

Let us Lose and Be Glad in It
We're screaming more often, and louder.
Michaela
Mar 233 min read
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Review: Kabbalah & Jewish Mysticism
Book haul, Florence, 2023 Context In 2023, my best friend (the one I mentioned in another book review ) and I took a trip to Florence. On...
Michaela
Mar 125 min read
9 views
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Goodbyes
Sarah Lawrence College. September, 2016 The stages of grief are so well-known they've joined the armchair psychologist's lexicon....
Michaela
Feb 105 min read
45 views
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What Did I Write?
View from the roof of the Peninsula Hotel, Manhattan, 2016 In her recent video on Lev Grossman's The Magicians trilogy, video essayist...
Michaela
Jan 144 min read
36 views
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Writer's Rush
Hinksey Park, October 2024 In the past two months, too much happened. I got engaged, which coincided with both my birthday party and...
Michaela
Dec 24, 20247 min read
37 views
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Speed
I'm always skeptical of when a literary agency, journal or competition has a rapid turnaround. On one hand, it's great to have a clear...
Michaela
Oct 11, 20244 min read
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Review: The Sorrows of Young Werther
Since I last wrote, I've received countless rejections and a couple acceptances. I've performed in my first poetry slam competition, and...
Michaela
Sep 29, 20246 min read
13 views
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Performance
Recap: I've been rejected from two prose competitions and one poetry journal. I've submitted my work to many, many more to outpace these...
Michaela
Aug 3, 20245 min read
16 views
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Review: Táin Bó Cúailgne
Yesterday, my best friend and I listened to the soundtrack of EPIC the musical. As if my mind wasn't already fixated on mythology, this...
Michaela
Jul 6, 20245 min read
7 views
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How to Write Spec Fic
I don't know what I've gotten myself into. A year ago, I launched a Substack on the foolhardy belief I was ready to write a massive work...
Michaela
Jun 30, 20244 min read
37 views
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Zero-Sum
Since my last post, I have received one agent rejection and one (or three?) competition rejection(s). Indomitable, I continue to write...
Michaela
Jun 15, 20243 min read
51 views
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Nonfiction and Revisitation
I've done it. Maybe. I've used my memory to enhance, rather than overwhelm, my writing. And people responded well to it.
Michaela
May 27, 20244 min read
52 views
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Review: A Last Eyeful by Debra Shulkes
What it's about: Mental illness, introspection, finding joy in tragedy Why did I read it: I like to read poetry collections in between...
Michaela
May 2, 20244 min read
79 views
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Vienna
I (finally) want to announce some little successes. I've tried not to be too negative here, but obviously when discussing rejection...
Michaela
Apr 19, 20244 min read
58 views
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Review: Brehon Laws by Jo Kerrigan
What's it about: Ancient Irish law, customs and culture Why did I read it: Research for Terminal Lucidity 's second storyline. Lá Fhéile...
Michaela
Mar 17, 20244 min read
95 views
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The Beginning
Happy International Women's Day! Today, I want to tell you about becoming a Writer. I believe we are all writers just like we are all...
Michaela
Mar 8, 20245 min read
763 views
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Silence
It might not be deadly, but the silent rejection is a particularly frustrating beast to battle. This past week, while facing intense...
Michaela
Feb 10, 20242 min read
48 views
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Living on the Shortlist
It's a glass of strong tea with a slice of lemon—more sweet than bitter, easy to drink, but always bites you at the end. I'm not talking...
Michaela
Feb 1, 20242 min read
40 views
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Firsts
It was inevitable; my first literary agent submission of 2024 was rejected. I'm going to use this post to outline the current status of...
Michaela
Jan 26, 20243 min read
58 views
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Washington Square
There are submissions you set your heart on. There are submissions you forget about. There are submission results that just hit at the...
Michaela
Jan 18, 20242 min read
44 views
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