HeyJaredSubtle Stories
A Wisconsin writer's weekly subtle stories on her noveling journey.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
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- Sep 1, 2026
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- Jul 10, 2026
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Welcome Back to the DIY MFA Fiction Workshop (opens the original)
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Previously, I tried to get myself going on this Fiction Workshop, and ended up sputtering out. I did the readings, but not the assignments. Then, I just stopped all together. This time, I’m going to adjust my syllabus a bit to cater more toward what I’m interested in reading and writing.I’m focusing on three things for my “course":ReadingWritingWorkshopRevisionReadingFor readings, I’m following the course readings and lecture notes from Open MIT’s Course, <a href="https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/21w
DIY MFA - Genre Study: Fantasy (opens the original)
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Part of my DIY MFA will be a focus on genre fiction. I am specifically interested in the genres of Fantasy and Romance, separately and as a combination. What makes them so popular? Why do we love magical worlds so much? What is happening in these books that make us connect so viscerally with them?To study these genres a bit more in depth, I’m going to look at a few key pieces of what I think defines “genre” and “sub-genre.”The Oxford Research Encyclopedias describe genre as:
Let's write a back cover blurb! (opens the original)
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I’m self-publishing my first romantic suspense novel in May 2027. Part of getting it all ready is prepping the blurb, or back-cover synopsis, you read to decide if you want to read the book. I want the blurb to entice readers and tell them what kind of story they’re about to get into. My friend and fellow author, , has an amazing equation to develop these blurbs.Blurb = Character Wants/Beliefs + Stakes + Want/Belief Shattered + Possible ConsequencesMy novel has two POVs , April and Luke, so I wa
Am I being selfish if I don't want to have a kid? (opens the original)
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My thoughts are spinning recently. There’s so much going on in the world that my little thoughts often feel inconsequential to share. But, I figured I’d share my current spiral in hopes that somebody else won’t feel as alone.Growing up I never dreamed of a wedding, a husband, a family. I dreamed more about my house and career than I did what my family life would be. I believe my childhood “where do you see yourself at 30” assignment in grade school went something like “single and living on my ow
I have not been writing (opens the original)
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There’s an interesting phenomenon that occurs for a writer. The restlessness of NOT writing. Despite craving it and thinking about it and whining about not doing it, I have not written anything in about two months. A lot of this is because of a new job, which is going great, but the schedule change and fitting in some exercise and still catching up with friends or the hubs has left me with only a little free time at the end of the day.Of course, despite the very obvious interruptions and necessa
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