Jacob Lawrence, The Studio (1977)

This writing is a daily workbook for fiction emphasizing formal experimentation. "Blogging as Cubism" explains.

Several of these pieces have appeared in online literary 'zines, including Comrades. Physik Garden, The SoMa Literary Review, Big Bridge, Inkburns, Word Riot, Epiphany, and others. During the month of November 2002, The Blue Moon Review linked to them as their first-ever "Guest Blog." These are among the best lit pubs on the 'net. Totally rad.

Here's the publication history.

Here's a grouping of strong pieces.

Here's some more experimental fiction, often based on the same techniques.

"My skewed vision was that of a man looking at himself by looking at what he looks at."
--William Least Heat-Moon, Blue Highways

Mark's Pages

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I wish I'd saved her answering machine.
I would like to hear her voice.

Flotsam of a life.

Earrings, high school band badges, photos of me.

My desperately ill addict friend wanted her sewing machine. I saved it because it had significance from my childhood.

The slaves are unfree.

The masters are unwell.

Liberation is for us all.

May 27, 2009: Disinterested in London.
May 26, 2009: Tears to be reunited.
May 25, 2009: Who do we cry for, when someone dies?
May 24, 2009: How did she cope with the loss of her two older cats?
May 23, 2009: She asked me once...
May 22, 2009: I feel like the father of a daughter at college...
May 21, 2009: One day before we knew each other well she told me how elated she'd been to watch surfers at sunrise.
May 20, 2009: I sat at your desk, thinking...
May 19, 2009: Experimental diet: all comfort food.
May 18, 2009: Smug-ass white man in a smug-ass white shirt.
May 17, 2009: Did you mourn like this when your older cats died?
May 16, 2009: I don't know.
May 15, 2009: I used to like...
May 14, 2009: She loved investigating the laundry room...
May 13, 2009: My pleasure as they burst out laughing:
May 12, 2009: The parents are coming to understand.
May 11, 2009: Grief and grieving.
May 10, 2009: Empty house.
May 9, 2009: She had the courage...
May 8, 2009: She suffers. I can do nothing.
May 7, 2009: I hate coming home...
May 6, 2009: If Satan had come to me and said...
May 5, 2009: She is what she is.
May 4, 2009: The Church says: Heaven is not for animals.
May 3, 2009: Why do I never dream of you?
May 2, 2009: It rained while she died.
May 1, 2009: That's what these emails are...