Published - A (Creative) Writing Series from an ESL Teacher and Writer

Recently, my weirdest literary piece, titled Fle(i)s(c)h, got accepted by Haunter Review - a up-and-coming American magazine of grunge, grotesque, and gory.

You can check them out here:

https://www.haunterreview.com/

And read Fle(i)s(c)h here:

https://www.haunterreview.com/fodor-%C3%A1gnes

So what? - you might want to know.

It's fair. So what? So what in a universe that somehow managed to churn out Shakespeare, Dante, Hemingway, Krasznahorkai. (The latter: my pride and favourite Hungarian writer - who'd been my favourite even long before he actually won the Nobel Prize this year.) Fle(i)s(c)h is big for me and truly nothing otherwise. But being 'truly nothing', more often than not, is a relief. It's freedom. And while I cannot resolve the age-old question of why rather create than not, I can say: it feels oddly emotional to say Fle(i)s(c)h is out there and not just on my computer anymore.

I have wanted to start a (creative writing) blogpost series for a while now, but it felt like I had to wait until something purely fictional of mine (as opposed to my criticism, travelogues and essays already published) got accepted. Looking back, Fle(i)s(c)h wasn't the obvious choice to submit, but now, I'm so very glad I did. Let me tell you why:

1.) Fle(i)s(c)h is not very reader-friendly; it's highly experimental and will not give you a lot to go on. Not because it feels fancy to write such a labyrinthine piece, but because life doesn't seem more straightforward either. I intended Fle(i)s(c)h to be felt, not be dissected. If you read it with a heart - thank you. If you read it with intellectualism - please, just try again.

2.) Fle(i)s(c)h is carefully curated - despite its looking accidental and quite random. It's a piece I love tremendously, and that has been incredibly close to my heart. It was a piece I thought to be my personal best, and even though I would write it differently now, I still think it has potential. So you can imagine the confusion and sadness I felt when even places that had a 99% acceptance rate rejected it. I'm glad now they did - because Haunter Review was by far the most selective place I've submitted to and therefore the best magazine it could have been - and was eventually accepted by a friendly yet prestigious home. I would say, although I see everything I have written so far deeply flawed, and therefore looking back, I'd change all of them, I tend to think I know who I am, and I know what I like. The continuous rejection of Fle(i)s(c)h made me question my reality, my taste, and the validity of my existence. The acceptance of Fle(i)s(c)h reassured me about one thing:

Rejection isn't proof of your worthlessness. It's the proof you need to keep going and looking for a better - the right - match. You don't have to mould yourself into expectations. Radical self-acceptance, of course, is no excuse for laziness: you do need to constantly improve yourself, and there will always be a need to better yourself, your writing. But you don't have to switch lanes to become someone else if you were rejected.

How is this relevant to anything? There has been a lot I've been wishing to say about writing - but writing on a broad scale: I have done writing and editing courses, I have taught ESL writing courses, and I have written for magazines serving different styles. The amalgamation of these points resulted in quite a few things I want to discuss, mostly under the following categories:

1.) ESL - how to practice writing for language exams, and unconventional, albeit useful tips to succeed, be it Cambridge language exams, or IELTS. Or anything else, for that matter.

I am unreasonably passionate about the writing parts of language exams - they are almost a personal cause - so if you are struggling and need help, contact me: I'd love to prepare you!

You can message me through my About page: https://www.fearlessfrock.com/about

2.) PUNCTUATION - something no one asked for, but something I'm oddly into and which I have read quite a few books about.

3.) Rare and formal (aka oddly specific) words, mainly to ace advanced and proficient writing exam tasks. Or just to have fun.

4.) Writing habits and routines that might not make any sense to anyone but me have helped me throughout the whole process of planning, writing, and editing my own articles, essays, and creative pieces.

By now, you must have seen Marci hanging around. Why was he here? Just because I love him. Does he love me? I hope so. He certainly loves his duster. His stolen duster. The duster, that's not his, actually.

Will he stay? Yes. Will you see more of him? Oh YES.

Talk to you soon!

(In case of any queries, in need to writing help or wanting a demo lesson, message me here: https://www.fearlessfrock.com/about )