Why do we write? It’s an age-old question, but I found a good answer recently. “The purpose of being a serious writer is to keep people from despair,” says Sarah Manguso. “If people read your work and, as a result, choose life, then you are doing your job.”

Several years ago, I did something I’ve never done before. I got in my car and headed West. I had no set plan or timetable. There were no major catastrophes happening in my life. But I was still transitioning between an old me with kids at home to a new empty nest me, and I had no idea how that looked.