The Strand Magazine Managing Editor Andrew F. Gulli
This week’s Writer Wednesday features Andrew F. Gulli!
Based in Detroit, Andrew is the managing editor of The Strand Magazine. He’s published newly discovered works by iconic writers such as John Steinbeck, Shirley Jackson, Louisa May Alcott and more. He also curates original short fiction from today’s leading authors and is co-editing The Best of The Strand Magazine: 25 Years of Twists, Turns, and Tales.
When he’s not working on the magazine, you can find him uncovering lost literary treasures in university archives, playing pickleball, painting and even stamp collecting!
Read more about him below and join him for a virtual workshop, “Crafting Suspense & Surprise in Short Fiction,” on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. EST.
What writing projects are you currently working on?
I’m finishing a literary novel-in-stories titled “The Man on the Tracks,” built from more than 40 interconnected pieces I’ve written over the past few years. I’m also working on essays, travel pieces and several new short stories.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
The moment when everything suddenly clicks — when after wrestling with a scene, luck, imagination or some hidden power helps it fall into place. It’s the rare moment that makes you pat yourself on the back … which isn’t easy after two hours of pickleball.
What does your writing workspace look like?
Organized chaos: small towers of books, notebooks scattered everywhere, a few Sherlock Holmes prints, and a perpetually refilled mug of tea. I usually write at a wooden desk by a window — sunlight helps me think.
When did you first discover your love for writing? Any key moments or influences?
I started writing as a kid, but my passion crystallized in my 20s when I realized how deeply stories shape us. If I had to pinpoint a single moment: “The Mousetrap” by Agatha Christie. It was the first non-children’s work I read, and it shocked me to my core. After that, I didn’t have much choice in what direction my life would take.
What is your favorite non-writing hobby?
Pickleball, traveling, exploring bookstores, painting abstracts and portraits in oils, stamp collecting (yes, one of the few who still does) and cooking.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
Don’t try to imitate anyone — a good editor can detect insincerity within a few paragraphs. Read your book as if your sworn enemy is reading it, ready to poke holes in every sentence. If you can withstand that test, you’ll have an editor-proof manuscript. Above all: put in the hours, do the work and believe in yourself. Too many timid writers let their voices gather dust.
Follow The Strand Magazine on Instagram at @strandmag and read more at strandmag.com.
— Interview by Olivia Han