Want to be a writer? It's as easy as show up and throw up. Write stream-of-consciousness. Write garbage. Write your dreams, your fears, somebody else's fears... What often happens in the show-up-throw-up process is: something awesome makes its way onto the page. Inherent in the process is a throwing-off of the shackles of self-loathing and-- …
Continue reading How to be a Writer in November: Show up and Throw up
Publication. That great Other reads your writing and deems it worthy to print. I'm pumped to share with you my short story is out today on Fiction on the Web, the oldest internet short story platform in existence (since 1996). They have a feedback field for readers. No sign-up necessary. I hope you'll read my …
Continue reading Dante’s Barn: A Short Story About the Gauntlet of Adolescence
On this journey to publishing my novel I often take little tangents, usually in the form of writing competitions. I love the immediacy of the feedback and the stretching prompts. Zeroflash's August competition garnered me an honorable mention from the talented Jan Kaneen. I can't tell you how uplifting it is to have a writer whose work I …
ver·sa·tile able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities. A fiction writer must be versatile, if only for the toggle between fantasy and reality. I once woke to the reality I was due to teach a class in ten minutes. What's the big deal? I was an hour away from said …
Not that kind of flasher, naughty bird. A flash fiction writer. Why should I be a flash fiction writer? You ask. I'm glad you did. Flash fiction forces several wondrous talents upon you: Economy of language. Full-bodied plot in a tiny, weeny package. A stretch into new genres, styles, content.* Opportunity for you to turn …
When I read something amazing I think, wow, this author must be extraordinary to be able to create this world, these people, this conflict. The Bible says we can know God in this way too, that His invisible attributes are known by His workmanship: our world. On any given day I can be impressed with God's …
I'm in the valley every writer goes through. I keep showing up day after day intending to make something amazing. If I were an artist, I'd be making stick people. If I were making dinner, it would be haggis. If I were conjuring up an animal, it would be a platypus. Sure, I just got …
One of the highlights of the year for me is the 5000 Words Writing Contest. Homeschooled students ages 13 & up participate in a creative writing workshop and post their revised drafts as contest entries. Entirely peer-judged, the contest prompts some of the most tectonic revisions and highly polished writing these students are capable of …
Continue reading Congratulations Writing Contest Winners, Winter 2017!
I'm not one of those planner-bloggers. I write what I feel, when I feel it. When I post I'm basically throwing you a real-time snapshot of my mind. I may be feeling a bunch of things, but when I post I'm shining one of those thoughts and offering it to you. For me, posting has …
The trouble with book reviews: subjectivity. Two people can read the same book and opine in wildly different directions. A friend of mine posted that The Brothers Karamazov was her favorite book ever. Ever. Now I respect my friend, but even if I didn't, ever is a pretty convincing review. Add to the ever-- she is the only …
Continue reading Coming in 2017… Not Your Average Book Reviews!
KL Griffiths 