Image for "Stanville" by Rachel Kushner in the New Yorker. Link below.
I promised myself (and the universe around me) that I wouldn’t do another Flannery O’Connor short story because, at that point, I’d be considered clinically obsessed and subsequently tossed into the pile next to the Dickinsonians.
So: Rachel Kushner!
When I had my surgery in 2017, the one that had me bed-ridden, longingly reading Facebook/Instagram posts of folks going to the beach and on trips, I read a ton of books. Or, like, 4. I don’t remember. Anyways, in my stack was a novel called The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner.
And, I have to tell you, I didn’t love it.
It took me a while to stumble through it. Truthfully. The words were dense on the page and sometimes I’d get lost in a massive, blocky paragraph.
But daggum, since I read it, I think about it constantly and now I’m actually fuming that I sold my copy. It was a great book. I think a bit of her flavor seeped into my own writing because, hot cakes, it’s so good. Who wouldn’t want to incorporate it?
Anyways, so I knew she did a story for the New Yorker and, hence, I dug this one up for the Write Club prompt.
Read it? Okay, so here’s the prompt:
Rachel Kushner’s story, Stanville, is deeply obsessed with place, vivid, livable place. From Stanville itself, the town, the cabin, to the women’s prison, and then, even then, to San Francisco, where Romy and Gordon are originally from, Kushner fits a broad array of settings in her story and an excellent sense of place.
So I want you to write about place.
Your story can either be centered on a place, a town, a region, a community, or simply have a strong sense of place. I want you to use this prompt to explore creating a polarizingly unique place that draws the reader in on its own merits, where stories can abound naturally.
Write a story with a strong sense of place or one that is centered around a place.
Alright, my minions, have at it! Happy Write Club!
By the way, if you are n o t in Write Club, you can still totally write a story for this prompt! I actually encourage you to! In fact, when you’re done, post a link in the comments or DM me on Discord. I’d love to see what you come up with!
Happy Evening, and God bless! <3
I can't believe I never responded to this post, @caleblailmusik! At the time you posted it I was worried I wouldn't be able to participate in that session of Write Club, and I intended to figure that out and circle back to your post. At any rate, it's a great story and a really nice prompt. I loved the challenge to write about "place." This took me on a memory journey around the farm where my mother grew up, and which is still in the family. Thanks for posting this!
You're welcome! I enjoyed the story you produced from it!
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