Nathan Willis
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nathanwillis.bsky.social
Nathan Willis
@nathanwillis.bsky.social
Writer. Stories in Swamp Pink, Moon City Review, Pithead Chapel, Split Lip, Passages North, X R A Y, & others.

nathan-willis.com
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Here's a great conversation between @thelincoln.bsky.social and @danchaon.bsky.social about the eerie, spooky, enchanting new novel One of Us.
Processing: How Dan Chaon Wrote One of Us
The author on historical fiction, writing villains, and the darkness of older children's literature
open.substack.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Last chance to sign up!
September 27, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Hi everyone! Some news! My @writingco-lab.bsky.social class, What We Found in the Forest is back October 4th! I've also joined Writing Co-Lab to offer my coaching services as well alongside some fabulous teachers and writers! www.writingco-lab.com/coaching-and...
September 23, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
I just read this story. Stunning.
Meagan here. Every piece that we post at Reckon is our favorite. Every piece is exceptional. This one though. Shoo. This one took the air out of my chest; left me staring at the wall a bit. Please head over to Reckon and read "Working Title No. 6" by Nathan Willis.
@nathanwillis.bsky.social
September 13, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
“Angela’s mom suggests that I make a list of the things I am responsible for. It should be present tense.”

"This was the last person to leave her, but I was still the last to fail her."

@nathanwillis.bsky.social @reckonreview.bsky.social reckonreview.com/working-titl...
WORKING TITLE NO.6 | Fiction by Nathan Willis – Reckon Review
reckonreview.com
September 14, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Absolutely honored to have a new story up today in the fantastic @reckonreview.bsky.social.

Thank you so much, Meagan and Drew for giving this one a home.
Meagan here. Every piece that we post at Reckon is our favorite. Every piece is exceptional. This one though. Shoo. This one took the air out of my chest; left me staring at the wall a bit. Please head over to Reckon and read "Working Title No. 6" by Nathan Willis.
@nathanwillis.bsky.social
September 1, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Mystery note in story draft:

He put hummus on chickpeas and called it blond on blonde.
August 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Authors will keep writing. If big publishing wants AI books, we will run our own presses and publish ourselves and each other. They want so desperately to outmode humans, but let's promise each other we won't give in.
Just a reminder this list is drawn from a piece written by four researchers for MICROSOFT (data scientists, CS people, economists) who have never stepped foot in an archive/never taken an oral history/studied material culture, by their CVs.
Unlike them, I do my research, and don't talk out my ass.
August 5, 2025 at 12:54 AM
“For Carrie, the first question is When, but Alexa declines, saying, “That time has never been available.” “

Love this one by Gary Fincke in @gooseberrypielit.bsky.social
July 27, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
I loved Carter Lappin's "Sometimes You Can’t Help but Feel Like He Does These Things on Purpose" most for the way it weighs the definitions of help and helplessness. Its imagery. How quickly it sets a scene and ashes it completely.

www.astrolabe.ooo/lappin-somet...
Sometimes You Can’t Help but Feel Like He Does These Things on Purpose • fiction from Carter Lappin
Flames lick his arms and legs like an over-enthusiastic puppy. He’s broken the fire alarm with a broom—
www.astrolabe.ooo
July 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
This is a description of creative writing @theonion.com
July 26, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Call for Submissions!

We have room in Issue 9 for more creative nonfiction! If you've got an essay burning a hole in your pocket, we have asbestos pockets!

This extension is only open for two weeks (ending on April Fools is timing, not a cheap joke!)

outlooksprings.submittable.com/submit/32359...
Outlook Springs - OS 9 Nonfiction Extended Call!
We love creative nonfiction in all its forms and variations. Send  us your memoirs. Send us your Montaigne-esque ramblings. Send us your  travel narratives, your lyrical essays, your personal essays, ...
outlooksprings.submittable.com
March 17, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
"She stops making sauce when we come over. She says she needs to focus on inventory. On preparing for success."

My lord, this story is brilliant! Amazing writing by @nathanwillis.bsky.social 💙💙💙
So excited to have a story up this week in the new issue of Swamp Pink!

It’s about family recipes, family guilt, and a ghost in a vault.

Thanks so much to Anthony Varallo for accepting it, & including it alongside the amazing writers in this issue.

swamp-pink.charleston.edu/featured/ves...
Vestito Rosso – swamp pink
swamp-pink.charleston.edu
February 22, 2025 at 5:42 PM
So excited to have a story up this week in the new issue of Swamp Pink!

It’s about family recipes, family guilt, and a ghost in a vault.

Thanks so much to Anthony Varallo for accepting it, & including it alongside the amazing writers in this issue.

swamp-pink.charleston.edu/featured/ves...
Vestito Rosso – swamp pink
swamp-pink.charleston.edu
February 22, 2025 at 5:13 PM
My flash fiction story “Vestito Rosso” is up in the new issue of swamp pink!

So excited to appear alongside the amazing writers in this fantastic issue!

swamp-pink.charleston.edu/featured/ves...
Vestito Rosso – swamp pink
swamp-pink.charleston.edu
February 17, 2025 at 11:15 PM
“This time he photocopies a page. He explains that it’s like looking up at the night sky and connecting stars.”

Blown away by this story by Martin Piñol in @hexliterary.bsky.social.
"My colleague mentions seeing between words."

We love this Martin Piñol story, "What Comes Through," so much! So strange and compelling. So human. Ease your gaze, unfocus, let us know the shapes that emerge in this brand new wonder, up now on hex! 📖👀
What Comes Through by Martin Piñol
My colleague mentions seeing between words. He says if he unfocuses his eyes he can worm his way through the empty network on the page, connecting the gaps, and, once connected, the spaces—or is it a ...
hexliterary.com
February 2, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
This. Write the shit you want to write.
99.99% of the time you're going to be the first and last person to read it. If it ever gets in front of another human, it has already survived the insurmountable odds of your own self-rejection, and the odds become much more grim after that. Just go ahead and write whatever you want!
January 25, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Terrific list by Wendy J. Fox over at @electriclit.bsky.social ! Delighted to see @amystuber.com , @taracampbell.bsky.social and Tara Isabel Zambrano's books mentioned! electricliterature.com/15-small-pre...
15 Small Press Books You Should Be Reading This Winter - Electric Literature
As the temperatures drop, warm up with these heartfelt stories
electricliterature.com
January 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Window closes 15th January 🪤
We are OPEN for submissions! Be bold. Delight us with your #flashfiction

- Maximum word count: 500 words
- Simultaneous submissions are cool
- We read anonymously so no author info in the document pls

Read our past issues to get an idea of what we love
newflashfiction.com/issues/
January 6, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
"Sometimes it means holding out for things you knew you were never going to get anyway,

My goal is to invite the pain."

Contributor Nathan Willis has three fascinating flash pieces published in BULL! Check them out here: https://buff.ly/4gPE99U
January 9, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
also: friends, submissions are open for the Micro department over @theoffingmag.bsky.social! I would love to see your work! 10 - 560 characters per piece, up to 5 pieces per submission, & we pay contributors! plz tell your friends, hope to read from you soon! 🌊✨

theoffingmag.submittable.com/submit
a neon sign that says open on it
Alt: a neon sign that says open on it; the O is in the shape of a red heart, and the letters P, E, and N are in pink; and the sign is bordered by blue neon so that it looks a traditional rectangular open sign.
media.tenor.com
January 7, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
We are now open to submissions on the theme of "Return." Regular submissions are closed for now.
Necessary Fiction Submission Manager
necessaryfiction.submittable.com
January 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
This story began in my notes app with a concrete uterus. I figured that was too heavy for my main character. Thank you Allison Field Bell and The Rumpus for publishing this “lighter” version.
“When she turned fifty, Darla chose a bucket uterus for herself. A plastic one. Her barren neighbor, Eloise, needed a replacement, so Darla donated hers. It was as simple as that.”

From "Organ Donor," new original fiction by Amy Cipolla Barnes.

Read the full story at https://buff.ly/4j0D28L
January 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Reposted by Nathan Willis
Interested in becoming a submissions editor at SmokeLong? Volunteering to read for a literary journal is one of the best ways to improve one’s own writing. Read more here: www.smokelong.com/work-with-us/
January 4, 2025 at 11:26 PM