Hi Friends!

It’s Spooky Season at LMC and what’s spookier than facing your writing fears? In October, we have Accountability Sessions every. single. day. You heard me!

So get into that writing routine you’ve always wanted. Hit those word counts and finish your projects. We’ll make starting super easy: get a month of free Basic membership just by subscribing to this newsletter. That’s it.

Once you subscribe, check your email for a coupon code to apply at checkout. Then pop into our Discord to connect and grow with the community through all the cool stuff we’ve got planned for October.

We’ll dive into more detail ASAP but first… some proof that editor Autumn Watts has been goth at heart forever:

All the below takes place in our members-only Discord server. All times US Eastern.

Connect with other writers in live generative sessions!

✨On Wednesday, Oct 22 8PM ET, Editor Autumn Watts will help you scare those words into playing nice! Bring a few lines of your favorite horrifying tale (yours or someone else’s!) then share, discuss, and WRITE until the ghosts come home.

Share a piece that wowed you for a communal close-read! Or just because you like it.

✨On Sunday, Oct 19 8PM ET, come chat with celebrated short fictionist Ben Loory about the power of fables vs parables.

We’ll close-read some of his creepiest, most poignant, fabulist inventions. Then prep some tough questions for him like: “What’s up with all the talking animals, Ben??”

Ben is the author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day and Tales of Falling and Flying, named a Favorite Book of the Year by The Paris Review staff, and one of the 50 Best Fantasy Books of All Time by Esquire Magazine.

His tales and fables have appeared in over 100 magazines and journals including The New Yorker, Tin House, The Sewanee Review, Electric Literature, BOMB Magazine, The Kenyon Review, and A Public Space. They’ve also been performed on This American Life and Selected Shorts and translated into many languages.

Grow your confidence and stagecraft through online community readings! 

👻 Reader sign-ups go live: Oct 12 at 8PM ET
🎃 Reading featuring Ben Loory: Oct 26 at 8PM ET

*Costumes recommended (we’re not kidding)

Connect with other writers through our monthlong readalongs or discuss what YOU’VE been reading.

In October, Hayden’s Ferry fiction editor Chiara Kaufman will guide us through Ananda Lima's Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil. Discussion starters posted Thursdays by 3PM ET.

✨And on Thursday, Oct 2 6PM ET, Chiara will host a live communal analysis of Craft’s first page(s). Come share your thoughts and see how editors might read YOUR work!

1-on-1 video sessions with editors to solve problems, whether you have concerns about your work or just feel lost.

Write with other members online! No excuses. No distractions.

Vent, share, and troubleshoot your process in circles of 8 writers max. Clarify goals, talk through the stumbles, and celebrate the milestones.

Creatively blocked? Stretch those writing muscles with generative activities and games!

Look for prompts from flash fiction superstar Kathy Fish on Oct 1 and 15.

Ya-ting Yu has published “Milktea Carton” in Fahmidan.

Kyla-Yen will teach an online generative workshop “what are you so afraid of?: the poetics of turning inward toward fear” on Oct 19, 6-8PM ET.

Christa Lei published their first byline! “A Traveler’s Guide to Flying with Chronic Hip and Back Pain” in Matador Network.

And Jeannette Smith logged 62 hours over 29 days to write 69k words 🔥🔥🔥….despite unhelpful cats.

In the server: we love when members take charge! 😍 Sabina Singwell is inviting everyone to predawn Accountability Sessions Mon-Fri 5:30AM ET. Just blasting out words before the birds wake up.

On the topic of accountability: we have brinqkly dispensing wisdom with a side of dad puns:

More wisdom: Editor Steve’s been sharing hot tips for applying to residencies before heading to his 7th (?) in 18 months and…

YES STEVE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL 😭👀

So we’re scheduling that for November with special guests TBA! Follow our socials or this newsletter for details to come.

And ICYMI: we chatted with editor Aaron Burch and Jeff Chon about Chon’s story, “Nothing Personal,” and how it tackles the murder of a healthcare CEO. Want to know how to write topical without getting preachy? Fun fact: editors love to decline those preachy pieces, so here’s a peek at some tips:

Catch the rest in our Story Chat archives, accessible to all members.

And don’t worry: non-members can get support too. Try our writing workshops and flexible feedback!

OK that’s it until next month. See you around👋