Welcome!
Thanks for checking out Write at the Edge, a newsletter dedicated to the craft of writing. I’m Mallary Tenore Tarpley, a professor, journalist, and author whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, TIME, and more.
My debut nonfiction book, Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery, was published by Simon & Schuster’s Simon Element imprint in August 2025 and is now available for purchase. Through a mix of personal narrative and journalistic exploration, the book blends my own lived experience with anorexia and my quest to understand the cultural, scientific, and genetic factors that contribute to eating disorders and recovery from them.
Below you’ll find more details about this newsletter.
Why did you start Write at the Edge?
I began publishing personal essays about my eating disorder in my early twenties, with hopes of one day writing a book. I loved sharing my story and hearing from readers who said my essays helped them feel less alone. But by my late-twenties, I began to feel as though I was writing variations of the same personal essay over and over again. I had found a storyline that seemed safe to share and easy to write, and it was hard for me to stray from it. I also had trouble finding time to hone my craft — so much so that there were stretches when I hardly wrote at all. As someone who identified as a writer but wasn’t writing, I felt like a fraud.
To jumpstart my creativity (and write a book), I needed to step up to the edge of my discomfort. I needed to challenge myself to go deeper, explore new themes, and experiment with different forms. As a working mother of two young children, I also needed to figure out how to fit writing into my daily routine. For me, that meant writing in the early-morning edges of the day — when the house was silent and my time was my own.
Along the way, I’ve been inspired by other writers’ work and wisdom. This newsletter’s title, “Write at the Edge” is a nod to the following advice:
—"Write at the edges of the day.” ~Toni Morrison. As a single mother of two boys, Morrison knew what it was like to have to squeeze in writing time whenever she could.
— “Where is an edge — a dangerous edge — and where is the trail to the edge and the strength to climb it?” ~Annie Dillard. In her book The Writing Life, Dillard encourages writers to consider this question.
With this newsletter, I want to help you find time to write in the edges of the day (wherever they may be). And I want to help you brush up against, and then push past, the edge of what you think is possible.
What kinds of topics do you cover?
I send writing-related tips and best practices every Thursday. Though I mostly draw upon my experience in nonfiction, my tips are relatable to writers across genres. Write at the Edge tackles a variety of topics, including:
How to make more time for writing
How handle procrastination and writer’s block
How to be your own best editor
How to get better at receiving, and giving, writing-related feedback
How to handle rejections
How to capture dialogue and details
How to read like a writer
How to make your writing less wordy
How to tune your writing voice
How to find a focus
How to develop strategies for outlining and structuring stories/articles/book chapters
How to corroborate memory and fact-check details
How to incorporate source materials (interviews, records, journal entries, etc.) into your writing
How to write sensitively about mental health issues
How to care for yourself when writing about heavy topics
I also occasional updates on my forthcoming book, including behind-the-scenes tips for those who want to learn more about the publishing process.
How can I connect with other subscribers?
We have a special Substack Chat feature for paid subscribers, where I send out weekly writing prompts and answer subscribers questions. Non-paying members can interact with others in the comments section of each post.
How much does it cost to subscribe?
It’s free to subscribe, but if you’d like to support my work and receive additional perks, you can become a paid subscriber for $7/month or $75/year. Here are the perks you’ll receive:
1.) A Substack Chat feature specifically for paid subscribers.
In this chat, we’ll build a sense of community and will share writing-related updates, questions, challenges, and wins. I’ll answer your writing-related questions and will share weekly writing prompts.
2.) A 30-minute 1:1 coaching call.
During this call, you can ask for advice/seek coaching support on anything related to writing or the path to publication.
By way of background, I’ve delivered writing trainings for universities across the country and for organizations such as The Washington Post, The Poynter Institute, the Society for Features Journalism, the Writers’ League of Texas, and more. As a journalism/writing professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of the new memoir SLIP, I especially enjoy coaching writers who are working on projects that align with my areas of expertise: journalistic writing, memoir/memoir+, narrative nonfiction, and reported personal essays.
Once you become a paid subscriber (and if you already are one), you’ll receive a Calendly link where you can sign up for a 30-minute call.
3.) Discounts on upcoming trainings.
I’m planning to launch some reasonably priced self-directed trainings related to the memoir+ genre later this summer. Paid subscribers will receive a discount code for each course. Stay tuned for more details later this spring.
I hope you’ll consider becoming a paid subscriber.
(You can also show your support by spreading the word with others who you think would find this newsletter interesting/helpful.)
Whether you’re a longtime writer or an aspiring one, a paying subscriber or a free one, I’m confident you’ll get a lot out of Write at the Edge.
Thank you for joining me!
~Mallary
