Leah Mueller
Why did you submit to trash to treasure lit?
I was amused and intrigued by the premise of the magazine--turning pieces I might ordinarily reject into treasured literary works.
How would you describe your writing practice?
I try to be consistent, but my output is often sporadic. When I look at my compilations of work, such as my latest book, "The Destruction of Angels", I am astonished to discover that I've created much more work than I'd thought.
What is the biggest thing that stops you from submitting work to lit mags/journals/publications?
Nothing stops me from submitting to magazines, except the occasional bout of inertia. Otherwise, I am a submitting machine.
Do you think the writing industry has an impact on your confidence in your work (good or bad)? Why?
The impact can be either positive or negative, depending upon the nature of an acceptance or rejection. I try not to get too attached to the outcome of my submissions, but of course I still feel disappointment when a piece is rejected. Sometimes even crushing disappointment. But my angst doesn't last long--soon I'm back in the saddle, checking Duotrope and Chill Subs, shooting more work into the void. I've been accepted by a few upper-tier journals--for what that's worth--which gives me hope that my writing doesn't utterly suck.
When do you start to doubt a piece that you are working on?
If I feel a piece is meandering in circles without really going anywhere, or devolving into flat imagery, I tend to abandon ship. This can happen at any point in the writing process.
Once you trash one of your pieces, what makes you come back to it (if ever)?
Sometimes, I re-read a previously abandoned piece and think, "This isn't really too bad--with a few nips and tucks, it could actually work!" So I make some tweaks and then add the piece to my list of maybes.
How many pieces do think you have currently in your 'abandoned' folder?
Damn. I have no idea. Probably at least 100.
What is the ultimate reason that you trash your work?
If I think a piece is going to suck, it's not worth my time and effort.
Is there anything that would stop you from trashing your work? (More education in writing, more publications/less rejections, a change in the industry, etc)
Not really. I create enough work that seems to shine--at least enough for me to enter those pieces into the Submission Mambo. Although, if a poem or story gets rejected enough times, I start to wonder if it does, in fact, suck.
What writing advice have you been given that has changed your perspective on how you treat/view your work?
The advice of a male writer who once broke my heart: "Write the way you talk." Which I do, though I hope my writing is slightly more eloquent than my speech.
If you have any upcoming work (books, publications, features, art, etc), feel free to mention them here, so that we can support you!
My latest book is "The Destruction of Angels" by Anxiety Press. Hot off the presses last month! You can find it on Amazon, but fuck Amazon. Order it directly from me by contacting me through my website, www.leahmueller.org
Leah Mueller is the author of ten prose and poetry books. Her new book, "The Destruction of Angels" (Anxiety Press) was published in October 2022. Leah's work appears in Rattle, NonBinary Review, Midway Journal, Citron Review, The Spectacle, Miracle Monocle, Outlook Springs, Atticus Review, Your Impossible Voice, etc. She is a 2022 nominee for Best of the Net. Her flash piece, "Land of Eternal Thirst" appears in the 2022 edition of Sonder Press' "Best Small Fictions" anthology. Website: www.leahmueller.org.