The Loft Blog

Every post in this series will include a weekly reading and a list of prompts in response to that reading. Some of them will be focused on craft; some will ask you to evaluate content. This week we're focusing on the essay "The Pain Scale" by Eula Biss and how to use a braided form.

The COVID-19 Pandemic grounded flights, canceled events, and hit budgets hard. Writers who’d planned to travel around the country to write in new locales feel the loss, too. Author Vanessa Blakeslee and Loft teaching artist Robin Rozanski talk about the importance of writing retreats.

We Love You, Charlie Freeman is about a Black family who agrees to teach sign language to a chimpanzee. The story follows teenage Charlotte and her family during the time of the linguistic experiment as well as older stories relating to the institute running the experiment and its racist history.

Every post in this series will include a weekly reading and a list of prompts in response to that reading. Some of them will be focused on craft; some will ask you to evaluate content. This week we're focusing on the poem "It Was the Animals" by Natalie Diaz and writing scenes in poetry.

Every post in this series will include a weekly reading and a list of prompts in response to that reading. Some of them will be focused on craft; some will ask you to evaluate content. This week we're focusing on the flash fiction piece "Sticks" by George Saunders and importance of unique detail.

Brit Bennett’s The Mothers starts with a 17-year-old girl whose mother has just died by suicide and spirals from there, following not just her, but the other lives that hers touches. I want to talk about its fascinating style of narration.

Every post in this series will include a weekly reading and a list of prompts in response to that reading. Some of them will be focused on craft; some will ask you to evaluate content. This week we're focusing on the essay "Leap" by Brian Doyle and working in the short-short form.

You've seen the incredible line up for Wordsmith 2020—now it's time to start planning your conference experience. Use this guide to determine which literary agents may be a good fit for a pitch or consultation.

Every post in this series will include a weekly reading and a list of prompts in response to that reading. Some of them will be focused on craft; some will ask you to evaluate content. This week we're focusing on the poem "Allowables" by Nikki Giovanni and the power of extended metaphor.

Every post in this series will include a weekly reading and a list of prompts in response to that reading. Some of them will be focused on craft; some will ask you to evaluate content. This week we're focusing on the essay "Love, Peace, and Taco Grease" by Rax King and how to incorporate research.

I’m not reading as much as I did pre-isolation. It’s harder to focus, and with a kid at home, there is very little time. But I can manage a bit of TV—which is just as good for finding writing techniques and strategies. I promise.

A few weeks ago, we listed the best virtual fests you could tune into in May and June. Now July is up. Keep on reading to find ways you can stay plugged into the lit scene even while you're staying home.