Interview with Alyssa Willeford: Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Third Place Winner

Alyssa’s Bio: Alyssa Willeford is a new writer based in New York City - so yes, ladies like her are a dime a dozen. She mainly works in the fields of fantasy and speculative fiction and would pay any amount of money to see a dinosaur in real life. Though she does write horror, she is such a wimp that she can’t even make it through the anglerfish scene in Finding Nemo. When Alyssa isn’t writing, she’s at her soul-sucking day job or else engaging in New York City antics with her friends, who are all very bad influences. She enjoys reading, especially classics, and cooking, especially spicy food. She speaks Spanish and Japanese, although she cannot produce a sentence in any language when she’s chowing down on a bowl of three-bean chili. You can find her writing in Dark Horse magazine and adapted to audio in Dark Nights and Spooky Tales podcast. She’s also on Bluesky and Threads - her handle on both outlets is akwwrites. 

If you haven't done so already, check out Alyssa's award-winning story "The Assessment" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing third in the Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest! What excited you most about writing this story? 

Alyssa: I had the idea for this story when reading about the Turing test, a hypothetical test that determines whether one's conversational partner is a human or an algorithm. Most generative AI these days does very well at Turing tests, but it isn't perfect. I booted up ChatGPT to find a single question that could stump an AI, and to its credit, I had a lot of trouble! But I did find that double entendres could sometimes stump it, as in my story - "poaching" refers to both illegal hunting and a method of cooking. That exact question tripped ChatGPT up, because when it saw the word "elephant," it assumed I was referring exclusively to the second meaning. It's only the absurd human mind that can conceive of the idea of boiling an elephant in flavored liquid until tender, and I love that. 

WOW: What an interesting experiment with AI and ChatGPT! It really makes you think about how we connect pieces of information, which can be helpful in the writing and creative processes. What did you learn about yourself or your writing while crafting this piece? 

Alyssa: I come to writing from a background in comedy, and I think this piece really benefited from that. It's very much set up like a joke. But unlike a cheap pun, it also has something larger to say about the human condition, and in this case about the advance of AI. I think bringing my comedic instincts to serious stories is something I'll try again in future. 

WOW: Yes, I agree that the combination of serious stories spiced with humor is powerful. You mention in your bio that you’re a new writer. What prompted you to start writing? 

Alyssa: I say "new writer," but actually I'm only a "new" writer in the sense that I'm just starting to submit work now. I've actually been writing since elementary school, when I would sit in a little armchair in my room and fill page after page of lined paper with fantastical, kooky stories of dubious literary merit. I've always had to write; it's something I live and breathe. I think that baby me would be very happy to know that I would actually achieve something with my writing in the future. 

WOW: Congratulations on taking the steps to submit your work! And thank you for taking that chance to share it with us. We are grateful. What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it? 

Alyssa: I'm reading a collection of Edgar Allen Poe's short stories. I'm trying to brush up on the classics, and I've enjoyed writing horror and creepy stories in the past. I have to say, though, the quality of his work is pretty uneven, and it's a little samey; I've never read about so many beautiful but tragically-deceased young cousins in my life. 

WOW: It’s funny what patterns you can notice when you read a collection of a writer’s work. If you could give your younger self one piece of writing advice, what would it be and why? 

Alyssa: "Writing advice" is a racket! No tip or trick or hack or cheat will work the same for you as it did for someone else. That isn't to say that you don't have a lot to learn, of course, but the best way to learn from another author is just to read their work. Nobody even fully understands how their own creative process works, so I'd be pretty suspicious of anyone who says they can help you with yours. 

WOW: Learning to write by reading is very sage advice. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Alyssa: Follow me on Bluesky: akwwrites.bsky.social! And support your local trans authors. 

WOW: Thank you for sharing your story and your thoughtful responses with us. Happy writing! 

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes. Connect on Twitter @greenmachine459.

Surviving the Holiday Marathon

Welcome to the January 30th blog post. I have a sneaky feeling that this should be either about ruminating over the writing accomplishments of 2024 or making writing resolutions for 2025. The problem is, I've read many writing on those exact subjects in the past month and chances are you have also. So let's try something different.

How are you surviving the holiday marathon? Mine started on Thanksgiving and hasn't let up yet. I still have New Year's Eve, New Year's Day dinner, a Waffle Breakfast the first Saturday of 2025 and a visit to Longwood Gardens Christmas display. Don't get me wrong. I love the holidays. Family, friends, fun. And food. Lots of food. But at some point the to-do lists, schedules and seeming never ending events make me want to run away. I've come to believe that my favorite part of the holidays is mid-November. I can enjoy the fun of thinking about the holidays without the pressure of actually making the holidays happen.

What we need are a few holidays with zero expectations. Celebrate it. Don't celebrate it. And no rules about what you "must" do. That's a holiday I could enjoy from start to finish.

If you want to add a holiday to your calendar that is pure fun, I'd like to suggest a few writing-related holidays this year. Maybe they will inspire you to write something poetic or funny or romantic or deadly. Maybe you'll celebrate them by posting a meme, buying a book or just eating a delicious cupcake. They could encourage you to turn down a new writing path. There are no rules or requirements for these holidays!

January 2 - Science Fiction Day

February 1 - Robinson Crusoe Day

February 26 - Tell a Fairy Tale Day

March 8 - Proofreading Day

April 17 - Haiku Poetry Day

May 16 - Biographers' Day

May 22 - Sherlock Holmes Day

June 19 - National Name Your Poison Day

July 7 - Tell The Truth Day

August 9 - Book Lovers Day

August 16 - National Tell a Joke Day

September 10 - Swap Ideas Day

September 26 - Love Notes Day

October 9 - Curious Events Day

November 1 - Authors Day

December 7 - Letter Writing Day

If you could create your own holiday, what and when would it be?

Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from DIY projects to tea to butterflies. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing and a writing tutor at her local university. Her ideal holiday would be Writing Under a Tree Day. Get to know her @jodiwebbwrites,  Facebook and blogging at Words by Webb. 

A Thousand Words in One Photograph

By Ariela Zucker 

 

We’ve all heard the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." It’s familiar, maybe even a little overused, but as writers, it’s something we can’t afford to ignore. Pictures hold a special kind of magic, a way of capturing moments that words sometimes struggle to convey. But why do they carry such weight? What is it about a simple image that can evoke emotions, memories, and stories so powerfully? 

 

It all comes down to how our brains work. Did you know that our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text? And that 90 percent of the information our brains take in is visual? These statistics are more than just trivia—they reveal something fundamental about how we experience the world. We tend to remember 65% of what we see, but only about 10% of what we hear. It’s like our brains are naturally drawn to pictures, soaking them up even when we’re not really paying attention. Think about the last time you saw a commercial—those images, colors, and even the music stick with us, often without us realizing it. The connection between image and memory is deep. 

 

Photographs also tap into a different part of our brain, offering a richer, more layered experience than words alone can provide. When we look at a picture, we’re not just seeing it; we’re feeling it. The visual information enters through our eyes but reverberates through our emotions, our memories, and even our senses. A photograph of a beach, for instance, doesn’t just show us sand and water—it can make us feel the warmth of the sun, hear the gentle crashing of the waves, and even smell the salt in the air. This multi-sensory experience is something words alone often struggle to achieve. In this way, photographs give us a new perspective, helping us see the world—and our writing—in a more textured way. 

 

There’s something comforting about the idea that a single photo can hold so much. It’s like opening a treasure chest full of memories, just waiting to be rediscovered. As writers, we have the opportunity to dive into that richness, to let those images inspire and deepen our stories. Imagine the possibilities—each photograph we encounter can become a portal to a story, a character, or a scene waiting to be written. 

 

"Show, don’t tell"—we hear it all the time. We’re encouraged to fill our writing with concrete details, to engage the senses and bring our scenes to life. Photographs can be our allies in this mission, opening up sensory pathways that words alone might not reach. They’re like keys to memories and emotions we might have forgotten. The shadows in a photo can hint at secrets, the light can suggest hope, and the expressions on faces can reveal unspoken emotions. These visual cues can enrich our writing, making it more vivid and alive. 

 

And the best part? Pictures are something we all have. Most of us have a few tucked away, whether in albums, on our phones, or stored in the cloud. These photos bring back memories of special times, places, or people. For this class, all we need are a few photographs. As writers, we can use these images to fuel our creativity, to unlock memories we didn’t even know we still had, and to bring a new dimension to our storytelling. So, next time you find yourself searching for inspiration, why not start with a picture? You might be surprised by the thousand words that come pouring out. 

 

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Join us for Ariela Zucker's four-week WOW workshop, starting January 13th:

Captured Moments: Writing Life's Stories Using Family Photographs

 

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About Ariela 

Ariela was born in Jerusalem, Israel, and moved to the U.S. with her husband and their three daughters on September 10, 2001. They spent sixteen years in Ellsworth, ME, where they owned and operated a motel. Now retired, Ariela focuses on writing poetry and nonfiction. She has self-published several books about the motel experience, her journey to uncover her family history, and her most recent work on using photography to enhance writing. Her books are available on Amazon. Ariela has also facilitated in-person writing groups and currently offers online writing classes.

What Our Bookshelves Say About Us

 

If you’re like me, the bookshelves in your house are overflowing with titles, some of which you haven’t gotten around to reading yet. In our house, we have bookshelves in my home office and upstairs in our loft area. My daughter and son also have bookshelves in their rooms. 

While perusing our family book collection, I was thinking about how you can learn a lot about a person when scanning their shelves. For me, it’s evident I’ve enjoyed reading suspense from as far back as my teen years. While I lost most of my childhood books in one of my many moves, several years ago I began collecting paperbacks of my old favorites by authors Lois Duncan and Christopher Pike from thrift stores, public library book sales, and book resale websites. As a true crime writer and podcaster, I would be remiss without my shelf of Ann Rule titles and other memoirs in the genre. 

I’m also a fan of the beach read, as evidenced by my large collection of Elin Hilderbrand novels (I swear I’m going to visit Nantucket one day!) My daughter and I both love Jodi Picoult and noticed have split our collection of her novels between us—some reside in my office and others are in her bedroom. Even my cookbooks tell a story—I prefer simple meals with clean ingredients that don’t take a lot of time to make (thank you, Gina Homolka of Skinnytaste and Lisa Lillien of Hungry Girl!) 

As an aspiring author who got her start in freelance writing, I have a wide variety of craft books, from how to pitch magazine articles to writing the perfect query letter. My husband, who has spent his life in Corporate America, has his favorite books like The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. 

Over the years I’ve had a lot of books gifted to me, from my time as both a magazine editor and book blogger. Every few years I try to cull my shelves and select a box of titles to either give away or donate. My office would be buried if I didn’t. But looking back on the books I choose to keep, a lot of them are within my preferred genres (book club fiction, suspense/thrillers, and historical fiction). I also have a few random textbooks from college because I enjoyed the material and didn’t want to give away the books (looking at you, anthology of English Romantic poetry!) 

Then there’s the “To Be Read” pile—don’t we all have that? Mine has books like The Measure by Nikki Erlick that my son read for a class, but I want to read now, First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston, The Celebrants by Stephen Rowley, and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. Wonder if I can convince my book club to read any of these soon? So, let’s see, to sum it up, I like nostalgia from my childhood, enjoy learning the writing craft through how-to books, focus on healthy eating, am fascinated by true crime, get swayed easily by book club recommendations, and never want to be without my next read. 

What do your bookshelves say about you? 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer who also produces the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas.

Interview with Dawn Rae, 2nd Place Winner in the WOW! Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Dawn Rae is retired and shares her home with Honey, a cat-of-great-character! She loves books and has been an avid reader all her life, dipping into her mother’s ‘Book Club’ books from a young age. Dawn has written many poems and short stories over the years. In 2007 she self-published in print a children’s book, ‘Rory’s New Coat’. Since then, she discovered the international writing event NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and became an addict, creating first drafts for several of her novels. Currently Dawn has six ebooks available on amazon.com and kobo.com and another one or two waiting in the wings. Dawn also enjoys Sudoku and word puzzles, jigsaws and board games but avoids domestic stuff whenever she can. Sadly, so far she has not managed to train the cat to cook or wash dishes. Connect with Dawn by email at dawnrae.author[at]gmail[dot]com, on X (formerly Twitter) @DawnRae1611, on Instagram with dawnrae1611, or on Facebook - Dawn Melodie Rae. 

 ----------Interview by Renee Roberson 

WOW: Congratulations on your win, Dawn, and we are excited to learn more about your work and writing process. “Fifty Ways” uses a Paul Simon song as a hook for your short story about a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. Have there ever been any other songs that inspired your creative work? 

Dawn: I generally like quiet when I'm writing, but in the car I frequently catch a snatch of a song that resonates with me, and I have a notebook and pen in the car to record those moments of inspiration. Such a note might wait for days or years before being used, but one song I remember being inspired by is "Dancing with a Stranger" by Sam Smith, and my most recent note says "Many wait a lifetime for a moment like this..." No idea what the song is but that line speaks to the romantic in me. 

WOW: I think that may be "A Moment Like This" by Kelly Clarkson. Great song! You write in variety of genres, from short stories to books for children and romance novels. How do you decide which project to focus on at any given time? 

Dawn: I'm tempted to reply "Focus? What's that?" LOL! I currently have three unfinished novels waiting patiently in the wings while I give my attention to whatever nips hardest at my heels, usually those projects with deadlines. I'm definitely deadline driven. But sometimes - usually in the middle of the night - a new line or title or plot will present itself and demand to be written. Thankfully I've learned to compromise by drafting notes for the new story and filing them until time allows. 

WOW: I love the part of your bio where you said you began dipping into your mother’s book club selections from a young age. What were some of the titles that influenced your desire to become a writer? 

 

Dawn: That was a lo-ong time ago, but one title stays with me even now, "This Rough Magic" by Mary Stewart. I even remember how my heart raced when the two main characters... dare I say it?... kissed! I'm not sure if it influenced me to be a writer, but it certainly made a reader out of me. I've read everything Mary Stewart ever wrote, and I think her Crystal Cave series introduced me to fantasy. But the writer who really set me on the writer's road was Stephen King, not only his novels (which I love) but also his "On Writing" which taught me much about the craft. 

WOW: So many of us writers have pets that keep us company, and if we’re to be honest, distract us every chance they get! Do you have any funny stories about your own cat, Honey? 

Dawn: I think every writer who is owned by a cat has this story - I turned my back for two seconds and came back to find a paragraph of hyyyyyyyyyyyyyygtfffffffffffffffff... Honey is enthusiastic but has a limited vocabulary. Her favourite is, when I'm on a Zoom call she will walk across my keyboard and block the camera. My group members are used to seeing an orange furry blur where my face should be. But what can I say - I love her passionately. 

WOW: Ha ha, I love that!! She sounds like quite the writing partner. You’ve placed several different times in the WOW! Flash Fiction contests. What do you think makes for an award-winning story? 

Dawn: That's a difficult one - there are so many answers and so much advice on how to write the winning story. In the end winning is very subjective and I believe writers have little control over what appeals to the judge. Back in the day I would read up on the judge until I thought I knew what they were looking for. Now, I let my work speak for me and trust the process. I do believe in putting my best work out there, so I spend time editing and having betas read my work before I submit. Once it's submitted, I let it go and move to the next project. But the best piece of advice I ever got, from one of my writer's small group members, was to forget the word count and just write the story. That works for me.

WOW: All great tips. Thanks again for being here today, Dawn, and we look forward to reading more from you!

Interview with Amy DeFlavis, Runner Up in the WOW! Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest

 

Amy DeFlavis resides and writes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Her short stories, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction essays have earned placements in Writers Digest, NYC Midnight, and WOW Women on Writing competitions.Outside her corporate day job, she spends her time editing her debut romantic suspense novel and refining her author website. Her moments of respite are found in renovating her historic home, planning adventures to various corners of the world, and manifesting the life of her dreams. 

----------Interview by Renee Roberson

WOW: I loved reading your essay, "Neglected Gardens and Other Untended Things," about the discovery of a mother fox and her brood living in your backyard. There are so many elements woven throughout, from your relationship with your beloved dog, to the still and quiet of the moment, to the realization that you and the fox could be one and the same. What was the process of writing and revising this piece like for you? 

Amy: From the moment I saw the mother fox standing on top of my shed, I knew I'd write a story about her. My biggest challenge was keeping within the word count because I had so much to say. But I had a connection with her that felt more than coincidental, and she proceeded to tell me her story without much fanfare or frivolity. I have a tendency to be wordy, but she got straight to the point, which helped me keep the revisions to a minimum. I've lived in my home for a little over twenty years and this past spring was the first time the foxes showed up. Their arrival took me by complete surprise, and I looked forward to watching their antics every day. When I started posting videos of them on Facebook, my friends and neighbors were as excited as I was, and they would stop by for watch parties. It became a fun pastime that brought so many people together for a brief and magical moment in time. I knew there was a reason for it and that I needed to write about it. 

WOW: What is your favorite line from this essay and why? 

Amy: I think my favorite line is about my relationship with my dog. "It's like our own Grey Gardens, and we're the human/canine versions of Big and Little Edie--eccentric, annoying, and set in our ways." My dog is almost 19 years old. I got her only a few years after I moved into my home. In a lot of ways, we've grown up together. We've seen and put up with each other at our worst and our best, and like the Edie's, we find it difficult to function without each other. I often tell her it's okay if she wants to "go to the light," and I find myself saying it more and more recently. I think it's time. She doesn't agree. So we continue our dance. 

WOW: Your bio mentions you are working on a romantic suspense novel. What do you enjoy about writing in that genre? 

Amy: I've always loved romance. Like a lot of Gen X girls, I grew up reading Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Johanna Lindsey, Julie Garwood, and Jude Deveraux. I liked the fantasy of perfect love, but I also had a fascination with horror, mystery, and suspense novels. To me, romantic suspense is the best of both worlds-- combine the love story of two people who are fighting against the odds, the killer, or the outside forces, and I'm hooked. I have no idea if I've pulled it off successfully, but I guess I'll find out once my Beta readers get back to me. 

WOW: Having experienced success in numerous writing contests, what do you think is the key to crafting a competitive essay or short story? 

Amy: I've been genuinely surprised at the success I have been having lately with short stories and essays. I can only speak for myself, but the key for me is to show the emotions of my characters and express them in a way that people feel they can connect with. It seems to be resonating with others because I get a lot of feedback from people who tell me they felt like they were actually in the story as they were reading it. I think that's the highest compliment I could ever get because I want people to feel things when they read my words, and I've worked so hard on showing vs telling. 

WOW: Do you have any fun or interesting stories about renovating your historic home? We’d love to hear them! 

Amy: Oh, gosh, I don't know about fun or interesting. As a single woman trying to do it all on my own, it's been more like nightmares! Ha ha! But I'm so happy I landed where I did all those years ago and took a chance. My father was a contractor, and while he paid for two weddings for my sisters, I told him it might be a better investment of his time and money if he helped me fix up an old house instead. He took me up on it. I must say, it was nice not having to run ideas past anyone. Everything I picked out for this place was all me. I didn't have to take anyone else's opinion into consideration when picking out tile, flooring, or furniture. But then again, I have only myself to blame if I don't like something now!

Testing a Book Idea on Social Media

Not long ago, Deidre, a writing friend, posted a photo showing the wonky way she cut her daughter’s sandwich. In their household, a sandwich is never simply cut symmetrically in half. The cuts are always off-center or otherwise varied. She couldn’t believe the enthusiastic response to her photo and how everyone played with various names for the innovative cuts. The response was so strong that you can know buy Deidre J. Owen’s The Sandwich Cuts Book online. 

The week that she announced her plan to create the book, I was playing around with a graphic. I periodically add text to photos to make graphics for social media. If this is well received, I thought, I could make a book like Deidre’s. 

How was the response? Crickets, people. Nothing but crickets. 

My idea? I love languages, especially when phrases don’t translate exactly. What do I mean? In English, a book lover is a book worm. In Spanish, the person is a library rat. In Danish, the phrase is reading horse. A book swallower is the phrase in Welsh. No, I don’t think this is robust enough for a print book but perhaps an ebook of some kind. A freebie. At least that was my thought. Ah, well. 

But this illustrates why it can be a good idea to test things out online. Some people blog their book before actually creating the manuscript. Others, who are doing something more graphic, create posts for other forms of social media like Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.

 
Previewing your book can be a good idea. It saves you the time of creating a full manuscript if there is no interest. But this assumes something. Are the people you normally interact with the audience for your idea? If not, you can’t expect much of a reception.

 
This is also a good way to get feedback. Not sure if readers would be more interested in a chapter set in Miami or Milan? Just ask. Of course, there’s a downside to this. You are definitely going to use one of these two locations. You’ve decided that. But everyone wants you to use where they live, where they were born, or the location they just saw on the Travel Channel. 

There is also the matter of balance. Post something online and it is published. Are you going to be able to interest a publisher at this point? Maybe if your readership is large enough or if you can expand on what you’ve posted, making it bigger and better. 

Posting about things you really want to do can be discouraging. Why is everyone commenting on another cat clip and you can’t garner any interest? 

Maybe the best way is to do what Deidre did. Post about what is going on in your life and jump on what gets a strong response. 

Fortunately, I have enough ideas that I can’t pursue them all. Besides, I’m a devoted library rat/reading horse/book swallower and I have another book to read. 

--SueBE

• To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.  

• Click here to find her newsletter.

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 60 books for young readers.  

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:

• Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work 
• Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 
• Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

Interview with Emily Shipman: Summer '24 Flash Fiction Contest First Place Winner

Emily Shipman lives in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin with her husband, two kids, and a dwindling colony of Sea Monkeys. She has worked in sugar beet fields, colleges, offices, stadiums, hospitals, and home. In her free time, she writes flash fiction, steals pebbles from Lake Michigan and invests too much love in a baseball team that cannot love her back.

--interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Summer 2024 Flash Fiction competition. What prompted you to enter the contest?

Emily: Thank you! This is my first time winning a contest so there was a lot of dancing and cheering when I found out. I was in a writing program called Monthly Mentorship and my instructor, Katey Schultz, suggested WOW! Women On Writing when I was looking for places to submit flash fiction. I entered the summer contest because the top prize of Tom Bromley’s novel writing class was appealing, and I thought this story could be a good fit. I’m glad I took my shot!

WOW Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “Sorry Do I Know You?”

Emily: It started with a friendly discussion about how messy I leave our butter tub at home, something I never thought was strange because its butter, crumbs just find their way in there. And then I thought about what these small details might suggest to someone who doesn't know you. This story is completely fiction, but I remember dating in my twenties and some of the questionable behavior I ignored because I was trying to fit a rosy version of that person into my life. I liked giving my narrator the clarity to escape the fantasy she created.

WOW: Why do you write flash? What makes it different for you?

Emily: I started writing flash a few years ago when I wanted to find a way back to writing, and jumping into longer forms was paralyzing. I have two young kids and limited time, so flash felt like a way to create complete stories in short bursts. I didn't need to keep track of lots of places and characters because I only needed to focus on one moment. And it is possible to toggle between projects without spending a lot of time rereading before jumping back into the story.

WOW: What advice would you give to someone wanting to try writing flash fiction for the first time?

Emily: The best way to start is by reading a variety of flash fiction. There are great online websites and journals, or if you want a physical book, I like the Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction edited by Tara L. Masih because it offers examples and prompts to get you started. Flash fiction is fun and when you ask your non-writing friends to read it, it is a very small time commitment.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Emily. Before you go, do you have a favorite writing tip or piece of advice you can share?

Emily: Thank you, Marcia. I am still new to the flash fiction form, but my best advice to anyone starting to write or starting to write again is to find a few other writers and set a monthly deadline to share something. For three years, I have been Zooming with two other writers and it keeps me on track when I really just want to spend my free time bingeing every ridiculous version of "Love Island" instead of writing.

Also, your verbs are going to do a lot of heavy lifting so choose exciting ones.

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Ask the Book Doctor: About Literary Agents

Designed by Freepik

by Bobbie Christmas

Q: Do I really need a literary agent if I want to sell my book to a publisher?

A: The answer depends on your manuscript. Some publishers—it seems mostly smaller publishers of nonfiction—accept submissions directly without the need of an agent. Most bigger publishers and publishers of fiction accept submissions only through agents. Their logic is that the agents do the hard upfront work of reading through hundreds of submissions and picking only the best to submit to the publisher. 

Research the publishers you’re interested in and see if they accept unagented submissions. If they don’t, then yes, you need to find an agent, and no one claims that the process of finding an agent is easy.

Q: What’s the best way to find a literary agent?

A: You’ll find listings for agents and their preferences on several websites, including Reedsy and others. Some websites claim to list agents but want you to pay for or subscribe to something or other to get their lists. Don’t fall for gimmicks when the same information is free elsewhere. 

Finding a list is just the beginning. You’ll next need to go to agents’ websites to see if they’re accepting submissions and what genres they prefer. Sending a mystery novel to an agent who represents only nonfiction would be a waste of time, for example. Once you have a list of a few agents who represent the type and genre of your manuscript, you must then read and follow the exact way each one wants to receive submissions. Most agents these days no longer accept submissions through the mail. Some accept email submissions; others accept submissions only through Submittable, a digital way for writers to connect with potential agents and publishers. Some agents have a form to fill out on their own websites.

The vital thing is to know exactly what agents want in a submission. Some want only a query letter. Some want a query letter and ten sample pages. Some want a query letter, a proposal, an outline, and thirty sample pages. Agents’ requirements differ, so you must be sure to follow the method each agent wants. 

The next step is patience. Most agents need a month or two to wade through the many submissions they receive every day. In addition most agents won’t get back to you unless they are interested, so all you get in return is silence. A few have automatic email responses that at least reassure you that they have received your submission.

Q: Is it okay to submit my manuscript to more than one agent at a time?

A: In the old days when agents received only printed submissions, it was standard to include the mention that it was a multiple submission. Some agents didn’t accept multiple submissions. Now that we’re in the digital age it’s become common to submit manuscripts to multiple agents, but with a few courtesies in mind.

If more than one agent requests the full manuscript, let both or all of them know that you may be considering multiple offers. You may even set a deadline for when you will make a decision. 

Some agents will ask for exclusivity when they request a full manuscript. Respect that agent’s request and don’t submit your manuscript elsewhere until the end of the exclusivity period. 

Q: How much do I have to pay a literary agent?

A: If an agent asks you to pay a fee before representing you, run! You’ve found a scammer. Legitimate literary agents don't charge upfront fees. They work on a commission basis, usually taking 15 percent of any royalties the publisher pays. They are able to get your manuscript in the hands of publishers you couldn’t have reached on your own, and they work hard to negotiate the best deal on your behalf. They definitely earn their fees. 

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Bobbie Christmas is a book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications. She will answer your questions too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s Zebra Communications blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/ or visit https://www.zebraeditor.com/.

Interview with Sandra Jensen: Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest Runner Up

Sandra’s Bio: Sandra Jensen has over 60 short story, essay and flash publications including in: World Literature Today, The Irish Times, Descant and AGNI. Awards include winning the Bridport Prize for a first novel and the Grindstone Novel Prize, and multiple honorable mentions, short and long-listings for her short stories and flash pieces. She was also awarded Top 10 in WOW! Women on Writing’s Q3 CNF Essay Contest. She is currently working on a hybrid memoir in essays about art, illness, trauma and her relationship with her sculptor mother. Sandra leads writing workshops and mentors writers. She has been living with chronic illness for three decades and her book for writers with chronic disabling conditions, “The Irrepressible Writer: How Writers with Ill Health Write Well”, commissioned by Story Machine in the UK, will soon be published. She currently lives in Brighton, England. You can find her at www.sandrajensen.net. 

If you haven't done so already, check out Sandra's award-winning story "Eclipse" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest! How did you begin writing your essay and how did it and your writing processes evolve as you wrote? 

Sandra: I started this piece many years ago, and most likely started it in the same way as most of my short pieces: using a method called Freefall and my own process which I call A Page a Day. I talked a bit about these in my previous interview. Essentially, I don’t plan anything, I just sit there and see what arises, and once I start writing, I let one word follow the other, without changing anything, just to see where it goes. It often goes nowhere useful, but I’ve had a lot of short pieces published using this method, and sometimes with very little editing needed. However. I was not getting any bites with publishing “Eclipse”, so every so often I’d take another look and do a bit of tweaking. One of the main issues for me with this piece was the ending, I couldn’t get it right. But after being awarded Runner Up in a recent WOW Creative Nonfiction Essay contest, I took another look and worked hard on the ending until I was happy with it. A couple of people have said it makes them laugh, which I like, given it’s quite a dark piece! 

WOW: Thanks so much for sharing more about your writing process using Freefall and A Page a Day. Sounds like it has helped you to be a productive writer. What did you learn about yourself or your writing by creating this essay? 

Sandra: I can’t say anything specific really about this essay, but what I have been coming to terms with recently is that perhaps I’m a better nonfiction writer than a fiction writer! Most of my fiction is largely based on my own experience, but perhaps it’s time to focus on nonfiction. 

WOW: Fun! Enjoy exploring the nonfiction genre! From your bio, it sounds like chronic illness has influenced you as a writer. Will you tell us more about your experience with the intersection of writing and illness? 

Sandra: Another difficult question to answer, for me at least. While I fully agree with what Virginia Woolf said in her essay “On Being Ill”—that a person relates to, perceives, the world differently when sick, I have for most of my three decades of being ill tried to pretend I wasn’t, and considered myself ‘normal’. In the early years, this was possible as my illness was not as severe as it is now. As it became more severe, when I finally committed to being ‘a writer’ in my mid-forties, it was a great relief to focus on something other than my health and the various symptoms that plagued me. In fact, initially my health improved. I didn’t write about my illness, and I’ve only recently started doing so. I don’t – or haven’t – found it cathartic, but perhaps I haven’t yet found the right entry point. 

Much of my early work is very body-based, however. “Give all the sensuous detail” is one of the Freefall precepts, and for me this was easy as I was and am so physically sensitive: in touch with – too much so! – physical sensations, with smells, noises, textures and so on. I’ve backed off a little on this approach, but I do feel it’s given me an advantage in terms of expressing how certain characters feel and experience the world. Also, as my own world is quite limited compared to many, and these days I walk and move slowly, I notice small things that might pass others by. The shape of tiny leaves, the brush of air against my cheek. 

There’s a quote by Amy Morgan that I like “…it seems likely that living with illness may deepen writers’ capacity to imagine extreme situations.” I think this is correct, although in my case I have CPTSD which means I’ve lived through a number of extreme situations anyway! 

I should say I am grateful that it was never my dream to become a firefighter or something else that requires a strong, resilient body, although in 2021 I developed severe sciatica, and this put a massive dent in my ability to write. Sitting or even lying down made the pain worse, and I can’t stand for any great length of time. It was devastating for me. Thankfully the pain is now well managed. And my illness is still tremendously limiting. I only have about 3 or 4 usable hours in a day to do something that isn’t resting or taking care of myself (or my rescue cat!), and this of course affects how much I’m able to focus on my writing. 

WOW: Thank you for sharing your story about illness and its connection to your writing. I find it so helpful and inspiring to hear what other writers are overcoming to be productive and successful writers, and I very much appreciate hearing about your experiences. Which creative nonfiction essays or writers have inspired you most, and in what ways did they inspire you? 

Sandra: While I’d read and loved Jo Ann Beard’s The Boys of My Youth, it wasn’t until I read Alexander Chee’s How to Write an Autobiographical Novel that I realised what an art the personal essay was. And what an exciting art! That book made me want to learn how to do it. I don’t think I have, not yet at least. Not longer essays. But I’m working on it. For me, many of the best essays – personal essays – can be both personal and universal, perhaps weaving two or more threads together to create something that is so much more than a particular event or situation in someone’s life. 

WOW: Those are excellent examples that show what creative nonfiction can accomplish. If you could tell your younger self anything about writing, what would it be? 

Sandra: Don’t procrastinate and do everything else under the sun other than writing! 

WOW: I think many of us can relate to that! Anything else you’d like to add? 

Sandra: I always appreciate if there’s a touch of humour when I read essays about dark or difficult subjects. I suppose it’s something I’m trying to learn, not just in writing, but about life. How to hold onto that touch of lightness in the face of suffering or adversity. 

WOW: Thank you for sharing your writing with us and for your thoughtful responses. Happy writing! 

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes. Engage on Twitter or Instagram @GreenMachine459.

Back to School

 

I'm exhausted. I've been debating for several weeks - with myself. I want to go to a writing conference in March. My writing self is shouting, "Yes! Let's go." My practical self is whining (yes, my practical self whines a lot), "But the cost...what about your 9 to 5 job...it's multiple days so you need a hotel room...will it be worth it." My practical self, after years in marketing, is always worrying about ROI.

My family has been on this rollercoaster with me. Despite not being writers, they have listened to my dissection of the workshops, cost, advantages and my decisions to not go...go...no, not go...maybe. They are all encouraging me to go. I suspect so they won't get drawn into any more writing conference discussions.

Last night - the last day of early registration - I did it. There's no turning back now. They have my credit card number. 

Over the course of this seemingly endless debate, I've changed my outlook on writing conferences, classes, etc. My friends and family are involved in careers that cover a wide variety of industries. Yet they all have one thing in common. They all participate in career building events ranging from industry conferences to skills classes to online workshops. So why am I so reluctant?

The main reason may be that I'm the one footing the bill for any career building events I attend. But in reality there are plenty of affordable and even free options out there. I've taken several classes through WOW that made me notice new writing opportunities in my life. There are also classes popping up in my feed and inbox constantly. I also think part of it may be "imposter syndrome". Somewhere deep inside of me I feel I'm not worth the investment.

For 2025 I've decided that one of my goals will be to actively pursue career building opportunities. I'm going to give myself a money and time budget for the year and find a few ways to hone my skills. In the past, I've found that participating in classes and attending talks not only educates me but also gives me a surge of enthusiasm for my writing career. I never thought that these events weren't valuable experiences. They just always seemed to move to the bottom of my to-do list. But for the upcoming year, I'm giving myself permission to pursue these opportunities.

I'll be happy to share how my experiment has gone at the end of 2025.

What about you? Do you invest in yourself? Do you worry about time and money spent?

Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from DIY projects to tea to butterflies.  She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing and a writing tutor at her local university. Get to know her @jodiwebbwrites,  Facebook and blogging at Words by Webb. 

Interview with Elizabeth Jannuzzi: Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Contest Runner Up

Elizabeth Jannuzzi is a writer whose work explores themes of loss, motherhood, and recovery from alcoholism. Her essays have been featured in The Rumpus, Memoir Monday, The Brevity Blog, and more. Elizabeth received an honorable mention in Memoir Magazine’s 2018 Recovery Contest, was shortlisted for Cagibi’s 2019 Macaron Prize, and earned a Best of the Net nomination in 2023. Elizabeth serves as the operations and communications manager at Project Write Now, a nonprofit writing organization. She engages with her audience through a weekly Substack and is working on a memoir.

---interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on placing as a runner up in our Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction essay competition! What prompted you to enter the contest?

Elizabeth: Thank you so much! I was honored and delighted to be a runner-up in WOW’s contest. I became aware of WOW! Women On Writing when a colleague, Courtney Harler, from the organization where I work Project Write Now, won the Flash Essay contest in October 2022. Since then, I’ve been a fan of this publication that promotes women. THEN, my colleague and friend, Jennifer Gaites, won first place in WOW’s Q4 2023 Creative Nonfiction essay contest. I guess I wanted to throw my hat in the ring as well.

WOW:  Your entry, “Purgatory in Two Parts” is a quietly powerful piece, including the ending. What inspired you to write it?

Elizabeth: You know how as writers, we keep returning to the same themes, or as a memoirist, the same moment in our lives? My sister’s suicide attempt and the eight months she spent in the hospital before she eventually died is one of those moments for me. (I have other published pieces on the same topic.)

I’d like to say my inspiration is to remove the shame surrounding mental illness and suicide but to be honest, that’s just a by-product of my writing. I feel drawn to write about my sister’s suicide in order to understand it. Twenty-seven years after she passed, I’m still trying to figure it out. The second part of my essay though is a direct reaction to people (the lit mag editor) not understanding mental illness and suicide and how that hurts those of us who are survivors of suicide loss. That section IS an attempt to educate people.

WOW:  Do you have any thoughts or advice for writing about difficult things?

Elizabeth:  Ah, that’s a good question. But beyond the typical self-care advice--be kind to yourself, take breaks, go for a walk, etc.--not really. I will say that it’s important to lean into the difficult topics. Write the thing that’s hard to say. That’s where the heat is. That’s what’s going to resonate with readers. It may be difficult, but that’s what connects us and creates empathy. “Normalize,” as Brené Brown would say.

WOW:  You mentioned that you’re working on a memoir. Anything you can share about the writing process, or how the journey of writing this book is going for you?

Elizabeth: Thanks for asking! I’ve written one memoir, SOBER MOM, about my recovery from alcoholism. I’m currently querying agents for that manuscript. (Hello? Any agents out there?) And I’m writing a weekly Substack to build my author platform.

My second memoir about loss, grief, and resilience, called THIS WOMAN’S WORK, is still a draft. I plan to revise it in 2025.

I’m currently a member of a wonderful community of writers called book inc, a division of the nonprofit Project Write Now. Our Memoir and Novel Incubators are yearlong creative writing programs to guide and support writers from their initial story ideas to the completion of their manuscripts. I highly recommend this program, and I’m not just saying that as its program manager! :-)

WOW:  Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Elizabeth. Before you go, can you share a favorite writing tip or piece of advice?

Elizabeth: Thank YOU for the opportunity. Writing advice? Let’s see…I used to berate myself because I didn’t write every day. I thought I wasn’t a real writer because of that fact. As a busy working mom, I only had time to write on the weekends or if I scheduled a writing retreat for myself. Once I let go of that (patriarchial?) pressure to write every day and allowed myself to write when and how I could, I started to flourish. Don’t let others tell you what your writing practice should look like.

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Caring for Yourself During Writer's Burnout

It seems only appropriate that as I sit here writing this, a carbon monoxide detector in my house is dying and sending out a warning beep every 90 seconds. How about we add stress to a writer who is already at her limit? (Don’t worry, all is fine, another detector died a few weeks ago and we had to replace it. Currently waiting on my husband to get home with a new one). 

The past month has brought ups and downs, and I’m sure my fellow writers can relate. After sending out the first batch of agent queries on my latest novel, I was elated when three agents requested the full manuscript. I started envisioning what I would do with a book deal and began outlining a new book so I would have something else to sell if an agent decided to represent me. But to quote the great Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City,” and just like that . . . two agents passed on the book, albeit kindly. The positive takeaway from these rejections is that I realized I may be pitching the book incorrectly. While I’ve been envisioning it as a suspense/thriller, it may not be fast-paced enough for these agents requesting a suspense/thriller. The book also features a lot of family secrets, an exploration of relationships between mothers and daughters and sisters, and maybe my comp list should be more in alignment with that. 

I had a short story published at The Write Launch with kind feedback, and had another market I pitched the same story to reject it and tell me it was “unrealistic.” They also said I checked the box stating I was 18 or under and a quick Google search showed them I was absolutely older than that. I don’t remember checking a box telling my age, but I guess I did, and the e-mail made me feel pretty foolish nonetheless since they cater to young adult writers. 

After working on a true crime podcast for the past four years, I’ve gotten burned out being the sole host/creator and have been wondering if I should stop the venture altogether and focus solely on fiction. I’m also tired of competing with other true crime podcasters who jump on any national story that they think will draw listeners. Since my podcast is regional, and I haven’t jumped on the popular podcaster bandwagon of recording all my episodes in video format, I wonder if it’s even possible to achieve the kind of numbers I’d need to attract paying advertisers. I’ve decided to give myself a break from the podcast over the holidays to reassess the situation and give myself time to plan new content. 

I've been here before. A few years ago I experienced severe burnout when working as the editor of a regional lifestyle magazine. It was a contract position that had me working many nights, weekends, and holidays and I felt like I was on a hamster wheel I couldn't escape. I left the job to pursue my own creative endeavors and felt immediate relief. Unfortunately, I've created yet another hamster wheel for myself with my own projects. I think it’s normal for us to have highs and lows in this industry. I keep trying, just like I know everyone else here is trying. I’ve told myself I’m going to give myself a break over the next month and focus on taking care of my mental and physical health. This includes reading more books for enjoyment, exercising, walking my dogs, eating healthy, delicious food, and making sure I don’t isolate myself at home. I’ve been doing that too much with my self-imposed deadlines, and I really need to make sure I make lunch and coffee plans with friends, stroll through some of my favorite stores in town just because I feel like it, and more. 

What do you do to regroup when you’ve found yourself in a writing slump? 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and the host/creator of of the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas.