Greg Luti

A writing and editing advice post that focuses on one of the most overlooked parts of a story. In “Don’t Underestimate the Beginning,” Greg Luti explains why the opening of a piece is often what decides whether a reader stays or leaves. The Beginning Can Make or Break a Story The beginning of a story can really make or break the entire thing. Is that hyperbolic? Eh… not really. The first part is, in my opinion, the most important part of any piece you write. It is the part th

A reflective poem that examines the price of the choices we make. In “The Toll,” Greg Luti considers how the sacrifices we accept in pursuit of something we love eventually come due. Three, two, one, it’s over! They won! Oh my god! I can’t believe what just happened! What he just did! That was one of the most amazing sequences I have ever seen. He is definitely going down as one of the best who ever played. Going forward, the defendant will no longer be able to see his chil

A writing update that offers an honest look at how one writer approaches publishing. In “Not An Event Writer,” Greg Luti explains why he prefers a low-key way of sharing new work over building hype, and shares his current focus on finishing *Little Fires* and returning to *Hit of Henry*. Not an Event Writer I learned an important lesson about my writing this past week, and that is I am not what you would call an event writer. There will not be a time when I write a book and t

A writing update that blends personal reflection with creative thinking. In “Comments and Video Games,” Greg Luti discusses getting past social media spam, the unexpected value of reader comments, and how looking at life through a video-game lens helps him make sense of both writing and the world. Out of Facebook Hell I have some good news on the writing front, and that is I am out of what I called Facebook Hell, which is when the spam on the page was so bad the very page was

A writing and editing advice post that speaks directly to a common fear. In “When No One Reads You,” Greg Luti shares practical ways to stay professional and keep growing even when the audience is small — or not there yet. I was given the site of the month (for July 2026) by Midwest Book Review, which is pretty cool. I try to write practical pieces of advice for other writers on here. I am in the trenches, writing my own stories, and crafting my own plots, so whenever I do gi

A writing update that mixes practical behind-the-scenes work with honest reflection. In “Facebook Hell,” Greg Luti discusses cleaning up spam on social media, the modern expectation that writers must be personally likable, and his ongoing progress on the flash fiction collection *Little Fires*. Updating the Website Recently I have been doing a few tasks that are not really exciting for readers to learn about, which is of course, why I am going to tell you about them. The firs

A flash fiction story that captures a quiet domestic moment filled with quiet contrast. In “Letter Of The Day,” Greg Luti places a toddler’s simple play against the backdrop of adult conversations about war, celebrities, and the weight of the wider world. A child of no more than two years old and a grandma sit in the living room, getting ready for the afternoon they are going to spend together. On the floor, the child is playing with his toy cars, as the grandma is watching t

A writing and editing advice post that explores one of the most important questions a writer can ask. In “What Does The Audience Know?,” Greg Luti discusses how deciding what readers know versus what characters know can shape tension, humor, and the overall effectiveness of a story. Superman and What the Audience Knows There is a question regarding one of pop culture’s iconic heroes that a writer can use in order to better understand their own story. The knowledge that Superm

A writing update that offers insight into the final stages of preparing a book. In “Proofreading,” Greg Luti discusses refining his flash fiction collection *Little Fires*, adapting covers for different formats, and balancing personal creative work with the realities of publishing. Proofreading Little Fires I have been proofreading my recent book, Little Fires, for the past few days before I publish it. The thing that always gets me with proofreading is not the minor errors i

A writing update that offers insight into a busy creative period. In “A Few Projects Now,” Greg Luti discusses juggling several book projects at once, including finalizing one collection and starting new work, while reflecting on the excitement of moving deeper into publishing. A Few Projects Now In my writing update last week, I had no idea what I was doing, and I even had to take a second to ask about the very question. Now, I am not asking myself the question but wondering

A poem about the moment inspiration goes quiet. In “Killing The Muse,” Greg Luti follows a writer through creative exhaustion, confusion, and a tense confrontation with the source of his ideas. I sat at my desk alone in my room, wishing to forge another story out of thin air. But this time, I was done with the emotional toll the words had taken on my mind. I was at my limits with the words…. I don’t know how many more I have in me. For a moment, one I don’t recognize, I can’t

A writing update that offers a candid look behind the scenes of the creative process. In “What Have I Been Doing?,” Greg Luti shares his established blogging routine, his tendency to start new projects, and how he navigates both creative impulses and everyday life. What Have I Been Doing? There is always a question each week that I ask myself: “What have I been doing?” Now, most times, the answer is obvious, in that I can tell the reader whatever it is that has been on my min

A flash fiction story about writing, success, and the strange ways people get the work done. In “The Sleepy Writer,” Greg Luti follows a humbled writer who visits his bestselling friend after a reading no one attended — and finds the advice less straightforward than he expected. At a local bookstore recently, I read a poem from one of my poetry books. Of course, there was no audience in the actual place, but I only learned that when I arrived. I told a buddy of mine after the

A writing and editing advice post that encourages self-awareness during the revision process. In “What Type of Editor Are You?,” Greg Luti discusses the importance of understanding your natural editing tendencies so you can strengthen your craft more effectively. The Most Important Question Before You Edit There is always advice that you hear about improving as a writer, but I think there is a basic question that can be addressed by a writer to help them with their writing be

A reflective poem that examines the feeling of being emotionally and spiritually dead while still alive. In “Two Dead Men,” Greg Luti portrays two men sitting in a park, each lost in their own internal sense of emptiness and disconnection from life. Two men sit on a park bench, neither really looking at the other. They are speaking to each other, for no one else is there to even care. The sky is bluer than the ocean, and it would have you comment on the lack of clouds in the

A humorous flash fiction story that reimagines a pivotal moment in American history. In “United Name,” Greg Luti brings the Founding Fathers together as they debate — sometimes heatedly — what to name their new country. I would like to think that there was one conversation between the Founding Fathers about the development of our country that had more to do with its name and what exactly they would call the country than any pressing matters. As though the back and forth got t

A writing and editing advice post that explores the practical side of the creative process. In “Understand Your Tool,” Greg Luti discusses how choosing between typing and handwriting can affect both your creative flow and your ability to edit effectively. The Handwriting vs. Typing Debate There is a lot being said about the use of handwritten words that go on a piece of paper compared to typed words that go on a computer. The normal conclusion is that when you write with a pe

A contemplative poem about the language that shapes a life. In “The Words,” Greg Luti follows the things we are told, the things we say, and the words that remain when the rest of life is stripped away. There are many words you are told to remember in this life. As soon as you are born, the world cannot wait for you to talk, only for them to tell you to shut up, and force certain words down your throat. You will remember some of these words in your life. I am sure that some o

A writing update can offer insight into the ups and downs of the creative process. In “Go with the Flow,” Greg Luti discusses his efforts to regain momentum after a period of illness and reflects on the value of adapting to circumstances while turning ideas into real projects. Getting Back Into the Flow I have been trying to get back into the flow of my writing since I kind of missed a few days there last week being sick. What is funny is that I was just talking to someone ab

A flash fiction story set in an ordinary break room. In “Jim From Accounting,” Greg Luti follows two coworkers through a lunch-break conversation that starts small and quickly drifts toward the expanding universe and the strange fact that the world is still here. Two workers sit at the small table in the office break room having their lunch. We meet them as they are in mid-conversation and have already started their meals. “Do you know what I learned the other day?” “Atlantis