The Stuck Issue

When you feel like you have nothing to say...

I’m not sure I’m getting anywhere with this community I’m trying to build, and yet here I sit in the communal space of my studio with another person also writing on their laptop. That’s got to count for something.

I wrote that paragraph last week, and this week I am sitting at my desk writing at the same time as one of my studio mates, chatting about our writing. These moments definitely count.

However small and insignificant flashes of inspiration feel, they build momentum. One new friend working on her book proposal, another writer pal working on a short story to submit to a contest, and me doing some editing on my own short story after it was rejected from the local literary magazine I wrote about here is the stuff of forward motion. This week, a friend and I also began exploring the idea of creating a zine to share stories and perspectives on alternative lifestyles and how they relate to parenting. It gets me going.

What accountability, community, or motivation do you need? I’m also looking forward to #1000wordsofsummer, a free two-week challenge hosted by Jami Attenberg starting on 17 June.

I’m remembering that when I feel stuck, there is always something to say, and about ten thousand ways to get there to say it. I only have to pick one.

Some submission/freelance/job Opps:

Food and drink submissions accepted here.

Relationship and love pitches here.

Part-time, remote Entertainment writer for Betches.

Canterbury Festival’s Poet of the Year competition closes Friday.

Virago 50th Furies Short Story competition is opened until 1 July.

MONO’s Poetry Prize 2023, deadline 1 August.

Some things you didn’t know you needed:

“The way it happens is that these poems start coming out, they begin to group themselves around certain themes, and then you realise: oh, I might have a collection on my hands, rather than just little poems that are occurring.”

Thoughts on Chatbot Novels

And this writing prompt: Well, first a little context. My daughter was inspired by a YouTuber to find out “what her friends call her behind her back” by picking up a random book from her bookshelf, turning to page 17 and finding the first word. This has influenced my idea for this element of the newsletter today. Pick up a book, and go to page 17. The first sentence is your first sentence. Pick up another book, and go to page 17. The last sentence is your last sentence. How you get from Point A to Point B is entirely up to you.

Do something fun today, k?

Christie x