Hello! I'm a writer, crafter, and programmer living in New York. Starting in the fall of 2024, I’ll be getting a master’s degree in creative technology at NYU ITP.
I most recently worked as the senior editor in charge of Vox’s vertical for service journalism, Even Better, and was at Racked and BuzzFeed for a decade before that. My work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, NPR, Apartment Therapy, Polygon, Vogue Knitting, and The Hairpin, among other places; I've also done segments for The Today Show, Good Morning America, and a whole bunch of local and national television and radio shows.
My first book, The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater: Essays on Crafting, was published by Flatiron / Macmillan in 2018, and my second, Knit a Hat: A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting, was published by Abrams in 2020.
I run an occasional newsletter about making and playing video games, and where those interests overlap with crafting and creativity more generally.
I’m open to collaborations and projects of all scopes; I freelance as a writer, editorial and narrative consultant, and all-purpose fabricator. Email me at alanna.okun@gmail.com, or find me on Twitter, Instagram, and itch.io.