The Loft Blog

Loft Spotlights
Behind the Zine: A Handmade Space for Hope with Kristy Wessel
"The idea started quietly, like many good things do, with a few writers in the Lit!Commons community talking about how disconnected we were feeling. From our creative work. From each other. From a sense that what we make might actually matter."
Kristy Wessel
May. 20
Loft Spotlights
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Charles Meech (1942-2025)
Brenda Hudson reflects on her time at Madeline Island School of the Arts and the impact of Charlie’s generous vision.  
Brenda Hudson
May. 16
The Bookish Brand
Think of Yourself as a Pre-Published Author
Mindset shifts can stimulate—or deplete—our creative energy.
Rachel Werner
Apr. 29
Reading Like a Writer
City of Dancing Gargoyles and the Decentering of Humanity
Monsters, Memory, and a Masterclass in First Lines: why starting with confusion can be a brilliant craft move.
Allison Wyss
Apr. 29
The Bookish Brand
My Manuscript Is Done… Now What?!
Celebrate, then get strategic.
Rachel Werner
Mar. 27
Around the Loft
Living Into Our Vision
As the Loft celebrates 50 years, we honor our roots and recommit to uplifting voices, breaking down barriers, and building a literary home for all.
Arleta M. Little
Mar. 25
Reading Like a Writer
The Real Within the Surreal: Humor, Chaos, and Truth in Flash Fiction
Lit!Commons subscriber Aimee Johnson treats us to a close reading of the flash fiction piece "You To Can Have a Pass Rate Like Mine" by Swati Sudarsan.
Allison Wyss
Feb. 21
The Bookish Brand
The First-Time Author's Journey: Marketing, Expectations, and Surprises
Publishing your first book isn’t all champagne & book tours. Author and columnist Rachel Werner sits down with Daniel Tam-Claiborne to have #RealTalk about the behind-the-scenes of debut authors.
Rachel Werner
Feb. 21
Reading Like a Writer
Reading Like a Writer: What Would the Aliens Think? by Ekpenyong Kosisochukowu Collins
Lit!Commons subscriber Patty Bohart investigates the supernatural and conditional verbs in flash fiction.
Allison Wyss
Jan. 28
The Bookish Brand
Manifest Your Creative Writing Goals in 2025
Enhancing your writing journey starts with small, intentional actions—here’s how to begin.
Rachel Werner
Jan. 23
Loft Spotlights
Yes! You Can Write Your First Novel
"Three years ago, on a bright Minnesota morning, I sat close to my computer waiting patiently for my iWatch to alert me that it was time to register for the Loft’s Year-Long Novel Writing Project."
Ann Lowry
Dec. 2
Reading Like a Writer
Bibi B.’s “Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin Should’ve Interviewed Some Women”: Serving a Reprimand with Tea (GUEST blog by Karen Zwolenski)
A daughter’s silent rebellion: How Bibi B. uses fiction to critique erasure in storytelling.
Allison Wyss
Dec. 1