Lisa Jarvis
Nonfiction writer and editor exploring the people and places that make us who we are.
A discord with words…
Words are altogether exceptional tools, but also not enough to always capture a feeling or a thought. Then again, though, just by using the words to explain that words are not enough, somehow it does its job and completely makes sense of the idea that experiences are sometimes too special for words to do them justice. And then, explaining that very thing— with words— is simply sufficient, or perhaps more than sufficient. But isn’t it our duty, too, to be expressive and share what we think, feel, do and observe with the words we were created to use?
About Lisa
A creative nonfiction writer. Inspired by the south(west) and country music, after growing up in southern Arizona and living for almost a decade in Tennessee. I believe in finding ways to celebrate everything, even life’s intricacies and inconveniences, and the best way I know how is by writing.
Writing begins with listening. Listening to the world around us, listening to ourselves, and listening to the stories of those around us. Listening turns into learning, and learning turns into the honor of retelling stories for others to listen and learn, and hopefully, if we do it right, be forever changed or impacted.
In between writing the next story, you can find me traveling with my husband, soaking in live music, and visiting Arizona as often as I can.
About her Writing
I write creative nonfiction articles on subjects ranging from music journalism to light lifestyle pieces to vignettes and portraits about people. In the midst of our busy days, the beauty of our intricate lives can be so severely missed. My goal, and joy, as a creative nonfiction writer, is to tell the stories of what makes life so beautiful, even in the minor and mundane moments that make it easy to forget. When you read the stories I write, my hope is that you will feel as understood as you do inspired, that you are filled with hope right where you are.
On my website, you can find interviews with artists, portraits of people, explorative pieces on travel, lifestyle articles on the “off-broadway” of the bourbon trail, and what really matters when it comes to hosting the perfect dinner party. My most common nonfiction works are from my greatest inspiration: portraits of my grandmother, Nana, and what she taught me about life, not through lessons but by living.
The most notable piece of work you’ll discover is The Line Magazine, which is a nonfiction lifestyle magazine with influenced by the people and places in the south and southwest.
About the Magazine
The nonfiction lifestyle magazine that explores the people and places in our lives that make us who we are. From the roots of hometowns and country music, the magazine is a testament to capturing stories that are worth telling and putting them in front of readers whose lives will be better because of it. Just like fine wine and aged cheese, every creative nonfiction article has a song at the top of the page that pairs well with the tone, emotion, or concept of the story.
The Line Magazine came from a good-hearted place; a love of print, of telling stories about people who matter, of beautiful design and photographs, but if I’m being brutally honest, what took this magazine from an idea to something you can hold in your hands today was an innovative approach to creating a portfolio and having proof of being published.
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and that we’re never failing, always learning. Writing rejections have shaped me almost as much as writing has. After enough rejections to lose count, I decided to put my voice into its own publication, where other writers can sharpen their skillset and share their stories, too.