Meet NUNUM Fall Contributor: Frances Lefkowitz

NUNUM

Blending Flash Fiction & Art

Interview with Frances Lefkowitz

Frances Lefkowitz lent us her story Octopus for the Fall 2020 issue of NUNUM and after we blended it up with the art of Tracy Whiteside we found ourselves with something we couldn't wait to share with the world. 

Frances was kind enough to give us a little of her time and by now you know exactly what the first thing we asked her was.

Frances, what was the first book you remember picking and reading by yourself?

Francis Lefkowitz by Poppy de Garmo

The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by Elaine Lobl Konigsburg

Octopus words by Frances Lefkowitz, art by Tracy Whiteside

Ah, a new one for the list. Thank you for that Frances. And what about more recently, what was the last book you read that made you think damn that was a good book?

Weather by Jenny Offill. Basically a novel in flash-sized chapters, so it’s distilled down to the essential.

Thank you for the introduction, there aren't that many books out there yet which use flash in that way but slowly they are coming along. What about on holiday Frances, do you have a good to author?

Agatha Christie baby!

Now with her you are not alone, not surprisingly of course, but her's is a name that comes up again and again on the holiday reading list. What about influences Frances, were there any writers that helped influence you in your decision to become a writer?

I did not decide to become a writer; I have always been one.

Then what about admiration, are there any writers out there who you admire? 

Octopus words by Frances Lefkowitz, art by Tracy Whiteside

Jamaica Kincaid. Sharp yet detached, full of deep magic  

Octopus words by Frances Lefkowitz, art by Tracy Whiteside

and understated rage, and every word counts. 

What about writing craft books Frances, is there a craft book that you would recommend to new writers?

I like What If? by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter; it’s a book full of exercises to get you writing.

Exercises, oh so useful in so many ways. But beyond craft books, is there a writer who has influenced your current writing style?

My writing style is unique to me, based in how I experience the

world. So I’d rather mention a book that helped me realize I could write my way, that it was a valid way to write: Cool for You by Eileen Myles.

Okay this is tangental but I am always curious, pen, pencil or phone, which one do you reach for when you need to write something down?

Pen and a tiny notebook. I’m old-school.

And in that you are not alone. Do you have any advice for writers who are just starting to send their work out to journals? 

Octopus words by Frances Lefkowitz, art by Tracy Whiteside

1. Always have a couple stories circulating, out there, with different journals. So if—when—you get a rejection, you still have a possible “Yes.”

Octopus words by Frances Lefkowitz, art by Tracy Whiteside

2. It’s a numbers game. There are simply many more stories being submitted than there are pages in publications. So don’t take rejections personally, and expect a lot of them. 3. Don’t send your story too soon. Let it sit; get feedback; and do another rewrite. Then let it sit again.

Well said, do you have a favorite unattributed quote about writing?
​
“Writing is like acting on paper.” In other words, if you can become the character, then the plot, the dialogue, everything, feels authentic.

I've never heard that one, but yeah, it rings true.

What’s the difference between writing memoir and writing fiction?

Not much, really. With memoir, you have the plot, and with fiction you have to make up the plot. In both, you need to create vivid characters and scenes, believable dialogue, and pacing that alternates scenes and summary.

And before I let you go Frances, can you get any writing done in an hour?

Absolutely! You can get some great writing done in 30 minutes. I always suggest short sessions with mini goals, like one scene, or a first draft of a flash story. Writing fast can help you bypass the inner censor or the logical mind and work from the gut instead.

Octopus words by Frances Lefkowitz, art by Tracy Whiteside

Frances Lefkowitz is the author of To Have Not: A Memoir

Octopus words by Frances Lefkowitz, art by Tracy Whiteside

as well as fiction and nonfiction in The Sun, Tin House, GlimmerTrain Stories, and more. Her work has been a Notable Mention twice for the Pushcart Prize and thrice for Best American Essays. She divides her time between Northern California and Southern Maine, and teaches writing workshops all over the country.

​You can keep up with Frances on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and on her site.

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