SmokeLong Quarterly

Over the last 10 years, SmokeLong has regularly invited creative writing classes to read the SmokeLong submissions queue alongside our submissions editors. We are committed to bringing flash to the university classroom and to demystifying the publication process. If you are a creative writing instructor at a university and would like SmokeLong to consider your class, please drop us a line at editor@smokelong.com.

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Shawn Nocher is teaching a flash fiction intercession class at Johns Hopkins University in partnership with SmokeLong Quarterly! For this 10-day class, the MA in Writing students will be reading our submission queue. We asked the students to answer these questions:

Who are you?
Where are you from?
What sparked your interest in this intersession class?
What do you find interesting about flash?
What are you hoping to learn from reading our submission queue?
Are you a dog person or a cat person?

Here are their responses:

Anna Fitzgerald: My name is Anne Fitzgerald and I live in Baltimore, Maryland. This is my first time participating in an intercession class and I am looking forward to immersing myself in the class and exploring the value of focusing on a single subject. I am interested in flash fiction as I enjoy the idea of a condensed short story focused on a moment or scene while also maintaining meaningful detail and depth. Regarding the submission queue, I find it insightful to be on the receiving end of the submission process and experiencing the quality and level of effort put into the submitted pieces. I am curious to know what writers are writing about and how they are using the flash fiction form to convey their ideas. Considering I have two German Shepherds I think I identify more as a dog person.

Michelle Simmons: My name is Michelle Simmons. I am originally from Hell’s Kitchen in NYC but now living about thirty minutes from Baltimore. I signed up for this intersession class because I wanted to deepen my understanding of flash fiction and gain hands-on experience providing feedback for a literary journal. I am in my second semester of the nonfiction writing program and an unfamiliar with flash fiction, but what strikes me most is how such compelling characters, with a clear voice, as well as defined writing containers/structure can exist in such a condensed format. I know how difficult it is to distill large amounts of information/data without losing the central “so what,” or resolution. It seems that doing flash fiction well demands a deep understanding of writing craft. I’m looking forward to examining the submissions to gain exposure to a wider range of narrative and technical choices authors make, especially those experimenting with unconventional storytelling structures. Since I’ve never submitted my own work to a literary journal, I’m curious to see what editors typically receive and how I can use that insight to strengthen my own writing. I worked on a mock pitch last semester, and this is part of that same journey/culmination to eventually submitting my work. I’m 100 percent a cat person and have two fur babies named Dr. Franklin D. Roosevelt, an American Shorthair, and Toothless, a black Siberian.

Shauna Gammons: My name is Shauna Gammons. I was born and raised in a small town in Maine where everyone knew their neighbor, and horseflies were the mascots of summer. I’ve always been a lover of poetry and literature, and when I was younger, I thought I had to choose between the two. I was so intrigued when I learned about flash fiction. I think it’s a wonderful bridge between the two forms. By reading through the submission queue, I hope to be introduced to new voices, experimental writing styles, and find a few good gems that leave me with goosebumps. The first line reading is always what I am most curious about. How many people view each piece, and how much consideration goes into an acceptance or rejection? Are there specific criteria, or is it guided solely by reader intuition? I had the same amazing dog for 16 years. She was absolutely my best friend. So, on the debate of cats vs. dogs, I must say, I’m on her side.

Kimberly Mai: I’m Kimberly Mai from Lowell, MA—born and raised—and I am more of a cat person, both in preference of companionship and overall vibe. Joining this class, I hope to gain experience in writing flash fiction and understanding how editors think and the editing process, as I want to pursue a career in the publishing/editing field. I would like to know what “makes the cut” and what doesn’t. I haven’t written any piece aimed toward the “flash fiction” genre. I do like how concise it is in its focus as I tend to ramble in my initial drafts.

Kacie England: I’m Kacie England—yes, like the country! And yes, I’m also an English teacher. I can’t quite decide whether this was fate, or if my belief in fate nudged me toward this career and my writerly inclinations. I’m from a small town in rural Pennsylvania called Jacobus, a town named by accident. Legend has it that the postmaster was named Jacob, and his “US” postal stamp sealed the deal on the town’s moniker. (I suppose names have shaped much of my narrative life.)
When I spotted a flash fiction–focused residency on the course offerings list, I knew I had to take it. I adore flash fiction—writing it, reading it, and teaching it. I’m endlessly dazzled by the punch just a few words can pack.
I’m also in awe of the work SmokeLong has produced, and I’m eager to learn more about the behind-the-scenes labor of literary journal production. Having mostly lived on the “other end” of the process (i.e., shedding tears while refreshing my Submittable dashboard), I’m excited to peek behind the literary curtain and see how a publication assesses pieces in its queue. I’m especially curious about the organizational systems that govern this work.
Lastly—and perhaps most importantly—I’m unequivocally a cat gal (former dog enthusiast, but my current creatures—Maple, Clover, and Hazelnut—have fully converted me to the dark side of cat ladyship).

Ariel Ogden:
Questions:
1. Ariel Ogden, a writer, high school English teacher, aspiring author, and professor
2. Muskegon, Michigan
3. I recently discovered flash fiction and have really enjoyed both consuming and creating it; I want to read more and be better at writing it.
4. I love how flash fiction can create a world and so many emotions in so few words because of the precision needed to write it.
5. I want to know about the process behind the scenes.
6 How do they decide what is good and what is not?
7. Cat person 100%

Arman Koranloo: My name’s Arman, and I’m from South Carolina. I wanted to take this class because I was thrilled by the idea of exploring flash fiction in more depth and collaborating with others in the process. What I find most interesting about flash fiction is its ability to tell an impactful story with a few words, and I love that. I hope not only to improve that skill for myself, but also to learn from all the unique ways in which other talented writers tell their stories. This will be my first exposure to how the submission process for literary journals works, so I’m curious about every step. And lastly, while I’m both a dog and cat person, I have a deep affection for cats because of my orange tabby, Max. Adopting him was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Damian Raff: My name is Damian Raff, and I am living in New Brunswick, New Jersey. This intersession class interested me because I am a big fan of flash fiction, both the act of reading and writing. What fascinates me most is the ability to use language as an artform beyond narrative capabilities. I believe that the flash fiction medium allows writers to be much more abstract in both form and content. From this course, I hope to reinforce my own writing by analyzing what other writers do. It will also be very helpful to read the “layman’s” writing. Academically, I have only read prestigious works, so seeing another perspective on writing may inspire something within me. The most intriguing part about this whole process will be learning what identifiable features a publishable work contains and seeing if I can replicate them myself. I’ve historically been a dog person; I’ve owned pitbulls and large breeds such as a Newfoundland but haven’t owned any dogs since living on my own. I have a one-year-old gray tabby named Cain who is simultaneously the love of my life and my worst nightmare.

Franchesca West-Ford: I’m Franchesca West-Ford but I go by Fran. I am starting my final semester here at JHU. I am from a small town right on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee but I’ve lived all over due to the military. I currently live in Honolulu, HI. I decided to take this residency when I noticed the name. I love flash fiction and I hope this class will help me sharpen my skills at it. I like that flash is mostly experimental and creative in a way that cuts straight to the point. It forces the reader into working a bit instead of being spoon-fed every detail. When we read through the submission queue, I hope to see the good, bad, and ugly when it comes to flash fiction. I hope to get a better understanding of what stands out to others and demystify the submission and publishing process. I love all animals, but dogs have a special place in my heart.

Christina Bailey: My name is Christina Bailey, and I’m a writer and visual artist as well as an admin at a university research center. I’ve never met a dog I didn’t like (or who didn’t like me) but I’ve made several enemies of cats. (I respect their judgement.) I’m from all over the US but my husband and I have made our home in Baltimore, Maryland. I’ve taken courses with Shawn Nocher before and wanted more of her insight into flash fiction. I’m interested in flash fiction’s ability to turn a scene or small details into an all-encompassing metaphor. I’m very curious how timely or timeless submissions tend to be, and I’m most curious about the weaving of the fine mesh-filter a piece needs to travel through to make it to the other side of the submission process.

Samantha Shannon: My name is Samantha Shannon, and I am from the Los Angeles area. This is my second semester at Johns Hopkins, and I have really enjoyed the program so far. I am new to flash fiction, and the idea of being able to review and assist in selecting pieces for SmokeLong seemed like a great opportunity to learn what it was all about. After reading the suggested pieces, I found it fascinating how much can be told in such a short period of time! As someone who has only written novels, I’m hoping that through the shorter stories, I learn how to tighten up my storylines and get more from each chapter. I have never submitted to a literary journal before this class, so it will all be new to me. Finally, I am a dog person! I’m a proud dog mama to a 100-lb Rottweiler, I look forward to this class and learning all about flash fiction.

Kristina Dumayag: I’m Kristina, and I’m a sort-of-okay writer from Queens, New York, who happened to be born with a deep admiration for good literature. I chose to take this class for a few reasons. For one, I’ve come to learn that I do better with short-form writing, and flash fiction is the perfect genre for that, because I believe that if you can master it at an advanced level, you can become quite great as a novelist. I’m hoping to learn what to avoid writing, as well as the similarities in my own writing that I should abandon. I’m also curious to learn what the editors look for when reviewing submissions. I love both cats and dogs. And I am lucky to own my own fur baby, Cosmo the Cosmic Cat.

Kevin Snyder: My name is Kevin Snyder and I’m from the Seattle area. I was drawn to the flash fiction course both because of its connection to a real publication and because I want to refine my small-scale writing in hopes of applying new skills to larger works. I find flash fiction compelling because it is so thematically driven. As a writer, I’m most interested in exploring theme, even more so than character or plot. Flash fiction seems to represent that goal in a microcosm. In reading the submission queue, I’m hoping to see the different ways that writers are approaching the medium. What tactics are they using to tell a meaningful story in just a couple hundred words? In preparing for this course, I’ve already read several stories that challenged my perception of flash fiction. I’m most curious about the kind of work that literary journals tend to look for, as I want to pinpoint exactly what makes each piece unique and worthy of publication. This kind of writing can create such an immediate connection between the reader and author, and I’m interested in exploring how each writer tries to facilitate that, specifically in the ways they choose to be vulnerable. Lastly, I am firmly a dog person and plan to acquire a new one in June/July!

Maria Mejia-Izcoa: Hello! My name is Maria Mejia-Izcoa. I am from New Jersey, but I was born in Honduras. What sparked my interest in this intersession class was my previous professor and mentor, Adam Dalva. He introduced me to flash fiction, showing me how well I can hone my skills into a shorter piece. I love being able to capture a moment and intensify it for others in a short span of time. I find that my more emotional pieces always come from a flash piece. I hope to gain some professional editing skills by reading the submission queue and learning more about my own writing. I am curious about the overall editing process after submissions and how editors choose them. I love both cats and dogs, but I definitely lean towards cats a lot more. Their aloof personalities make their affections all the sweeter. I have a sweet but murderous cat named Cain. We just celebrated his first birthday about a month ago. I look forward to working with everyone!