SICK LIT MAGAZINE

Bringing the real. Keeping the weird.

You’re a Writer, Damn it! Own it! – Assistant Editor, Justin Hunter

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You may have seen me on Twitter or in the emails you’ve received recently. That’s because Kelly was kind enough to let me join this amazing journey.




Sick Lit Magazine has a goal of truly helping writers and finding those underrepresented voices. I want to be a part of that mission, and I’m excited to be on the team now.






I’ve been a writer my entire life, but I’ve only recently taken it seriously. Well, that’s not true. I took it seriously for a time back when I wanted to be a screenwriter. Then I let that dream die. Luckily, I came back to writing, and I’ve found my niche in prose.






I want to be a part of something that helps writers NOT let those dreams die. You’re never an aspiring writer if you’re writing. You’re a writer, damn it. Own it. Send us your work. We want to read it.






I’m currently working on my MFA in creative writing at Arcadia University.






That program has benefited me in so many ways. One benefit that I hope to pass along here is feedback. I’ve never gotten the type of feedback on my writing like what I get in my MFA program. If we can, we try to be constructive if any piece we read is rejected. The literary community could use more of this. You’re (very likely) writing for free, so it’s only fair that we’re providing critiques for free. Of course, this is something we can’t always promise, but I can personally promise to try to carve out as much time as possible to provide feedback if I am rejecting a piece.






On a more personal level, outside of writing, I love my family and baseball. When I’m not writing, I’m probably playing with my kids, watching movies with my wife, or watching baseball. I live in Dallas, TX, and I’m slowly growing into the Metroplex community after bouncing around for a few years. If you are interested in my writing, feel free to check out my website. My publications are all listed there: http://justin-hunter.com






I look forward to reading your submissions, so bring them on.






Stop thinking of yourself as aspiring, and start seeing yourself like we do: as writers.






Best, 




me






Assistant Editor, 


Justin Hunter









3 responses



  1. 


    

    ~Yvette Avatar
    




    

    ~Yvette
    


    



    Keep talking, I’m listening. and writing!
    

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  2. 


    

    nicolenevermore Avatar
    




    

    nicolenevermore
    


    



    On what Anne Lamott calls “Radio KFKD” I often hear on a loop a friend telling me that I wasn’t really an artist until I sold something. Once I sold something, the bar was raised to “Can you make a living from it?” Did Van Gogh? For me, the turning point was when I realized people say stuff that negates the accomplishments of creative people because it scares them. Someone stuck in a 9-5 who stifles their own creativity for the sake of being “responsible” or “mature” can feel threatened by people who are actually brave enough to go for it. Living our lives can shine a light on how other people might be wasting theirs. The answer, then, is to tune out of Radio KFKD and leave the miserable people to their misery, and go back to my writing. The people who say it can’t be done need to get the hell out of the way of the people who are busy doing it. Welcome aboard, Justin.
    

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  3. 


    

    shaunkellett Avatar
    




    

    shaunkellett
    


    



    A great bit of advice. I recently had this chat with myself, where I used to see myself purely as an “Amateur”, waiting for someone else to define me. Same with Photography. As soon as you identify yourself as just a “Writer/Photographer”, with no prefix of ‘Amateur’ or ‘Aspiring’, you really do take a leap upwards.
    

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