Photo by Andria Lo
Jennifer Chen is a magazine editor, freelance writer, playwright, and
young adult author.
A nationally published freelance writer and senior editor for VegNews magazine, Jennifer loves writing and editing for magazines. Her first national article was for Bust magazine, interviewing young women who wanted to become nuns, titled “Get Thee to a Nunnery,” and that’s when she fell in love with magazine writing.
She has written for Every Day With Rachael Ray, Bust, Natural Health, Fresh Home,VegNews, Audrey, Rangefinder and AfterCapture. For her young adult novels, she is represented by Michelle Andleman of Regal Literary. Her craft career is profiled in Vickie Howell’s CraftCorps: Celebrating the Creative Community One Story at a Time. She was accepted to Hedgebrook, a women’s writers retreat, in May 2007. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Jennifer holds a BFA and MFA in playwrighting from the Department of Dramatic Writing.
She currently lives in Berkeley, California with her husband Brendan Hay, a TV writer, and their adorable lab, Buddy, and three-legged cat, Bentley.
To learn a little bit more about me, here’s an excerpt from my interview with Hyphen magazine.
What’s your number one tip for aspiring writers?
Make a writing schedule and stick to it. It’s the only way you’ll actually get writing done.
Why YA? What were some of your favorite young adult (YA) books growing up?
I’ve loved YA since I first picked up Baby-sitters Club and Sweet Valley High. It’s the time in your life when everything is a first — first time falling in love, losing friends, feeling unpopular, feeling like an adult. YA novels are thrilling, inviting, and innovative. My favorite YA books growing up were Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Modern-day YA books I love: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, and Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr.
Are you working on any future book projects?
Yes! I’m working on a young adult series. My agent, Michelle Andelman, at Regal Literary is helping me develop it. She’s a tremendous resource.
Finally, describe yourself in three words.
Crafty vegan writer.
