Editor’s Note: The following is a scary story based on the author’s experiences with being self-published. Happy Halloween! The autumn wind howls through the bare branches, rattling the dead leaves as the phone lines skip rope overhead. A lanky figure emerges from the gloom, its tattered clothes flapping against its mottled green skin. Slobbering and… Read more »
As writers, we’re told to develop thick skins. The world of writing is full of both wanted and unwanted feedback and criticism. But it is difficult to not let criticism seep into our very beings. Because fiction writers are emotionally attuned, critiques can cut deeply. And sometimes, writers tie their self-worth to the feedback they… Read more »
As a declared English major from day one, my running joke through four years of college was, “I’ve just always wanted to live in a box.” But of course, I still got offended when non-English majors laughed, because I believed it was as useful and applicable a major as anything else—and I wasn’t wrong! Sure,… Read more »
When I first moved to Washington, D.C. at the end of the summer in 2012, I was at the end of my first and only college relationship—I just didn’t know it yet. A month-long “break” turned into a break up and I was broken. Though a significant part of that brokenness came from someone I… Read more »
Fearless writing is impactful. It forces the audience to encounter characters, situations, or outcomes that they may not be entirely comfortable with—and that’s a wonderful thing. It sounds easy enough to write fearlessly, and indeed it is—right up until someone starts reading your work. I never considered what my grandmother might think about my gruesome… Read more »
Imagine you’ve been invited to read your writing out loud for an audience. Maybe it’s for an open mic night at a local café or indie bookstore. Or, maybe it’s an awards banquet or literary conference event where the recognized writers can bring flash fiction, poetry, or an essay. Regardless, you think, “Sure, why not?”… Read more »
