Brian Benson
@mrbrianbenson.bsky.social
Writer, teacher, wanderer. He/him. Books: GOING SOMEWHERE, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. Essays: Tahoma Review, Pithead Chapel, X-R-A-Y, Sweet, Hippocampus & elsewhere. brianbensonwrites.com
Thrilled to get a Best of the Net nom from @pitheadchapel.bsky.social for my essay about men’s inability to communicate, and more specifically about that time Dad and I accidentally ate an ego death dose of weed and got lost in the woods
pitheadchapel.com/are-you-okay...
pitheadchapel.com/are-you-okay...
October 4, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Thrilled to get a Best of the Net nom from @pitheadchapel.bsky.social for my essay about men’s inability to communicate, and more specifically about that time Dad and I accidentally ate an ego death dose of weed and got lost in the woods
pitheadchapel.com/are-you-okay...
pitheadchapel.com/are-you-okay...
Reposted by Brian Benson
This week, we're reading: Chloé Caldwell's tell-all about selling her book WOMEN on dating apps; @mrbrianbenson.bsky.social's flash piece on the bane of existence that is 3:27pm; & Megan Marshall's essay on the left-handed women in her family, drawn from her book AFTER LIVES.
Read: buff.ly/6J14g1M
Read: buff.ly/6J14g1M
July 7, 2025 at 10:07 AM
This week, we're reading: Chloé Caldwell's tell-all about selling her book WOMEN on dating apps; @mrbrianbenson.bsky.social's flash piece on the bane of existence that is 3:27pm; & Megan Marshall's essay on the left-handed women in her family, drawn from her book AFTER LIVES.
Read: buff.ly/6J14g1M
Read: buff.ly/6J14g1M
I have a new piece in Permafrost, the perfect home for a story set in subzero Northwoods winter. This one’s about teenage naïveté, my failure to be the kind of man I was raised to believe I should be, and a small kindness from a stranger.
www.uaf.edu/permafrostma...
www.uaf.edu/permafrostma...
May 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I have a new piece in Permafrost, the perfect home for a story set in subzero Northwoods winter. This one’s about teenage naïveté, my failure to be the kind of man I was raised to believe I should be, and a small kindness from a stranger.
www.uaf.edu/permafrostma...
www.uaf.edu/permafrostma...
Alternate title: what I talk about when I talk about the white male victim complex. This one means a lot to me, so happy it ended up with Cleaver!
www.cleavermagazine.com/dont-find-me...
www.cleavermagazine.com/dont-find-me...
Brian Benson: DON’T FIND ME • Cleaver Magazine
Brian Benson, originally from the hinterlands of Wisconsin, is the author of GOING SOMEWHERE and co-author of THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.
www.cleavermagazine.com
March 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Alternate title: what I talk about when I talk about the white male victim complex. This one means a lot to me, so happy it ended up with Cleaver!
www.cleavermagazine.com/dont-find-me...
www.cleavermagazine.com/dont-find-me...
I’ve got a tiny story about a big boy, a little boy, & a doomed teddy bear in Six Sentences, a rad journal I somehow only learned of last week, after reading @miriamgershow.bsky.social’s stellar six-line micro. (Fellow writers of tiny stories, submit here!)
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/toy-...
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/toy-...
March 14, 2025 at 4:23 PM
I’ve got a tiny story about a big boy, a little boy, & a doomed teddy bear in Six Sentences, a rad journal I somehow only learned of last week, after reading @miriamgershow.bsky.social’s stellar six-line micro. (Fellow writers of tiny stories, submit here!)
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/toy-...
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/toy-...
Reposted by Brian Benson
Um, everything is awful but I submitted a flash to Six Sentences & a little over an hour later, they published it!
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/maw....
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/maw....
Maw
by Miriam Gershow I once heard a story about a one-eyed girl who showed up to eighth grade without even an eyepatch–just a sucked-in sock...
sixsentences.blogspot.com
March 5, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Um, everything is awful but I submitted a flash to Six Sentences & a little over an hour later, they published it!
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/maw....
sixsentences.blogspot.com/2025/03/maw....
Reposted by Brian Benson
Having trouble adjusting to Daylight Savings? How do you feel about 3:27 pm specifically? Read this deliciously-unhinged sentence by @mrbrianbenson.bsky.social about how it feels to live in this more-than-slightly-unhinged society
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
Against Afternoon - Tahoma Literary Review
You hear a lot of chatter about canceling daylight saving time, but not nearly enough about abolishing the afternoon, more specifically mid-afternoon, and
tahomaliteraryreview.com
March 11, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Having trouble adjusting to Daylight Savings? How do you feel about 3:27 pm specifically? Read this deliciously-unhinged sentence by @mrbrianbenson.bsky.social about how it feels to live in this more-than-slightly-unhinged society
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
This Wednesday at 6, I'll be at Broadway Books, talking with @gfaulknerwriter.bsky.social about his fantastic new book, THE ART OF BREVITY. Come hang out with us!
If you're in Portland, Oregon, this Wednesday, I'm talking with @mrbrianbenson.bsky.social about THE ART OF BREVITY—and writing in general!
Come on by Broadway Books!
www.broadwaybooks.net/event/2025-0...
Come on by Broadway Books!
www.broadwaybooks.net/event/2025-0...
February 24, 2025 at 5:23 PM
This Wednesday at 6, I'll be at Broadway Books, talking with @gfaulknerwriter.bsky.social about his fantastic new book, THE ART OF BREVITY. Come hang out with us!
I wrote a slightly-unhinged sentence about how it feels to live in this more-than-slightly-unhinged society and I’m so happy it landed in @tahomareview.bsky.social
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
Against Afternoon - Tahoma Literary Review
You hear a lot of chatter about canceling daylight saving time, but not nearly enough about abolishing the afternoon, more specifically mid-afternoon, and
tahomaliteraryreview.com
February 22, 2025 at 1:10 AM
I wrote a slightly-unhinged sentence about how it feels to live in this more-than-slightly-unhinged society and I’m so happy it landed in @tahomareview.bsky.social
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/a...
My neighborhood is getting such a cool bookstore! Can’t wait for this place to open its doors.
We’re thrilled to announce that a bookstore is coming to the Kenton neighborhood of North Portland! Second Shapes will have new & used books, art work & zines, and host events & workshops.
Learn more: secondshapesbookstore.com
Learn more: secondshapesbookstore.com
February 22, 2025 at 1:08 AM
My neighborhood is getting such a cool bookstore! Can’t wait for this place to open its doors.
I’ve got two new essays up at Harpur Palate: the first is about an ill-fated “guys trip,” the second about my younger self’s (mis)understanding of strength. Thanks, @oozannesay.bsky.social, for giving these such a good home!
harpurpalate.binghamton.edu/benson-brian...
harpurpalate.binghamton.edu/benson-brian...
February 1, 2025 at 11:20 PM
I’ve got two new essays up at Harpur Palate: the first is about an ill-fated “guys trip,” the second about my younger self’s (mis)understanding of strength. Thanks, @oozannesay.bsky.social, for giving these such a good home!
harpurpalate.binghamton.edu/benson-brian...
harpurpalate.binghamton.edu/benson-brian...
Congratulations to all of these amazing writers, and especially to @ericajberry.bsky.social, whose work I look forward to reading for years and years and years.
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Oregon Literary Fellowships. We received 479 applications from writers and 24 applications from publishers. Judges spent several months evaluating these applications. Read more here: lit-arts.org/olf-25
January 31, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Congratulations to all of these amazing writers, and especially to @ericajberry.bsky.social, whose work I look forward to reading for years and years and years.
Reposted by Brian Benson
Randy Foster has worked at New Seasons for 19 years. At 1:30pm today mgmt fired him for “violating Oregon break laws.” His infraction, helping a blind coworker close out his till while on lunch break. By 3:15 his coworkers walked out the Arbor Lodge store demanding reinstatement.
January 29, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Randy Foster has worked at New Seasons for 19 years. At 1:30pm today mgmt fired him for “violating Oregon break laws.” His infraction, helping a blind coworker close out his till while on lunch break. By 3:15 his coworkers walked out the Arbor Lodge store demanding reinstatement.
Huge congrats to @rclarren.bsky.social, @miriamgershow.bsky.social, Laura Moulton & all the other OR Book Award finalists & award recipients!
literary-arts.org/2025/01/anno...
literary-arts.org/2025/01/anno...
ANNOUNCING THE 2025 OREGON BOOK AWARDS FINALISTS AND SPECIAL AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Literary Arts is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2025 Oregon Book Awards. The winners of each category will be announced live at the 2025 Oregon Book Awards Ceremony,
literary-arts.org
January 28, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Huge congrats to @rclarren.bsky.social, @miriamgershow.bsky.social, Laura Moulton & all the other OR Book Award finalists & award recipients!
literary-arts.org/2025/01/anno...
literary-arts.org/2025/01/anno...
Reposted by Brian Benson
Love a dog love story
I wrote this love letter to my deranged muppet of a dog way back in 2020, but it sure does read like I wrote it yesterday. So happy it landed in @xraylitmag.bsky.social, a journal I’ve adored for years.
today we have a micro by Brian Benson @mrbrianbenson.bsky.social !! it's one for the dog lovers, one for the lovers of beautiful sentences -- click & read !!
xraylitmag.com/wanted-dance...
xraylitmag.com/wanted-dance...
January 25, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Love a dog love story
“I was almost five years old, it was Christmas day, and I knew something was wrong because I’d gotten everything I’d asked for.”
This essay by @femmeintheory.bsky.social ground me to a pulp. So good.
This essay by @femmeintheory.bsky.social ground me to a pulp. So good.
I am honored that @xraylitmag.bsky.social chose to help bring this piece into the world 😭 — it’s my first solo CNF piece ever published and it feels good to start with something so precious.
(Can’t say enough ab the editors here. Working w/ them has been such a good experience. Y’all set the bar!!
(Can’t say enough ab the editors here. Working w/ them has been such a good experience. Y’all set the bar!!
today's creative nonfiction story by Ryan-Ashley Anderson is one of the hardest hitting things i've read in a long time. it's about the author growing up without a stable father figure.
i can't say enough about what a powerful story this is -- don't miss this one
xraylitmag.com/nobodys-daug...
i can't say enough about what a powerful story this is -- don't miss this one
xraylitmag.com/nobodys-daug...
January 27, 2025 at 4:45 PM
“I was almost five years old, it was Christmas day, and I knew something was wrong because I’d gotten everything I’d asked for.”
This essay by @femmeintheory.bsky.social ground me to a pulp. So good.
This essay by @femmeintheory.bsky.social ground me to a pulp. So good.
I wrote this love letter to my deranged muppet of a dog way back in 2020, but it sure does read like I wrote it yesterday. So happy it landed in @xraylitmag.bsky.social, a journal I’ve adored for years.
today we have a micro by Brian Benson @mrbrianbenson.bsky.social !! it's one for the dog lovers, one for the lovers of beautiful sentences -- click & read !!
xraylitmag.com/wanted-dance...
xraylitmag.com/wanted-dance...
WANTED: DANCE PARTNER by Brian Benson
It’s late afternoon, day five million of this insatiable year, and I’m melting into an overstuffed chair, doing whatever I’m doing on my computer—checking email, collecting fun facts about my father’s...
xraylitmag.com
January 25, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I wrote this love letter to my deranged muppet of a dog way back in 2020, but it sure does read like I wrote it yesterday. So happy it landed in @xraylitmag.bsky.social, a journal I’ve adored for years.
“I always thought I was a science project. Maybe all girls are.”
Loved this trippy micro by @oozannesay.bsky.social.
Loved this trippy micro by @oozannesay.bsky.social.
read this amazing micro by Suzanne Richardson @oozannesay.bsky.social !! it’s titled ‘Teenaged Girl Grows Antenna in School Bathroom Stall #3’
“One day soon I will be on the girl radio and they’ll send my name up like a rescue flare asking me how I got out.
xraylitmag.com/teenaged-gir...
“One day soon I will be on the girl radio and they’ll send my name up like a rescue flare asking me how I got out.
xraylitmag.com/teenaged-gir...
TEENAGED GIRL GROWS ANTENNA IN SCHOOL BATHROOM STALL #3 by Suzanne Richardson
I always thought I was a science project. Maybe all girls are. Today I listen too hard and become a sound reflector, sound detective. I click my converse and my head splits like Zeus. Through my skull...
xraylitmag.com
January 25, 2025 at 5:42 PM
“I always thought I was a science project. Maybe all girls are.”
Loved this trippy micro by @oozannesay.bsky.social.
Loved this trippy micro by @oozannesay.bsky.social.
Reposted by Brian Benson
A good time to look at the work Authors Against Book Bans has been doing. www.authorsagainstbookbans.com
January 24, 2025 at 9:20 PM
A good time to look at the work Authors Against Book Bans has been doing. www.authorsagainstbookbans.com
The next sesh of my memoir workshop for male-identified writers begins soon! There are a couple of open seats and I’d love to fill them w/ men who are interested in writing and reading in community while exploring what masculinity is and could be.
www.brianbensonwrites.com/rewriting-ma...
www.brianbensonwrites.com/rewriting-ma...
(Re)Writing Masculinity — Brian Benson
www.brianbensonwrites.com
January 8, 2025 at 9:12 PM
The next sesh of my memoir workshop for male-identified writers begins soon! There are a couple of open seats and I’d love to fill them w/ men who are interested in writing and reading in community while exploring what masculinity is and could be.
www.brianbensonwrites.com/rewriting-ma...
www.brianbensonwrites.com/rewriting-ma...
A big thank-you to the good folks at Reckon Review for publishing this one, about how James Bond helped me face my dad's mortality.
We have new creative nonfiction for you today. Head over to Reckon Review to read NO TIME TO DIE by Brian Benson.
January 6, 2025 at 4:43 PM
A big thank-you to the good folks at Reckon Review for publishing this one, about how James Bond helped me face my dad's mortality.
First post, first Pushcart nom! This essay means a lot to me, and I’m honored that Sweet Lit chose it. Wowed by the other nominees, too—@karenkao.bsky.social’s essay in particular is a stunner.
sweetlit.org/pushcart-nom...
sweetlit.org/pushcart-nom...
December 14, 2024 at 6:52 PM
First post, first Pushcart nom! This essay means a lot to me, and I’m honored that Sweet Lit chose it. Wowed by the other nominees, too—@karenkao.bsky.social’s essay in particular is a stunner.
sweetlit.org/pushcart-nom...
sweetlit.org/pushcart-nom...