“Write what you know,” they said.
I did so for this story which is another reason why I had to give myself a pen name. While it was a cathartic experience sorting out my emotions from living and working in SF, I know I must have also unwittingly offended some friends who work in Tech. Or at least, I made them uncomfortable.
I’m still trying to figure this thing out. I’m trying to separate my life into different little boxes. There’s a box where I’m a professional, sorry — “professional” Software Engineer. And there’s a box where I write stories and submit them to… places (still working on that last bit).
Here’s how I see it: When I write, I’m a version of myself whose attempt to sort out a mess of emotions produces a mess of a story. I can step away from myself and look at the context for why I may feel certain things.
So I wrote what I knew here. I felt a mix of gratitude and guilt for working and living in SF. Gratitude, for the Me who cares about his career and grateful for being surrounded by so much opportunity. Guilt, for the Me who felt the backs of all those I stepped on to live comfortably.
And I interpreted those emotions as nefarious cults run by Techbros whose power is gained from sacrificing the lives of the working class to Eldritch beings. 😘