Interview with Ariel Kay

Meet NUNUM's Contributor: Ariel Kay

10/14/2022

NUNUM

Blending Flash Fiction & Art

Interview with Ariel Kay

Ariel lent her story 'The Gift' to our Fall 2022 issue and gave us something to build an entire issue around once her words got blending with Janelle Cordero's art.

If you've been here before, you know how this got started, so keep reading to learn more about Ariel Kay.

What was the first book you remember picking and reading by yourself?

Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy. The cover terrified and intrigued me!

What writer(s) or which book(s) influenced your decision to become a writer.

Pam Houston’s short story collection Cowboys are My Weakness, Janet Fitch’s novel White Oleander, and Francesca Lia Block's stories.

Is there a writing craft book that you would recommend to new writers?

The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know by Shawn Coyne

Is there a writer who has influenced your current writing style?

Curtis Sittenfeld.

Why write flash fiction?

I love the challenge—and the focus!—of telling a story in a small amount of space.

I had done flash challenges as a teenager, and a few years ago I rediscovered the joy of flash through NYC Midnight’s flash and micro fiction competitions. It can feel a lot less daunting than plotting out a longer short story or a novel even though it’s not easy work!

What advice would you give someone who is just starting to send their work out to journals?

Don’t let rejections get you down, and it’s okay to take your time with submissions and go at a pace that feels right to you.

As someone with ADHD, I find the submissions process overwhelming. There are so many fabulous journals to familiarize yourself with, different guidelines to follow, a lot of little pieces of information to find to make sure your cover letter is the right format and contains the right information etc. Submitting to just one or two can take me a very long time and a lot of mental energy!

Any tips for other writers with ADHD?

I struggle with prioritization and organization. I want to write/edit/submit/learn so many different things that I end up so overwhelmed and exhausted trying to pick what to do that I end up doing nothing!

I am very lucky that I was finally able to work a writing coach into my budget, because having someone to help me set clear goals and discuss my specific challenges with has been a game changer for me. Accountability buddies, writing groups, and other tools can help in a similar way if a writing coach isn’t the right fit.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Somewhere overlooking water. It must be the Pisces in me! I find it calming and inspiring.

What are you currently reading?

A bit of nonfiction! Artful Dodgers: Fraud & Foolishness in the Art Market by Bernard Ewell.

Ariel Kay lives in London with her husband, two cheeky rabbits,

and an anthropomorphized robot hoover named Elliot. She enjoys exploring themes of love, longing, and loss in her stories. Her work has appeared in Reflex Fiction and Indie It Press. You can keep up with Ariel on Twitter or her website.