The Girl I Met at the Gay Bar, Best Microfictions Fail, and Taking on Too Much

Let’s start with the good this week - if you haven’t had the chance to check out Short Story Today’s A Valentine's Day Micro Fiction Sampler podcast, my story “The Girl I Met at the Gay Bar” is about 10 minutes in, but I recommend listening to the entire episode as it’s filled with wonderful stories and amazing actors!

Best Microfictions… what can I say? I was completely shattered by the news that not a single one of my micros was included this year. I am fully aware that each year there is a different judge with a different aesthetic, but it made me question my entire writing life and whether what I was doing even mattered. Like for one dark moment I thought yeah I need to quit writing. What’s the point? Of course, I eventually got passed it, ended up baking an apple crumble instead of wallowing, and reminded myself that I shouldn’t have had any expectations about getting in, and that what I am writing is important to me and hopefully to those who read it.

Finally, I am doing my best to balance my volunteer positions as reader and editor at various lit mags as well participating in workshops, including the Pitch Wars intensive, but I am reaching that burnout phase again. I also need to crank out the first three chapters of my novel in a week and a half (I have the beats outlined so there is that). I am also trying my luck at the NEA grant. We will see if that happens.

As always, sending you all light and love and creativity.