By Katrin Schumann

I've been on submission many times over the years. It's fun, until it's not. Or... it's fun and then gets a lot more fun. Here's what I've learned.

1) Create a serene environment around you. Preferably light a candle first thing in the morning. Not one of those scented things called Enticing Aroma's Fall Festival or, god forbid, Pumpkin Spice. Something classy and reeking of intelligence, just like you.

By Katrin Schumann

My friend Stephen had an incredibly interesting life. When he died at age 50, he left behind a small family and lots of burned bridges. One thing he didn’t leave behind—something so important that its absence is a tragedy—was any kind of cogent record of his life or work. 

There are pictures and half remembered stories. There are paintings and sculptures, covered in Saharan dust, the details of their provenance lost forever

GrubStreet runs on coffee, printer ink, and community. This series features just some of the Grubbies who make our community strong. In this edition, meet Grub Instructor Jennifer Crystal. You can catch Jennifer in person this September, in 6 Weeks, 6 Essays, starting Thursday, September 7th, and Writing About Place, starting Monday, September 11th.

What author, living or dead, would you most like to have dinner with and why?
What an honor it would be to have dinner with Maya Angelou. Her words have spoken to me since I first read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings …

GrubStreet runs on coffee, printer ink, and community. This series features just some of the Grubbies who make our community strong. In this edition, meet Grub Instructor Jenn Scheck-Kahn. You can catch Jenn in person this September, in her eight-week class, Literary Magazines: a 360 Degree View, starting Friday, September 8th.

GrubStreet runs on coffee, printer ink, and community. This series features just some of the Grubbies who make our community strong. In this edition, meet Grub Instructor Ethan Gilsdorf. You can catch Ethan in person this September, in his twelve-week class, Writing and Publishing the Risky Narrative Personal Essay, or online, in 6 Weeks, 6 Op-Eds, both of which begin on Tuesday, September 12th. If you're ready for the next level, check out Ethan's Master Narrative Personal Essay course, beginning Thursday, September 14th.

What favorite book of yours was made into a movie, which did you like better, …