Writing is Joy

The kids are back in school, the vacation afterglow has all but disappeared, and the sun is going down earlier and earlier. Summer is over, my friends. And it’s time to get back to your writing desk. Writing is Joy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. For some of us, that desk is covered in dust, has been ignored for months. Which makes it even harder to sit down and get going again.

Pack a bathrobe and a novel: it's vacay time One of my students recently published this gut punch of a piece in Hippocampus, entitled The Return Pantry. A publication is always something to celebrate, though I urge my students — and myself — to celebrate every time we click SUBMIT. We can’t control outcomes. Postponing celebration until the ACCEPTED notice arrives means waiting to celebrate until somebody else gives us permission to.

Writing in the Dark Season 4, Episode 3: This Story Breaks All the Rules 1× 0:00 Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -54:59 -54:59 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Season 4, Episode 3: This Story Breaks All the Rules Unpacking Tobias Wolff’s Bullet in the Brain In this episode, Julia F.

It’s May, y’all, and I sure don’t know how that happened. The spring was blurry. For the first time in my life, I thought about drywall, baseboards, and shoe molding. I moved a lot of books and journals and did paperwork. For someone who spends a lot of time in her imagination, it was startlingly, challengingly concrete. In the middle of spring, however, I enjoyed a reprieve: a five day retreat at an Airbnb 30 minutes from my house.

In this episode, Julia and Ralph are joined by award-winning novelist and Army veteran Nancy Stroer to dissect a short story by Benjamin Inks in which Jack Fleming, a fictional character invented as a joke, becomes a larger than life hero who inspires both American soldiers and Afghan citizens.

Y’all, it’s springtime! (Or summer, or winter, depending on the day of the week and your latitude). I’ve got updates coming soon on some of my creative and professional projects, but there’s plenty of enriching offerings out there I want you to know about right now. I hope you are making some art and finding some joy. Keep writing, friends! This class offers robust exposure to accessibility best-practices in the creative sector with a focus on teaching, events, and marketing.

Writing in the Dark is back! To kick off Season 4, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome Betsy Ellor to discuss The Daughter Cells, a short story by Daniel M. Lavery from the collection Merry Spinster. Reading: The Daughter Cells They explore how the author turns Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of self-sacrifice into one of agency, complete with body horror, funny and biting critique of human culture, and a reimagined plot with a triumphant, if dark finale.

As some of you know, I run a live storytelling series in Carrboro, North Carolina, called Story Connection. Through classes, performances, and meetups, Story Connection aims to help folks find their unique voice and create community. Three years ago, Story Connection began with a free class for underrepresented voices, thanks to a grant from the Orange County Arts Commission.

Jupiter applications are open. If you are working on a book and would like to get away for a few days, have discussions that will transform your story, and make a whole bunch of new best friends, apply now! This year’s Jupiter retreat is September 25-29 on the beach in North Carolina 😎 The Joy Squad launches March 30 for writers who want a consistent, rewarding writing practice, a creative crew to cheer you on, and a little bit of whip cracking for yours truly.

Story Connection: Live Storytelling in Carrboro, NC Story Connection, Episode 12: Look Ma, Normal 1× 0:00 Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -14:45 -14:45 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Story Connection, Episode 12: Look Ma, Normal Plus, Story Connection live on the radio TODAY! Story Connection will be on the radio TODAY! Story Connection founder Julia F.