Legacy.

016: news + letter: on David Lynch’s personal belongings and my idea of legacy as a writer

Hi, everyone!

Grab your tissue because I definitely cried while writing this one.

Anyway, here’s what’s been going on in literature:

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Renowned African literary figure Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o dies at 87.¹

Kenyan author and academic, he has been described as East Africa's leading novelist and an important figure in modern African literature.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o.

Here are the 24 most anticipated books coming out in June, according to The New York Times.²

Catch me reading most of these and freaking out over them on Notes.

This week’s newsletter subject: David Lynch’s personal items being sold in an upcoming auction of his archives.³

THE AUCTION WILL HAPPEN JUN.18 AT 10:00 AM PST IN LOS ANGELES!

You can register to bid here.

Also, please show me if you get anything.

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1.

With David Lynch’s unfortunate death, we (also unfortunately) got access to some of his personal, tangible items.

This is a piece about legacy.

Between personal items that belonged to Lynch, like his collection of vinyls and coffee cups, we see "Twin Peaks" Scripts Under "Northwest Passage" Title and an unfinished script to a story we never saw coming to life being sold in an auction, by the director’s request. The works of a lifetime + your own personal collection of coffee cups? That is legacy to me.

From David Lynch’s personal archive by Julien’s auctions, 2025. Credit to the owner.

As a writer, the idea of legacy is something that really moves me, and the own tangible heritage those who came before me left is so intimidating, between pages of Plath’s diary that weren’t completely burnt or Didion’s therapy notes that she’d probably never share, I find myself sitting with nothing but digital archives and silence.

If there were a Certified museum, what would be shown? Am I embarrassed of my old posts or am I proud of the woman I became now by reading them and seeing how much I evolved? As we’ve reached the five thousand people milestone, I start to forget about my current imposter syndrome and start thinking fondly of my own legacy here.

I honestly don’t think I became a writer by choice, a notebook in the corner of my childhood room did that for me. To speak was to experience a slow, hurtful death, so I’d just make up thousands of stories about traveling abroad (to a place where I could really be myself, anywhere but home), or I’d just write love letters to the ones I loved secretly (I still do that, sometimes). Between finding the need to make sense of emotions too big for speech at thirteen and crying my eyes out while writing in my little Oasis diary (all these moments being inherent to who I am), I was forming something that isn’t just a hobby, like golfing or ghosting my friends after a successful night out because I’m overstimulated.

By putting my words on paper because I was too ashamed to say them (or to even exist), Todd Anderson style, writing became my way of understanding the world, and eventually, with the very courageous decision of creating Certified, my way of leaving something behind in it.

I could write a whole other piece on how much I identify with this mf but I think you get it.

To try and shape meaning from silence is to become a writer. To form soul bonding memories with people you’ve never met in your life is to be alive in the chronically online era. Put these two together and you have me.

I snap out of my good ol’ editing job to open this platform and to be reminded that I’m a requested presence, something I don’t think I have been for many of my toxic relationships, that’s my primary form of legacy.

Being here with you, every Sunday, has healed me more than you know. It was from silent moments, as I’m unable to cheer with all of you personally, that I slowly became a writer, ever since the first comment I ever got, to what we have now.

Legacy is showing up with my hypothetical bare ass to thousands of people, every weekend. I have been showing up here uncomfortably, but honestly, many times. Legacy is showing people the places where I hurt, where I hope, where I doubt. Legacy is having people respond to that, the relationship I’ve built with many of you is my heritage.

In a Certified museum, there would only be pictures of you.

What kind of legacy do I want to leave as a writer, then? I’d like to think it’s something closer to David Lynch’s. Although it may not be the genius scripts or films, it certainly will be the loved coffee cups and vinyls.

From David Lynch’s personal archives by Julien’s auctions, 2025. Credit to the owner.

In a world of conceited academics who will leave a legacy only they understand, I want to be a Lana.

Lana Del Rey, Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass.

Or a Jeff.

Jeff Buckley :)

I want my words to outlive me.

That’s the most ambitious thought I think I’ve ever had. I want literature nerds to have their own place but most importantly, I want you to open your eyes to what’s going on, both in the world and inside you.

In the end, I don’t want to be remembered by my name, or even by my subscriber count, although I’m proud of it and it has helped to open some doors that I’d never think would open for me. Being Amanda from Certified will always be enough. It allows me to finally be something, and I’m very grateful for that. This newsletter is a celebration of literature and of lives that gained meaning through the exercise of writing.

Thank you for being here with me every Sunday.

You guys are my vinyls and coffee cups.

Love,

AMANDA

From David Lynch’s personal archive by Julien’s auctions, 2025. Credit to the owner.

1. BBC NEWS

2. THE NEW YORK TIMES

3. LITERARY HUB