Charles Yu is the author of three books, including the novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe (a New York Times Notable Book and a Time magazine best book of the year), and, most recently, Interior Chinatown. He received the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 Award and was nominated for two Writers Guild of America Awards for his work on the HBO series, Westworld. He has also written for shows on FX, AMC, and HBO. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired, among other publications.
What are you reading right now for solace or escape?
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell. It’s so good.
If you could live inside a fictional world, which one would you choose?
Steven Universe’s universe! It’s full of love and wisdom.
Are there any quotes you use to inspire you now or anytime?
“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step towards being sorta good at something.” — Jake the Dog
