Brooklyn Writers Bloc: Brock Colyar has fallen into a ‘horrible pattern’

By Tara Kenny

All summer, we’ve been asking a selection of local writers — across poetry, art, food, fiction, non-fiction, zine making, and party reporting — to bring us into their own private Brooklyns and share what (and where) they are reading, pondering, people watching and daydreaming about as an escape.

For the sixth installment of our Brooklyn Writers Bloc series, and as August comes to a close, we meet a New York Magazine nightlife columnist who has fallen into a “horrible pattern.”

Brock Colyar (Matt Weinberger)

Brock Colyar

Brock Colyar is a features writer and “Are U Coming” columnist at New York Magazine.

Describe your writing practice in 10 words or less.
Between midnight and 4 a.m., plenty of nicotine. I’ve fallen into this horrible pattern!

Favorite spot to journal outside the home?
I live in Greenpoint and there are a number of little bars. Around 6 p.m., when it’s still sunny outside in the summer, I can be found sitting in the backyard of my favorite bar, which is usually Troost. Smoking, journaling, having an early cocktail.

Best place to people watch?
I have two answers here. One of my favorite bars in the summertime is Happy Fun Hideaway. It’s such a funny, queer Bushwick/Bed-Stuy backyard bar. There’s nowhere more fun to be in the summertime and the people who come through are the best dressed and coolest of young Brooklyn. On the exact opposite end of the spectrum, my favorite is Williamsburg on a Sunday to watch all the — not to be mean — extremely basic people emerging from their homes to eat brunch with their babies and dogs. It’s not necessarily my people, but it’s great people watching!

Summer drink of choice?
Summer drink of choice right now is champagne. I want cold bubbly all the time.

What are you reading this summer?
Last year this woman whose name I can’t remember published the definitive 1000 page biography of Sylvia Plath. It’s just huge and I haven’t had the time to dig into it. I can see myself taking the time to actually read that this summer. But then on the side I’m going to need something light. Tina Brown’s new dishy royals book is definitely at the top of my list. I missed the bandwagon on “Detransition Baby,” which is apparently a great Brooklyn novel, so that’s on the list!

Favorite reading nook in the wilds?
Transmitter Park, for sure. I think it has the best views of Manhattan from Greenpoint. It’s such a small, cute little park by the water. There used to be a radio transmitter there so there’s this big pit in the middle of the park where the water comes in.

What’s one book you’re ashamed to say you’ve never read?
This isn’t a book, but I’m at New York Magazine and one of the first great writers of social commentary here was Nora Ephron. I’ve seen all the movies, but have never sat down to read any of her novels or essay collections. I’m sure there’s something I could learn from her. So that’s on my summer reading list and something I’m ashamed to say I’ve never read.

What is it about Brooklyn?
I’m from the south and I love living in the city and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, but I need a quiet block to go back to at the end of the day. I need my quiet little village-y street to return to after work, or going to things in the city, or a party. I think there’s nothing better than that.

Tip for getting unstuck (in writing and life)?
Going out! I write a nightlife column, but whenever I think to myself that I don’t have any ideas or things to write about, it’s usually that I’m not getting out of the house enough, I’m not going out at night, I’m not saying yes … Sometimes I overdo it and say yes to too many things! But the way to solve it is just going out and talking to people.

Which writer, living or dead, would you like to tour guide around Brooklyn?
I recently wrote about Candace Bushnell, another great inspiration. She was so funny, she talked about Brooklyn just like they do in “Sex and the City,” as if it’s this faraway continent. I would love to take her out for a night and show her how people party in Brooklyn.

Favorite depiction of Brooklyn in literature, art, film, or other media?
This is the hard one. I’m reading this book right now, “Nevada,” which is an incredible story about this trans New York character who lives in Brooklyn and works at The Strand in Manhattan. It’s actually just now being rereleased. I just finished it, but it’s definitely at the top of the list. Also “Happy Hour” by Marlowe Granadas — nothing better than that! And a cliché, but probably Patti Smith too. And the TV show “Girls!” I live on the street that they lived on in Greenpoint! People love to trash on it, but it holds up.