L.M. Conkling Member Member since 2025

Where do you prefer to do your creative work?

A few places:

For actual work: In my studio. It gets the morning sun from two windows, and is crowded with books, plants, and fabric for my sewing projects. There is a large dog pillow where my massive black German Shepherd likes to snore and dream.

For the planning stages and/or to work through any challenging scenes: the garden. Nothing helps me to determine the fate of a character like either ripping weeds out by their roots or lovingly encouraging seeds to sprout.

How much of a typical day (or week) are you able to dedicate to your creative work?

I normally average 3-4 hours per week of actually sitting down and writing. I work a full-time job as well, so there are weeks I get no time at all. But I'm usually thinking about my projects. Or coming up with new ones.

What makes you procrastinate when you could be doing your creative work? What are your strategies for finding focus?

Life. The reality is, as adults we have responsibilities we must attend to, and writing, while important, sometimes has to take a spot behind the laundry and dinner and day jobs.

I'm not an 18th century man with a wife to do all the labor of creating a comfortable life for me while I smoke a pipe and muse about my writing. (Before giving up and stealing ideas from her diary.)

How do you celebrate your successes, such as acceptances? How do you handle rejections and other setbacks?

Acceptances: I tell EVERYONE. It's well known amongst my friends and family that I've been writing since I was very young, and I've always wanted to be published. This year it seems like I finally found the last key to open that door, and I've had every single one of my completed stories (12 in total) accepted for publication. I feel that it's important that everyone knows this...whether they want to hear about it or not!

Rejections? Eh, it just means it wasn't the right fit for my work. If I received critique I'll take it seriously and review what they've commented on, and make adjustments if I feel they had any good points. But if I get nothing except a rejection form, I move on. There are a million reasons why someone would say no and, unless they give me details, the "why" behind the no is none of my business.

How much time do you spend reading for pleasure or edification?

Two to three hours a night, on average.

Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere.

A few examples:

My mother collects antiques. Do you know how creepy some of them can feel? Or about the weird medical devices that people thought worked back in the day? Easy inspiration there.

For one story, (Haggard, published with Electric Spec) my husband was talking in his sleep, and it sounded like he was agreeing with someone. It made me wonder: who is he talking to? Exactly WHAT did he agree to? Boom, there's a story.

Old songs. They lyrics from songs of the past can be a flashpoint for a whole new story.

And on and on....

If you could choose to be born in any era, which one would you choose and why?

Any era with indoor plumbing, deodorant, vaccines, dentistry, and equal rights for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ community, and women. So I guess, sometime in the future? (Hopefully.)

What advice would you give to a young, budding writer (or artist) with less experience than yourself?

To be human is to create. Don't outsource your work, don't try to skip the struggle. Your voice is unique; learn from others but do not strive to be them.

Most importantly: do it for yourself.

Do you incorporate generative AI/LLMs into your creative process? If so, how?

NEVER NEVER NEVER

If you don't want to do the work, don't claim to be an author. AI has no place in creative endeavors.

What is your favorite word and why?

Trick question.

I love them all.

Except polyp. It feels rotten in my mouth and makes me think of the shape of Stephen Miller's head.

What would you like your epitaph to say?

I'd like some riff off of John Keats', which says Here lies one whose name was writ in water

Are you an unreliable narrator?

You tell me.