Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 14h

Lots of ink spilled lately on this topic, so I thought I'd spill a bit more.
#literaryfction
#writingcommunity
andrewcareaga.com/2025/10/08/w...

What makes fiction literary?

How do we define a style that many see as elitist, pretentious, and irrelevant?

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 5d

For the past several months I've been volunteering as a first reader for a literary magazine. It's been a great experience so far. Here are a few things I've learned. andrewcareaga.com/2025/10/03/f...
#WritingCommunity #litmags

Friday Five: lessons from a lit mag first reader

What I’ve learned from the past six months of reading submissions for a literary magazine

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 7d

On this International Coffee Day, my quest for coffee-inspired stories yields not a latte
andrewcareaga.com/2025/10/01/m...
#shortstories
#fiction #writingcommunity
#ICD2025

My quest for coffee stories yields not a latte

On International Coffee Day, the scarcity of java-inspired stories continues to baffle me

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 9d

www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/...

Hard pass. Cold brew. Dad bod. Merriam-Webster adds over 5,000 words to 'Collegiate' dictionary.

The 12th edition of "Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary" will be released in November.

www.nbcnews.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 12d

Today's Friday Five: A Q&A with Melissa Flores Anderson, whose new short story collection, "All and Then None of You," is 🔥.
andrewcareaga.com/2025/09/26/f...
#WritingCommunity #HispanicHeritageMonth

Friday Five: Latiné writer Melissa Flores Anderson

‘Take chances in where you submit your writing and don’t count yourself out.’

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 12d

Some thoughts on verisimilitude (AKA keeping it real) with some examples from great stories.
andrewcareaga.com/2025/09/24/a...
#WritingCommunity

A boring realist’s thoughts on keeping it real

Why verisimilitude matters in all forms of fiction (with examples)

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 19d

Today’s Friday Five shines a spotlight on Gary Finnegan @finnegag.bsky.social — winner of the @frazzledlit.bsky.social short story award for 2025! Read more about Gary here: andrewcareaga.com/2025/09/19/f... #WritingCommunity

Friday Five: Frazzled Lit short story winner Gary Finnegan

‘I am trying to get over a bad habit of submitting every piece of fiction I write.’

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 20d

Yes.

Casey Stegman @caseystegman.com · 21d

Freedom of speech. Forever and always. No matter who is in power.

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 22d

Thank you for reading. It’s always good to hear from you. 💙

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 22d

Hey, #writingcommunity. A couple of short stories by me made their way into @theargylelitmag.bsky.social’s recent “Gastronomy” issue. Check out “The Things My Father Used to Eat” and “The Things Our Mother Made Us Eat.” www.theargylelitmag.com/theme-04-gas...

www.theargylelitmag.com/theme-04-gas...

The Things My Father Used to Eat — The Argyle Literary Magazine

Fiction by Andrew Careaga “And now, I think, perhaps that was why he ate those strange organs with such vigor. Perhaps they were some curandero’s remedy, some potion, some magic to inoculate him fro...

www.theargylelitmag.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 23d

Happy #HispanicHeritageMonth, muchachos y muchachas! Here are some good reads for the month! andrewcareaga.com/2025/09/15/c... #WritingCommunity

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage: read Hispanic/Latinx writers

‘… culture shapes identity and defines possibility’ and ‘teaches us who we are, what to believe, and how to dream.’

andrewcareaga.com

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Reposted by Andrew Careaga (writer)

Emily Rinkema @emilyrinkema.bsky.social · 26d

Thank you @andrewcareaga.bsky.social for this incredible opportunity and for such great questions!

Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 26d

Today’s Friday Five: a Q&A with a wonderful “writer of short things” and recent @frazzledlit.bsky.social third-place winner, @emilyrinkema.bsky.social
#WritingCommunity

andrewcareaga.com/2025/09/12/f...

Friday Five: ‘writer of short things’ Emily Rinkema

‘I love everything about flash fiction, as a reader and as a writer.’

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 26d

Today’s Friday Five: a Q&A with a wonderful “writer of short things” and recent @frazzledlit.bsky.social third-place winner, @emilyrinkema.bsky.social
#WritingCommunity

andrewcareaga.com/2025/09/12/f...

Friday Five: ‘writer of short things’ Emily Rinkema

‘I love everything about flash fiction, as a reader and as a writer.’

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 27d

Something I wrote last year in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the Twin Towers. Never forget. #911Anniversary #WritingCommunity

andrewcareaga.com/2024/09/11/w...

Windows on the World

This morning, on the twenty-third anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I reflected on my one and only visit to Windows on the World, the restaurant located at the top of the North Tower of th…

andrewcareaga.com

Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · 29d

My latest Goodwill find: 50 short stories by some powerhouse writers for $3.99 #shortstories #amreading #booksky #writingcommunity

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · Sep 8

"Write first, edit later" is popular advice for writers. But does it work for you? My thoughts on toggling between writing and editing while in the zone. I call it "wrediting." Catchy, no? andrewcareaga.com/2025/09/04/o...
#WritingCommunity #writinginspiration #writing #amwriting

On ‘wrediting’

‘Write first, edit later’ is common advice. But how does it work in the real world?

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · Sep 2

Saddened to learn of the recent passing of my friend and longtime Missouri S&T colleague Tom Shipley, of Brewer and Shipley fame. Tom and his partner Michael Brewer became counterculture icons with their 1970 hit “One Toke Over the Line.” Photo: me with Tom & Jan Shipley at my retirement reception.

Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · Aug 29

@beckyltuch.bsky.social
Writers, are you subscribed to @beckyltuch.bsky.social's Lit Mag News? If not, you're missing out! Read why in today's Friday Five Q&A with Becky. andrewcareaga.com/2025/08/29/f... #WritingCommunity #literaryfiction #litmags

Friday Five: writer, editor, and Lit Mag News creator Becky Tuch

‘I wanted to create a literary space that is informative yet also entertaining’

andrewcareaga.com

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · Aug 24

Hey #WritingCommunity: Did you read about the recent study showing reading for pleasure is down 40% over the past two decades? What's a writer to do? andrewcareaga.com/2025/08/24/h...

How do we make reading fun again?

Reading for pleasure is down. What’s a writer to do?

andrewcareaga.com

Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · Aug 24

Thanks so much! Good to hear from you.

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · Aug 22

My latest short story was 45 years in the making. Here's the back story (with a link to "Shah Mat" included in the post): andrewcareaga.com/2025/08/22/m...
#WritingCommunity

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Andrew Careaga (writer) @andrewcareaga.bsky.social · Aug 22

My short story "Shah Mat" was published today in The Orange Rose Literary Magazine. I hope you'll give it a read! theorangeroselitmag.com/2025/08/22/s...
#WritingCommunity