Dive Out of Your Comfort Zone

Every once in awhile, I push my own boundaries. This time round, I decided to try my hand at writing flash fiction. Oh and read it in front of strangers at the Manchester regional event held by the NH Writer’s Project.

Manchester regional winner Robin Small

I’m not a writer. I’d never written flash fiction. That is unless you count the myriad of tweets I send out into the social media world. Yes, yes, I know, tweets would be micro fiction. 

Reading my piece aloud. At a standing microphone. In front of 30 or so people. Terrifying.

As in hands shaking holding my story in front of me to read.

As in so nervous I didn’t look up from my paper until at least halfway through.

But I survived. 


I did sneak a peek at the audience’s reacting to the details in my story where I wanted them to react. I met wonderful people, writers and first-timers like myself. I got to support a fabulous event in my own backyard. 

For inquiring minds, I may not have won, but I was the runner up.

Manchester is full of stretch-your-comfort zone events, like learning how to fire spin, aerial yoga, creating games hackathon, reading slam poetry and more.

Get out there and dive.