Pauline Shen

In this post, we’ll be hearing from editor and publisher Nancy Kay Clark. She updates us on her writing and publishing projects, including an upcoming writing contest. If you missed our original interview, read it here: Interview with Nancy Kay Clark

Check out her bio:

Based in Toronto, Nancy Kay Clark is the editor and publisher of literary zine CommuterLit.com, which for close to 15 years has posted stories and poems for people to read on their way to work. Recent writing projects include “51 Drabbles About My Mom”, a series of 100-word stories exploring memory and grief. You can read them on her Instagram: @nancykayclarkwriter

Pauline: Nancy, what did 2026 look like for you in your roles as a writer and editor? What’s on the horizon for 2027?

Nancy: I have become much more focused when it comes to my own writing projects. I always have several projects on the go, but now I’m concentrating on finishing projects rather than starting new ones. In 2026, that meant focusing on completing my series, “51 Drabbles About My Mom” and stoking interest and readers for the project by posting the drabbles on social media. In 2027, I will be gathering images and all the drabbles together in book form, looking for beta-readers and hopefully publishing the collection.

P: CommuterLit is going strong! What’s on your submission wish list for 2027 and beyond?

N: The big change was moving CL’s newsletter to Substack. This was done for two reasons. Firstly, the Substack platform has a social media and outreach component, so that every newsletter we send out has the potential to garner new readers for our content and grow our subscriber base. And secondly, we have the ability with Substack to create a paid subscriber base. Our goal is to get 50 paid subscribers by January 2027, so that we can launch curated paid newsletter content, including “Weekend Reads” — serialized stories that are too long for our daily posts. Furthering our goal to pay more of our writers, the plan is to raise enough money through the subscriptions to pay the contributors to the “Weekend Reads.” None of this would affect our free newsletter, which will continue as always.

As well, CommuterLit, has continued to grow as a hub for writers. According to Duotrope it has an above average acceptance rate (primarily because we have so many spots to fill), and so we have the reputation of being open to emerging writers. More people are entering our four annual writing contests, and we offer very affordably priced critique services and online writing group memberships. I plan to expand that role, by offering story and poetry analysis in the “Weekend Reads” part of the newsletter, as well as give subscribers a bit more feedback from our Volunteer Submission Reading Team.

P: As a writer, how do you decide which project to tackle next? Do you zero-in on a single writing project at a time, or do you keep a rotation?

N: As I’m concentrating right now on finishing projects, I prioritize whatever is further along. I’ve realized I must work against my flitting-butterfly nature if I’m going to get anything done. This realization took me decades.

P: Are there any resources that you recommend for writers in Canada?

N: CommuterLit is a great affordable resource for writers, in terms of story feedback, opportunities to submit, chances of winning cash prizes in our writing contests, promoting work and joining online writing groups (particularly for those who do not have a writing community where they live).

Duotrope list-serv is essential if you regularly submit.  https://duotrope.com/

Also a couple of great Substacks you might want to check out:

Shit No One Tells You About Writing https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/ and Bad Red Head Media https://badredheadmediallc.substack.com/.

Fictionary is pricy, but a good resource if you are having trouble wrapping your head around novel structure. Their software guides you step-by-step. https://fictionary.co/

And Flash Fiction Writing Tips: Penned by Masterful Flash Writers from Around the Globe, curated and edited by Karen Shauber, and available on Amazon.

P: Nancy, do you prefer to read novels in e-book or physical book format? Which Canadian authors do you recommend checking out?

N: For pleasure, I read printed books; for research e-books. It’s purely a cost thing.

Book recommendations:

Three I’ve read recently:

The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan (to relive your COVID lockdown nightmares) 

The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor (a trans/queer romance, a touch of magic realism, and World War II — what more can you ask for?) 

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone & Amal el-Mohtar (at least one of the authors is Canadian — a poetic epistolary time-travelling tale with a romance thrown in.)

P: Anything else you’d like to share or promote?

N: CommuterLit has a new writing contest: Drabble of the Month — with a cash prize and a new winner every month. https://commuterlit.com/writing-contests/

And help us achieve our goal of 50 paid Substack subscribers by January 2027. Go to: https://commuterlit.substack.com/

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