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.

Click here to E-mail this page to a friend.

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

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February 11, 2009:

Walk in La Jolla. To see the old haunts. But, more. To check out a pair of coastside recording studios there, to determine for yourself whether these kinds of things can be made secure against burglars. Do they display their business names as signage? Are they more discrete? Inside the first one, the room is large but the technology is old. 2-inch analog, a handful of tube compressors. You're interested in a job there: will they hire you as an engineer? It's a shame you weren't there last week, they've just hired someone, a young woman, who does not look at you kindly. An older engineer talks shop with you. You own better gear than they do. But, their room is nice.

February 10, 2009:

I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.
I miss you very much.

February 9, 2009:

The two of you are living in your childhood apartment. But, there's tension. She's become involved with your guru, a very famous spiritual teacher, a world-historical figure. To your surprise, the jewels and other famous gifts which he gave to his beloved, collected now in museums and historical archives around the world, were in fact for her. The patterns on his famous ceramic tiles tell their love story in symbols. You feel lost and sad. You should comfort her. You enter her bedroom, where she's sleeping, to offer her a hug.

February 8, 2009: Pudgy kid with a pageboy haircut pulls a wheel from a portable barbecue...
February 7, 2009: A cup of wine on the table.
February 6, 2009: I am a chauffeur, and a checkbook.
February 5, 2009: "How long has it been since you worked, ten years, then?"
February 4, 2009: I need to move forward.
February 3, 2009: Women huddle around the photos, nodding, pointing.
February 2, 2009: Older woman, unhappy about her age...
February 1, 2009: Confused.

January 31, 2009: The band's on stage at the student center.
January 30, 2009: I hear her footsteps...
January 29, 2009: Perturbed voice: "What are you doing in there?"
January 28, 2009: Obese woman, cell phone, loose blue baseball jersey.
January 27, 2009: Shower and shampoo before going on stage.
January 26, 2009: "Gabby" - because she likes to talk so much.
January 25, 2009: Your band is playing a university student center.
January 24, 2009: It's dangerous to the left.
January 23, 2009: Defensiveness.
January 22, 2009: She carries the cat...
January 21, 2009: Sudden tears, in the parking lot.
January 20, 2009: Needs my approval, as she needs her family's approval.
January 19, 2009: "What you working on, bro?"
January 18, 2009: That a process requiring five minutes...
January 17, 2009: Wait.
January 16, 2009: Commotion.
January 15, 2009: Alcohol substitutes:
January 14, 2009: Blocked, in every direction.
January 13, 2009: Your recording class wants to record Jumping Jack Flash.
January 12, 2009: Less hostile toward people who intrude on my space.
January 11, 2009: "You're 'quirky'," she says.
January 10, 2009: I still need to know where she is.
January 9, 2009: Your hotel room is in disarray.
January 8, 2009: Another moment of school sports glory was all about smarts.
January 7, 2009: Unassisted triple play.
January 6, 2009: Exile, a strange landscape...
January 5, 2009: You've returned to work very early in the morning...
January 4, 2009: Road trip with the band, a large old Buick, you in the back.
January 3, 2009: "Eggie farts!"
January 2, 2009: Six at bats, six home runs.
January 1, 2009: Your guitar tech loves your Strat.