The Centifictionist

Michelle Kulwicki’s 99 word microfiction, “This is America”, will appear in the fourth issue of The Centifictionist (Vol. 2, Issue 2, Fall/Winter 2021). Michelle graciously answered a few brief questions for us. Read the interview below.

1. What inspired the story “This Is America”?

There’s an enormous truck stop on Interstate 80 in America–pretty much dead center of the Midwest. It’s huge, and boasts a WORLD’S LARGEST TRUCK STOP sign. No idea if that’s actually true or not, but in the few times I’ve seen the place on drives through the country, it’s always packed full of people. Fascinating pit stop in the middle-of-nowhere Iowa that people flock to. Seemed a great setting for a story about the American dream.

2. What inspires you and your writing?

Other writers! (And occasionally nature. But mostly other writers 😉 ).

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

Words and running. There’s no better cure for my head than running as far as I can, reading as much as I can, writing as much as I can. Amazing what words can do for the soul.

4. What advice do you have for microfiction writers?

Don’t be afraid to cut. Write the draft like there’s no word count limit, then cut, cut, cut until every single word serves a purpose.

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

I quit writing for almost a decade because of feedback from a college creative writing professor. Don’t do that! I’ve found my way back, I’m always learning, I’m loving the journey, and I will always be a writer.

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Michelle Kulwicki is a musician, a mom, a speculative fiction writer, and a lover of mysterious wild things that go bump in the night. When not writing, she can be found wandering the woods in search of magic. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in several short story anthologies and literary magazines including Fusion Fragment, Ellipsis, and the winnow, among others. Find her at @mk_writes_ on Twitter, or visit her website at michellekulwicki.com.