Start Here
A quick (re)introduction, what On Writing is about, and why I’m writing.
Hi, I’m Hannah, a freelance photojournalist based in the Sierra Nevadas. My beats include climate, culture, civics, and the outdoors.
I started this Substack in the midst of major burnout. I love that I write for a living, but I’d been missing a space where I could write freely and honestly—without the usual constraints of journalism, like deadlines or a specific audience.
Somewhere between confession and cultural critique, soft journalism, and personal reflection, my essays in On Writing are intimate, voicey, and always circling a bigger question: what’s happening—to me and to the world—and how do I feel about it?
Some quick facts about me:
I am officially in my late twenties. I feel closest to god when I’m in nature. I speak German. My literary heroes include Joan Didion, Stephen King, and, more recently, Gabrielle Zevin. I’m not very touchy with the people I love most, but I’ll gladly be touched by a stranger in the context of a massage. If I could do anything forever it would be to drink coffees in different countries. My favorite things to photograph are people, and I have read the book The Road by Cormac McCarthy six times.
My dream is to be able to write full-time, and every reader here makes that feel less like a fantasy and more like a potential reality. So thank you for being here, if you are.
What You’ll Find Here
Essays that blur the line between personal story and cultural commentary.
Dispatches from my life as a writer/photographer.
Reflections on growing up, womanhood, social justice, nature, and the many ways we find (and refind) ourselves.
And, from time to time, my own photography!
Some Places to Start
The one that started it all:
An essay on presence and process, as learned from Olympian Alysa Liu:
Essay on…well, it’s pretty self-explanatory:
On Bob Weir, photography, and the case for human creativity & cultural stewardship:
A travel essay on my trip to the Yukon—“the last wild place”:
Free vs. Paid
Most posts are free (and always will be). Paid subscribers help me pursue the dream of writing full-time. Eventually, they’ll also get first looks, behind-the-scenes drafts, and exclusive essays I’m scheming up.
You can also always support me and my writing via a coffee :)
Stay Awhile
If you want every post straight to your inbox, subscribe. If you’re just peeking in, bookmark this page and come back when the mood strikes. Either way, I’m glad you’re here.
More coming soon!