Today, I'm honored to interview Renée Rockland, runner up in our Spring 2025 Flash Fiction contest. Read her story "Survivor" before you check out our interview.
Here's more about Renee:
By day, Renée Rockland (she/her) works as a Corporate Controller. But at night, she trades numbers for words, writing short and flash fiction in a variety of genres. A native of Iowa, she traded cornfields for seashores and feels incredibly fortunate to live in the beautiful blue bubble that is coastal Delaware with her wife, twin daughters and two incredibly spoiled rescue dogs. Renée is a proud member of the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild and believes in the healing power of dark chocolate.
-- Interview by Nicole Pyles
WOW: First off, congrats on winning runner up! What inspired you to write "Survivor"?
Renée: Thank you so much, Nicole. I took a class called “Transforming Hearts” at my Unitarian Universalist church in early 2024. The purpose of the class was to help foster radical inclusion and support transgender and non-binary individuals in our communities, going beyond basic welcome to build deeply affirming and safe spaces for all genders. I learned so much in the class, and it gave me deep compassion for those individuals who are navigating a path different than my own.
WOW: That must have been an inspiring course. Your story is a beautiful blend of identify and grief, and all the complex meanings of the word. How did you bring these themes about in your writing process?
Renée: I heard some heartbreaking stories in the class, and then as I researched and read more, I was awestruck at stories of survival and triumph despite unimaginable devastation. It’s not a journey I’ve taken, but I don’t believe you should “write what you know” (unless you really want to). For me, I’d rather write what I don’t know, so I can learn, discover, grow, imagine, and shine a light on things I think are important for people to know and care about.
WOW: I love your version of that adage: write what you want to know. How did your story change during the revision process?
Renée: Probably because I have limited time to write, I do a lot of “mind writing” before I actually sit down at my computer. So, by the time my fingers are on the keyboard, I have a strong idea of where the story is going to go. I knew the last sentence almost from the start, and I knew I wanted to begin at the end with him opening a box and finding a photograph that took him back in time. The vignettes came about from extensive research and reading about transgendered folks and their experiences. By using his mother as the lens through which I captured the various stages in his life, I was able to show the arc of their relationship while still maintaining his POV throughout the story.
WOW: Pre-writing in your mind is a great approach! You did a great job showing that story arc. You have such an excellent way with words. Your story was an excellent example to me about writing with each word having meaning. How did you revise the story to make sure this was the case?
Renée: That’s really kind of you to say, Nicole. I truly believe that every word is a choice. Once I vomit the first draft – I literally start every piece of writing with the little vomit emoji at the top of the page as a reminder to just write without judgment! – then I go back and pick at it, usually over the course of several weeks, depending on how long a piece is. I also read all my writing aloud multiple times. It helps me to hear flow and dialogue. If my mouth gets stuck or something doesn’t sound right, the reader’s probably going to feel the same way. After I’ve done all of that, I put the draft away until I don’t remember it very well and see if it still resonates when I resurrect it. At that point, I may change a word here or there, but it’s kind of like microwave popcorn, once you only hear a few kernels popping, it’s time to pull it out and dump it in the bowl. Otherwise, you’re going to overcook it. And nobody likes burnt popcorn!
WOW: Ha, great visual! What advice do you have for writers who are reluctant to share their voice with the world?
Renée: I keep a writing notebook for ideas, and this is what I have written on the inside cover, courtesy of Trevor Noah. “Never not do something because you’re afraid to fail. Take risks. Failure will provide you with an answer, but regret will always leave you questioning.”
WOW: Beautiful quote. What lessons do you hope people take away from your stories?
Renée: Probably the same thing I hope to take away from anything I’ve read…that it was time well spent. That I’m better for having read it. That it’s shown me another perspective or given me something to think about that will enrich future conversations or interactions. In the end, I always hope it’s more about the characters and story than the writing. Good writing gets out of the way, so the story can shine through. I never want my writing to distract from the story.
WOW: Thank you so much for your time today, Renée. Best of luck on your future stories!
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