Lindsay Clark is a Guild leader and one of the authors of the 2023 Fiddlehead Folio! We’re excited to feature her store, The Tiger, as part of the journal.

What inspired you to write your story? How does that inspiration manifest in this work? 

The seed of my story was formed in January 2023, when I joined a session hosted by the MetroWest Writer’s Guild called “Short Stories As Your Start.” The session was a primer in writing effective short stories and we did a couple of fast free writes with prompts at the end. One of the prompts was: “In a small community, a tiger has left its home and is loose on a beautiful day.” After 10 minutes, I had 320 words and an unpolished idea, with a main character that I knew very little about — except for the fact that they felt trapped in their circumstances and found a kindred spirit in a tiger who escaped from the zoo. It was enough to spark my interest, and I wanted to explore the idea more fully in a (slightly) longer piece of flash fiction.

What was the hardest part of your writing process? Do you think it will be easier for your next story? 

The hardest, but most exciting, part of writing for me is ‘big picture’ structural editing. It can be challenging to pull back and realize which parts of a draft could be added or subtracted to give the story greater clarity, better character development, or deeper meaning. My completed drafts always feel complete until fresh eyes help me find the cracks and patches. It’s such an exciting and satisfying feeling when a big structural edit changes a story for the better!

For “The Tiger,” the iterative drafting and support from the Guild was invaluable. I plan to continue to build my own skills in this regard for future drafts and other works. As I cultivate these skills, I hope it will get easier over time! 

What was your first thought after hitting the “submit” button for your Folio submission? What was your first thought after being accepted? 

Pushing “submit” is a big moment! I couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive immediately after I’d pressed the button. I had prepared my draft and cover letter, and reviewed them two, three, four times for completeness and typos, but I certainly felt vulnerable the moment my story was out there in the wild. When I received my acceptance note, I was elated. This will be my first published work of short fiction!

What are you writing now (or next)? 

I am currently working on a second draft for a fantasy novel about a man who falls in love with the Goddess of Fate and learns how to forge his own destiny in the process. 

How has the Guild helped with your writing and storytelling? What do you want other writers to know about writing communities? 

Being part of the Guild has been an absolutely critical part of my growth from an occasional hobby writer to an aspiring author. The Guild has provided me with amazing opportunities to hone my craft and think about technical and philosophical aspects of writing. But even more importantly, it’s enabled me to find a community of fellow writers who share the same passion for writing and can offer both perspective and support. It’s amazing to learn alongside peers who have already published works and have a safe space through which to share everything from drafts to best practices.

The launch of the Fiddlehead Folio will take place at the Literary Extravaganza and Book Bazaar on Saturday, December 2nd from 10am-3pm at the Writers’ Loft in Hudson, MA. If you live in Massachusetts, we would love to see you and share the Folio (along with so many other books on sale that day!) with you! Planning to join us? Let us know on Facebook or Eventbrite!