Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA
Bio
Writer, bookworm, sci-fi space cadet, and coffee+tea fanatic living in Brooklyn. I have an MS in Integrated Design & Media and an MFA in Fiction from NYU. I share poetry on Instagram as @SleeplessAuthoress.
Achievements (7)
Stories (166)
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How to Share Your Opinion When You’re Terrified of Conflict
One of the most common pieces of advice I read on ideation and brainstorming topics to write about is to write about what makes you angry. I always cringe a little when I read this; I am notorious for picking harmless topics that no one can get offended over. I’m so afraid of conflict that I avoid controversial topics like they’re medieval plague doctors. I avoid subjects that I want to write about because I’m afraid of the reaction I’ll get.
By Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA6 years ago in Humans
Science Says Reading Can Improve Your Health
"Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world." ― Voltaire Reading is often elevated as a way for people to defend their knowledge, sound smart, or seem like important people. There are a lot of articles out there about how reading one million books a year will change your life. I'm exaggerating here, but you've also seen those articles.
By Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA6 years ago in Longevity
What Are the Benefits of Writing Motivational Poetry?
"Poetry puts starch in your backbone so you can stand, so you can compose your life." ― Maya Angelou Writing about dark emotions and even darker social commentaries can feel cathartic at times, but what does wallowing in those unpleasant feelings really help you on a personal level?
By Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA7 years ago in Poets
7 Pieces of Advice for Writers from Scott Belsky’s ‘The Messy Middle’
Scott Belsky is the Founder of Behance, the Chief Product Officer over at Adobe, an author, and quite a bit more. He’s a busy guy. Looking at his earliest pursuits, which are shared a lot in his book The Messy Middle, Behance was once a small startup trying to stay afloat. If you haven’t heard of it before, it’s the portfolio website for artists with a strong focus on helping creative professionals find work.
By Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA7 years ago in Journal
7 Ways to Maximize the Time You Spend Commuting
When people ask when you're joining the rat race, it sounds like such a dark and unpleasant way to describe working life. If you don't make the most of the time you spend on unfortunately necessary evils like commuting, it's going to feel a lot like a rat race taking part in a city's filthiest sewer.
By Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA7 years ago in Journal
