Writing about Writing and Some New Pubs

I was asked by Mandira Pattnaik to write about writing for her blog. I felt honored that she would consider me and thought really hard about what I should write about and came up with this: Talking Story about Language and Identity.

I am always struggling with how I should be writing. Should I write to a certain audience so that I can get published or should I keep true to myself? It’s a hard tightrope to walk and I am always falling and failing.

I have a new story up at The Razor - Playing with Fire - with wonderful art and a reading by a very talented voice actor. This piece was created in a workshop with Meg Pokrass and Kathryn Kulpa last year.

I should have a new story in Ruby Literary on June 3 (it’s already June 3 here but time zones lol), which I enjoyed writing in a hermit crab class with Cheryl Pappas. It’s a fun and nostalgic piece, and there should be an author’s note as well as an easy haupia recipe!

Oh and I totally spaced… I started SmokeLong Quarterly’s Summer Workshop this week too, and phew, it’s getting a bit overwhelming, but I will be kind to myself and take breaks when I need it. Self-care is so hard sometimes.

So that’s where I will leave you all this week… Reminding myself that it’s okay to take breaks. It’s okay NOT to be writing and submitting and publishing constantly. It’s okay NOT to compare yourself to others and their successes. It’s okay just to be me in this moment. And to finally REMIND myself that I have a damn book coming out and that should be enough.

Sending light and love to you all. Mahalo for reading!