Embers ~ March 2023

One year at Along the Hudson

Photo by J. Deming

I began writing on Substack in October 2020 under the publication name Micro 2 Go. I only wrote short fiction - most of the time fifty-word stories. After a year and a half, I started to question the publication’s name for several reasons:

1. Micro 2 Go looked too much like a song title from the 1990s.

2. After a quick Google search, I learned that Micro 2 Go was the name of a scooter.

3. Overall, I felt the name pigeonholed me into strictly writing microfiction. I wanted to open the door wider and write whatever compelled me.

After giving the name a lot of thought, I chose Along the Hudson. I wanted to pay homage to an important source of inspiration in my life while giving readers a sense of where I live — and where I write from. I also viewed the Hudson River as a perfect metaphor for my writing journey.

Which, of course, still holds true today.

As of March 28, 2022, I’ve been sharing my fiction here at Along the Hudson. Though I still mainly write stories on the shorter side, I’ve veered into other genres and realms, and I even dabbled in serialized fiction by writing “Off the Trail”, a speculative tale told in two three parts. Giving myself permission to write whatever I want to write — however I want to — has made a world of difference. And it’s been a hell of a lot of fun.

Changes continue to happen. In September, I started hosting Fifties by the Fire, a bi-weekly series of writing prompts asking writers to share their fifty-word creations on a specific theme. I also began sharing Embers (monthly writing prompts) with paid subscribers as a token of gratitude for supporting my writing.

As this journey progresses, I’ve realized something: I want to share how it’s going. I rarely do, and I find myself wanting to talk more about my projects outside of Substack - the messy novels and drafts and children’s book ideas that are constantly swirling around in my mind. I want to throw the door wide open and let everyone in; I want to continue to strengthen bonds and share stories.

So, in a nutshell, that’s what my monthly Embers posts will become. A “here’s what my writing life looks like outside of Substack” kind of deal. Oh, and at the end of each post, I’ll still include a small collection of writing prompts.

I’ve also decided to make all of my content — my fiction, Fifties, and Embers posts — free. If you happen to like my stories and want to support my writing endeavors, you can always become a paid subscriber. But, there’s no pressure either way.

And, lastly, I want to mention Fifties by the Fire. They won’t be going anywhere. I have too much fun hosting the “fires” and reading everyone’s stories. But, I am going to have to scale them back a bit. Moving forward, our hangouts will become monthly meetups, and they’ll happen on the second Friday of every month. This means that our next one will occur on April 14. As usual, I’ll share the prompt on Monday before the thread goes live on Friday.

To sum up, all readers of Along the Hudson will receive the following:

• Weekly fiction - every Monday.

• Fifties by the Fire - the second Friday of every month.

• Embers - the fourth Friday of every month.

In total, this means six monthly posts. It feels like the perfect balance for me, and I’m excited to roll it out and see how it goes. Scaling back the number of monthly send-outs has given me time to focus on other writing projects, so it feels like a win-win all around.

Thank you all so very much for being here. It means the world to me. I love knowing you care enough to read and comment on my stories. You have become a wonderful source of inspiration and encouragement.

Take care, and thanks again,

-Justin

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Writing prompts for March 2023

• Write a story about a miner, gravedigger, or metal-detector hobbyist making an extraordinary discovery.

• Have you ever taken a random hike through the woods (or alley, side street) and stumbled upon something bizarre? Write it as a scene.

• While on a walk, or while taking a drive, you spot an out-of-place object (a mattress in the forest, a pair of Nikes on the side of the road). Write a story about how the object or item arrived in this location.

• Write about a time you had an animal encounter in the wild. What did you see? What happened? Where did this occur? Think about the emotions associated with this memory. Get it all down on the page! Try using the memory in a work of fiction.

• Write a story about a mailbox. Make it the center of the scene. Is someone expecting a letter? Did the mailbox get taken out by a car crash or by a snowplow? Or is a vengeful neighbor planting a cherry bomb? You decide.

• Browse the web (or a local art gallery) for a painting that captures a scene/moment in time. Use the painting as inspiration to write a fictional scene or story.

• Write a scene of dialogue between two close friends who just learned something about friend # 3.

• Write a story about an item that possesses magic powers.

• Write a scene or story about a donation.

• Write a story about sibling rivalry.