What themes do you find yourself frequently writing about?
I’m really interested in history as a theme – not in strictly in the sense of historical fiction but more as what we pass down: through bloodlines, landscapes, living. I frequently find myself writing about memory, how it intrudes into the present. About the things that don’t go away.
What do you love about flash fiction?
I love how reading a flash piece shows you what a writer is all about! When you’re working with that sense of compression, it really shows what matters to you in your writing: is it a sense of atmosphere? Is it the characters? Is it dialogue? When you’re talking about “cutting to the bone”, flash really shows what a writer considers the “bones”; what they think is crucial and non-negotiable in their writing.
What does an ideal writing day look like for you?
My ideal writing day consists of me not having to leave the house. It’s about two in the afternoon and I’ll be writing until six; I’ll have finished all my chores in the morning so I can write without anything nagging in the back of my head. The sky would be yellow!
What kind of story would you love to see in your queue this week?
I’d love to see something with a strong sense of itself: whether we’re talking about the writing, the story, the characters. Despite what I said about themes I frequent, I don’t necessarily want anything that follows those lines – I’m open to any sort of plot or no plot at all. As for the writing, it can be lyrical or plain, but what matters most to me is rhythm!
The core workshop of SmokeLong Fitness is all in writing, so you can take part from anywhere at anytime. We are excited about creating a supportive, consistent and structured environment for flash writers to work on their craft in a community. We are thrilled and proud to say that our workshop participants have won, placed, or been listed in every major flash competition. Community works.