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kathyfish.bsky.social
Kathy Fish
@kathyfish.bsky.social
7.9K followers 5.2K following 2.4K posts
Ploughshares | Best American Nonreq'd | Copper Nickel Editors' Prize | The Norton Reader | ElectricLit | Flash Fiction America | Swamp Pink (fmrly Crazyhorse) | Wigleaf | The Art of Flash Fiction https://artofflashfiction.substack.com
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kathyfish.bsky.social
I have slowly but surely lost 32 pounds since March (without any Ozempic or Ozempic like injections, just exercise and managing blood sugar). All my "numbers" have vastly improved. I feel wonderful. Now I'm having to replace all my clothes. I won't lie, this is an awfully nice problem to have! 💙
Sunny outdoor selfie of me: a sixty-five year old woman with long gray hair and glasses, wearing a white sun visor, sleeveless tee, and blue weighted vest. Sidewalk, grass, and road behind me.
November 22, 2025 at 3:05 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Pretty and unusual for Colorado!
Pink and purple Northern Lights low in the sky over pine trees in the foreground.
November 12, 2025 at 3:46 AM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Hey friends, if one were to--say--pull together a collection of "new and selected" stories, who does the selecting of the "selecteds"? The writer or an editor / publisher or a trusted reader? Asking for myself. 😄 (This is a photo of the last time I pulled together a collection, too long ago.)
A long dining table covered in printed out story pages.
November 11, 2025 at 2:34 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Hey, a spot just became open for this! Join us outside beautiful Harper’s Ferry, WV later this month for a wonderful few days of writing, rest, walking, reading, and more writing! A one on one consultation with me is also included in deal.
Flyer describing a residential workshop with Kathy Fish from October 20-24th in Charles Town, West Virginia. Sarah Freligh and Andrew Bertaina are also guest teaching workshops. For more information, email Ellen Weeren at ellen@areasontowrite.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:34 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Hey, I'm leading a two-hour generative writing session on Sunday, Sept. 28th through wonderful Cleaver Magazine! Would love to see you there. I have fun things planned! cleavermagazine.submittable.com/submit/32754...
KATHY FISH: READY! SET! WRITE! September 28, 2025 READY! SET! WRITE! Instructor: Kathy Fish Date: Sept 28, 2025, 2-4 PM ET on Zoom Cost: $60 Have you found yourself terrified and intimidated by the dreaded blank page? It’s a common problem for writers! Choreographer and dancer Twyla Tharp says, “in order to be creative, you have to know how to prepare to be creative.” As a big believer in the value of pre-writing, I have developed several exercises and activities aimed at immersion and deep work before we begin the joyful task of creating new art. The result? Fresh, original drafts of surprising depth and beauty. In this engaging, interactive two-hour session we will begin with a series of fun and interesting activities and prompts that will prime our brains for creative expression.
September 16, 2025 at 1:36 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
My September newsletter, on stillness & white space, in which I highly recommend Han Kang's The White Book...
September 15, 2025 at 2:08 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
To those of you who signed up for THIS Saturday’s (the 13th) 3-in-90 workshop, you should have received your email with LINK to the session by now. Please locate it and be ready to write at 1:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. If you’re not seeing the email, check spam or promotions folders. Thanks! 💙💙💙
How Does It Feel? Writing Emotion from The Inside Out Before we can effectively and powerfully render emotion on the page, we must first understand how emotion is experienced. Drawing on the sensory-based approach of Robert Olen Butler and the Stanislavski acting method, I’ll guide you through techniques for conveying powerful emotion in the very limited space of flash fiction. Through a series of prompts and timed exercises, you’ll write from memory and the body, channeling feeling through visceral detail and immersive storytelling. Expect to come away from this workshop with three deeply moving flash drafts in hand. 💲 $60.00 📅 Saturday, September 13, 2025
September 10, 2025 at 1:01 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
He follows me all over the internet and I keep snubbing him....😢
Screenshot of yet another bogus Keanu Reeves account, showing a background photo of Keanu blowing a kiss and a smaller profile photo of Keanu with bear and mustache. Text: Keanu Charles reeves, follows you. 2 followers, following 48, zero posts. Bio: "I'm not a fighter I'm a lover" with heart and rose emojis.
September 7, 2025 at 6:11 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Still time to join us, friends! Next Saturday, the 13th: "Writing Emotion from the Inside Out," my 3-in-90 workshop! Go here for info & to register: www.fastflashworkshops.com 💙
How Does It Feel? Writing Emotion from The Inside Out Before we can effectively and powerfully render emotion on the page, we must first understand how emotion is experienced. Drawing on the sensory-based approach of Robert Olen Butler and the Stanislavski acting method, I’ll guide you through techniques for conveying powerful emotion in the very limited space of flash fiction. Through a series of prompts and timed exercises, you’ll write from memory and the body, channeling feeling through visceral detail and immersive storytelling. Expect to come away from this workshop with three deeply moving flash drafts in hand. 💲 $60.00 📅 Saturday, September 13, 2025
September 6, 2025 at 3:11 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Beautiful day! My husband and I hiked to the top of Devil's Head fire station lookout this morning. 1.4 miles each way, 866 ft. elevation change, 143 stairs to the lookout platform. A challenging hike, but worth it. This is the point where I thought we were "almost there." We were not. 😂
Kathy's husband hiking up a steep path between trees and large rock formations, under a blue sky.
September 1, 2025 at 11:18 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Everything is such a mess. Have a good, restful, restorative long weekend if you can, friends. Here's a bit of beauty for your Friday (my daughter's cat, Lilah):
A Siamese / Snowshoe mix cat sitting on the edge of a floral rug with white paws extended, looking to the camera with very blue eyes.
August 29, 2025 at 1:10 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
I miss each and every one of these amazing humans. What a powerful and rewarwding experience for me as a teacher. I love facilitating workshops at Shadowcliff Lodge. 🫎🌲⛰️🦅📚
Thirteen men and women writers, participants in a writing retreat, standing on steps leading from a rustic log cabin chapel on a cliffside in the mountains. A blue sky with white clouds and pine and aspen trees also in the photo.
August 24, 2025 at 6:31 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
We're having our workshops in this non-denominational cliffside chapel. A peaceful, inspiring space despite the terrible view.
A rustic non-denominational chapel interior with stained glass and large window looking out to a lake, mountains, trees in Grand Lake, Colorado. Two women writers standing before the windows, looking out.
August 21, 2025 at 9:54 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
All the "fancy" of this retreat is supplied by nature and the wonderful folks gathered. Summer camp for adults in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. My first workshop is in the books and wow, what an amazing collection of hearts and minds. I'm having a blast. 💙
View of Grand Lake, Colorado. Trees and town in foreground, lake in the background, mountain with pine trees to the left. Big, fluffy clouds in a blue sky.
August 20, 2025 at 7:35 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
My August newsletter! open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...
Cover image of Ross Gay's "The Book of Delights" yellow background with silhouetted images of flowers in pale gray, with red lettering for the title. In white lettering: Study Delight, subtitle "if this isn't nice, what is?" And the link to my newsletter at the bottom:
August 18, 2025 at 1:30 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
ICYMI friends, I’m taking registrations for my upcoming round of 3-in-90 workshops (Aug. 16th, Sept. 13th, Oct. 11th). The 3 session package ($180 value) is offered for $125 through Monday, August 4th! Don’t miss out! I’d love to have you join us! fastflashworkshops.com 💙
A bullet list: In these 90 minute live sessions (on Webex, similar to Zoom) you will: Learn new concepts in flash fiction Acquire new flash writing skills & tools Be inspired by the best exemplars of published flash fiction Write to prompts aimed at breaking through writing blocks Innovate with the flash form - Be prepared to surprise yourself! Have a blast writing in a safe and supportive environment
July 31, 2025 at 2:11 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Hey friends, heads up: On MONDAY, I'll be taking registrations for an ALL NEW round of 3-in-90 workshops! Come away with three surprising flash drafts in 90 minutes. These fun, intensive sessions have become quite popular and I'd love for you to join us. Watch this space! 💙
Flyer image from the Art of Flash Fiction Substack featuring a photo of Kathy Fish, with long gray hair, a teal shirt, and huge glasses with a vintage typewriter and fan behind her. White text overlaying that says, "Registration Open! Upcoming Workshops - Early Bird Discount Through August 4th. Available July 28th, 2025. ARTOFFLASHFICTION.SUBSTACK.COM
July 24, 2025 at 7:49 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Lovely Charmaine Wilkerson visited the Flash Fiction Festival & came to my pre-festival workshop! She took this photo of Nancy Stohlman & me. It was, as always, a fun, inspiring, exhausting, exhilarating weekend in Bristol. Love to all. I miss you already. 💙
Nancy Stohlman, seated on a picnic blanket outside Trinity College in Bristol, England, wearing sunglasses and a red patterned sundress, next to Kathy Fish, also in sunglasses, wearing a black top and white pants.
July 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Okay! Yesterday's three-hour pre-festival workshop is behind me now (and I think it went well!) Now the @flashficfestuk.bsky.social begins in earnest! Let's goooo! 💙
Smiling Kathy Fish who slept eleven hours straight for the first time in years and is ready to teach her workshop at the Flash Fiction Festival. Long gray hair and big glasses, teal dress and jean jacket, striped curtains and a desk in the background.
July 19, 2025 at 8:30 AM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Tomorrow’s Flash Extravaganza post goes out to ALL 9.4K subscribers! I’ll be addressing “the breath of your prose.” Stay tuned! I enjoyed writing this one.
Image of a woman in profile, blowing on a dandelion, with white overlaid text: Flash Extravaganza Day 19 (for all subscribers): The breath of your prose: punctuating flash fiction (or not) Available July 7th, 2025. artofflashfiction.substack.com
July 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Hey friends, stay tuned for my upcoming June newsletter where I will share the flashes I most love to teach! There's also a poem and a bonus flash in there as well! #flashfiction #flashlit
Photo of a blonde woman in a black cocktail dress and heels with a blank gaze sitting on her kitchen floor. Text: Seven Flashes (and one poem) I absolutely love to teach: Part one of my flash hall of fame. Available June 16th, 2025. Artofflashfiction.substack.com
June 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
MALLEABLE AND TRUE: A HYBRID CRAFT ANTHOLOGY from Brink Publishing needs support. It is a treasure trove of beautiful hybrid works, craft articles, reflections from some GREAT authors. I'm a proud contributor to this volume. Check out their kickstarter & support perks here: kickstarter.com/project…
Image of cover for the book Malleable and True: A Hybrid Craft Anthology from Brink Books. The book is white with black text in the center and vertical lines in many colors down the middle.
May 20, 2025 at 5:41 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
🌟🌟🌟 Hey friends, there are some open spaces for my Saturday, May 17th 3-in-90 workshop! These generative gatherings have become really popular. We have lots of fun and LOTS of new writing is created in 90 minutes! For more info & to register click here: www.fastflashworkshops.com/WebSeminarRe...
Upcoming workshop description: While flash is celebrated for its brevity and impact, we rarely pause to consider what makes the very short form truly beautiful. We’ll begin by discussing the concept of “beauty” in writing and analyze examples of some of the most stunning flash stories ever penned. Through thoughtful prompts, you’ll develop your own "eye for beauty," learning how to infuse elegance, emotion, and depth into your micros.
May 8, 2025 at 3:34 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
From poet @andreagibson.bsky.social Follow her "Things That Don't Suck" on substack: substack.com/@andreagibso...
Quote from poet Andrea Gibson: "Whoever you are, and whatever helps, I hope today is a day you are finding the softest way through."
May 7, 2025 at 5:28 PM
kathyfish.bsky.social
Been traveling & trying to preserve my sanity, so I've fallen behind on the good news, the publications, awards, breakthroughs, the small & large happinesses in the lives of friends. Anyway, sorry for my (relative) absence these days. You're all amazing & I'm so very proud to know you. 💙
Photo from Silver Falls State Park, Oregon. Waterfall into a pool of water surrounded by tall trees and greenery and moss covered branches.
May 7, 2025 at 3:28 PM