Writing is a form of mathematics to me. There is an answer to be found in the space of 500, 1,000, or a gluttonous 8,000 words. I love the precision required to trim and clarify until what remains is what I truly want to say and nothing more. Word counts madden and liberate at the same time. Stories become simultaneous equations of compression and refinement. I hack at a story as if it’s a tiny ice sculpture, shave the excess into a grapefruit-y cocktail, and celebrate problem solving.
I aim in my writing to let loose with trial and error and, hopefully, create work that’s true to my voice, expressive, original, and memorable. The ultimate goal is to engage with my readers—I want them to think about my work long after the computer screen goes dark. I want those who know me to say, “She wrote that? But she seems so normal!” That’s success.
Michele Finn Johnson 