I just read a beautiful story published by SmokeLong Quarterly, and thought about sending them something. But they have a $14 submission fee. Is this typical now? I last published a short in 1978.
#microfiction
#FlashFiction
#WritingCommunity

Nobody is willing to answer my questions about writing and AI?
#writingcommunity
#flashfiction

Do flash fiction magazines and websites have any way of excluding submissions created with AI?
#flashfiction
#writingcommunity

I never used Twitter, but surely nothing is as bad as Reddit. Trumpies, racists, trolls... Back in the day we thought the internet would elevate humanity. But it's just a sewer. Will Bluesky turn out any differently? I need a drink...

Today was cold, rainy and depressing. I started to think about my writer friend Dan, who passed away in 2019.

The last time we met for drinks after work we talked about his novel-in-progress. Imagine that, sitting in a bar, talking about writing!

#writingcommunity
#writerlife

I see so many horror and fantasy writers here. Where do you get your inspiration?

I write flash fiction, and get story ideas from real life encounters that I try to twist into something slightly out of focus.

#writingcommunity
#horror
#fantasy

I'm trying to find some way to publish my flash fiction online, but I'm old, and find today's publishing environment confusing.

What is best? Are there any free options? Wordpress has security issues, Substack allows white supremacist content. I'm lost.

#flashfiction
#writingcommunity

Is it me, or have No. 2 pencils become less "pencily"? I used to be able to write almost a page without resharpening.

Now, the writing isn't as dark and I have to resharpen every couple of lines.

Is it the pencil? The paper? Or my 67 year old eyes?

#writingcommunity
#writerlife

Ugh. Two short stories in the works, and today I didn't make any progress on either. And these are #flashfiction ! Each no more than 300 words.

Maybe it was the cold, rainy weather. General malaise.

The words I wrote two nights ago feel like they were written by someone else.

#writingcommunity

An ordinary encounter, taken out of context and presented just slightly out of focus, can be an excellent basis for a story.
#flashfiction
#writingcommunity

From a 240-word story I wrote a couple years ago...

I'm supposed to introduce the band but because I stutter they start playing while I'm still onstage trying to get the words out. I walk off slowly, pretending that's the way it was planned.

#flashfiction
#writingcommunity

As a retired person returning to creative writing after 40+ years, I'm confused. There are so many ways to shape and share one's work.

I never used Twitter, Instagram or WordPress. And hashtags? Prompts? Writing management software? Huh??

It's tough to get old.

#writingcommunity
#writingproblems

You know you're having a bad day when you develop a block four fifths of the way through your latest flash fiction story...
#writerproblems
#writingcommunity

Does anyone else find that writing reviews makes it harder to write your own stories? #writingcommunity

I'm new to Bluesky and still trying to figure things out. Never used Twitter, and reddit is overrun with trolls. So far I like it here.

Is there a group or feed for senior citizens who are writers?