“Joe Lapin is one of those young men who seem born to write.  Rarely have I encountered such a person of such dedication to the craft and none who combine that single-mindedness of vision with such generosity of spirit.  Jump on his bandwagon while there is still room.”–Les Standiford, author of Desperate Sons and Director of the Florida International University Creative Writing Program.

I’m a freelance writer and a writer sprecialist/social-media strategist at a public-relations firm in Los Angeles, California.  I’m always seeking freelance editing and writing opportunities with magazines, newspapers, and businesses, but besides working during the day, my main focus is completing my memoir.

That’s my goal — to publish this book I’ve been working on now for almost eight years. And my blog will chronicle this journey. I will write about the writing life, the writing craft, sports, art, Los Angeles, travel, comedy, mental illness, nature, and family.  When you read my blog, I hope you will be surprised with every post, but you will feel linked by a consistent perspective and voice. My writing has been published in Salon, The Rattling Wall, LA Weekly, OC Weekly, The Village Voice, Pacific Standard, Sliver of Stone Magazine, and Literary Orphans. Check out my writing samples to see some of my previous work.

So far, my journey towards becoming a writer has brought me to many different parts of the country.  I grew up in a small town, Clinton, Massachusetts, and I left for college when I was seventeen.  Since, I have lived in Central Florida, Prague, France, Detroit, Miami, and Southern California.  Like my heroes — Kerouac, Hemingway, Twain — I want to understand my world through experience and travel.

Thanks for your time, and I appreciate the support. Feel free to reach out.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Lapin