Interview with Paula Kupchak Hall: Q3 2026 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest Runner Up

Welcome Paula Kupchak Hall and her runner up in the Q3 Creative Nonfiction contest, "How Does the Heart Function?". Paula's essay reaches back in time but makes it feel as if it happened just yesterday. 

Paula writes upmarket women’s fiction and creative nonfiction. Her work often features protagonists who find humor and heartbreak in life's obstacles. She has honed her craft through her local writing community and the University of Calgary's Creative Writing Program, and is an active member of two writing critique groups. Her work appeared in the July 2023 issue of Hippocampus Magazine. Paula is currently seeking representation for her debut novel, THE SUNSHINE DIET. She is a Communications and Public Engagement Specialist, and resides in Alberta’s foothills with her husband and four children, a schnoodle named Nessa and Gary the gecko.

 

Follow Paula on Instagram: @Paulaj_hall

 

WOW: Congratulations on your runner-up place for "How does the heart function?". What made you decide to write about this powerful moment from your childhood?

Paula: Thank you! I wrote this piece shortly after my father passed away, while I was processing our complicated relationship. As I worked through the memories, I began to understand how this moment had followed me into adulthood and shaped me as a parent, highlighting how important it is to show up for your kids. Writing the piece gave me a way to make sense of the past and carry something meaningful forward.

WOW: In your essay you wrote about an event that happened over four decades ago yet it is so rich in details. How do you summon up all those tiny details from years ago?

Paula: While it’s a short piece that takes place over a very short period of time, for little me, that night was long. Waiting, watching the clock, hoping he would show up, and seeing other parents celebrate their children’s work and accomplishments - it all seemed to happen in slow motion. More broadly, though, I think that as we age, the past can become clearer. Moments we haven’t thought about, or perhaps haven’t allowed ourselves to think about, can suddenly come back into focus. Memories that have been dormant for years can resurface with a new understanding and meaning.

WOW:As an active member of your local writing community, what do you feel is the most valuable thing writers can get from gathering with other writers?

Paula: Writing, along with navigating submissions, finding an agent, and figuring out the publishing world, can be isolating. The people around you may be supportive, but they don’t always understand what you’re going through. This is where the real value of connecting with other writers lies. It's reassuring about being able to talk to people who understand the frustrations, the waiting, the rejection (so much rejection!), as well as the highs and small victories, because they’re living it, too. It reminds you that you’re not doing this alone.


WOW: It does help to surround yourself with people who understand the writing life. Tell us a little about your writing journey. 

Paula: As cliché as it sounds, I’ve been writing short stories for as long as I can remember - and thankfully, only one story from childhood survives. I chose a career that involved a lot of writing, and that constant practice kept my writing skills sharp. About a decade ago, I took some creative writing courses and quickly discovered I had a lot to learn about this kind of writing. I started with short stories and eventually began working on the novel I completed this year. When people talk about “flow,” they’re describing exactly what happens when I write. I can spend hours at my keyboard, feeling both relaxed and invigorated. I hope I never lose that feeling- or the excitement I get from learning something new about my craft. I want to keep growing, keep improving, and, most of all, keep writing.

WOW: We all know that feeling! Can you tell us about your latest project?

Paula: This year, I completed my debut novel, THE SUNSHINE DIET, women’s book-club fiction about a marketing professional who is reassigned to a project in Ireland while facing personal and professional disaster after she alters her wedding date instead of her dress. I’ve spent the past several months in the editing process, and have learned a ton. In April, I began a mentorship with Sam Hiyate of The Rights Factory, where we worked through structure, pacing, and stakes. After that, the manuscript went to three beta readers, whose feedback gave me even more to consider. I never would have thought the editing process would make me a better writer, but here we are. I’m now in the trenches querying agents while working on my second book, THE YELLOW DOOR, set in the same world. I also continue to regularly write short creative nonfiction -  it feeds my writer’s soul.

WOW: We'd love to see more of your creative nonfiction here at WOW - and don't forget to keep us updated on your querying process.

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Interview with Kendra Ryan, Runner Up in the WOW! Q3 2026 Creative Nonfiction Contest

Kendra Ryan writes fiction, nonfiction, and screenplays, striving to blend humor with emotional honesty. She earned a Certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA Extension in 2025, where she completed two feature-length screenplays. She is currently at work on her first novel, and one of her poems has been published. Her writing explores memory, family, attachment, and the sometimes absurd ways we try to make sense of our emotional lives. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband, daughter, and cavapoo, Nico. 

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

WOW: Congratulations, Kendra, and welcome! I know "Feelings Feeler Job Description" and its structure within a hermit crab essay will resonate with so many people, particularly women! How did you first get the idea to structure this as a job opening/description? 

Kendra: I started writing hermit crab essays in a workshop with Chelsey Clammer that I found through WOW. It was my first time playing with the form, and I had so much fun seeing what could happen when you put something very personal inside a structure that was never meant to hold it. For this one, the idea was pretty simple: I didn’t want to feel my feelings. There was (and still is) so much going on in my life, so much "doing" that needed to be done, that I wished I could just outsource the "being" or feeling part of life. I thought it would be funny to create a job posting looking for someone willing to do that for me. 

WOW: I love it. It's such a unique idea that nails the everyday internal conflicts within us all. How did the piece evolve from start to finish? What was the revision process like for you? 

Kendra: I love Anne Lamott's idea of the "shitty first draft," and I often start with a pretty shitty rough draft. I brain-dump everything I’ve been thinking about the idea, see what I’ve got, and then keep taking notes as more things occur to me over the next few days. With this essay, having the form helped enormously. Once I started looking at the actual elements of a job posting—qualifications, responsibilities, compensation—I could explore the comedic possibilities within each one. Then revision was mostly cutting, tightening, and trusting the form to do more of the work. 

WOW: You've studied writing screenplays and completed two of your own. How is writing for the screen different from other creative writing you’ve worked on? What is the process like for you? 

Kendra: Screenwriting may be the ultimate box to work within, which I love. It has very specific rules for clear communication because you’re essentially trying to make a visual art form make sense on paper. You can’t simply tell us what someone is thinking; you have to give us something we can see or hear. I love dialogue, and I studied improv at the Groundlings when I lived in Los Angeles, so that part comes naturally to me. Plot is usually where the characters start making unreasonable demands. 

WOW: How fun! Studying improv must have been very helpful to your overall writing process. What advice would you give other aspiring writers who are hesitant about submitting their work to writing contests? 

Kendra: Done is better than perfect. Especially at first, I’m a big believer in paying for feedback from reputable places like WOW when it’s available. Submit, get the feedback, make the edits that ring true, and do it again. Lately I’ve tried to redefine failure for myself: failure isn’t submitting and not winning. Failure is letting something sit on my computer because I was too afraid to submit it at all. 

WOW: That is such truth. Sometimes the toughest hurdle to get over is simply putting a piece out in the world. We can tell by your essay that your life is jam packed. How do you prioritize the time to work on your own writing projects, including your current novel? 

Kendra: It comes and goes in waves. I got very little writing done during the second half of this summer, and eventually I had to accept that that was simply what that season of my life looked like. Now that my daughter is back in school, I can carve out more time again. I’m a mom and a real estate agent, so I’ve mostly given up waiting for the perfect writing routine. I try to protect the time when it’s available, stay connected to whatever I’m working on when it isn’t, and trust that I’ll find my way back to it.

WOW: That's all we can do! Thank you again for joining us today, Kendra. We look forward to reading more from you!

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Breaking All the Writing Rules

"So, you're saying we can just write something and then look at it and decide to start with the middle?" The woman in my casual writing workshop at my local library gave me an "Are you sure?" look. My class had the usual array of attendees: newbie writers, people who had written long ago (maybe in school) and were just finding their way back to it and a few people who just thought that this workshop sounded like an interesting way to spend a Tuesday evening. And they had what seemed like an unending list of questions about writing.

That question tinged with disbelief was the one that stuck with me. Initially it seemed like a question about attention grabbing starts for a writing piece but underneath it was a question about writing rules. Breaking writing rules.

If you're like me, at some point a teacher taught you the "rules" for writing, including the format for a piece of writing. An introduction, the body of the piece, the conclusion. And yes, that format works for school assignments. Personally, I hate it for personal essays. I like to dive right into my subject with a significant event or memorable image that will make the reader think, "I want to read more of this."

A long time ago I was that woman from my writing class, faithfully constructing an intro, the meat of an essay and then a conclusion that neatly wrapped back to the intro. Eventually I began breaking that rules. I didn't just break it, I ripped it to pieces and tossed it in the shredder.

Those rules taught to us by well-meaning English teachers who are just hoping for readable essays, reports and assignments get ingrained into our brains. My hat's off to them for tackling dozens of essays by 12 year old students who didn't want to write about "What I Did this Summer". But when you move beyond academic writing it's time to break some of those rules in order to create writing that our readers are eager to read.

Starting a sentence with a conjunction. Sentence fragments. Unreliable narrators. Statements with double meanings. Open-ended conclusions. Slang. All things that would earn a red mark from the English teachers of our past. But all things that we probably do regularly with our creative writing.

What rules did you learn in the classroom that you have abandoned in your writing life?

 Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from apple pie to consignment shops to travel. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Follow her writing (and reading) life at Words by Webb. 

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Spooky Stories Drawn from Everyday Life

Photo by andreluc88/Envato

 

Like many writers, I’ve finished a few full-length novels. Some of them have suspenseful or mystery elements. But while I haven’t published any of those books or landed myself an agent, I have found success with shorter pieces of writing. These shorter pieces have one thing in common—they are twisty and suspenseful tales. They’ve even landed me a few awards. 

As a budding writer, I was mesmerized by the shorter stories from authors like Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O’Connor. I admired the way their prose kept me hooked turning each page, my pulse quickening as I neared the conclusion. I liked that I could be spooked by a piece of work that didn’t take me a week to read. And many of these stories I was drawn to the most featured crimes of passion or people committing unexplainable acts of violence. 

One of my favorite short stories I’ve written came to me after touring The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida while on vacation. One display made me pause—it detailed the events of a 1944 fire in Hartford, Connecticut that killed more than 167 people. I woke up the next morning and felt compelled to open a new document and begin typing a fictional first-person account of a child who survived the fire: 

I don’t remember exactly when the first hints of smoke hit our nostrils, or when Mother and Father realized we were in trouble. Father scanned the crowd until he spotted the grotesque orange and red flames shooting up one wall of the tent. Soon, screams of “FIRE” were reverberating throughout the crowd. The band stopped playing. Throngs of people thundered up and down the rows of metal bleachers while trying to figure out the quickest exit. I clutched Mother’s arm as she tried to talk to Father over the mayhem. First, we tried to make an exit to the right, became trapped, and reversed our course. We couldn’t get down the stairs of the bleachers fast enough and were crushed from behind by the people trying to force their way through the crowd. 

I’ve been inspired to write two other short stories based on real-life events. They’ve placed in various contests through Writers Digest. I find it easier to complete these shorter stories of suspense because they are condensed versions of haunting tale, and you only have a short amount of time to hook the reader. You don’t have to be Alice Feeney to come up with heart pounding piece of fiction. 

In addition, I’ve grown more adept at writing short and haunting stories in the non-fiction arena as well with my true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. Many of these are stories I’ve found simply by searching historical documents such as police reports and newspaper archives. These shorter podcast scripts are even more frightening because they feature events that occurred in real life. 

Do you love reading and writing suspense and dream of creating your own twisty piece of work? Do you want to write a short story, poem, or essay that will send chills up your reader’s spine but don’t want to commit to a full-length novel that has become the bread and butter of writers like Lisa Jewell, Riley Sager, or Ashley Elston? There are markets that would love to take your polished pieces, whether driven purely from your imagination or inspired from real-life! 

I'll be teaching participants how to write their own short, twisty suspense in a live Zoom workshop on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026 at 2 p.m. EST. The webinar will be recorded for anyone who cannot attend in person. To learn more or sign up, visit this link. 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer, true crime podcaster, and judge for WOW’s quarterly flash fiction and creative nonfiction contests. Learn more at FinishedPages.com and MissingintheCarolinas.com.

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Interview with Alexis Ward, Third Place Winner in the Q3 2026 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

 

Alexis Ward is a writer of comedic, dramedic, and satirical creative nonfiction, and she finds great fun in experimenting with form. You can find many of her fiction and nonfiction pieces in The Laurentian Magazine, the undergraduate literary mag of St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing at Emerson College in Boston, MA. This is her first-ever submission to a writing contest! 

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

WOW: Welcome, Alexis, and a huge congratulations! In a piece of flash prose such as "To the girl I met on the ramp," every word choice counts. How did your submission evolve from the first draft to the final entry? 

Alexis: It started as a “diary entry” of sorts. At first, I just knew I needed to document this encounter and the serendipitous timing at which it came. Having this mysterious stranger come seemingly out of nowhere and compliment my outfit, just minutes after a long-time peer of mine was so rude about it, felt too good to be true. I was afraid that I’d forget the moment, so I wrote the first draft as soon as I thanked her and went back into my dorm room. I laid out every single detail I could remember, not at all intending to create anything introspective at first. I was just so fascinated by the interaction for a reason I didn’t immediately understand. And, as I chronicled the experience, I realized where this fascination stemmed from—this idea of “girlhood,” this supposedly innate quality of women to bond over shared femininity. Then as I wrote, I pondered; and as I pondered, I spiraled. In my revised draft, I leaned into this spiral, reflecting on my own learned insecurities, and my own experiences—or lack thereof—with true girlhood. 

As I grew up with “boyish” interests (like video games and trading cards), had mostly guy friends until I went to college, and have always been uninterested in beauty trends, I believed that I was on this odd lower echelon of girlhood, and that no matter how hard I tried, true female connection would always be something I could only observe from afar. I’m a woman, of course, and I’m happy to be so, but I’ve always felt this social divide between being a woman—the physical, biological creature—and being a girl, the social and emotional entity. I’ve wrestled with this idea for years now, and it was really cathartic to explore it, alongside my feminine identity growing up. It's something I’ve wanted to write about for a while, but I never quite knew how to approach it. Now, finally, this encounter was the springboard for me to truly put pen to paper (finger to keyboard?) and dive into it, and I’m happy with the final result. I think I was finally able to lay the unsettled remnants of ten-year-old me to rest. 

WOW: Your bio mentions this is your first ever submission to a writing competition. We are so excited for you! How did you first learn about our contests here at WOW! and what made you want to submit your piece? 

Alexis: Thank you! After earning my bachelor’s degree last winter, I made it a goal to submit to at least one or two new publications before the summer, just to push myself out of my comfort zone. One night, I decided to browse ChillSubs after work, looking for open submission calls. As luck would have it, the WOW! contest was still open. I never went much further with this piece following its initial conception, besides revising it and submitting it for a college assignment. So, after checking out the website and reading other beautiful nonfiction submissions, I was inspired to submit and give this work new life. This piece seemed like a great fit for this woman-centric magazine, and there was still a few days left before submissions closed, so I thought, “Why not? Worth a shot!” The rest is history. Now, motivation-wise: I’ve had my work published in St. Lawrence University’s literary and academic journals, and I was also managing editor of its undergrad literary mag for a while, so I’m no stranger to the general submissions/publishing process. However, I’ve been wanting to submit to external publications for a while now, just to let it be seen by new eyes! The idea of entering a judged contest was a bit daunting at first, but I knew that it would be a great learning experience, both in writing and publishing. Honestly, I mostly did it for fun. I definitely didn’t expect to reach the Top 3, or even the Top 10! This was such a joy to be a part of, and I’m incredibly grateful to WOW! for reading my work and validating me as an emerging young writer. I’m very excited to submit to other publications in the future! 

WOW: Where do you find ideas for your creative writing pieces? 

Alexis: I’m emotional and a massive overthinker, which is both a blessing and a curse. When I witness something unusual, or even ordinary, my brain involuntarily begins to dissect it, down to the slimmest detail. It’s an instinct I’ve had for as long as I can remember. When I write, I enjoy building narratives around insignificant moments, and even inanimate objects. I’ve given popsicle sticks tragic backstories. I’ve given family trees and traditions to campus squirrels (to the point I became known as “the one who writes about squirrels” up at St. Lawrence). This rhetorical, emotional core lies at the heart of most of my work, and it was no different here. I wrote the last few lines first, then built the run-on sentence around it, right after the encounter with this invisible, yet beautiful girl on this ramp. It killed me that I couldn’t remember the face of someone who was so, so nice to me in a moment where I really needed it, immediately restoring my faith in girlhood at the near-exact moment I was starting to lose it. All I could remember was how beautiful she was, even though I have no actual memory of her appearance. That’s where the idea for this piece came from—the feeling after. It was this churning, hot glob in my chest, made of love, and guilt, and yearning: to remember her face, to learn her inside out, and to really, truly thank her. Whoever and wherever she may be, I hope she knows how much of a difference she’s made on me and my writing. 

WOW: What is a day in the life like for an MFA student? We’d love to get a behind-the-scenes look! 

Alexis: Okay, I’ll admit it—I actually haven’t started yet! My very first semester starts next week. For the next three years, I’ll be studying at Emerson College, in the heart of Boston’s theatre district. It’s a beautiful campus right across the street from the Boston Common. There’s so much to do in that one area alone—food trucks, shops, live music. I’m so thrilled to experience it all! I’m most excited about the atmosphere, and all the great spots all around to write and reflect, and not to mention all the wonderful urban work opportunities in writing, publishing, and editing, as well as Emerson’s countless literary magazines! Suffice to say, I’m very excited to take this next big step in my life and continue to hone my craft! 

WOW: It sounds like it will be an amazing experience for you in Boston and a place to find much inspiration! Who are some of your favorite authors and what do you admire about their work? 

Alexis: My absolute favorite at the moment is Samantha Irby. Her work is absolutely hilarious, and while my submission to WOW! was a little more on the serious side, most of my work takes great inspiration from her casual, raw, and unapologetic comedy. When it comes to creative nonfiction, she’s my Taylor Swift. Ross Gay is also a huge inspiration for me—his "Book of Delights" has only encouraged me to ponder the ordinary, which is a large theme in most of my works. It really helped me to harness this sympathetic instinct in me that I once thought childish and practically useless, allowing me to channel it into my writing and build stories around rhetorical emotional cores. I highly recommend Irby’s "Wow, No Thank You" and "We Are Never Meeting in Real Life," alongside Gay’s "Books of Delights" (yes, there’s more than one!) and "Lace & Pyrite: Letters from Two Gardens," a collaborative epistolary collection between him and Aimee Nezhukumatathil. I’m a big fan of epistolary essays and pieces that play with form, so I especially recommend that one, too!

WOW: Thank you so much for those wonderful recommendations. We hope you have a great first semester in grad school and look forward to reading more from you!

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Interview with Elizabeth Hoban, 2nd Place Winner in the Winter 2026 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Elizabeth is a traditionally published author of The Secrets That Save Us and The Cheech Room, and a historical nonfiction novel, The Final Mission, a Boy, a Pilot and a World at War. She has written numerous newspaper and magazine articles over the years. She has won several writing awards, including Bethlehem Writers Circle Best in Prose 2018, Writers Digest runner-up in Memoir 2019, Millennium runner-up for Best in Prose 2023, and Reedsy first-place award for two short stories and two short-listed. Her first winning story appears in 2025 Reedsy Anthology. She received the Miriam Chaiken Award for Best in Prose 2025, and is the 2026 guest judge for same. In 2025, she won Women on Writing (WOW) Q3 Essay Contest Award 2025, as well as 3rd place in WOW 2026 Q1 Flash Fiction. 

 Aside from writing, Elizabeth is a Nurse Practitioner who loves spending time with her kids and her four-legged antidepressants. She doubts any of her 6 adult kids have ever read her work – maybe her cat Seuss based on his pedigree. 

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

WOW: Hi Elizabeth, and welcome! I"m excited for our chat today. First of all, I have to mention to our readers that you had two stories place in this contest! We're going to have you back on August 11 to discuss your other winning story, "A New Normal." Today, we'll start with discussing your second place winner. "Downloading Hemingway” features a twisty narrative that slowly builds tension throughout, ultimately ending in a shocking conclusion. Where did you first get the idea for this story? 

Elizabeth: I attended a funeral service a couple of years ago with a dear friend who didn't want to go alone, and it was held in the family home. I was shocked at how people could come and go - no guest sign-ins - just a lot of people partying, including the widow of the young man who had died. It was a drunk-driving accident, but that went unsaid other than those who were close to the widow and her late husband. And many of the platitudes, as an objective observer, I found absurd. They'd recently had a baby who was basically unattended in a back room - just a basic baby monitor the widow/mother had next to her outside on a table. That was when the story came to me - I decided to use a neighboring dog as a distraction. Since the widow had no idea who I was and barely knew my friend (my friend was a casual coworker of the widow's mother), I didn't feel it was unethical, but that's why I chose to write it in second person. Obviously, no baby was stolen, but it was easy to envision that scenario. 

WOW: I love how you pulled observations from a real-life experience  and wove them throughout a fictional narrative. It really made the story come alive, in my opinion. In your bio you mention having written for magazines and newspapers as well. How has that professional experience influenced what you choose to write about creatively? 

Elizabeth: I always wanted to be a writer and started books but never got past the first few chapters before moving to something else. I was at an event with my children in my twenties when I met a newspaper journalist and asked him if I could write a humorous column about being a single mom. As a widowed mother, I had so many stories to share. The journalist was kind enough to humor me and asked me to send him a few pieces. I was so fortunate that he had a similar sense of humor and gave me a byline, "Single and Surviving," for several years. I soon realized that if I could write close to 300 columns totaling about 900 pages, why couldn't I finish a novel? Writing my first book took a decade and was harder than grad school, but I became obsessed with finishing it. I was able to get that book published a few years after completion, but it was not easy.

WOW: Writing a full-length novel is not for the faint of heart, but you did it! You've also completed a full-length work of nonfiction, too! Your book The Final Mission, a Boy, a Pilot and a World at War is a true story about your father. Can you tell us what the process was like working on a story so close to your family? 

Elizabeth: This was an act of love for sure. I am by no means a history expert. I mix up Mussolini and Napoleon (eye-roll). When my father was in his nineties, we learned through a simple Google search that the Austrian government had been searching for my dad for years, and they had erected a monument in the ravine where his B-17 went down. Apparently, there was a six-year-old boy who witnessed my dad's heroic efforts to veer his plane away from Innsbruck and straight into the Austrian Alps. He bailed out with seconds to spare and was taken POW for the rest of the war. My father never talked about his war experiences, so discovering this Austrian heroism over 60 years later was a miracle. If it weren't for the internet, we would never have known. The boy who witnessed the heroic maneuvers never forgot my dad, and when he was in his 60s, he took part in the search for him. He was able to thank him personally when we were invited to Austria. I recall saying to my dad at one point that it would make a great story, and he said, "...then write it." 

I spent about 2 years interviewing my dad - everywhere we went because he was too old to drive I recorded him and just kept grilling him with questions, figuring if not now, his story will be lost when he dies. He was able to find closure in finally talking about all of it - the book is amazing, but it is not my story - it belongs to my father, and I wrote it for him. He lived till 100 years old, and we were able to do numerous book signings, and he gave speeches; luckily, he was lucid until he died of a sudden stroke. I had already written The Cheech Room, which took almost ten years, as it was my first novel. I was raising kids at the time and had to carve out an hour here and there, but they were grown by the time I wrote Dad's story. It took 3 years to write it and about an hour to find a non-fiction publisher - Westholme Publishing in Yardley, PA who called me after I sent out ten queries to publishers, and he was very interested, especially because the entire book was written already. I had always heard it was easier with a nonfiction book that has a decent proposal to go straight to publishing houses and bypass the agent. It proved true for me. The Final Mission, a Boy, a Pilot and a World at War was published a year later. After my first book was traditionally published, it didn't take long for my two other books to be picked up by a fiction publisher. An interesting fact: my dad's publisher's name is Bruce Franklin, and he is a direct descendant of Benjamin Franklin. His publishing house in Yardley was home to Benjamin at one point. 

WOW: What an amazing experience both learning about that piece of family history and documenting it with your father. Kudos! I remember your award-winning essay “You” from the WOW! Q3 2025 Creative Nonfiction Contest. Have you given any further thought to writing that memoir you mentioned during that interview? 

Elizabeth: I have a few about 200 pages of my memoir done and no title yet. Every time I write a section, I recall another pertinent story and have to go back and put it in sequence. It hasn't been easy, but winning WOW last year really encouraged me to get started on it, which I did. I am writing an anthology of my short stories, and once a week, I try to devote a few hours to the memoir. This is another act of love and can be emotional. Even if it never gets published, I am okay with that. I will have it bound for my kids someday. 

WOW: What does a typical day look like for you as far as working on your various writing projects? How do you manage your time? 

Elizabeth: I will admit, I am not a great time manager - I can get easily distracted with 6 adult kids to keep track of; however, I never watch TV, and I rarely sit down and read a book, but rather listen to books when I am commuting/driving. I feel guilty when I am not writing while I sit and support others' work, whether in TV or books. Having said that, I am an avid reader and finish about 100 books/year. I work full-time as a nurse practitioner, but hope to cut back to part-time in 2027 to spend more time on my writing endeavors. Currently, I spend about three hours at the end of the day writing, and I take the weekends off. I find that when I return to whatever I was working on, fresh on Monday evening, I am more motivated and can more easily find flaws and weak spots. I have always heard that one should step away from a piece of writing for a while, then return to it with fresh eyes. It took me a while to do that without feeling guilty - but after publishing a few books now, I know that advice is very true. 

WOW: Well, you certainly know how to manage your time in my humble opinion! I look forward to sharing more about you with our readers in a separate interview next month. Happy Writing!

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Leave a Comment 2nd place winner, Contestant interview, Elizabeth Hoban, Renee Roberson, WOW! Winter 2026 Flash Fiction Contest, writing advice

Interview with Fiona Jensen, Runner Up in the WOW! Q2 2026 Creative Nonfiction Contest

 

From a childhood divided between Scottish castles and the tundra of the Canadian Arctic, Fiona’s experiences have tumbled across the raising up a brace of heart-strong kids, a career in psychiatry, cherished connections with friends, bizarre health adventures and an enduring drive to create. She offers a bow of gratitude to her writing circle—that’s looking at you Beth, Patricia, Liz and Dianne. Her words have found print in the Tadpole Press Literary Magazine, Writer Advice, 101 Words and beyond. 

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

WOW: Hi, Fiona, and welcome! First of all, can we talk about your delightful bio? I was smiling the whole time I read it. What tips would you give someone who needs to put together their writer bio and wants to infuse as much of their personality as they can into it? 

Fiona: Initially, I was mystified by the task of condensing my life into just a few sentences. I ended up considering what I most valued in the story of my life and what might intrigue others. The intersection of the two became my starting point. I will confess, I was rather taken aback at the idea of listing publications at the end. This challenged that irksome imperative to modesty I, like so many women, picked up somewhere along the way. Everyone seems to do it though, so I tacked a few publications on the end. I guess the next time around, I can add Women on Writing! 

WOW: That's right! We recommend you toot your own horn whenever you can. "Instructions for Creating a Love Tapestry" is a complex and beautiful essay about the universal experience of parenting and the overwhelming emotions we feel as caregivers, no matter what the age of our children. How did you first get the idea for this piece? 

Fiona: My impetus for this autobiographical essay is to offer parents newly facing the challenge of caring for a special needs kiddo a leg up. If it also allows those who have not travelled such a path a glimpse of what this form of love looks like, so much the better. The hermit crab format arose after several clumsy attempts to write the story more directly. Those drafts came across as problematically raw. Re-shaping the story as a set of craft instructions allowed me to leaven the anguish with a touch of humour, aiming for that Goldilocks balance between intimacy and spaciousness. What a treat to read Sophie Berghouse's eloquent hermit crab essay “World’s BEST Special-Needs Parent Recipe” – another runner up in this contest addressing similar themes. 

WOW: Yes, Sophie's work is another great example! You placed in the Tadpole Press April 2025 100-Word Writing Contest with your whimsical piece, "On Observing a Wagging Rump." How difficult was it for you to pare your thoughts down to the 100 words? Do you have any advice for anyone else wanting to try their hand at such brevity? 

Fiona: “On Observing a Wagging Rump” was the easiest piece I ever wrote. I dictated it as a voice note on my phone while walking Peggy Dog on a snowy day. It clocked in at 31 words and I never revised a syllable. I’m delighted that others enjoy it. I laboured far more on some of my other efforts at micro-memoir. Despite starting with a single idea expressed in a single scene with a tiny story arc, I frequently ended up over the word count. It turns out this is a wonderful problem. I learned so much about crafting concise sentences by cutting down my own work. I am astonished how many phrases suddenly appear extraneous when I need to cut another 50 words. I heartily recommend trying to reduce a piece by 10%. It gets to be rather fun with practice. 

WOW: How did you first learn about the WOW! Women on Writing Creative Nonfiction Contest and what inspired you to submit? 

Fiona: Early on in exploring where writing might take me, which is to say a year and a bit ago, I realized authors who write for others all have a heap of rejections lurking in some hidden file. I decided that I might as well plunge in and see if I could collect a heap of rejections too. In the process, I reviewed a number of websites offering information on contests and journal submission opportunities. (I wish someone had told me about Duotrope earlier–a much simpler way to explore.) Women on Writing appeared on several of these lists, so I checked it out and felt an affinity with WOW’s values and community feeling. As well as the contests, I enjoyed a couple of WOW courses. They helped me understand my writing in new ways. I can now brag of 56 rejections and am aiming for 100+. (Now, I must confess–you remember that over-wrought sense of modest propriety I mentioned earlier? Well, it is telling me most sternly that I ought not to mention that one of my earlier pieces, “I, Also” scored an Honourable Mention in WOW Q # 2025. And there have been a handful of other non-rejections along the way. There–telling you is my act of courage for the day.) 

WOW: I love that. What writing projects are you currently working on now? 

Fiona: Like “Instructions for Crafting a Love Tapestry,” much of my writing focuses on dilemmas in caregiving. As a parent, a family caregiver, a person with chronic illness and a healthcare professional, I never lack for material. Currently, much of my work revolves around health care workers serving others at an emotional or spiritual cost to themselves--and yes, those also have an autobiographical inspiration. One working title is “A Psychiatrist Loses Her Mind–and Finds a New One.”

WOW: Fiona, it's been a pleasure! I look forward to reading more of your work (rejections or not!)

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Interview with Jill Martin, 3rd Place Winner in the WOW! Q2 2026 Creative Nonfiction Contest

 

Jill Martin writes and lives in Northern Virginia. Previously a federal government lawyer, she now travels extensively with her husband, and writes a Substack newsletter about what she learns from her travels (https://jillme3801.substack.com/). She has completed her first novel, which is still unpublished, and has started on her second. She also writes short stories, several of which have won prizes. She loves going to writing conferences to improve her craft, and enjoys meeting other writers. 

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

WOW: Congratulations, Jill, and welcome!"Recipe for Mom's KitchenAid Mixer" is a great example of a hermit crab essay. Did you always plan to structure this piece as a recipe and what is it you like about this particular format? 

Jill: I only recently learned about hermit crab essays. Last year I took a short online course in creative nonfiction (a webinar by Nicole Breit) and that got me thinking about different forms and how you can address an emotionally difficult subject in a structured essay. I like the way that you can uncover some of your deep feelings and memories in this way. I tried several things that didn't work too well, and then one day when I got out my mom's Kitchenaid and all these feelings came flooding in, I wanted to sit and write immediately. But I needed to finish the recipe first.

WOW: I was envious when you shared that your mother's KitchenAid mixer was likely from the 1950s! Are there any other antiques or similar treasures you've chosen to write about over the years? 

Jill: I'm grateful that you asked this question, because my first response was "no," but then I remembered that I wrote something years ago about a tiny family heirloom. Now I need to go back and find that essay, and improve it. 

WOW: I love it! It's always a good idea to do a "spring cleaning" of our files because we often forget about buried treasures such as that one. You are hard at work on writing novels, and bravo to your latest work in progress! What genres would you categorize your work as? How long did it take you to complete the first manuscript? 

Jill: My first novel took me 2-3 years to complete, and I'm still editing as I get further feedback. It's contemporary women's fiction (or "book club fiction" or "upmarket fiction"). My second novel is completely different; it's either YA or middle-grades, and it's about fairies, so it's in the fantasy genre. That's also something that's not recommended by agents; they want you to stick to one genre. But I'm doing what I want to do right now. 

WOW: Follow your heart. I'm also one of those people that likes to write a variety of genres--I get bored when I stick to the same thing all the time! As someone who keeps waffling back and forth about whether I should start a Substack, how has your experience with it been? Do you have a regular publication schedule for it, and what other Substacks do you subscribe to?

Jill: I have surprised myself with how much I enjoy writing my Substack newsletter. When I first started it, the focus was just on my travels. But lately I've been throwing a lot of other stuff against the wall. I've posted a poem, a short story, and several essays. I heard from one friend who was upset because she wanted to read only my travel posts and nothing else. I should probably re-brand the newsletter because it's basically my writing platform now. I don't have a regular schedule for posting my newsletter, although it's a recommended practice. Sometimes months go by between my posts, and then I'll post a bunch in a row (e.g., following a trip somewhere). I subscribe to several Substacks by successful fiction writers, on the craft of writing. My favorite is George Saunders. I also subscribe to several by political writers, as well as the Substacks of writer friends whom I've met at workshops. 

WOW: Our community here loves a good writing conference or residency! What types of conferences have you been to so far and what advice would you give to someone attending one for the first time? 

Jill: I recommend attending as many conferences and workshops as your time and wallet permit. I've been to many different types: quick online workshops that are 1-3 hours; 2- or 3-day writing conferences that are open to all and focus on the craft of writing (e.g. the Women's Fiction Writers Ass'n conference); conferences that focus on pitching agents (I've done in-person as well as online ones); and conferences that include both pitching opportunities and talks on craft (Atlanta Writing Conference, Washington Writers Conference; TBR in Boston). The most helpful ones for my writing have been the competitive-entry workshops that are intensive, in-person, and include an instructor who gives feedback (e.g., the Yale Writers' Workshop). My advice for someone attending a conference for the first time is to be social and meet other writers, even if that's not easy for you. Networking is quite helpful; I've learned a lot from other writers. You can also practice your pitches with them!

WOW: Thank you so much for all this great advice and a peek into your writing life! Congratulations again and we can't wait to read more from you. 

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Anatomy of an Essay

 

Last month I shared that I’d begun working on an essay about being the victim of financial fraud in 2023. After dogged determination and enlisting the help of a local consumer affairs reporter, I got the $3,000 back from my bank only to find out my biological father had passed away penniless. I ultimately used some of that money to help pay for my father’s funeral. 

I’ve been working on that piece for the past several weeks, and wanted to share what the writing and revision process has been like for anyone curious about the process. 

First, because my essay had so many numbers, dates, and legal details involved, I dug out the folder of information I’d compiled during the process of reporting the fraud and filing claims. Thankfully, I had saved all that, but I was re-traumatized all over again reading the timeline. I had to step away from the project for a few days as I processed what I had been through. 

Next, I sat down and wrote my first draft over the course of a few days, and it was long (close to 4,000 words). I didn’t worry about the word count though, because I know I would be editing and cutting words down. 

After having a few trusted members of my family read over the draft, I sent it to my critique partner. Once she looked at it, she made a few suggestions, such as limiting the role of one of my family members in the piece and focusing more tightly on the estranged relationship between myself and my dad. She also suggested I make sure everyone had a name, even if I had to make one up, such as calling a bank representative “Barbara from Bank of America” to make the narrative flow more smoothly. I completed another round of revisions and sent those back to her, she brainstormed a good title with me, and offered up a few suggestions for places to submit the completed piece. 

The essay is now in fantastic shape (in my opinion) but I would still like to have one or two more people read it in the latest draft. And for my final step, I’m compiling a list of places to send, “Your Claim Has Been Resolved: How a Bank Scam Helped Me Heal After My Estranged Father’s Death.” 

Not only that, but this positive experience gave me some ideas on how to rework an essay I haven’t had any luck placing and braiding it with a local true crime story from my podcast. I may have finally found a good “hook” to make a stagnant piece more attractive to editors. 

Have you had a positive experience working on a project recently? I’d love to hear about it! 

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

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Interview with Bianca Jones, 2nd Place Winner in the WOW! Fall 2025 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Bianca Jones is a library assistant, developmental editor, and fiction writer represented by Leah Pierre of Ladderbird Literary Agency. She writes sweet young adult romance and dark, unsettling horror…and she would love to combine the two one day. You can find her on X (formerly Twitter) at BJOwrites. 

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

WOW: Hello, Bianca, and welcome! I loved your winning story,  “A Forgiveness of Crows," which discusses a family curse and the ability to break the cycle of generational trauma. How did you first get the idea for this piece? 

Bianca: I’ve always admired crows for their gentleness, mischievous nature, and their extreme intelligence. Recently, I watched a blip of a video, maybe 45 seconds long, about crows’ ability to form relationships. Crows are familial creatures that have long memories and can hold grudges for up to 17 years! If you hurt one, you can end up catching a thwack on the head from its grandchild years later—they mean business. As an African-American in the South, connecting crows to Jim Crow came as easily as saying the word “crow” out loud. So, I started there, and the “family history” unfolded all on its own. I’m interested in exploring this idea in an extended format, maybe as a novelette, in the future! There’s a small detail of my narrator being a woman—a break in the cycle of sons that become fathers who are killed by the crow curse—that could have several meanings. Was it actually her tiny son’s kindness that broke the curse? Did the curse require a “male sacrifice” of sorts, and that’s why she was spared? Or was it something else entirely? I’m quite eager to know myself. 

WOW: I did not know that about crows! I can definitely see this being extended into a longer story. Have you published any flash fiction or short stories prior to this one? Where do you find your ideas? 

Bianca: I actually haven’t published any flash fiction before! I’m a novelist, and I’ve never considered myself strong at writing short fiction; I’m far too long-winded for that. In fact, I wrote “A Forgiveness of Crows” as a 2,200-word short story before I re-read the contest rules and realized I was supposed to be writing flash fiction, so I had to cut down this story quite a bit! It was a lovely challenge, though, and it’s made me more confident in my ability to write short fiction. My ideas come from odd tidbits and things I learn, or from inspiration in books that I read; working at a library gives me a lot of inspiration to work with all day long. 

WOW: You are represented by Ladderbird Literary Agency. Could you tell us more about your path to finding an agent and what books you have in the works? 

Bianca: I’m so proud to be represented by Ladderbird. I’ve been writing young adult contemporary fiction novels since college. Around big life events like marriage and children, I queried on-and-off for nearly twelve years before writing a story that centers around the lives and mental health struggles of Black and brown people; in particular, it’s a love story between two high school seniors, one Hispanic and one Black. I decided to, for the first time, query Black and brown literary agents. I found Ladderbird, read its bold, front-and-center mission statement on their website that says, “We have a passion for bringing marginalized voices to the forefront,” and I felt like I and my work would be supported and seen in a way that we hadn’t before. I reached out to Leah Pierre, and she loved my story as much as I do. It was very “right moment, right time,” but built upon years of writing, scrapping, writing again, and quite a few dozen rejection letters. Currently, we’re querying my YA mental health romance and a YA rom-com, and I’m also editing a YA paranormal novel with a touch of romance and a whole lot of spooky. We’re crossing all of our fingers that an editor will bite! 

WOW: Kudos to you for sticking with it! I know writing and querying for so many years is not for the faint of heart. It sounds like you found the perfect champion for your stories and I can't wait to see how your journey progresses. I noticed you work in a library (and I work part-time at an independent bookstore!) so I’m curious what genres you are seeing grow in popularity with your patrons. 

Bianca: I’ve worked in public libraries for 13 years, and I’ve seen so many genre trends come and go. Having one foot in the publishing world helps me see the trends before they even hit the library sometimes! Currently, the focus is less on genre and more on author and author read-alikes; aside from romantasy, which is still a major player in our circulation numbers, authors like Freida McFadden, Colleen Hoover, Kristin Hannah, and Taylor Jenkins-Reid always fly off the shelves. Any author who writes a lot of edgy intrigue is going to be a must-borrow. A touch of historical fiction usually makes a book even more coveted. And with books older and newer being turned into films left and right, I see renewed interest in stories that were popular ten or twenty years ago. Sometimes I get to see a classic, such as Wuthering Heights, start circulating more, and that’s really exciting! 

WOW: And don't you love recommending books to people looking for their next great read? I concur with all you said above. What is the last book you read and what was it about? 

Bianca: I read a cozy little book called Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa. Takako, the 25-year-old main character, is broken up with in a painful and embarrassing way, and she gets locked in a mundane cycle of depression in her city apartment. She moves to the outskirts of Tokyo, into the tiny apartment above a bookshop owned by her eccentric uncle. Previously a non-reader, she becomes engrossed in the second-hand books as she organizes them and begins selling them alongside her uncle. Over the course of the few months she spends living above the Morisaki Bookshop, she learns about herself, love, and gains a new perspective on the importance of consistent, healthy relationships. Lately, I’ve been reading sweet, human-centered stories from Japanese and Korean authors, both as a way to gain insight into another culture and to read something different from my usual rotation of spooky, spicy, and non-fiction.

WOW: Those stories are very popular, and now I have to put Days at the Morisaki Bookshop on my list! I have also been wanting to check out Jesse Q. Sutanto, who's been writing in a variety of genres. Bianca, thank you again for being here today and please keep us posted on your publication news!

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Interview with Sophie Berghouse, M.D., 3rd Place Winner in the WOW! Q1 2026 Essay Contest

 

Sophie was raised in the Midwest and spent the first three decades of her life there. She attended medical school, completed her residency and fellowship, and felt pleased her life was comfortably mapped out. Then life introduced a plot twist: a permanent move to Germany due to her husband's job. Just as she began to find a new rhythm within the different language and culture, Sophie faced another plot twist she never saw coming: her third child was born with severe disabilities. When Sophie grows up, she wants to write a novel about traveling Europe with a wheelchair and four kids in tow. For now, she will focus on short stories detailing her (mis)adventures in parenting, special needs, and most importantly, living. She hopes her experiences can support and encourage other women and mothers facing unexpected life changes. She is not a big fan of socials but grudgingly accepts that they are here to stay. The only social link she has is on Substack: @sophieberghouse, where she has a mightily underwhelming number of followers. 

 ----------Interview with Renee Roberson 

WOW: Hi Sophie. Welcome, and congratulations on your win. Your powerful essay, "Lingchi," is a testament to a mother's love and the reality of parenting a child with severe disabilities. How did you first get the idea to structure the piece around the concept of an ancient Chinese torture method? 

Sophie: When we first found out about the disability, I felt like my world had imploded in a single instant. It was torturous. Fast forward a decade, and I often forget about my daughter’s differences; this is our normal. But as soon as we step outside, I am reminded by peoples’ glances. And I don’t blame them. We are different, and it’s natural to look for the outlier. Yet, the ‘othering’ does affect me—not to the extent of the initial diagnosis, but just small cuts that add up over time. I am really drawn to the hermit-crab form of writing ever since I took a WoW class last summer. It offers a pre-defined structure which is helpful for the emerging writer. It’s the antidote to not knowing where to begin. Plus, it allows for creativity for the writer and the reader. The writer, because there is a starting point that can now be filled however you want to tell your story. And the reader, because they want to figure out how it all ties together. 

WOW: There are so many ways to be creative with a hermit crab essay. This was an excellent structure for your piece. How did "Lingchi" evolve from the first spark of an idea to the completed draft you submitted to the contest? 

Sophie: This was one of those essays where everything came together. I had read about that for other writers but always reacted silently with a dubious “yeah, right.” But that’s exactly how it worked this time. Things just ‘clicked’ and it was start to finish in two or three days. On a metaphorical level, I have been writing this essay for a decade. Maybe that’s why it just poured out once I had found the correct structure. 

WOW: Sounds like it was meant to be, and I love hearing stories like this where everything falls into place on the page. Parenting is a universal topic that many of us can relate to in our writing. What are some of the related subtopics you've explored on the page? 

Sophie: I think there is a dearth of authentic perspectives on what motherhood means. The narrative continues that its either communing with angels or ha-ha crazy. And of course there are those moments, but there is a range of other emotions that never get dissected: frustration, anger, jealousy, confusion. Those don’t seem to fit into the definition of motherhood and therefore don’t get written about. Another subtopic I try to shine light on is special needs parenting. It’s a subset of the population who has experienced it and even less who are writers. Yet, it’s a topic that touches us all. I think readers would be very interested to see what diagnosis day feels like, what the daily struggles are, etc. Parenting teens is also mostly a black box. I am trying to delve into that too. 

WOW: You are correct--there is such a wide spectrum on what experience and explore as mothers. I appreciate you shedding light on special needs parenting with this essay and your Substack. What advice would you give to writers planning to explore emotionally-heavy topics in their own creative nonfiction? 

Sophie: The danger in emotionally-heavy topics is to veer towards melodrama because—I don’t know— anything outside of the shiny-happy narrative must be its opposite? But after the initial shock of the inciting incident, I think people adjust, at least in some form. And describing that re-adjustment, that learning, is where the authenticity lies. I don’t think people want to read “woe unto me, I’m the victim.” But everyone is wildly interested in “I felt like a victim but now know I’m not.” There is still so much beauty to be found in many situations, even though it may not look like it to the casual observer. And shining a light on that beauty, that’s what makes emotionally-heavy topics so fascinating to the public.

WOW: That's such a thoughtful perspective, and a great way to describe what makes a compelling piece of creative nonfiction. Let's switch to something a little different. Originally being from the Midwest, how have you adjusted to life abroad in Germany? 

Sophie: The first couple of years were confusing, but there is an American-International women’s group here that has events and helps close the cultural gap. I am glad to be here now and rarely run into any more surprises. Pro-tip: apartments do not come with kitchens—we found out the hard way with a newborn, two toddlers and a first grader.

WOW: Oh, my goodness, that bit about kitchens could be its own essay! Sophie, we're so glad we got to learn more about your life and writing process, and look forward to reading more in the future. 

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A Writer's Version of Spring Cleaning

After months of being stuck inside, who would want to spend yet another day indoors dancing with mops, vacuums and the occasional dust bunny when I could be in my garden? So I have never been enthusiastic about the annual ritual of Spring Cleaning. But then this weekend, after a frightful stretch of winter weather we experienced a Spring of sorts. No snow in the forecast and a balmy 45 degrees. Since it still much too early for gardening I was struck by an urge to Spring Clean. 

I decided to focus on my home office, a spot that rarely gets more than a vacuum and a quick dust. Eventually the scrubbing and polishing turned into a decision to go through the files -- a decision not made lightly. My file cabinets are crammed with years of my writing career: manuscripts, tearsheets, invoices, ideas. It didn't take long until I was surrounded by stacks of paper.

My Keep and Trash stacks were quickly joined by an unexpected but fast-growing stack: Work on This! Looking through abandoned work I kept finding things I wanted to rework, ideas long forgotten that I wanted to pursue, or a scrap of mysterious notes I wanted to decipher.

I wonder if it was the novelty of looking at what I was focused on months or years ago that attracted me to the contents of my filing cabinet. Or perhaps as years passed and I changed I could bring something new to the projects waiting in my files.

Unlike me, you may not have a dusty filing cabinet in the corner. But every writer has someplace where ideas get hidden. A box under the bed, a file in the Cloud, the last drawer in their desk. My advice to everyone is to take time to give those impossible projects one more look. Hopefully, like me you find some unpolished gems.

Do you have a secret spot for abandoned writing projects? When was the last time you sifted through it looking for treasure?

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. Follow her journey through writing and reading at Words by Webb. 

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The Search for Beta Readers

I periodically share updates here about a suspense novel I wrote a few years ago, inspired by my work podcasting. In early 2024 I hired a developmental editor to help me go over the manuscript. I began sending queries out to literary agents that spring after incorporating her suggestions. After the first few rejections, I had writer friends I trust help me tackle my query letter, and almost immediately I began receiving manuscript requests. I’ve written a few other novels before in the young adult genre and had never received a request, only rejections. I was elated. 

Two agents that requested the full manuscript both got back to me within a few months and turned down representation. They both had different reasons—I believe part of the problem is the book is written in an experimental format. A large part of the novel tells the story through podcast transcripts, and one agent said she wasn’t sure how to handle that. I don’t believe that was the only thing holding her back from working with me though, because I’ve since read several books that tell the story in a similar format. 

Two agents requested partial manuscripts, and I never heard back from them. And a few months ago, I queried a small publishing press, and they requested a full manuscript. I haven’t received a yes or no yet. 

But I can tell there is something missing in the writing or the format of the book that is keeping agents from offering me a firm “Yes, let’s do this!” I don’t want to send out any more queries until I figure out what the issues are. I was discussing my dilemma with my writing accountability group and they suggested beta readers. Now, I admit I only had a few readers look at the manuscript before handing it over to an editor, and not all of them read the book in its entirety. I think they are right. With a few exceptions. One of my friends from church suggested I give the manuscript to their book club, and they could act as a “focus group” for me. I was horrified and said that wasn’t quite what I was looking to do and she understood. 

I’ve been doing a bit of research on the best way to find beta readers. I’ve decided to put a call out to my own network first, and say I’m looking for 3-4 beta readers who can commit to reading the manuscript and answering a set list of questions (I like the ones I found on this blog post). In return, I can offer to read something for them (essays, short stories, manuscript, etc.) or offer up a gift card so they can purchase a book on their wish list. If possible, I’d like to ask beta readers to complete the book and questions within 4-6 weeks so I can begin work on incorporating their suggestions or addressing other issues. Then, if I still feel it necessary, I can either hire another developmental editor or begin querying again.

 For anyone that’s ever used a beta reader or been one, how do these parameters sound? And what is the best way to share the manuscript? Should I format it for anyone who wants to read on a Kindle, print out physical pages, or send in a Word document? I welcome any feedback and advice on this topic. I’m nervous about the process but also feel it will help move my book along as progress is at a dead stop for now. 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer who also produces and hosts the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. Learn more at FinishedPages.com and missinginthecarolinas.com.

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Interview with Liz deBeer, Runner Up in the WOW! Summer 2025 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Liz deBeer, retired from teaching high school language arts and various college classes, currently teaches and writes with Project Write Now, a writing cooperative based in New Jersey. Her flash has appeared in BULL, Fictive Dream, Bending Genres, Switch and others. She has written essays in various journals including Brevity Blog and is a volunteer reader for Flash Fiction Magazine. She holds degrees from University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University. Follow Liz at www.ldebeerwriter.com and lizardstale.substack.com. 

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

WOW: Liz, congratulations, and welcome! As someone who worked in restaurants in my late teens and early 20s, I could relate to “Party Favors.” What sparked the idea for this story? 

Liz: “Party Favors” was inspired from my experience working as a waitress while I attended college. The wait-staff loved when chicken wings were served, because the guests didn’t want them – too messy – so we ate them once the event ended. Also, like many in the service industry, I experienced men grabbing me, especially after they had a few drinks. While Hank is a fictional character, the sense of teamwork was my favorite part of the job. 

WOW: It's a relatable theme! I always love hearing about writers and their paths to publiclication. What was the first piece of flash fiction you ever got published? Could you tell us more about it? 

Liz: My first published flash was “Waiting for a Message” at Spillwords, February 2024. It’s about a woman mourning her deceased partner; when she spots a tennis ball under a bush, she thinks it’s a message from him. The plot is loosely drawn from a real incident when I found a Clincher softball under a bush, a type of softball with a special stitch that my grandfather invented. I wondered if it were a message from beyond. 

WOW: I love how you masterfully weave your own life experiences into your writing. You spent time teaching at both the college level and in a public classroom where you taught others to find their own sources of inspiration. Which was your favorite age group to work with and why? 

Liz: I’ve taught many age groups in various setting; each has its appeal. Currently, I teach adults in a writing collaborative, Project Write Now. A favorite? I lean toward teaching educators, as they are committing themselves to public service; their work impacts so many. Teaching English Language Arts is laborious, but a creative, committed instructor can augment students’ career skills as well as encourage a lifelong love of reading and writing. 

WOW: In addition to fiction you also write creative nonfiction. What are some common themes that you find yourself exploring in your work? 

Liz: To me, it’s a blurry line between fiction and creative nonfiction. Experiences I draw from include aging, family memories, and random events I witness. For example, December 2025’s issue of Does It Have Pockets features a CNF about trying to forget my past. And January 2026’s issue of The Hootlet’s Nook features two of my CNF, one about fishing with my father and one about an iguana. 

WOW: That leads me to my final question. You have a very unique subject matter for your Substack, A Lizard’s Tale. How did you decide to focus on the intriguing traits of this biological species? 

Liz: My Substack “A Lizard’s Tale” focuses on the theme of resilience. The title is a play on words, as my name is Liz and arguably I’m telling tales. But the real inspiration came from witnessing a big- spiky-iguana race past me on the beach in Costa Rica to chase a smaller iguana up a tree. Then blood dripped from the tree on the seat next to me. I learned from a quick Google search that iguanas rarely eat each other, but they might bite off another’s tail if a threat is perceived. The victims’ tails usually grow back. Revolting but inspiring. A reminder that when we feel overwhelmed, beaten down, symbolically chased up a tree, we too can start anew, like iguanas regenerating their tails. I hope my Substack supports readers during life’s challenges, encouraging them to heal.

WOW: What a clever play on words, and what a great origin story for your Substack's name! Liz, thanks again for being here and giving us such thoughtful insight into your writing and teaching process. 

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Interview with Jordan Bass, 2nd Place Winner in the WOW! Summer 2025 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Jordan Bass is a short story fiction writer specializing in comedy, magical realism, and surrealism. Her previous flash fiction piece, “Sea Monkeys,” was awarded Runner Up in the WOW! Women on Writing Winter 2024 contest. More of her work can be found on Medium. 

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

WOW: Welcome, Jordan, and congratulations! I absolutely loved the use of the Roomba in this story of a woman coping with her unexpected separation from her husband. What sparked the idea for “The Roomba Ate My Wedding Ring"? 

 Jordan: I see a lot of stories on the internet, some fake and some real, that follow a similar pattern. A relationship ends unexpectedly, usually through an affair, and the narrator is left wondering how to move forward. I wanted to write about a woman experiencing that betrayal from her partner and sorting through her own feelings. Angela fights it out with Craig, who is desperately clinging to the life she had with Daniel. When Angela wins, she's also regaining love and confidence within herself. 

WOW: Having experienced success in the form of flash fiction, could you offer our readers some tips for the art form? Any do's and don’ts? 

Jordan: Keep the setting and number of characters small, so you have enough space to add detail where it is most important. If you have more of a supernatural element (like Craig the Roomba), don't ponder on how it came to be that way, just focus on how it affects the story. Have your character make a choice during the story (like Angela deciding to sell the ring, instead of giving it to Daniel). And don't underestimate the importance of your first sentence. 

WOW: Why did you decide to publish your work regularly on Medium? What has that experience been like for you? 

Jordan: It hasn't been nearly as regular as I would like, unfortunately. My goal for the Medium page is to publish a series of short stories within the same universe, so I've been spending more time building characters, outlines, and lore than I have sitting down and actually writing. Overthinking is my biggest obstacle here. I've never written a series before, and I'm constantly changing details that affect all of the stories, not just one. However, I've been writing a lot within that series since I sent in "The Roomba Ate My Wedding Ring" and I'm excited to say that I will begin publishing on Medium again before the year is finished (and much more in 2026!). 

WOW: Do you have any specific writing goals for the next year? 

Jordan: Definitely publishing more on Medium! And to enter more fiction/flash fiction contests like this one. I want to get into the habit of writing everyday and practicing as much as I can. 

WOW: Are you reading anything right now that you think writers in our community would appreciate? 

Jordan: Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, but especially female writers. It's a collection of short horror stories, some supernatural and some not, themed around the female experience. I absolutely loved it.

WOW: Oh, that's sounds fascinating! I'll have to check it out. Thanks again for joining us today, Jordan.

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Interview with Brooke Carnwath, WOW! Q4 2025 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest Runner Up

Brooke teaches writing and freshman seminar at Montana State University in Bozeman, where she lives with her two daughters and husband. In addition to creative non-fiction and flash fiction, Brooke writes kid-lit. Her first novel for middle-grade readers, Far From the Ocean’s Edge, will be published by SheWrites Press in September 2026. She’s also written a YA novel (For the Love of Lexi Jane, for which she’s seeking representation) and a non-fiction book proposal, The Alchemy of the Sutras, about Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which was awarded an honorable mention in Hay House Publishing's 2024 book contest. Additionally, Brooke and her daughter Grace authored a picture book, Scout & Lucy, in 2022; recently, one of her flash fictions was published in Voices Elevated, the Elk River Writers Workshop Anthology. When not writing or reading, Brooke loves to hike, swim and spend time with the dear women in her life (which might also include writing, reading and talking about writing and reading). 

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

WOW: Welcome, Brooke, and congratulations! If you’re anything like me, you work through many ideas for essays and stories while exercising. Is that what inspired you to write "Some Women Run?" 

Brooke: Partly, yes! I often receive ah-has while running or swimming—some whisper of a new story or character I’m noodling around. Also, I hold a tremendous amount of gratitude for living next to my best friend, who I’ve jogged with for more than 30 years; and while our conversations certainly generate specific ideas, it’s more often the comfortable, reliable company that stirs broader, deeper insights. And since we both lost our dads recently, the idea for a story focused on aging friendships (especially as I watch our mothers find comfort in the company of female friends after their husbands pass) has been hanging around—and yes, became a “I have to write this” during one of our many runs. 

WOW: I loved reading your descriptions of nature and almost felt like I was personally along for the run with your friend. What was the revision process like for this essay? 

Brooke: I love that! My memories are very sensory, and since we live at the base of the Bridger Mountains, my days are heavily influenced by their topography—as are, more broadly, my sense of home and stories of home. So, it made perfect sense to integrate the creek we run along, that we witness shift throughout the four seasons; in my combined memories of running with Holcomb, the sounds, smells and images of Middle Cottonwood Creek are always present. As far as revision, there wasn’t much time! I wrote it the day before WOW’s deadline. But that’s how inspiration goes—it brews for a bit, then just flows! 

WOW: That's even more impressive that you completed such a concise draft in a short amount of time! Your middle grade novel is scheduled for publication with She Writes Press in September of next year. What has your experience been like working with them?

Brooke: Overall, it’s been positive. What drew me to SheWrites is the community of creative women at its core. And the publisher, Brooke Warner, who is a badass entrepreneur, writer and advocate for women in publishing. So far, I’ve enjoyed the grassroots aspect: I learn a tremendous amount from the women publishing in my cohort; we meet monthly to connect, answer questions, share experiences, and support one another’s publishing path. It’s an inspiring, generative and effective model. 

WOW: You sound like you have an amazing tribe of women as a support system. Have they inspired any of your other work, fiction or nonfiction? 

Brooke: Because I’ve lived far from family for twenty-five years, my women friends have consistently felt like my family: We celebrate holidays and birthdays; share the fun and hiccups of motherhood; and show up for each other after a loss or in the middle of a challenge. We gather together, eat together, hike and ski and run together—we are so lucky! As such, these connections to the women in my life permeate my stories, but most fundamentally in my ability (and privilege!) to write about friendship with authenticity and ease. 

WOW: Let's shift gears for our final question. What are you reading for pleasure these days? 

Brooke: I read a lot of middle-grade fiction, as that’s what I’m mostly writing these days. Kate DiCamillo is my hero, as is Lauren Wolk, so I read anything they write—sometimes twice. Their books are lyrical, sensory and heart-warming—which I aim for in my kid-lit. Also, because I love writing flash fiction and non-fiction, I read online stories from Brevity and Smokelong Quarterly for inspiration. 

WOW: Great suggestions, and I love how you mix it up. Thank you again for stopping by today and looking forward to the release of Far From the Ocean's Edge!

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