Critically acclaimed author, Andrew Lipstein, spoke to me about failure as an MFA, how he sold his first novel, why time spent not writing is also important, and his latest THE VEGAN. Andrew Lipstein is a Brooklyn-based writer who also works in finance and has a mathematics degree. His debut novel, Last Resort, was named a Top 10 Book of the Year by Slate, a 2022 Best Book by The New Yorker, a 2022 Best Book by Vulture, and a New York Times Editors’ Choice. His latest, The Vegan is described as a book about “....high finance, moral reckonings, veganism … guilt, greed, and how far we'll go to be good.” It was named one of Town & Country’s Must-Read Books of Summer, an i-D Magazine, ELLE, Literary Hub, and Our Culture Magazine’s Most Anticipated Book of 2023. Author Andrew Martin called it, “Crime and Punishment for the Brooklyn brownstone set," and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Joshua Cohen called it, “... a meaty comedy with a bleeding heart, highly recommended for all animals who read." [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Andrew Lipstein and I discussed:  Why he chose to use a pseudonym to sell his first book The moral ambiguities of money Why having a great editor feels like cheating What to do if you can’t find the time to write Why all of our best ideas come to us in the shower And a lot more! Show Notes: alipstein.com The Vegan By Andrew Lipstein (Amazon)  Andrew Lipstein Amazon Author Page Andrew Lipstein on Instagram Andrew Lipstein on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices