Embers ~ Spring/Summer 2024
Reflections
Hello, friends.
I’ve been meaning to send my seasonal Embers post for quite some time now, but you know how it goes.
I think this is one of the main reasons I feel comfortable telling you this in the first place. So many of us are in comparable boats. Mine simply happens to be thrashing in the throes of the Hudson River.
Spring 2024 didn’t go exactly as planned from a writing standpoint. I set a few goals, tried to reach them, and fell short.
Such is life.
But I’m happy to report that life happened during the spring. A hell of a lot of it. I coached my kids’ separate soccer teams, compiled a mandatory tome of a binder in an effort to receive tenure at my school district (which I did—hooray!), and celebrated lots of milestones along the way in the shape of birthdays, lost teeth, and early morning bike rides without training wheels.
At the end of winter, my goal for the spring season was to hammer out a chunk of my work in progress, Off the Trail, while still sending out a work of flash fiction every two weeks. I wasn’t successful in either endeavor. I chipped away at maybe 3,000 words in the novel and ended up sharing some old works of fiction as placeholders to give myself a little breathing room when the going got tough.
As I enter summer mode, I’m realizing an incredibly important fact: it’s okay.
It’s okay to fail sometimes.
My brother reminded me of this on a phone call last week. The words of an old colleague came to mind, as well: “Pain is our greatest teacher.” And my good friend John Lightle continually motivates and inspires me through his encouraging words and work.
Where would any of us be without failure—the taste of defeat? There’s a lot to be learned—a lot to be gained—from falling short.
I want to keep trying to climb—even if there are rocky stretches or steep inclines at times. There are undeniable peaks and valleys in our collective journeys, and I know I’m coming out of a rough patch. But the clouds have parted for now, and from here, it looks like clear skies ahead. Before I continue, I’m going to pause, breathe, and take in the view.
Building worlds, writing stories, and sharing them with others is a joyful endeavor and one of my favorite things to do.
So that’s my goal for the summer: write from the heart, create stories I’ll enjoy, and try not to take it all too seriously.
You may hear from me once a week or once every two weeks—we’ll see where the river guides me.
Thank you for reading and for being a part of my journey. It means the world to me. If you are a paid subscriber, please expect another delivery from me soon.
Take care, all, and please see below if you are interested in our next Fifties by the Fire prompt!
Wishing you all the best,
Justin
Let’s plan to meet by the fire on Friday, July 12th at 3:00 PM EST. As many of you know, the thread will go live at this time. If you can’t make it right away, don’t sweat it…we tend to keep the fire going all weekend. Pop in when you can.
Prompt: Write a fifty-word story (fiction, poetry, or CNF) that uses the word rejuvenate or alludes to the idea of rejuvenation.
Hope to see you by the fire! As always, special thanks to
for being a beacon of inspiration.
Maybe I am weird or not really a writer, but I think living a good life is a far better goal than writing a certain number of stories. Unless writing is your full-time job, give yourself some grace. We all go through writing/inspiration slumps. We understand. No worries. Quality is better than quantity.
Throw away your schedule, Justin. A little summer respite and a deep breath, I say! Feeling an obligation to write takes all the fun away.. Your hundreds of fans are not looking at the calendar. We are here to read whatever you write, whenever you write it! Great prompt this week and an even greater interview with Erica Drayton! https://microzine.substack.com/p/microzine-interview-justin-deming? Congratulations, my friend.