Time and Circumstance

I didn’t set out to write short stories, flash fiction, vignettes, poems. I started out writing full-length manuscripts for kids and teens. But I had a lot to learn about writing. I joined critique groups, read how-to-write-and-revise books, and attended workshops, conferences, and retreats. Along the way, I received the advice to write short stories.

         1)    I would learn to make each word count.

         2)    I would be more likely to gain a publishing credit.

After all, that’s how writing god Stephen King gained experience and name recognition.

In the span of a year, I tried many different types of writing. I found anthologies looking for short stories and received my first publishing credit. Then I took a poetry workshop series. When I got brave enough, I began submitting my poems for publication. And I tried a number of flash fiction prompts, mostly through blogs. I squeezed this in between writing longer pieces. Not only did my manuscripts improve, but I also gained some publishing credits.

Years later, these vignettes had added up. In case you don’t know, a vignette is a short poem or prose piece that explores mood, character, setting. Vine Leaves Press editor, Jessica Bell, invited me to submit if I had enough for a collection of vignettes. I placed these various writings scattered in files onto one document. What had started as an exercise to improve my longer pieces in the hope of getting them published turned into THE way I became the author of my own book.

Do you write poetry, flash fiction, or short stories?

If so, why do you do it?

Theresa Milstein writes middle grade and YA, but poetry is her secret passion. Her vignette collection, TIME & CIRCUMSTANCE, will be published by Vine Leaves Press on March 21, 2017. She lives near Boston Massachusetts with her husband, two children, a dog-like cat, and a cat-like dog. For her day job, she works as a special education teacher in a public school, which gives her ample opportunity to observe teens and tweens in their natural habitat. 

TIME & CIRCUMSTANCE is available:

$3.99 AUD (eBook)
Kindle AUS
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Kindle CA
iBooks | Kobo | Nook

$12.99 AUD (paperback)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
​Amazon CA
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
Chapters Indigo

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