To Chris: You are the queen of rock" - my second favorite inscription ever.)
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