Interview with Author Oliver Willham

We caught up with Oliver Willham at AWP 2026 in Baltimore where he gave us a preview of his story "Swallow You Whole." Check it out below, and you can read the story in its entirety here! And read below for an interview with the author where he shares his reading recs, what he hopes readers will gain from his work, and what the only type of transportation he trusts is.

What makes you keep writing, even when it's hard?

I have read so many books and stories that have emotionally affected me. They carry communications across time and space, deliver new ways of seeing the world, and tell the receiver, “You’re not alone.” I write to connect with others in that same way. All acts of reading and writing are a conversation, even if you never meet.

Advice on creating that you’ve learned by trial and error.

When you get stuck, try taking a long walk to give your mind a break. A park, beach, or even the busy city streets will be more generative than staring at the wall. Just keep your wits about you … and don’t wander into a cave.

What's your favorite underappreciated novel or short story (a work you never hear anyone else talking about)?

Lucy Corin’s One-Hundred Apocalypses and Other Apocalypses. Corin writes one hundred unique flash pieces that all have their own world-ending events. Each helps you appreciate the time you have here on Earth a little more than you otherwise would.

Do you have a favorite book on writing or creating that's been a helpful resource?

I mean, Stephen King’s On Writing is such a classic, but I also love Tin House’s The Writer’s Notebook I and II, especially Karen Russell’s essay in II. How could I write without thinking about the Kansas/Oz ratio?!

If you were a cryptid, what would your name be and what would you eat?

I’d probably be called “The Leftover,” and be the real reason your lunch keeps disappearing from the shared fridge.

What other lit journals are you into right now (and what do you like about them)?

Shoutout to Redivider, ʼcause I work there. I’ve been a huge fan of The Florida Review forever; they just publish such great oddities. Same with Swamp Ape. I could list a hundred more. Joyland, McSweeney’s, Split Lip, AGNI. I’ll stop before I get carried away.

Planes, trains, boats, or automobiles?

Trains. They’re the only one of these I actually trust.

What’s your most recent “I was today years old when I realized …” moment?

Right now, I’m at the airport watching them load “unit load devices” into the belly of aircraft. For some reason, I assumed they just tossed everything from luggage to packages into the empty plane cargo individually and by hand … I blame Con Air for this.

One sentence soapbox: 

We should all strive to be more kind, open, caring, honest, so forth, especially the days we don’t want to.

What is your writing strategy? Do you write every day with a rigid schedule, or are you more flexible with your practice?

Very flexible. I turn ideas over in my mind for weeks sometimes before I’ll sit down to write. Then I’ll usually marathon until I’m finished. Still, I find it helpful to have regular hours dedicated to writing, even if you use them to walk or think instead.

When did you realize you were weird?

I think I’ve always known.

Do you think about your reader?

All the time. I hope they’re doing okay. Have you been taking enough time for yourself?

Are you good at taking tests?

Yes. Give me a bubble sheet and I’ll do okay for myself. I suspect it’s part of my incessant trivia brain. Did you know sharks hunt by detecting electrical fields with a special sensory organ?

Tell us a secret.

I have a ton of moles on my head, but thick hair. You’d never know unless I told you (or if you, like, feel my head I guess).

What was the best money you spent on something writing-related?

A few years ago I bought a used mechanical tape recorder for ideas. I’ve captured a lot on tape that I’d otherwise have forgotten. And, as we know, forgetting an idea is an extremely painful experience.

What is your favorite museum or gallery?

The Stanley Museum at the University of Iowa. If you’re ever there, check out the wall-sized Pollock and tell ʼem I sent you.

Most triumphant thing you did as a teenager?

Survive.

What is weird?

For me, the magic of the weird is our inability to define what exactly it is. Gun to my head, I’d say Twin Peaks.

What was the inspiration for your story?

Katie Williams, a wonderful professor, and my fascination with strange creatures paired with my hatred of caves. They are so spooky! I’ve been in a few and all have negative vibes! Also, I firmly believe anyone who says they aren’t afraid of the dark is full of it.

What do you hope readers experience from your work?

A little jolt of fear/excitement/whatever. And through that, connection.

How do you combat loneliness?

Being with friends and seeing movies. Even if you go to the theater alone, you’re laughing or scared or crying with a whole crowd of people around you. You’re never really alone at a movie.

Thoughts about artichokes?

Gags.

What’s the point of all this, really?

To help others as much as you can. To lessen the suffering of the world.

Unpopular opinion, go:

It’s not too late; the world can be better than it is now.

As you probably know, we’re working hard on building a weird community that supports creatives (like you!) and promotes nontraditional writing and art. Let us know if there’s anything in particular that you would like to see here: workshops, groups, book clubs, multimedia interviews, AMAs, etc. 

I always love a good book club! They’re old fashioned, and it’s totally impractical, but I can’t help but enjoy the energy of those classic old radio shows featuring local people and their weird things … 

Oliver Willham is a writer living in Boston, but remains an Iowan by birth. He is an MFA candidate at Emerson College and the Fiction Editor at Redivider. When he isn’t writing, you can find him somewhere in the city limits. Can you help us look?