Q & A

Through the ages with Qwert City and Alika Yarnell

Age 5

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “An artist.”
  • Q: “What kind of artist?”
  • A: “I like coloring.”

Age 6

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “A scientist.”
  • Q: “What kind of scientist?”
  • A: “I have a rock collection.”

Age 7

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “An artist.”
  • Q: “Like Picasso?”
  • A: “I guess.”

Age 8

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “An astronaut.”
  • Q: “Are you crazy?”
  • A: (Looks down at her feet.)

Age 9

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “An artist.”
  • Q: “That’s cute.”

Ages 10-17

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “I don’t know.”

Age 18

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “A graphic designer.”
  • Q: “You can make good money in advertising.”

Age 19, after working for a year as an assistant to a graphic designer at a t-shirt silk-screening business:

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “Not a graphic designer.”

Age 20

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “An artist.”
  • Q: “What kind?”
  • A: “Either a painter, writer, printmaker, cartoonist, photographer, muralist, film director, or something involving mixed media.”

Age 20, after completing several fine art courses and dropping out of her only filmmaking class:

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “A writer.”

Age 21, after moving from San Diego to San Francisco:

  • Q: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
  • A: “A fiction writer.”
  • Q: “Are you published?”
  • A: (Looks down at her feet.)

Age 23, after receiving her BA in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing:

  • Q: “Now what?”
  • A: “Keep writing.” (Shrugs shoulders.)

Age 29, after several odd jobs, awkward writing attempts, and being declared a “winner” of NANOWRIMO 2003:

  • Q: “Now what?”
  • A: “I need help.”

June 2004: Alika attends the University of San Francisco to begin the process of obtaining an MFA in Creative Writing.

  • Q: “Can you get high-paying jobs with benefits by receiving an MFA?”
  • A: “Yes.” (Cross fingers.) “But that’s not why you get an MFA.”

August 11, 2006: Alika completes the first draft of her novel, Raindrop Parade.

  • Q: “Now what?”
  • A: “Keep writing.”
  • Q: “But what about—”
  • A: “Stop asking questions. I’m trying to focus.”

2010: Alika continues to write. For information on her publications, work history, and credentials, please visit the Experience page.