writer in Canada – Pauline Shen

I saw this question on a discussion forum some time ago, and thought it was a good one. The person who posed it was just starting out as a writer and unsure about navigating all the different publication outlets. Should a writer invest time and resources in short stories and micro fiction for the purpose of submitting to journals? Is this a wise choice for a writer whose ultimate goal is to finish a novel? Can you make a living from submitting smaller works of fiction? What, really, is the point of having your work appear in those little journals anyways? Why not just go for the full manuscript from the beginning and skip all the rest?

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Seasonal Newsletter

Seasonal Update: What has Pauline Shen been up to? What can we expect to see from her next?

September 19, 2024August 30, 2024 Pauline Shen

Season Summary: Summer 2024

Blank Spaces Magazine published my visual essay “Beautiful Botanicals.”
After Happy Hour Review’s Summer 2024 issue included my visual piece “In Hand.”

Updates & Work in Progress: Autumn 2024

Check out my blog in case you missed these awesome interviews. I am delighted to partner with editors, writers, and publishers to bring you an insider scoop on what’s going on in the industry. More to come very soon—make sure you’re subscribed to have these delivered directly to your email inbox.
Three of my visual art pieces, “Nurture,” “Observe,” & “Steward,” are forthcoming with Marathon Literary Review.
I am turning my focus toward completing my first full-length manuscript. It’s like doing a large-scale home renovation project while continuing to live inside the house. I’m surrounded by scenes and characters who are constantly nagging for my attention. I’ve been posting periodic updates on social media.

What I’m Reading: Autumn 2024

Last season, I binge-read Sarah McCoy’s books. If you plan to read The Time it Snowed in Puerto Rico, clear your schedule. The sensual prose is absolutely mesmerizing. Once you begin reading, it is impossible to put down.
I’ve just finished reading William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. It’s a writing guide that has been awaiting my attention for some years. It is a guide primarily aimed at nonfiction writing; however, I’ve uncovered many helpful nuggets that I’m already placing toward my fiction writing. I do highly recommend this writer’s guide. I am currently reading Zinsser’s memoir Writing about Your Life, which also serves as a writer’s guide.
I read John Steinbeck’s masterpiece East of Eden and will be following that up with The Grapes of Wrath in the near future. I highly recommend reading any and all of Steinbeck’s novels. He had a keen eye into the human psyche. His fictional characters spring to life and the stories depict universal truths that simply cannot be ignored.

And that’s it. Enjoy autumn. Please share your comments below. Stay tuned for my next blog post. Wanna get it in your email inbox? Subscribe to stay informed of my newest articles, story reviews, updates, and more.

Cover Image: Photo by Ameruverse Digital Marketing Media on Pexels.com

Seasonal Newsletter

Seasonal Update: What has Pauline Shen been up to? What can we expect to see from her next?

March 21, 2024August 27, 2024 Pauline Shen

Season Summary: Winter 2023-24

My poem “Rock with me” was published online with CommuterLit in February.
I’ve begun posting interviews on my blog. I am delighted to partner with editors, writers, and publishers to bring you an insider scoop on what’s going on in the industry. More interviews coming soon! Make sure you subscribe to stay up to date.
I received a huge creative boost from participating in the winter 2024 Writing Battle. If you’ve been struggling with imaginative writing, this contest has the right measure of constraints and supports to assist you. There is a fee for participation, but the value for your dollar is high-quality. I’m already registered for the upcoming one in May.

Updates & Work in Progress: Spring 2024

My visual piece “Sunrise01” will be included in Quibble Lit’s inaugural print issue.
You’ll find a reprint of my short story “Glycerine” in the March 2024 issue of Blank Spaces Magazine. I am delighted to see this piece revived on the page.
My short fiction “How to Make a Pet Rock” is scheduled for a spring 2024 release with The Bookends Review. Keep your eye on my updates list or X (Twitter) for the official announcement with a link where you can read the story.
My visual essay “Beautiful Botanicals” is scheduled for June 2024 release with Blank Spaces Magazine. It features some of my pen & ink daisies. I am excited to see it in print.

What I’m Reading: Spring 2024

I finished reading C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. I highly recommend it. Yes, even for adults. There’s a great deal of detail in these stories that can benefit readers of any age.
After binge-watching the Father Brown television series starring Mark Williams, I’ve decided to read the original short stories by G.K. Chesterton. If you’re intrigued by social-political commentary infused with philosophy along with a solid mystery, Chesterton’s your guy.

And that’s it. Enjoy spring. Please share your comments below. Stay tuned for my next blog post. Wanna get it in your email inbox? Subscribe to stay informed of my newest articles, story reviews, updates, and more.

Cover Image: Photo by Ameruverse Digital Marketing Media on Pexels.com

Interviews

Interview with Alanna Rusnak

February 1, 2024August 27, 2024 Pauline Shen

In this post, we’ll be hearing from Alanna Rusnak, Author of The Church in the Wildwood, Owner & Operator of Chicken House Press, and Founder & Managing Editor of Blank Spaces Magazine. Curious in knowing the origins of the beautiful Blank Spaces Magazine? Want some insight into what it takes to branch out on your own in the publishing industry? In this interview, Alanna tells us all about these things plus talks about her current work-in-progress and more!

So, you wear a lot of hats, Alanna. Tell us a bit about your average day or work week.

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Story Reviews

It’s Not About the Guardrail. Commentary on Desiree Nippard’s “An Early Thaw”

January 4, 2024August 27, 2024 Pauline Shen

In Desiree Nippard’s “An Early Thaw,” the reader witnesses a group of schoolchildren sending lanterns into the sky while playing a send-off tune on recorders. In this ceremony for the deceased, “[y]ou could hear every pause for breath, every off note from the shifting of small fingers as we all allowed the melody to seep into our souls.” (54) This coastal town is grieving, and the narrator reveals the cause with deep sensory descriptions that guide the reader with the right amount of grace and gentleness.

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Seasonal Newsletter

Seasonal Update: What has Pauline Shen been up to? What can we expect to see from her next?

December 21, 2023August 27, 2024 Pauline Shen

Season Summary: Autumn 2023

My visual piece “Word” was released in Cool Beans Lit’s autumn 2023 issue.
Multiple visual pieces were released with Quibble’s October 2023 issue. See my Updates page for the full list with links.
New stuff! I’ve begun posting interviews on my blog. I am delighted to partner with editors, writers, and publishers to bring you an insider scoop on what’s going on in the industry. These posts will continue through the new year. Make sure you subscribe to stay up to date.

Updates & Work in Progress: Winter 2023-24

My short fiction “How to Make a Pet Rock” is scheduled for a spring 2024 release with The Bookends Review. Keep your eye on my Updates page or Twitter for the official announcement with a link where you can read the story.
“Glycerine” is set to reprint with Blank Spaces Magazine’s March 2024 issue. You can pre-order your copy here. I am excited to see this in print once again—it is a favourite.
I will be spending more time writing my work-in-progress this season. You can expect some incremental updates through late winter and into spring 2024.

What I’m Reading: Winter 2023-24

I finished Elizabeth Hay’s “Snow Road Station” and anticipate a likely third installation in this series. Have you read “Snow Road Station” yet? Do you read Elizabeth Hay’s books? Leave a comment to let me know your thoughts.
As part of my market research, I’ve been reading some romantic comedy bestsellers. One that stood out to me as having perfected the formula is “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne. If you’ve read any of her books, please start the discussion in the comments section of this post. I’d like to know what you have to say.
For the winter, I’ll be continuing market research as well as reading old classics—some for the first time ever. At present, I’m binge-reading C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” is the first book of this series. I found the boxed set at my local bookstore, and so have decided to read the full chronicles. Have you read it? As a youth? Or perhaps as an adult? Let me know.

And that’s it. Enjoy winter. Please share your comments below. Stay tuned for my next blog post. Wanna get it in your email inbox? Subscribe to stay informed of my newest articles, story reviews, updates, and more.

Cover Image: Photo by Ameruverse Digital Marketing Media on Pexels.com

Tag: writer in Canada

What’s the point …of Submitting to Literary Journals?

Interview with Alanna Rusnak

It’s Not About the Guardrail. Commentary on Desiree Nippard’s “An Early Thaw”

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