A contractor named Jason is cussing under his breath while he prepares to make repairs and install the door to my new studio. A few weeks ago, my husband, Tim, knocked out the wall between two small bedrooms and pulled out the studs he knew he could pull out without causing problems. Then an electrician, as close to a magician as anyone I know, moved the wires hanging down to the former plugs and switches to other, handy locations. And now Jason is pulling out the 2x4s that we weren’t brave enough to remove, pounding in drywall, and readying the doorway. Contractors are busy in our area, and I’ve been waiting more than a month for him to arrive.
The studio project is like writing. I don’t write alone—teachers, mentors, other writers, and first readers are all part of the process. I build words and often have to tear them down again to build something better. I need help being brave enough. It almost always takes longer than I expect. It’s messy. And sometimes, there’s magic.
I started out as a poet. It was a good place to start. A poem was a manageable size for me in my busy mid-40’s, and provided rich ground for learning about sound, word choice, lines … the bones of all writing. Then I got curious about fiction, and learned about narrative arc, stakes, character development, and so much more. And there is a lot left to learn. What joy!
This site includes links to the poems and stories I’ve published, random thoughts captured as blog posts, and some of my favorite pictures from around the world.
If you have questions or comments, you can reach me at susan at susanfuchtman dot com. I can also be found at susanfuchtman dot bsky dot social.
Susan Fuchtman 