Welcome!
Hello, I’m Emily, the journalist and editor here. I’ve been writing The Ick for three seasons. Each season addressed a different facet of the ick, and the latest installment tackles the most visceral aspect yet: DISGUST.
Instead of being the only author this season, I’m collaborating with my brilliant writer and artist friends on a PRINT edition. We’ll be covering dating icks and revulsions, neo-reactionaries and polarization, pet peeves and pathological loathing—and much more. The season will culminate in a print magazine and in-person reading + launch party in San Francisco later this year.
If you’re not already a paid subscriber, please consider these subscription tiers. All proceeds will go toward covering printing costs. Thank you for supporting this project, and for supporting independent print media!
If you’re interested in writing, or have a previously published piece that could be a good fit, please DM me!
The Ick is a publication organized into themed seasons. Start anywhere you like. Here’s a recap:
Season 3: Social Survival Guide
In Season 3, we explored the hidden rules of human connection. With help from psychologists, linguists, and social scientists, this season created a field guide to post-pandemic etiquette.
Season 2: The 5 Senses
Instead of filtering out what makes us feel weird, out of control, or icked out—we’re turning up the volume. A season of essays and interviews dedicated to delighting in the qualia and surprising interwovenness of the senses.
![[Full Interview] How to Feel](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BV_u!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-video.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fvideo_upload%2Fpost%2F141904602%2Fb25ad640-49ec-463b-8a06-e066a0e608de%2Ftranscoded-00001.png)
![[Full Interview] How to Hear](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PB4M!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-video.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fvideo_upload%2Fpost%2F143080908%2F36a19567-0f86-4913-a884-527073aa4e79%2Ftranscoded-34127.png)
![[Full Interview] How to Taste](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FSj8!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-video.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fvideo_upload%2Fpost%2F143978072%2F6a6427bd-8ed8-4f2c-9d95-033fb5d2887a%2Ftranscoded-35333.png)
![[Full Interview] How to See](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!09rX!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-video.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fvideo_upload%2Fpost%2F146897262%2Fde3ae9ef-9b84-4d51-a76a-c2530115d7f4%2Ftranscoded-58631.png)
![[Full Interview] How to Smell](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IXFy!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-video.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fvideo_upload%2Fpost%2F148748737%2F2bbf6b27-ed8d-4d28-9624-b6b28e8e6d56%2Ftranscoded-1726016803.png)
Season 1: Embarrassing Stories
A series covering my most embarrassing moments from compulsive lying to almost drowning.
