“I want [writers] to complete the class thinking, ‘I can do this!'” —Aaron H. Aceves
On Wednesday, March 25, Aaron H. Aceves will teach “Jack of All Platforms (Or Master of One): How to Cultivate an Online Following.” In this class, students will explore how to navigate social media platforms (that they may already spend too much time on) in order to find an audience of interested readers and make lasting professional connections. Learn how to build an online audience for your writing, and propel your writing career to the next level!
Aaron H. Aceves (he/him) is a bisexual, Mexican-American writer born and raised in East L.A. He graduated from Harvard College and received his MFA from Columbia University. His fiction has appeared in Passages North, Epiphany, and The Iowa Review, among other places. He has taught creative writing at UT Austin and with PocketMFA, and his debut novel, This Is Why They Hate Us, was released by Simon & Schuster. It received multiple starred reviews and was named a Best Young Adult Book of 2022 by Kirkus Reviews. He is the winner of Lambda Literary’s 2025 Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writer.
Here’s what Aaron had to share with us:
Who are your earliest influences? What people and books made you a writer?
I vividly remember reading Poppy & Rye by Avi in the third grade and that being the book that started me on my obsessive reading journey. Rain of Gold by Victor Villaseñor was the first book that empowered me to believe I could be a Mexican writer. Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz inspired me to write books that were Mexican and queer.
What writing challenges have you faced? What have these challenges taught you about your process?
My struggle with writing comes in revision. I hate incorporating other peoples’ feedback even if I know they’re right. I’ve learned time and time again that if other people other than myself are going to enjoy my work, I have to recognize the value of a third-party perspective.
From your perspective, what’s the most rewarding part about being a writer?
I’m torn between saying the mental escape of living someone else’s life/inhabiting their world when drafting and the joy of having readers express their solidarity with my most private thoughts after publication.
Who do you write for?
Myself. At first. I am my first audience, and if something isn’t working for me, there’s no point in continuing. Also, the things I write can be for my younger and future selves, which is why I write YA and about things that I have never experienced.
What do you hope writers will learn from your course?
I hope my many social media “mistakes” can yield some short cuts for them. I hope my countless hours of experimenting on various platforms inspires them and gives them confidence. I want them to complete the class thinking, “I can do this!”
—
Thanks, Aaron!
Click here to learn more about Aaron’s upcoming class.
