Interview With Kel Schmutz, Runner-Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

 

I'm so excited to be interviewing Kel Schmutz, who joins us again as a runner-up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest. Before we get to our interview, make sure you read her story, A Charmed Life, then come on back.

But first, here's more about Kel:

Kel Schmutz is a novelist and short story author of YA fantasy, horror, and romance. Her favorite types of characters are the ones who are unashamedly themselves, and her favorite types of stories are the tough ones that still find hope. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading webtoons, watching K-dramas, playing board games, pontificating on why Frozen 1 had the wrong ending, and making costumes. She lives in Clemson, SC with her family. Find her on Instagram @kel_schmutz.

-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First of all, congrats on winning runner up! I love that you write characters who are unashamedly themselves. How do your characters come to you to write them?

Kel: First of all, thank you for saying that! I get sad when I come across characters who’ve been watered down so that readers will like them. Real people are sometimes despicable, and sometimes loveable. I think good characters are the same.

The glimpse we get of Andi tells us she’s privileged, headstrong, and also brave and thirsty for life. Writing her into A Charmed Life was an interesting experience, because it broke all of my rules. Usually, characters come to me first and the plot follows after. With A Charmed Life, I had an idea of what I wanted to happen, and Andi’s personality kind of wrote itself in. Discovery–writing a character has never happened to me before!

WOW: What an interesting revealing! I love that your character revealed herself as you wrote. What was your revision process like for this short story?

Kel: The thing I love about short stories is the word count limit. I am an over-writer, and my stories always end up stronger when forced to pare them down. Most of my revision had to do with making the story’s cadence attractive, and with squeaking inside that word count.

WOW: I am an over-writer too and have noticed my stories vastly improve with me cutting word count! For those who are nervous about sending their fiction out into the world, what would you tell them?

Kel: The beautiful thing about storytelling is that it changes the teller. Writing is an act of courage. So is sharing what you wrote. If all you get out of sending your story into the world is a “you” that’s a little braver, a little stronger, isn’t that still worth doing?

WOW: I whole-heartedly agree! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Kel: I’m currently working on a dark YA fantasy about a tenacious girl on a ragtag team of monster hunters, who starts to realize over the course of their hunt that she’s turning into one of the monsters herself. It’s about community and hope and the darkness inside each of us, and you can follow its progress (and mine) on Instagram @kel.schmutz

WOW: I can't wait to read this book when it comes out! What lasting thoughts do you want to leave with our readers about writing?

Kel: The other day, my introspective ten-year-old told me he’d been wondering about the point of life. I told him he was very smart (he is), and that his question was one all people, eventually, have to answer for themselves. (The conversation didn’t end there, in case anyone’s wondering. And by the way, if you’re feeling like this, a very good thing to do is to drink a cup of water outside and then call someone you love).

Why that anecdote? Because if someone’s reading this, I’m guessing they’re probably a writer themselves. Maybe they (like me) sometimes wonder if all the labor poured into their stories even matters. What, after all, is the point?

When I get in my feels like that, I first go touch some grass. Then, I remind myself of this: that storytelling, like life, is the act of pulling meaning out of chaos, of creating something transformative and wondrous out of a million smaller, mundane pieces. How important are our stories? They’re as trivial and as essential as life itself.

WOW: What a beautiful thought! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope the best for you and your writing! 

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Interview with Amanda J. Conley, runner up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Amanda J. Conley writes to survive the tangle of words that threaten to keep her up at night. She spent twenty-five years as a metalsmith, making a living fabricating gold and silver while wordsmithing on the side. Recently, she has devoted more time to the pen and is nearly finished writing her first novel, which will be completed as soon as she can tear herself away from her addiction to entering flash fiction contests. 

She is honored and excited to be published for the first time by WOW! Women on Writing. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, four children, and her two half-Maine Coon kitties.

If you haven't read her story, Merci, click here and take a few minutes to do so.  Then come learn about her writing process and inspiration. 

WOW: So many of the stories entered in the flash contest are about families, motherhood, and the roles of women. What was your inspiration for Merci? How did you decide to enter it in the contest? 

Amanda: I was practicing writing flash fiction just for fun when I wrote “Merci.” When a friend of mine suggested I write a historical fiction piece, I was inspired by my grandfather (also named Gene) who was in World War II. He was never injured, but once I did some research and chose my setting, the story kind-of just fell out of me as I wrote. Even though I don’t always write about women, although many times I do, I do tend to consistently have a central theme of hope that makes it’s appearance in my writing. As a cancer survivor and a woman and mother, my own soul thrives on little acts of goodness and hope. When I feel that a story showcases those things well, I want others to read it. 

WOW: And hope really does come through in this piece. Revision is such a big part of the writing process. Can you tell us how your story changed during revision? 

Amanda: Since I was practicing flash fiction, I had set for myself a 500 word limit in order to create an extra challenge. This is where the revision process comes in—and the growth! When using so few words to tell a story with a beginning, a middle and an end, each word really has to count. I landed on the French word for thank you—Merci—which had a sort of double entendre—Mercy—adding a layer of meaning into the story despite it being so short. Although the story line didn’t change much during editing, the poetry of the words became much more pronounced. I whittled it down to exactly 500 words. Goal!

WOW:  I love that one word, merci, added so much to the story.  And congratulations on writing your first novel. What can you share about it? 

Amanda:  My novel is really different from “Merci,” although writing flash fiction has made me a better writer. I am writing a rather humorous mystery set in a neighborhood with a pesky homeowner’s association. It’s fun, and cathartic for me to write, as much as it is a lesson in patience with myself and perseverance. To quote Glennon Doyle: “I can do hard things!” 

WOW: How does writing a novel-length work compare to writing flash? What should writers know about writing both? 

Amanda: I love writing longer works because I can play around with piecing together multiple story lines into a satisfying conclusion which is a facet of my puzzle-loving nature. I love getting to blossom the characters and the settings to an immersive level. The truncated version of story telling, as with flash fiction, doesn’t allow for as much detail, but I tend to write both similarly in that the first go is just getting the idea out without too much overthinking or else it will never get written! Then I can go back in and reshape and mold the story by cutting away, reworking and adding. 

I find that while I’m working on a bigger or longer project, like a book, it’s fun to take little hiatuses and write shorter pieces to break up the tediousness. I use flash fiction as an amuse-bouche, if you will. The only problem—it is habit-forming. Hello, my name is Amanda and I’m a Flashoholic. 

WOW: A writing habit is a good habit to have! Like many of our readers, I've never written flash fiction. What is the most important thing that I can do to set myself up for success when I try this form?

Amanda: Writing flash fiction has a similar process as most other forms of writing. The most important thing that I have found for my own writing success is to be process orientated rather than product orientated. I try not to get bogged down with my word count, or streamlining my beginning, middle and ending. Rather, I just begin with one tiny idea and start writing. After I get a good purge of words onto the page, I go back to organize and pare down. In the last flash fiction piece I wrote, my initial draft was nearly 300 words over the word limit. However, if I hadn’t just started writing and let the story come out, I never would have gotten my complete story. So don’t be afraid of the constraints. Get it out and then you can apply the word count afterwards.

WOW:  I know I've heard a lot of editors say that  you need to get the story down before you obsess about the word count.  Thank you so much for taking the time out of your writing schedule to spend time with us!

  

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Leave a Comment flash fiction, interview, Runner up, Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest, Sue Bradford Edwards

Interview With Susan Strauss, Runner-Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

 

I'm so excited to be interviewing Susan Strauss, who joins us again as a runner-up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest. Before we get to our interview, make sure you read her story Guadalupe and the Roses, and then come on back.

First, here's more about Susan:

Susan Strauss is a Portuguese-American author whose culture influences her identity and her writing. She is an English teacher, a coach, and as the world keeps turning upside-down, she writes like crazy. She belongs to groups that cultivate good writing: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, The Writers Guild of America, and the best writing group this side of Portugal's Douro River.

Susan writes novels, Dear Senhor Hunny, The Queen of the Frostbite Ball, and The Banned Books Club, short stories, flash fiction, feature articles, editorials, plays, and poetry. She also writes picture books, such as Sincerely Yours, Buster, My Dog Speaks Portuguese, and Vava’s Baking Bread Today.

She lives in California with her family and a dog named Buster.

--- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First off, I LOVED your story. And as someone who has been known to need contests and coupons to make ends meet myself (and praying the whole way through), I can relate to your character whole-heartedly. What inspired this story?

Susan: Thank you for your lovely words, Nicole. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be interviewed as a writer. WOW.

Though I have been known to collect coupons, my inspiration for the story, Guadalupe and the Roses, to write this particular flash fiction came from my need to write stories that matter as well as my fascination with the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I first learned about Guadalupe while visiting Mexico City. It was her feast day, and crowds of believers processed by my hotel, some on their knees, many carrying images of Guadalupe and baskets of roses draped with white cloth, the color of her veil. The image has a permanent place in my heart and frequently surfaces in my head. 

Since my main character is focused on her very real need to win a “free” chicken for her family, I turned to Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas, to move the plot forward.

My character, who speaks Portuguese, wears pajamas while shopping at various downtown Ralphs Markets in the middle of the night in search of a winning coupon for whole chickens. My hope was to make the woman and situation relatable and offer opportunities for readers to connect.

WOW: You certainly did exactly that. I loved your character so much! I have a gut feeling her and I would be friends. What was your revision process like for this short story?

Susan: My primary revision strategy was to read my story out loud to the mirror, my garden, doggy friend, writing friends, husband, and now to you, Nicole, and everyone involved with WOW’s writing contest. I enjoy writing to a specific word count, another top form of revision that I call “Squeeze In, Squeeze Out.” I am grateful that WOW’s flash fiction contest gave me the opportunity to use limited words to tell a good story.

WOW: I love how you read to whoever you can! I love that your culture influences your writing. And you do it so richly! What advice do you have for writers who want to do the same?

Susan: Muita obrigada! When you write with voice as we all hope to do, it is important to allow words to represent your identity and underlying beliefs. Since being Portuguese is a major part of my identity, one that I cultivate, my culture influences all three: identity, voice, and beliefs.

WOW: So true! How does your work as an English teacher and a coach influence your writing?

Susan: My work as an English and ESL teacher and coach influences my writing because I am fortunate to be a writing teacher who writes my teacher-models of the assignments either before class or side-by-side with my students. It can be humbling but rewarding, especially when a student who does not have a filter tells me exactly how they feel about my writing. 

WOW: I can only imagine! You have an incredible amount of publications under your belt! What inspires you each day?

Susan: My most important inspirations are the people and situations that unfold right in front of me as well as my own life experience. Though I’ve written in various formats, I always focus on my intended audience. To think that right now a community of writers are my audience is mind-blowing yet invigorating as I try to do right by all creatives real and imagined. 

Knowing that publishing is the best motivation for revision, when I push myself to submit my writing, I tell my fears to “Wait out in the hall!” and then surrender to the old saying, “Leap and the net will appear.” It’s all part of being dedicated to constant improvement.

WOW: What a great technique! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

Susan: I am currently polishing my novel, Dear Senhor Hunny, and expanding on a working outline for another, The Banned Books Club. I’m also working on picture books, such as My Dog Speaks Portuguese and Turn Right at the Red Door.

WOW: I can't wait to see these books published! Thank you for your time and I hope our paths cross again.

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Leave a Comment Flash Fiction Runner-Up, Nicole Pyles, Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest, Susan Strauss

Interview with Deidre Bennett, Runner Up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Deidre lives and works in West Virginia where she raises a feral preteen daughter. She has a passion for mental health awareness, Appalachia, and helping her friends and community however she can. She writes fiction for fun in her spare time and shares personal essays on her blog. 

If you haven't read "Broken Chains and Spilt Milk" yet, click here and then come back to see what Deidre has to say about her writing process. 

WOW:  What was the inspiration for this powerful piece of writing? 

Deidre: I wrote the original draft of this story over ten years ago as part of an assignment for a creative writing course. I've made small changes to it over the years, but I shortened it significantly for this contest. The idea is loosely based on things my mom used to tell me about her childhood as the oldest of three sisters, but the events of this story are completely fictional. 

WOW: At the beginning of your story, you reveal the setting to your readers. How do you make the Appalachian Mountains real for people who haven’t experienced the area personally? 

Deidre: It was less about making the story real for the readers and more about sharing Appalachia as I know it. I've had to shovel snow in March (and sometimes later in the year). The truck was based on one my grandfather drove when I was young. The meal Joey prepared is a favorite that I've made myself countless times. The dialogue is based on conversations I've had or overheard. It becomes real for the readers because it is my reality. 

WOW:  What a strong lesson in borrowing from the world around you.  You have so much detail packed into this brief story. How do you decide which details to use and how to get the most impact out of them? 

Deidre: I wish I had an inspired answer. My writing method is a lot like the popular saying about sculpting an elephant: "You just chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant." Obviously, it's not that simple, but it's hard to explain. 

I tend to "brain dump" and go back after a day or two (or a year or two) and remove pieces that don't fit. This editing process involved finding ways to manipulate language to meet the word count limit without sacrificing the message. I removed inner monologue and trusted that Joey's actions and words would convey her feelings. I tried to picture what Joey would experience through her five senses and wrote it down. 

I'm grateful I found this contest because it made me strengthen a story I've been attached to for years. 

WOW:  On your website, you discuss the fact that you had another site where you wrote as Nadine Frederick. You left it behind to communicate with your readers as yourself on your new site. Can you tell us a bit about that experience and why you decided to do this? How are you now more yourself? 

Deidre:  I initially started a blog to work through personal realizations and share things I was learning to hopefully benefit others. I used a pseudonym because I wasn't ready to share this journey with most people in my personal life. As I made connections and built community through the blog, that fear of being vulnerable in real life started to subside, and I was excited to show off my work. I took a hiatus from writing for a while to deal with life and came back less apologetic and self-conscious. I used to feel that oversharing was my personality flaw, but once I embraced it in writing and life, I made connections and friendships that I wouldn't trade for anything. 

WOW:  What a journey!  It also explains why your writing feels so personal.  It is.  What else are you working on in addition to flash? Where can our readers find your work?  

Deidre: I have been working on a novel in bits and pieces over the last several years, but it's not close to ready for the public eye. I stopped trying to force myself into a particular niche or genre, and I occasionally write articles or essays based on whatever the brain bees decide to buzz about and publish them on my website at www.writelikeme.co. 

WOW:  Thank you for taking the time to share your brain bees and your personal writing journey with us, Deidre.  I know that I hope to see more of your writing in the future!  

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Leave a Comment flash fiction, interview, Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest, Sue Bradford Edwards