Hi ya’ll! Life has been very chaotic lately. But there has been some relief in the past few days and my “weekend” has started. And I really want to write something! I’ve written several essays… but they feel very vulnerable. Well, tbh, nonfiction I find is a very vulnerable subject and I don’t want to bear my wounds, relationships, and the like to people. I have been interested in writing fiction, but I have no idea what to write. I started a few stories, but they don’t light me up and I’ve abandoned them. How do you guys find a story that lights you up consistently? I’ve thought about forms of stories recently too; how I don’t have to write a novel per se, it could be a novel in verse, short story collection, graphic novel. I’m reading as diversely and as often as I can to find something that resonates with me… but once again, I am not finding anything to inspire me to write. All I know is that I have something to say. I just don’t know what it is or how to start. Any tips would be great. Thanks!

This is the introduction thread. Say hi, tell us where you’re from and what your writing is all about! In your introduction, answer these 4 questions: ➡️ What is your name (preferred pronouns as well, if you don't mind) ➡️ Why did you decide to join The Unexpected Shape Café? ➡️ What is your favorite book? ➡️ What are you interested in writing about? We can’t wait to meet you! If you'd like to share anything else as well, feel free! And welcome!

I'd love to get to know you and your current work-in-progress! What's your current writing project, and what are your main struggles right now with that project? Struggles could be creative, could be life-related, could be body, mind, heart, soul — anything that's keeping you from making your envisioned progress.

I was wondering where other writers find their inspiration outside of prose/poetry. I love visiting my local art museum and sitting under Agnes Martin's "Wind." I also take ceramic classes and create pieces exploring the themes of my writing. How about you all?

As a community welcoming to authors living with limitations, I'd love to start a conversation about your limitations and how you've developed your writing, editing, and publishing processes in collaboration with those limitations. I say "in collaboration" because I've witnessed so many authors, in the several years I've worked for author communities, go through cycles of being challenged by their limitations, and then positively collaborating with them to create the work that is most meaningful to them. So... let's talk about limitations and your processes!