The hardest thing I've ever written: inquirer.com/opinion/comment… via @phillyinquirer

“The best images develop in time. And in time, I mean in split seconds, so that at first you see the topic, you see what it’s an image of, and then you get it. When you get it, you laugh or you don’t, but you have completed the circle.” —Françoise Mouly ow.ly/fpMz50ZWGgK

“Barbie and I were both born in 1952. So, she and I had a lot in common. And she was a way for me to express my creativity. And I did, I took it really seriously.” —Debra McGuire ow.ly/M2i05100Pmr

“Before the internet, the MTV logo was my internet. When that thing flickered on the screen, it changed every single time you looked at it. You knew what was going on in the world at the time.” —Craig Elimeliah ow.ly/nNqP50ZYLJT

“I wanted to build a life where I didn’t need conventional systems to grant me permission. I wanted to build my own universe instead.” —Craig Mod ow.ly/2KzU50ZWGfq

Today, on The Rumpus book club! I will be talking with the brilliant NYT bestselling author MIN JIN LEE about her epic new novel ‘American Hagwon.’ Register free here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi…

Renowned portrait photographer Platon and designer Scott Dadich have collaborated on iconic imagery for over 25 years. In part one, they explore Platon’s life and career, from his childhood to photographing some of the world’s most powerful figures. ow.ly/tl5I5100Xms

“Brands become powerful when they stop acting like corporations and start behaving more like living, evolving human beings.” —Bobby Hundreds ow.ly/NqM650ZWGfk

“The lesson wasn’t to make it perfect before sharing it. The lesson was to put the work out there, learn from it, listen to what people respond to, and keep building. That’s how ideas—and people—grow.” —Piera Gelardi ow.ly/Vac850ZWGeO

My latest essay for @time magazine is a personal one, and reflects why I think writing an essay “as punishment” is an act of obedience, not redemption. Link to read for free is here: time.com/article/2026/10/22/…

“People are generous, and people are hungry for meaning. When we value something, we show it. You can’t sell meaning.” —Maria Popova ow.ly/O8Qe50ZWGeu

“I relish my ignorance. I think it’s actually one of my secret weapons, because, again, the artists have to explain things to me, and it has to make sense, even to someone who is not in the know.” —Françoise Mouly ow.ly/lxYW50ZWGe3

“I want this book to make it harder for people to deny the humanity of trans people. The language used about trans people is intentional. It invites people not to see a human being.” —Laverne Cox ow.ly/x41550ZWGcL

“I was looking at the internet, and everything just seemed like wet clay. It just seemed like this place where you can really come and put your fingerprints on it in a way that film or print just didn’t feel as accessible at the time.” —Craig Elimeliah ow.ly/7gOh50ZYLIZ

“Mind wandering is not wasted time. Some of our most important thinking happens in the moments when we stop forcing ourselves to be productive.” —Manoush Zomorodi ow.ly/ii4y50ZWGcf

“I looked at all these incredible job offers and thought, ‘Someone else can do that job. What’s the thing that only I can do?’ Independent work nourishes the soul in a way that scale never could.” —Craig Mod ow.ly/mvaY50ZWGbv

“What you need to do is deeply understand the people you serve and create real, authentic solutions that they truly need, both functionally and emotionally.” —Mauro Porcini ow.ly/Riy450ZWGbf

From Friends and Freaks and Geeks to Anchorman, costume designer Debra McGuire has shaped some of Hollywood’s most iconic looks. She joins to discuss her creative journey, storytelling through costume, and her new book, Dressing the Story. ow.ly/SbsU50ZYYyR

“Perfectionism and that voice that says, ‘Don’t be cringe. Don’t put yourself out there,’ are shrinking forces. Our life force, our spirit, is here to expand us. We have to find workarounds for the voices that keep us playing small.” —Piera Gelardi ow.ly/ChZY50ZWGa5

“I’ve never been interested in staying in one lane creatively. Every chapter of my career came from following curiosity instead of following a blueprint.” —Bobby Hundreds ow.ly/WuY750ZWG93

“Rejection is the hardest part of my job, by a long shot. It’s very easy to call somebody and say, ‘Hey, you got an okay,’ and discuss the logistics of when the finish should come in. It’s very hard to break somebody’s heart.” —Françoise Mouly ow.ly/kBg450ZWG8L