A Life with Joan Didion - By Chris Dino Belacho

Written By: Chris Dino Belacho

Category: Short Story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the realm of creative writing, Chris Dino Belacho presents a captivating short story titled "A Life with Joan Didion." As a participant in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, Belacho explores themes of identity and aspiration. This narrative delves into the life of a character deeply influenced by the iconic writer Joan Didion, offering readers a glimpse into the complexities of emulation and self-discovery.

About the Work

"A Life with Joan Didion" weaves a tale around the protagonist's intense admiration for Joan Didion, transforming aspects of her life to mirror the renowned writer. The story captures the tension between genuine creativity and imitation, with a backdrop of personal relationships affected by such aspirations. The narrative is rich with imagery and emotional depth, reflecting on the bittersweet journey of finding one's true self amid borrowed identities.

A Life with Joan Didion

Original Submission by Chris Dino Belacho

A Life with Joan Didion

by Chris Dino Belacho

She wanted to be exactly like Joan Didion.

She basically patterned her life on her. She would even mimic JD’s writing style, except that she wasn’t as good. She would try, and a lot of her readers liked what she wrote, but for her, it wasn’t good enough. She would go at lengths, she would even refer to her boyfriend as ‘John’, and name her cat after Quintana - Didion’s late husband and daughter. She would dress up like her, and would always wear dark sunglasses, and would always prefer drinking straight from a large bottle of Coke first thing in the morning. Her favorite imitation of her was a picture taken dressed up like the renowned writer - in a long-sleeved dress, with a cigarette pointing to the ground, leaning against a Corvette Stingray. She was particularly keen about matching every detail, except for the car, which was tough to find, so she settled with an old white Toyota Crown.

Her boyfriend didn’t mind. He even found it amusing some- times. He would even help her, giving her all the time she needed in writing, encouraging her pursuit. What he did mind, however, was when it got eerily weird when she wanted to talk about his apparent death, and as to the manner in which it would occur.

One time, after writing for nearly seven hours - locked up in her room - she woke him up at around three. She asked him to comment about what she had written about, with an intense glare of excitement in her eyes. At first, he didn’t see anything wrong with it, in fact, he liked how driven she could get, but then, there was something in her look that night that wasn’t there before.

He sat up, turned on the bedside lamp, and put on his glasses. She was holding what appeared to be a printed manuscript against her chest. “Do you want me to heat your dinner, honey?” Asked John.

“No, just need to hear what you think, that’s all.” John read it, while she sat anxiously at the edge of the bed, waiting.

“I like it.”

“You do? That’s great!” She looked genuinely relieved. “What else, John?”

“Uhm, I think it’s perfect. I would read this over and over and never get tired.”

“And? How about the technical composition, the arrange- ments?”

“I think it’s great, honey. I really think it’s good.”

She smiled dimly and fell silent for a while, and said:

“The real John would have been a good critic. Obviously, you’re not him. You could have at least pretended to be smart by going against it. How typical.”

“Because I’m not John, honey.” Stunned, he almost yelled at her.

She collected the printed papers and went back to the study. The next morning, when John woke up, she was lying next to him, still asleep. During breakfast, he asked her about the night before, but she didn’t have a memory of it at all. He asked her about what she wrote, which she was able to recall, but the episode in the bedroom apparently didn’t happen as far as she was concerned.

In the weeks that followed, she had been gradually moving out of their place, discreetly, until she was able to empty the apartment of all of her belongings. Of course, John noticed this but opted not to say anything. She took some of John’s stuff - probably by accident - in exchange, she left Quintana. Besides, one couldn’t hang around with the dead; that was just absurd.

At the bar, everyone was calling him by his real name, of course. Nobody knew that the name ‘John’ was just a pet name she once gave him. He spent most of his time at the university, where he taught in the mornings until late afternoons and took his night classes at the bar. The apartment was just a place where he slept. “It’s Quintana’s home now, I’m just a boarder.” He told the old man and the armadillo.

Weeks turned to months, thirty-two to be exact. He saw her doing an interview on a late-night show. She had been doing great. Published four novels, a book of essays, and a weekly feature column. Of course, she had to use her real name now. She went by Mia S. Torres. But hearing this sounded distant to him. She would always be Joan to him. It was rather strange. But all in all, he was genuinely happy for her.

He heard so much about her. Especially from common friends. They said that she was seen sometimes just driving around in a vintage car, a Corvette, sometimes in their hometown. That she had been around artists, and other writers, and celebrities of her kind in loud music bars, smoking and drinking behind a cordoned-off area. His friends said she was a lot nicer, despite everything, and that she seemed grounded still, a better person. Of course, he knew that this was just a dense assessment of her character confined in the limited quarters of their brief encounters on some random street somewhere.

But he knew that she had become all of the things she once wanted, and more. Again, he felt genuinely happy for her.

While he lived his life as is, just the same, he always remained consistent. He always preferred to be still and constant. To be reliable. To his students and on keeping the barkeep employed - despite all that had happened.

After some time, Quintana, the cat, died. “She just got old, I’m sorry.” He phoned to tell her about it.

“Was she in pain?”

“I think she passed on quietly. The vet was really delicate about it.”

“Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate it a lot.”

“That’s not a problem at all. I’m happy to have called you.”

“Thanks again, Elliot.”

“No, I mean, you’re welcome… But please, call me John.”

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating literary talent from around the world. It invites writers to share their unique voices and stories, fostering a global community of creativity and expression. The competition is a testament to the power of words and the diverse narratives they create.

Thank you, Chris Dino Belacho, for your engaging contribution to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. "A Life with Joan Didion" offers a profound exploration of identity and aspiration, resonating with readers through its thoughtful narrative. We look forward to witnessing more of your insightful storytelling in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.