A New Venture -- Near and Dear

For a long time I have lingered over the idea of starting a literary magazine. After serving as a Slush Editor then moving up to Copy Editor for the Oddville Press (since shut down I'm sad to say) I felt a literary magazine would really give me an opportunity to immerse myself in the craft I hold so near and dear to my heart -- and help others get the exposure they need!

And thus -- with my fellow friends and writers -- we have birthed The Abstract Quill!

Thus far I have been surprised, supported, humbled, and invigorated by reading the submissions we've received so far as well as the community support demonstrated by local businesses. I have been posting fliers in "writerly" places, including the University of Montana campus, and the response has been good. There is still work to be done, pages to be edited, rejections to be sent -- my, how it feels to be on the other end of the writing process! But I can honestly say I look to each submission with renewed interest and contemplation. I know how it feels when you feel your work hasn't gotten a fair shake. So I try to give that attention and respect to each writer and artist. We all do and our strength is in our dedication to the craft.

My fellow editors include Nick Walsh, Matt Funston, and my beautiful wife, Whitney Espeseth.

I hope you will all take a moment to visit our site, poke around, and see what we have to offer.

See you on the pages!

New Magazine!

So it's official.

The Abstract Quill has launched! Super excited about this venture. So far so good.

Check it out at:
http://theabstractquill.com

Now Write! Exercise

As part of my lovely writing group "Writing for Your Life" we have agreed to do some writing exercises from the writing prompt book "Now Write! Fiction Writing Exercises From Today's Best Writers & Teachers."

Since we've had some writers stuck in dry spells I thought it only appropriate we start with the "Overcoming Dry Spells" prompt by Leslie Schwartz. Choose one or better still, do them all!

Exercise 1:
Here are a few of my favorite exercises to jump-start a flagging writing session:

• Write about what you would write about if you weren't stuck.
• Take one or two of your characters and put them in a stuck elevator with:

1. Your mother
2. The devil
3. God
4. Yourself... and let the action roll without censure.

• Before you sit down to write, take a long walk alone in a quiet place and envision the next scene of your story. Don't ever come to the computer empty-headed. Don't ever call up your story without first knowing where you want to take it next. 

Exercise 2

The "Wedding Cake Assignment" by Debra Spark is a great starter for anyone lacking ideas. 

Write a short story using one of the following images:

1. The fish falling from the sky.
2. A lawn sign that reads, "Wife Wanted: Inquire Within."

Good luck and I want to see your responses people!