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Lit Match Collective

@litmatchcollective.com
380 followers 1K following 247 posts

A writers’ community led by editors 🔥 Helping members connect and grow. Join us ➡️ litmatchcollective.com & our community, open to all!: discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN

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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 18h
If you’ve been searching for a way to share your favorite poets with others, then look no further! Stop by LMC’s free Poetry Salon on Oct. 11th from 8–9 pm ET on Discord discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN. Bring a poem by your fave poet or just listen in! Hosted by Dani Kuntz @danikuntz.com.
IMAGE: A dark green/teal/white grainy background with a black/white off-set sketch of a typewriter in the center. Little line drawings of a cat wearing a pumpkin, a group of bats, and a sheet-ghost decorate the outside of the image. Dani's headshot is in the top right corner and is framed by a circular border of a bat, skulls, and foliage.

TEXT: Poetry Salon with Dani Kuntz
Open to everyone!
All levels welcome!
Sunday, October 11, 8-9 PM ET
A monthly drop-in group to discuss poems by writers who dazzle us.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 02/10/2026
It’s officially 👻spooky🎃 season! But there’s nothing spooky about all our upcoming *free* events, from our guided writing studios and firelight readaround, to tarot as storytelling, a poetry salon, and Friday happy hours. Check out the full October schedule at buff.ly/5edjLvN.
*Open to everyone!

10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25 at 8-9 am ET and 7-8 pm ET: Momentum Groups - Weekly check-ins to set writing goals, track your progress, and build accountability

10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30 at 8-9 pm ET: Friday Happy Hours with AFB - Chat & connect with fellows writers every Friday, hosted by Allison Field Bell

10/14 at 9-10 am ET and 8-9 pm ET: Guided Writing Studio - Generative group writing sessions hosted by Autumn Watts, now in the AM and PM!

10/11 at 8-9 pm ET: Poetry Salon - Discuss poems by writers who dazzle us, hosted by Dani Kuntz. All levels welcome!

10/18 at 8-9 pm ET: Tarot as Storytelling - Discuss poems by writers

10/21 at 8-9 pm ET: Craft Quickie with Steve Chang - A generative writing masterclass on converting description into plot

10/25 at 8-9 pm ET: Firelight Readaround - Bring your spookiest campfire stories: Share your work + hone your stagecraft!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 01/10/2026
In September, four (4!!) members had their work published, and one stepped into an editorial role. Plus, Editor Steve was interviewed about Okay Donkey! Whether you want to have your work published or be in community with other writers, LMC’s got you. Get started at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN.
Caitlin O'Halloran has become co-editor at Gone Lawn and has a piece in Bull

Community Manager Samantha Borek has romantic tales in the SMUT issue of Folly and in Gnome & Bone Magazine

Editor Steve and LMC's 2025 NoWriMo Facilitator Heidi Marjamaki were interviewed in The Village about Okay Donkey

David Elliot Eisenstat has 2 Horace poems in The Pierian

Eleanor Ball has a poem in tiny wren lit
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 27/09/2026
Struggling to set and complete writing goals? Looking for accountability? Coming this October, join LMC Momentum Groups. Together, set writing goals, create plans to achieve them, track progress, and chat through the highs and lows. More friends, more focus. Community powered.
IMAGE: Background is a collection of colorful fall items like dead leaves and closed and open books-- red, green, orange, and black. The gray LMC cat grooms itself on top of the black cover of a book.

TEXT: Lit Match Collective's Momentum Groups
-Set writing goals
-Track your progress
-Build accountability through community
Open to everyone through December!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 24/09/2026
Yesterday was the autumnal equinox, where the sun crossed over the Earth’s equator. That made us wonder: do you have a day each year that marks a personal crossing-over, or a sudden change in your world? Use your writing to explore it, and share in the replies!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 19/09/2026
Join us on Discord for this month’s free, online community reading on Sept. 27th from 8–9 pm ET! Monthly readings hosted by Emily Afifi, every last Sunday at the same time. Sign up to share (or bear witness) on our Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN.
The background of this image shows a book of poetry with a brown cover, and a mug of hot tea sitting on top of it. Next to the book is a lit candle and a pair of glasses. Dark green, orange, and brown leaves surround the book and the top left corner of the image.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 16/09/2026
Happy one year to LMC! Let's take a look back at all we’ve accomplished in our first year as a collective. It’s thanks to members like you that we’re here today. If you haven’t yet, join the LMC community for FREE at the link in our bio and fire up your writing! Here’s to another year together. 🎈🎉
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 12/09/2026
If you’ve been looking for a way to discuss your favorite poets with no academics attached, then you can halt your search here…and come to LMC’s Poetry Salon next Sunday, Sept. 20th from 8–9 pm ET on Discord. Bring a poem by your fave poet or just listen in! 🖋️ Hosted by Dani Kuntz @danikuntz.com.
IMAGE: A blue/purple/white grainy background with a black/white off-set sketch of a typewriter in the center. Dani's headshot is in the top right corner.

TEXT: Poetry Salon with Dani Kuntz
Open to everyone!
All levels welcome!
Sun, Sept 20 8-9PM ET
A monthly drop-in group to discuss poems by writers who dazzle us.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 09/09/2026
Need some face-time with other writers? You’re in luck! Every Friday, @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social hosts her “Friday Happy Hours with AFB” at 8–9 pm ET in our Discord. These free, 18+ happy hours are low stakes chances to share your work or just chat w/ other writers. We hope to see you there!
IMAGE: A journal page with an analog photo pasted in the center which shows someone reading an old book with charcuterie and wine on a picnic blanket.

TEXT: Friday Happy Hours with Allison Field Bell

Every Friday 8-9 PM ET

Chat & connect with fellow writers in #public-events in LMC's Discord

Open to everyone!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 05/09/2026
Be sure to join us on Sept. 13th from 8–9 pm ET for another FREE tarot writing workshop led by Samantha Borek! This group writing session will use a three-card tarot spread as a generative prompt. All LMC events take place on our Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN. 🔮
This image is defined by deep blue and yellow-gold, with astrological-themed framing on each corner and outlined tarot cards in the center with Sam's headshot.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 03/09/2026
Need some time to write? Join our free guided writing studio on September 9th from 9–10 am and 8–9 pm ET. Led by Editor Autumn Watts @autumnwatts.bsky.social. Invite your friends and sign up on Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN.
At the center of the image is a pile of three books, two green and one orange, surrounded by fall foliage. Each element is stylized such that it looks like it was watercolored.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 02/09/2026
We’ve got another month filled with free events, from a generative workshop using tarot and a new poetry salon, to guided writing studios, a public readaround, and Happy Hours every Friday with AFB. Check out the full September schedule at litmatchcollective.beehiiv.com/p/september-...
9/01 at 7-8 pm ET: Mentored Milestones Check-in - Convert your writing goals into plans ft. milestones journals & trackers

9/4, 9/11, 9/18, 9/25 at 8-9 pm ET: Friday Happy Hours with AFB - Chat & connect with fellow writers every Friday, hosted by Allison Field Bell

9/9 at 9-10 am and 8-9 pm ET: Guided Writing Studio - Generative group writing sessions hosted by Autumn Watts, now in the AM and PM!

9/13 at 8-9 pm ET: Woo-shop: Tarot as Storytelling - Crafting the major arcana as characters in our lives, hosted by Samantha Borek

9/20 at 8-9 pm ET: Poetry Salon - Discuss poems by writers who dazzle us, hosted by Dani Kuntz. All levels welcome!

9/27 at 8-9 pm ET: Firelight Readaround - An online community reading series: Share your work + hone your stagecraft!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 29/08/2026
This month, more LMC members were published, Editor Steve’s expertise landed in Forever Workshop, and one member was interviewed by Voyage LA! Whether you want to have your work published or be in community with other writers, LMC can aid you on your path to success. Get started at buff.ly/0gKJnTM.
TEXT:

Nancy Glowinski has CNF in the L.A. Times about aging and the unwavering male gaze.

Albert Abdul-Barr Wang was interviewed by Voyage LA about his writing practice and career. He also has a piece in Brink titled, "Pamela W."

Editor Steve chats about experimental fiction with editors from The Sun and Ploughshares at Forever Workshop.

Caitlin O'Halloran has a spine-tingling poem in the Michigan City Review of Books titled, "He's Sleeping With the Fishes."

IMAGE:
Each member win is in its own box, while one box is adorned with cartoon red apples and a cartoon schoolhouse in the foreground with an LMC sloth guy holding a pencil that a cat is using as a scratching post.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 26/08/2026
For many of us, August marks the beginning of “back-to-school” season. But what does that mean now that we’re adults? Oftentimes, it means we’re the ones teaching. So, to all of our dear teacher-writers: How do you juggle being both a writer AND a teacher of writing? Share your tips below!
TEXT: LMC goes... Back to school
To all our teacher-writers:
How do you juggle being both a writer AND a teacher of writing?

IMAGE: The background is a red/orange/yellow blend of colors, with a few LMC "sloth guys" on either side of the image. The bottom of the image is adorned with bright-colored school supplies like notebooks, writing utensils, a protractor, a calculator, an eraser, and a backpack.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 22/08/2026
Join us on Discord for this month’s free, online community reading on August 30th from 8–9 pm ET! Monthly readings hosted by Emily Afifi on the last Sunday of every month at the same time. Sign up to share (or bear witness) on our Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN.
Lit Match Collective's
FIRELIGHT READAROUND
Open to everyone!

Build your stagecraft + share your writing within a cozy online community

Sun, Aug 30 at 8-9 pm ET
#public-events in LMC's Discord
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 19/08/2026
When we tell you to “join us on Discord,” you may go, “Dis-what?” Thankfully, if you’re new to Discord or need extra support, we have a video tutorial just for you! Check it out at www.litmatchcollective.com/campground-c... And when you’re done, use this link to hang with us: discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
How to use LMC's Discord...

Check out a video tutorial on our website:
litmatchcollective.com/campground-commons
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 15/08/2026
Hop on Discord next Sunday, 8/23, from 8–9 pm ET for a free tarot writing workshop led by Samantha Borek! We’ll investigate how tarot holds a mirror up to our innermost selves using a three-card spread as a generative prompt to draw upon the archetypes of the major arcana as characters in our lives.
The image has a blotchy pink papery background with medieval style font for the text and a black, celestial decorated border. The center shows an image Sam, workshop leader, in the middle of a pink tarot card with the other side of the card revealed to be "The Sun."
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 13/08/2026
Need an accountability boost? Stay motivated with Work-Share Wednesdays! Every Wednesday, Basic members share snippets of their WIP with other writers. Great for a confidence boost and ideas for the next part of their draft. Become a member at litmatchcollective.com.
Work-Share Wednesdays

Become a member today!
Stay motivated!
Share snippets of your WIPs with other writers!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 08/08/2026
Stop by our Discord server next Sunday, the 16th at 8–9 pm ET for a craft chat on “transformative exposition” with Editor Steve Chang @stevexisxok.bsky.social! Steve will discuss what it means to write backstory that reframes what writers thought they knew. It’s open to everyone, so see you there!
TEXT: On Transformative Exposition
Led by editor, Steve Chang
A generative workshop on writing backstory that reframes what readers thought they knew
Open to everyone!
#public-events in LMC's Discord
Sun, Aug 16th
8-9 pm ET

IMAGE: A slightly textured light blue background with several sketched designs like stars, swirls, the sun, and a crescent moon. Digital art of a black typewriter with a long roll of paper coming out of the top is present in the left-center with a topdown view.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 06/08/2026
Need some time to write? Join our free guided writing studio on August 12th from 9–10 am and 8–9 pm ET. Led by Editor Autumn Watts @autumnwatts.bsky.social. Invite your writer friends and sign up on Discord: discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
TEXT: Lit Match Collective's Guided Writing Studio
Wed, Aug 12th
9-10 AM & 8-9 PM ET

IMAGE: Digital art of a hand basket with apples and a daisy inside is on the lefthand side of the image. On the other side is art of a tattered old book with a red rose laid on top of it, upside down. The background is textured paper with a light pink to purple gradient. Some different colored sparkles surround the basket and the book.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 02/08/2026
We’ve got another month filled with free events, from a generative workshop using tarot to guided writing studios, a public readaround, and Happy Hours every Friday with AFB. But most importantly: all LMC plans are 60% off through the 31st! Check out the full August schedule at buff.ly/Au2ufax
AUGUST EVENTS
at Lit Match Collective
8/7, 8/14, 8/21, and 8/28 at 8-9 pm ET: Friday Happy Hours with AFB. Chat & connect with fellow writers every Friday, hosted by Allison Field Bell. Open to everyone.
8/12 at 9-10 am and 8-9 pm ET: Guided Writing Studio. Generative group writing sessions. Open to everyone.
8/16 at 8-9 pm ET: Craft Chat: Transformative Exposition. Writing backstory that reframes what writers thought they knew, with editor Steve Chang. Open to everyone.
8/23 at 8-9 pm ET: Workshop: Tarot As Storytelling. Crafting the major arcana as characters in our lives, hosted by Samantha Borek.
8/30 at 8-9 pm ET: Firelight Readaround. An online community reading series: Share your work + hone your stagecraft!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 02/08/2026
Every Friday night on Discord, @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social will host her Friday Happy Hour from 8–9 pm ET. These free, weekly 18+ happy hours are low stakes chances to chat & connect w/ other writers. Join at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN. We hope to see you there! Every Friday at the same time.
Friday Happy Hours
with Allison Field Bell
EVERY FRIDAY
8:00 to 9:00 pm EST
Chat and connect with fellow writers in #public-events in LMC's Discord
Open to everyone!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 31/07/2026
LMC members have surely been busy this summer! In July, more members were published, while others took part in a summer writing program or residency. Any one of these members could be you if you join our Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN 😏
Catherine Buck has a hybrid piece titled “Nectar,” in LIT Magazine!

Ishita Marwah attended The Stinging Fly's CNF Summer School

Emily Blair will be in residence at Jentel

Caitlin O’Hallaran has a piece in -ette Review titled, “The Sky Is Falling”

Gregg Williard’s written and visual art will be part of a dramatic reading about the life and work of Simone Weil called “A Great Disturbance” on August 22, at the Muso Arts Center
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 28/07/2026
With LMC’s Drop-in Coaching, our editors work with you 1-on-1 to solve problems in your work, specific or broad. Our Fancy membership grants 1 LMC credit per month to spend on Drop-in Coaching or FIUF. PLUS full access to all LMC activities and Discord channels. Info at litmatchcollective.com
Want to take your writing to the next level? Check out:
Lit Match Collective's Drop-In Coaching

1-on-1 feedback from editors, 
Steve Chang (Okay Donkey) & Autumn Watts (ex-Guernica)

LMC Fancy Membership grants 
1 credit per month to spend on Drop-In Coaching or Fire It Up Feedback

Plus full access to all LMC activities and channels!
Sign up link in bio!


IMAGE: A blue-pink gradient background with a small pile of grid-paper notebooks in one corner and a hand reaching out to the center from the left side. Three slips of previously crumpled-up paper are in the middle of the image, each one containing one of the above tidbits of information. Some of the blue LMC "sloth guys" are walking on the edges of the paper and climbing up them.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 25/07/2026
Tuesday marked another public Q&A with *another* fabulous writer, Jinwoo Chong! Using his recent novel, “I Leave It Up To You,” Jinwoo discussed how he balanced publishing pressure with his joy for writing and even told us his fave sushi dishes. Read the whole Q&A in our Discord at the link in bio!
How do you balance external publishing pressures with maintaining a joy for the art of writing?

“In pouring so much of my hope into I Leave It Up To You, because I had nowhere else to put it, that’s what made the book and process so joyous... and if the book never went anywhere, I aimed to just write something that I’d be happy to go back and keep re-reading.”

-Jinwoo ChongWhat did writing this novel teach you that you'd like to carry forward into future works?

“I gave myself more license to look into my own life and see what was there that I could write about... I felt afraid of my novels being a fictionalized version of [myself], so I kept a big boundary up between my life and what I was writing about for the longest time. But I broke that boundary down with this book, and it wasn’t painful; it made my writing more true. I learned I could do more of that in my writing in a safe and productive way.”

-Jinwoo ChongWhat are the steps to writing a Jinwoo Chong story?

1. Go with your first idea
2. ???
3. ???
4. Write at (???)
5. talk yourself up when writing (write with joy and self-affirmation!)

Learn what the (???) are in Discord!And as a bonus... here are Jinwoo Chong's favorite sushi dishes to order!
Chirashi, Kaisendon, & Temaki
+ Check for a Kimchi Jjigae recipe in the back of Jinwoo's book!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 22/07/2026
Lit Match Collective’s very own Justin Gibson is a Pushcart Prize WINNER!!! His winning story, “Rasputin Loses Employee of the Month,” was published in The Pinch last year. LMC’s Firelight Readaround Host and Social Media Associate, Emily Afifi, asked him all about it.
LMC Spotlight:
Justin Gibson

Pushcart Prize Winner!
"Rasputin Loses Employee of the Month"
published in The Pinch JournalWhat do you love about your story?

"I don’t know if I can pick one thing! I love the premise first and foremost — just how weird and funny it would be to have Rasputin as a coworker in modern times (never mind at a used car dealership) is such a stellar bit. And then, both the humor and the heart of the story all throughout are humming at a perfect frequency if I do say so
myself.
Also, 'a 10-year-old blind mule named Pissy Debra' is maybe one of my favorite /
funniest lines I’ve ever written. I still smile and chuckle when I read it."
- Justin GibsonHow has your life changed since winning a Pushcart?

"The first week after I won, I kept googling things like “pushcart prize” and “is pushcart prize big deal” and “pushcart prize trophy?” and rereading the results just to confirm to myself / internalize I won this. Now that the initial shock and excitement has worn off, I’m taking the grounded stance that it’s a nice little bonus, a feather in the cap. The main thing stays the main thing, and the main thing is still just the act of writing itself,
and the enjoyment I derive from it. The most tangible change is I’ll probably update my author bio to mention that I won."
- Justin GibsonAny last takeaways?

"This really underscored for me just how subjective this craft / art form is. I submitted this to — and was declined by — seven lit mags or journals before The Pinch said yes (and they know who they are). But ultimately they were right to say no to it, because it wasn’t in their tastes or aesthetic. Never mind that in retrospect they turned down an award-winning story. I was just lucky that the editors at The Pinch vibed with it enough to publish it, and then doubly lucky that they liked it enough to nominate it, and then I was triply lucky that the Pushcart editors liked it enough on whatever day they happened to read it to select it.
The whole thing confirms you gotta write what you wanna write — the work that only you could write — with the blind hope that there’re people out there who are on the same wavelength; who are going to appreciate it."
- Justin Gibson
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 18/07/2026
Join us for another free, online community reading on July 26 at 8–9 pm ET. This time, bring a piece or an excerpt from your favorite writer! Jinwoo Chong will also be our featured reader. Monthly readings, every last Sunday. Sign up to share (or bear witness) on our Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
In this image, most of the following information is displayed on separate pieces of paper (or book covers) hung on a clothesline:

Lit Match Collective Presents:

Firelight Readaround: FAN FAVORITES EDITION
Share a poem or excerpt by your favorite writers!

Feat. special guest reader, Jinwoo Chong

Sun, July 26 8-9 pm ET
Open to everyone!
#public-events in LMC's Discord
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 15/07/2026
Join us on July 21st from 7–8 pm ET for a conversation with Jinwoo Chong—acclaimed author of the novels “I Leave It Up to You” and “Flux”—on the craft of writing recovery, sushi (!), and reluctant homecomings. Watch the live convo on Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN in the # public-events channel.
Writing the Return
A Chat + Q&A with Jinwoo Chong

July 21
7-8 pm  ET

Open to everyone in LMC's Discord #public-events

Image includes Chong's book cover for "I Leave It Up To You," which has a dusty-rose solid-color background, and a top-down view drawing of a man using a giant chopstick to try and lift nigiri off a giant metal tray of sushi.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 11/07/2026
Now through Aug. 31, ALL of our plans are 60% off! You can get up to 3 months of Basic or Fancy at $6 and $50 per month respectively. Just use the code LMC-SUMMER-26 at checkout! Not sure which tier is for you? Learn more about each membership tier at www.litmatchcollective.com
NOW THRU AUG 31

Lit Match Collective's
SUMMER SALE!

60% OFF ALL PLANS!

USE CODE LMC-SUMMER-26

Basic plan for $6/month
Fancy plan for $50/monthLit Match Collective
Quarterly Pen Pal Swap
Give & get feedback on WIPs via snail mail

LMC members can sign up in #work-swap-n-share in our Discord
Next sign up period: First week of Sept!Lit Match Collective's
FIRE IT UP FEEDBACK

Want critique that uplifts your creative process from master editors, Steve Chang & Autumn Watts?

HOW TO SIGN UP:
- 1 LMC Credit = 1 draft submission
- Subscribe to LMC's Fancy Tier to receive 1 credit per month
- Now through Aug 31: Get up to 3 months of Fancy membership for $50/month with checkout code: LMC-SUMMER-26
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 07/07/2026
Need writing inspiration? Join our free guided writing studio on July 14 at 9–10 am ET and July 15 at 8–9 pm ET. Led by Editor Autumn Watts @autumnwatts.bsky.social Invite your writer friends and sign up on Discord: discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
Lit Match Collective's
Guided Writing Studio
Tues, July 14th 9am - 10am EST & Wed, July 15th 8pm - 9pm EST

Ignite your writing with generative prompts

Open to everyone!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 03/07/2026
July at LMC is filled with free events, from a chat and Q&A with Jinwoo Chong to guided writing studios, a public readaround, and Happy Hours on Fridays with AFB. Don’t forget that all LMC plans are on sale for 60% off through August. Full July schedule: litmatchcollective.beehiiv.com/p/july-plans
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 01/07/2026
It’s the end of the month again, so let’s get right into our members’ wins for June! Two of our members, Eleanor and Joseph, will attend residencies this summer. Members also had three pieces published this month! We can’t wait to celebrate more of our members in July. 🎆
Joseph Linscott is attending the Sewanee Writers’ Conference for fiction in July.

Eleanor Ball will be in residence at Sundress Academy for the Arts.

Eleanor also has some deliciously slimy fiction in Surely Magazine titled “The Sunset” and a CNF piece in Stonecoast Review titled “Sempre Libera.”

Dr. Suvajeet Duttagupta published “The Garden of Unfinished Stories” in The Anthropocene Epic by Beyond the Stars Press.
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 27/06/2026
Looking to trade feedback with other writers? Sign up for our quarterly Pen Pal Swap! It’s one of many Basic tier benefits, and, this summer, you can get them all for only $6 a month! Get 60% off any membership for 3 mo. with checkout code LMC-SUMMER-26 at litmatchcollective.com Sale ends Aug 31.
Lit Match Collective
Quarterly Pen Pal Swap
Give & get feedback on WIPs via snail mail

LMC members can sign up in #work-swap-n-share in our Discord
Next sign up period: First week of Sept!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 24/06/2026
With LMC’s Fire It Up Feedback, editors don’t ‘critique’ your work. They share what’s exciting & promising about it. Our Fancy membership grants 1 LMC credit per month to spend on FIUF or 1-on-1 editor calls. PLUS full access to all LMC activities and Discord channels. Info at litmatchcollective.com
Lit Match Collective's
FIRE IT UP FEEDBACK

Want critique that uplifts your creative process from master editors, Steve Chang & Autumn Watts?

HOW TO SIGN UP:
- 1 LMC Credit = 1 draft submission
- Subscribe to LMC's Fancy Tier to receive 1 credit per month
- Now through Aug 31: Get up to 3 months of Fancy membership for $50/month with checkout code: LMC-SUMMER-26
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 20/06/2026
Join us for this month’s free, online community reading on June 28 at 8-9 pm ET! Monthly readings, every last Sunday at the same time. Sign up on our Discord at the link in bio! #readingevent #writerscommunity
Kick off summer with Lit Match Collective's FIRELIGHT READAROUND

Sun, June 28 at 8-9 PM EST

An online community reading series. Open to everyone!

Come share your writing with us!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 16/06/2026
As writers, what better way is there for us to celebrate pride month than to shout-out our favorite queer publications and collectives? After surveying LMC staff for their faves, we narrowed the list down to eight. Share yours in the replies!
RAW & REAL

Fish Girl Collective fka Sardine Can Collective - LMC associate Sam says: It wants it raw and wriiiggling! Submissions always open!

Host Publications - Chapbooks! Radical writing by emerging LGBTQ+, BIPOC, intersectional feminist, & immigrant voices!LYRICAL & LUSCIOUS

Mouthful of Salt - From the editors: "Send us work that tugs on longing, mental health, grief, joy, gender, pleasure, and survival."

ALOCASIA - Eco-queer! Stays on-brand! Fast response times!INTERNATIONAL QUEER LIT

fourteen poems - "Like Sylvia Plath reading Butt Magazine" Anthologies! Pamphlets!

Oscail Magazine - Paying market! Accessibility! New kid on the block!EXPERIMENTAL & EXPANSIVE

beestung - Historically underrepped writers encouraged! Resists the canon! Honorariums awarded!

fifth wheel press - Loves art subs! Wants work that is anti-fascist & anti-capitalist!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 12/06/2026
Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with award-winning fiction writer and playwright Nina McConigley! Nina discussed how writing and publishing a short story collection prepared her to tackle a full-length novel, what it’s like to work with a big publisher vs. an indie press, and more.
How do short story collections differ from novels?

A short story is often about an individual...
...whereas novels often focus more on community or more than one person.

Stories also offer more compression.How did writing short stories prepare you to tackle a novel?

"I feel like a story collection is where I learned to be a writer. I got to try third person, mess with POV, write a flash fiction -- every story taught me a new skill. And then I could see what I was comfortable with -- and then try it in a novel. I think I figured out my voice by writing all kinds of stories."

-Nina McConigleyWhat are the pros and cons of publishing with a big publisher vs. a small indie press?

Small presses offer authors more autonomy and influence in the book's design, but more onus is put on the author to self-promote their work.

Big Five publishers have the major marketing arms and distribution power, but higher expectations can feel more nerve-wracking.What's your best advice for a writer looking to publish their collection or novel?

"You have to separate the work/writing from the publishing. They are two different things. The writing is making your art because you have to; you've been called to it. It's so different selling your work. There are so many factors you can't control. You control the work."

-Nina McConigley
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 07/06/2026
Now through Aug. 31, ALL of our plans are 60% off!! That means you can get up to 3 months of Basic or Fancy at $6 and $50 per month respectively. Not sure which tier is for you? Learn more about each membership tier at www.litmatchcollective.com
SUMMER SALE!

1-on-1 feedback for $50!

60% off all plans!

Use code: LMC-SUMMER-26
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 03/06/2026
It’s that time again! Join us for this month’s free Guided Writing Studio on June 10 at 9 am or 8 pm ET, led by Editor Autumn Watts @autumnwatts.bsky.social Bring some friends and sign up on Discord: discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
Lit Match Collective Presents:

Guided Writing Studio

Wed, June 10
9 am & 8 pm ET

Generative writing sessions with fun form-oriented prompts

Open to everyone!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 03/06/2026
A novel isn’t the only type of book that publishers are looking for! On June 9 at 7 pm, fiction writer and playwright Nina McConigley will give us her insight on publishing both short story collections and novels. Join our Discord for public access to this event and more: discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 02/06/2026
Summer is in full swing, which means we have even more activities to enrich your writing life. This month, we’ll host a talk on publishing different types of fiction books, and we’ll have a NEW regular offering: a weekly Happy Hour! Check out the full June schedule at buff.ly/LzyFTFx
6/01 @ 7 PM ET: Mentored Milestones Check-In

6/09 @ 7 PM: Chat + Q&A w/ Nina McConigley (open to everyone!)

6/10 @ 9 AM and 8 PM: Guided Writing Studio (open to everyone!)

6/12, 6/19, 6/26 @ 7 PM: Friday Happy Hours with Allison Field Bell (open to everyone!)

6/28 @ 8 PM: Firelight Readaround (open to everyone!)
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 31/05/2026
It’s time for more wins! Editor Steve Chang and social media team member Samantha Borek will attend residencies this summer, and for a change of pace, we’ve included a couple other “wins” that are meaningful if not easily measurable! We’re super proud of our collective of writers at LMC. ❤️
Editor Steve will be a Waud Fellow at Ragdale

Samantha Borek will be attending the Ollscoil na Gaillimhe for Irish Studies

James Stobie was awarded a sticky pocket-dollar by a student for being “such a good teacher”

Karen Karason and her daughter have begun researching their family history to fuel their work
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 30/05/2026
We’re so excited to announce a new community offering! Starting Friday, June 12, @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social will host “Friday Happy Hours with AFB” every week at 7–9 pm ET in our Discord. These free, public 18+ events are low stakes chances to connect w/ other writers. We hope to see you there!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 29/05/2026
Want the MFA workshop experience without the cost and the crying? LMC writing workshops are collaborative conversations so you get the roundtable feedback that matters to you! Spots are limited to 4 writers in each cohort, so enroll now at www.litmatchcollective.com/writing-work...
LMC Presents:
MFA-style Writing Workshops

With Steve Chang, Okay Donkey + Autumn Watts, ex-Guernica

4 Sundays in July, 6 pm - 7:30 pm EST
Capped at 4 writers
Prose only (for now)
All levels welcome!
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 26/05/2026
Join Editors Autumn and Steve for the Mentored Milestones program on June 1st, at 7 pm ET! Each month, Basic+ members will: • Meet to convert goals into plans • Leave with action items • And work at their own pace Learn more at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 23/05/2026
Last month marked our first public Firelight Readaround, and it was so fun that we decided to do it again! Join us for our next online community reading on May 31 at 8 pm ET. Monthly readings, every last Sunday at the same time. You can sign up on our Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
Lit Match Collective's

Firelight Readaround

May 31, 8 PM EST

Open to everyone!

Share your writing amongst a supportive community!

(Image is cartoon-style with three people gathered around a small campfire. The upper two-thirds of the image include a blue night sky with many stars, and low clouds.)
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 21/05/2026
If you love developing the hidden potential in your drafts, here's a reminder to enroll in our July MFA-Style Writing Workshops. Seats are limited. 4 meetings. All levels welcome! www.litmatchcollective.com/writing-work...
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 17/05/2026
If there’s any truth that writers can agree on, it’s that relationships are complex. That’s why on May 24 at 8 pm ET, Editor Autumn Watts is offering a free craft workshop on writing “mothers” and unraveling the tropes and wounds that shape them. Sign up on Discord at discord.gg/cxSdvE2EfN
Unmothering: Myth, Mess, & Haunts
A Masterclass w. Editor Autumn Watts
May 24 @ 8PM ET
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 15/05/2026
Ever had pieces in “revision purgatory”? You may be entitled to solid editorial feedback. Enroll in July’s MFA-style Writing Workshops to help those pieces move on to the next life! www.litmatchcollective.com/writing-work...
What people say about LMC's MFA-style Workshops:

“I had this stockpile of half-baked story drafts I had accumulated through the years, all of which were stuck in revision purgatory. The MFA Workshop was a godsend: Not only was Steve’s feedback super thoughtful and helpful for getting the gears turning on what the stories needed, but it also served as scaffolding to help me build up my own internal editor.”

- Justin Gibson
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Lit Match Collective @litmatchcollective.com · 12/05/2026
Hi, new followers! Now that you’re here, you may be thinking, “What *is* LMC anyway?” Look no further, for we have the answer right HERE! Plus, these benefits (most of which are usually paid) are free to all for another month. Learn more at litmatchcollective.com
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