The Centifictionist

Lexi Schwartz’s 100 word microfiction, “Rebekah”, will appear in the second issue of The Centifictionist (Vol. 1, Issue 2, Fall/Winter 2020). Lexi graciously answered a few brief questions for us. Read the interview below.

1. What inspired the story “Rebekah”?

“Rebekah” came from a blend of the generations of brave, quiet women in my family and so many families like ours, who have outlived more than they should have had to and did so with loving kindness.

2. What inspires you and your writing?

My writing and I both are inspired by people — the things that tie us to one another and the moments that snap those ties. I am especially drawn to stories that show us how deeply we can feel for each other and that explore the places where our paths cross in the world.

3. What keeps you going when experiencing times of misery and despair?

I think that we owe it to each other to build a better future, and so in times of misery and despair I push myself to believe in that future. That belief is usually enough to take the next step and do the next right thing, which is how we get there.

4. What advice do you have for microfiction writers?

Take your favorite stories and distill them down to the pieces that stayed with you even after you forgot the rest. See what you can build from those moments and identify why they lived on. Cut anything that isn’t revealing and then do it again.

5. Is there anything else that you would like people to know about you
and/or your writing?

I am always looking for new ways of being brave and I hope to continue writing as a path into this place of honesty.

---

Lexi Schwartz is an emerging writer, with several print and online publications through the Center for the American West (first prize in 2017 and honorable mention in 2018), the Awakenings Foundation, and the Boulder Weekly, among others.