certified princess: double the inspiration
a people's princess x the certified reader's department crossover about inspiration striking from the most random of things
this post is a collaboration between sarah (people’s princess) and amanda (the certified reader’s department). the two are internet besties and writers who are obsessed with each other.
Let’s chat about some movies that inspired us to write.
Sarah: Before Sunrise changed my life. I can’t remember the first time I watched it, but I’ll never forget how watching two people communicate so directly about such interesting topics made me want to share my deepest thoughts with others. It’s such a beautifully written script, with many topics (from reincarnation to sex and love) taking center stage as these two young people converse and walk through Vienna. Celine and Jesse communicate and find commonalities just through their words, and that has always been so beautiful to watch. I love the Before trilogy as a whole, but the first movie is just one of those that will always be something special to me.
Amanda: Oh, totally “The Florida Project” (dir. Sean Baker). I’ve spent my whole childhood going back and forth to Orlando. It was this really intriguing place for me as a kid because I loved all that magic, it felt almost like an idyllic place, but you’re definitely met with reality as soon as you walk on the streets, you see many people like the protagonists of the movie there. I couldn’t understand why all the floridian kids couldn’t go to disneyland every once in a while like I did sometimes. The disparity I saw really stuck with me, and it was decisive to make me want to write. Writing helped me understand the world around me, and it helped me to notice all the other disparities surrounding me. That’s why I made sure that “A discussion about privilege” was one of the first pieces to be posted on my account. It was a piece that highlighted some incredible authors that didn’t go to the best schools or colleges, and were often met with many adversities, such as prejudice and extreme poverty. There are great writers out there, just waiting for a chance, and they can be at those same Florida streets that I walked by as a kid. Anyway, you can tell I was deeply moved by watching the movie. It was a life changing experience.
Name a book that’s been a huge inspiration to you and your writing.
S: I have too many books that have been inspiring to me. I could list Elena Ferrante, Carmen Maria Machado, Sally Rooney, and Elif Batuman as some writers whose personal style and the books that they’ve published have had profound impacts on myself and my writing, but I would be remiss to not focus on Joan Didion. The first time I encountered Joan Didion’s writing I was 17, a junior in high school, I was writing an essay that required academic sources, and I ended up using her “California Baseball.” While my 17-year-old brain absorbed and enjoyed her writing, it wasn’t until years later, when I read Play It as It Lays, that I fully realized how brilliant she was. Play It as It Lays is one of my favorite books of all time, it’s a huge reason why I want to keep doing this, writing and getting better. I’ll always be astounded by Didion’s ability to integrate topics like abortion, mental health, and relationship turmoil into the background of 1960s California, which is almost a character in itself. It’s not uncommon, to be a woman and a writer, especially a personal essay writer, and see Joan Didion as an inspiration, and it makes sense; she possessed a generational talent, and her writing conveyed feeling, scenery, and little detail, in a way I can only aspire to reach. I know a lot of you found me from my “should we call Joan Didion essay” and you know what, call her up so I can tell her what this book means to me.
A: The White Album by Joan Didion. There’s something in that book, man. I swear to God. That book showed me that if you’re talented enough, you can literally write about anything and you can make it interesting. It also made me want to get a platform to shoutout writers that talked about many subjects, subjects that you wouldn’t even consider to be worth writing about. Magic. The same thing goes for Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. I am totally, extremely biased when it comes to talking about Tony, because I’m solely known by writing a whole post about how much he inspires me to some people here, on Substack. There are some “Anthony Bourdain girls” on this app, and I’m more than happy to be one of them. He inspires me to write, and to write about anything, really. Whenever I upload anything here, my only thought is always “Please, find it interesting, guys.”
Are there any articles that stick with you and encourage you?
S: Oh my god I have so many articles that I’m OBSESSED with, but one that I think about non-stop is
’s “standing on the shoulders of complex female characters.” It’s the essay that inspired me to start writing on Substack. I’m constantly in awe by how eloquently she conveys such incredible topics and has never veered from remaining 100% true to herself in all of her writing. I love all your pieces, Amanda. They always come from the heart and you constantly remind me why I love to write. And then I have a million more articles I could go on about. I love profiles of artists. I love long investigative pieces. Some of my classmates from college journalism courses wrote the most amazing pieces I’ve ever read. I love ’s “growing up lonely.” Any of ’s posts are incredible, but his recent piece, “boyhood” still lingers with me. It’s always so rewarding to see what writers I admire are publishing, they’re my inspiration, I’m their biggest fan.A: Your articles are a huge writing inspiration!! I’m obsessed with everything my friends are doing recently, and having deep, long conversations with them about their articles really helps me to come up with ideas for my own projects. It’s truly special. Honestly, there are some weeks that are totally blank on my calendar, and when I have to come up with something last minute, reading many of my friends’s newsletters definitely is something that inspires me.
Share a person who has inspired you to write.
S: This is the hardest question for me. My mom gave me my first journal so in a way she started this whole thing. But I think I need to shoutout some of my college professors. I was very lost during that time and my mental health was abysmal but they reminded me what I loved about writing, and that was very healing for me. I found so much personal clarity through long talks with some of my professors. One in particular pushed me so hard, she knew what I was capable of and would not go easy on me and I know for a fact it made me a stronger writer and person. I have so much admiration for these women, they are incredible and possess insane amounts of writing talent.
A: My grandmother. I talk about her a lot in my pieces, actually. She taught me to own my shit, because she lived in a time when men would always get credit for a woman’s brilliance and hard work. That being raising children, or making literal art pieces, as paintings and poetry. I like to write and I own it. Literally. I’m only here because she taught me that. And it saddens me that even now, I see some men that get basically all their ideas from many girls being called “vulnerable and profound”, meanwhile the best compliment we can get is “you’ll get there.” So ladies, copyright your work and be safe! You’re all fantastic writers. Own it.
What inspires you to write?
S: At the risk of sounding cliche, everything really! Inspiration lies in all of the small little places you never expect to find it, and I constantly surprise myself with ideas. I have a running list of ideas of things I want to write about (some of them making way more sense than others) and every time I add to it, I find myself more and more excited to actually sit down and write. I think I find a lot of inspiration (at least for the writing I do on substack) in discourse. I love interesting conversations and topics that creep into my brain and get stuck there, so the more I think about something, the more intense my desire to write about it becomes. I’ve always been someone who is fascinated by everything around me, my parents always talk about how as a baby I was somewhat restless and always looking around, and I think that still is true today. There’s so much for me to see and hear and think about and I want to share the feelings that come up from all of that with everyone.
A: I think what inspires me to write is the insatiable ( really insatiable) desire to connect with people. I grew up being a really quiet, nerdy child and I feel like my frontal lobe developed earlier and now I just want to talk about anything with anyone. Some people collect stamps or special editions of books, and because I never had it for so long, I consider myself a “true connections” collector. Some people don’t believe me, but I truly do remember every single one of the commenters on my posts and on my notes, and I really take their words with me. I truly keep them in my heart. We’re constantly so tired from work or so stressed out when things don’t go our way, that we forget how special human connections are, and how some of us are craving for it. To be understood by people was a huge breakthrough for me, and to be appreciated for expressing my thoughts was something that I would never imagine happening to me in a million years. That’s why I cherish it so much. Oh my god, when you and a person just… *click*. It’s literally something out of this world. That inspires me.
What are future writing goals?
S: I’m very much a take things one moment at a time person, partly because of nerves and my ever-present fear that things won’t work out the way I want them to. I think when it comes to writing, it’s so important to me, so the idea of putting myself out there and not being received well is terrifying to me, but substack has demonstrated that people do care, and that means the world to me. I want to keep doing this for as long as I possibly can. I want to put out pieces that are important and interesting and fun and creative. I love interacting with different writers and readers. This platform means everything to me, it’s insane how hard it is for me to describe the love and appreciation I have for every person I’ve been able to connect with, who has given me the confidence and love that I needed. It inspires me every day and reaffirms my need to keep writing and pushing myself to be a better writer. And maybe someday I’ll write the novel that lives in my brain rent-free.
A: I want to get to as many people that need me as possible. That was always the idea, and that’s something that I literally live by, whether it is in my work life, or in college, in anything, really. I want to be useful and helpful to as many people as I can be. I also want to encourage young audiences to read more books (that’s actually a project I’m working on). Reading books was fundamental to find my writing style and our generation is growing to think that there’s nothing to learn from a book anymore because everything is a google search away. I want to change their opinions on that. Books ARE brat.
THANK YOU!!!
Sarah: I think this is one of my favorite posts/moments from my time on substack! I ADORE you Amanda!! And I’m so grateful that we have this special connection and endless support for each other and our writing!
Amanda: Thank you so much!! This was SO much fun, I hope we get to do this more in the future. I love you so much!!! Certified princess for life.
subscribe to The Certified Reader’s Department here and People’s Princess here!
LOVE YOU!!
Sarah & Amanda 🍓💌🧚♀️🌟🫧
ps: no weekly favorites because i (sarah) posted a long list of them.
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JOAN DIDION AND ELENA FERRANTE. Great crossover episode girls!
You’re amazing