Friday Lunch Weekly Blog
Dig in each week as our Lunch Ticket staff brings you thought-provoking personal essays and nonfiction stories in our Friday Lunch Weekly Blog. From stories about grief and loss, to tales of growing up and overcoming challenges, to celebratory pieces about love and family, these stories are shared every Friday throughout the year. With these blogs, we aim to give you a glimpse into Lunch Ticket and the values we stand by for this literary publication, to empower writers and readers with the knowledge and skills to lead meaningful lives and to advance social, economic, and environmental justice. We hope you enjoy.





A Wine Bar, the Blues, and the Reasons We Read
Arielle Silver
I am a nighttime reader. I turn pages till my eyes glaze, my…

On the Importance of Following Submission Guidelines
David Bumpus
Here at Lunch Ticket, we pride ourselves on encouraging emerging…







The Seduction of the Blog
Arielle Silver
This one’s going to start out with some family folklore. Bear…

A State of Mind: Embracing the Process of Essay Writing
Andrea Tate
Last week I traveled from Los Angeles to Montana, and while I…

Let’s Judge Your Book By The Cover
Caitlin Bagwell
Hello, fellow scribblers! It's been a while! We need to talk…

Meeting Author & Illustrator Yuyi Morales
Eva Shantharam
Last month just before residency at Antioch University I was…

Say My Name, Say My Name
Arielle Silver
Years ago, when I first met the girls who are now my stepdaughters,…

When Dependence is a Good Thing
Andrea Tate
On July 4th,1776, thirteen colonies declared independence from…

MFA and the Myths of Being an Artist
Arielle Silver
They say cardio is the first to go, which I suppose explains…




B-B-B-Bennie, the Muppets, and Virginia Woolf
Arielle Silver
A few months ago, I caught myself on a Saturday evening at the…

I Have Writer’s Block, FML
Allie Marini Batts
You know those days, where you sit down to a blank page and everything…

Why We Said No, or “No This Time” Doesn’t Mean “No Forever.”
Allie Marini Batts
Creating superheroes, one decline at a time! Silver…

Both Sides of Submittable
Allie Marini Batts
Most writers start out on one side of the screen, but the more…





How a Person Should be at a Reading, or Otherwise and in General
Caitlin Bagwell
Hello, word workers! We need to talk. We need to have the talk... Nobody…

The Anatomy of the Madeleine, an Owl, and General Hospital
Caitlin Bagwell
Hello, fellow truth seekers! Today, we are going to talk about…

Spines of Unwritten Novels, A Love Affair
Caitlin Bagwell
We meet again, fellow logophile! Many of us have just gotten…

But I’m an Astronaut! (AKA write what you know)
Caitlin Bagwell
Hello, fellow scribes! We meet again. Today, I want to talk…

What Would Dolly Parton Do?
Caitlin Bagwell
Hello fellow Word Processor Mavericks! When I first was asked to write about voice I thought I had drawn the…

AWP: A Field Guide To and For the Dangerously Reclusive
Caitlin Bagwell
It's that time of year again, fellow scribes! For anyone who loves books. For anyone who loves writers. It is…

The Best Idea For A Novel Ever!
Caitlin Bagwell
Hello fellow pen slingers! To kick off the inaugural blog post here on Free Lunch I want to talk about…