Meet NUNUM's Fall 2020 Contributor: Will McDonald

NUNUM

Blending Flash Fiction & Art

Interview with Will McDonald

Will McDonald lent our Fall 2020 issue a little piece of the absurd with his story about social media and Lenin and it has had us thinking ever since. 

Will was kind enough to give us a little bit of time recently to pick his brain about books, influences and the writing life.

What was the first book you remember picking and reading by yourself?

As a kid I remember picking out an abridged version of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. My mom was doing whatever she could to get me to enjoy reading and this is the first time I remember her ever telling me to put a book down. It was time to go to bed. I think the references to cannibals really intrigued me. In adulthood I believe it was The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara.  The scene in the back of the truck with the emotionless miners still haunts me to this day.

Oh I read that, a wonderful look into his early life. Let's get more recent, what was the last book you read that made you say damn that was a good book?

One of the few good things to come out of quarantine has been more time to read. So there’s been a few I’ve said that to!

I read Watchmen by Alan Moore for the first time. That is nothing short of a masterpiece and I am very thankful I read it before starting the TV series – which is also a masterpiece. Vincent Bevins’ book The Jakarta Method was fantastic and should be required reading for any American History class. I also re-read CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders recently. His ability to write with such spontaneity is really enviable and he does it in a way that is uniquely his own. Downtrodden Mary’s Failed Campaign of Terror might have my all-time favorite ending to a story. 

With the Watchmen I was nodding my head, and with the others, well you just gave me a few new books for the reading list. What about on holiday Will, who are you go-to writers?

Good question.  I read a lot of non-fiction and history, so it might be a biography. ​I’ve been really interested in the French Revolution over the last few years, and Peter McPhee has written a lot on the subject so maybe something from him.  

I might pull out a short-story collection, as well.  I am reading some of John Jodzio’s work right now, a fellow Minnesota-based writer.  He does a great job of incorporating humor into his work.

So that is who you like to read, what about influences, anyone in particular who influenced your decision to become a writer?

There certainly isn’t one writer or book that influenced my decision.  I think I am equally influenced by Shakespeare as I am The Onion, and everything in between.  As an undergraduate I really took to Raymond Carver and in reading him I felt like “this guy kind of sounds like me.”  In no way am I comparing myself to him, but just recognizing that similarity in voice probably had a big influence on my pursuit of writing.  

Other big influences have been Kurt Vonnegut, Simon Rich, and Key & Peele.

What about your current writing style, anyone you can point to as an influence? 

Sounding like a broken record here but… George Saunders. Noam Chomsky is someone else I’ve really taken to during quarantine and his writing has certainly started to impact my style and the themes I choose to explore.

There are a lot of craft books out there, any you would recommend?
​ 
I don’t think there is. I took some comedy writing classes that Scott Dikkers administrates through his website. I would recommend that to anyone looking to write comedy, humor, and/or satire. He has a book called How to Write Funny which is helpful.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting to send their work out to journals?

Hit that damn submit button already! Each rejection is an accomplishment in itself, so submit as much content and to as many publications as you can. There are some great new journals looking for fresh perspectives and original stories. Something you wrote that you might consider a throw-away piece might be really appealing to a certain audience.

Well said, what other media influences your writing?
​
Music and television are very influential in my idea generation process. I really admire people like Jordan Peele and Donald Glover, so I walk away from seeing just about anything they do with new inspiration. I mentioned earlier that I admire the journalistic work many are doing today. I think following independent journalists covering current events around the world impacts me and what I write. As someone who writes a lot of satire, this is doubly true.

Do you have a favorite quote?

“Poor men wanna’ be rich.  Rich men wanna’ be kings.  And the king ain’t satisfied ‘til he rules everything.” – Bruce Springsteen

I like how you pull in stuff from other mediums, and just out of curiosity, how did you hear about NUNUM?

I think I found NUNUM on Submittable and am very fortunate that they have decided to publish me! I was especially intrigued by the journal’s mission to weld together art and literature. I’ve read some of the archive issues, too. I really enjoyed Jeff Combs and Ryota Matsumoto’s collaboration in the Winter 2019 issue.

Will McDonald is a Minneapolis-based writer focused on fiction and humor.

His work has been featured in FEED Lit Magazine, Points in Case, and Robot Butt.  Aside from writing, he plays the guitar and performs improvisational comedy. 

You can keep up with Will on Instagram @yawnafterreading

Will McDonald from NUNUM's Fall 2020 Issue

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