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We’re got a fiction-heavy issue for you this month! In addition to our fortuitous feature (Gina signed up to write this piece before being elevated to Associate Fiction Editor!), we’re further peeling back the curtain on what Okay Donkey fiction editors want to read by sharing more answers from last month’s Editor AMA.

Don’t forget to scroll down and check out what our past contributors are up to, and of course read what Okay Donkey published in January. Enjoy!

We’re excited to announce that Gina Thayer has been elevated to Associate Fiction Editor from Lead Fiction Reader! Learn more about how Gina interprets Okay Donkey’s mission to showcase “the odd, the off-kilter, and the just plain weird” in our feature below.

And a big thank you to everyone who applied to be a Reader! We received a truly astounding number of applications, and our editors are working through those now. Everyone will get a response in due course!

by Gina Thayer, Associate Fiction Editor

Here at Okay Donkey, we’re always looking for “the odd, the off-kilter, and the just plain weird.” But what does it mean for a piece of writing to be “weird,” and what makes a story or poem cross the weirdness threshold?

Many people use the term “weird fiction” to describe a subgenre of speculative fiction that blends horror, surrealism, and other fantastic elements. It can also be used more broadly to describe writing that in some way bends perception, subverts expectations, or otherwise offers a surprising reading experience via content, form, or perspective.

Today, I’m sharing a few potential avenues (there are so many!) through which to “weird” your work and steep your writing in the unexpected.

Building a speculative element into your work — something that strains or breaks the expectations of our “normal” world — gives readers an opportunity to encounter something they’ve never imagined before. It’s also a great tool to build resonant metaphors, approach a theme from a new angle, or contemplate an exciting “what if?” scenario. From my perspective, adding a dollop (or a shovelful) of speculation is one of the fastest ways to disrupt an otherwise expected narrative, and infuse it with a dose of weird.

Few things are weirder than time itself. If you usually write linear narratives where time marches neatly forward, consider how a non-linear progression might destabilize or reinvigorate the story you’re telling. How does the order in which you reveal information draw attention to different themes, plot-points, or emotional truths within your piece? Let the flow of time take you somewhere new, whether it spirals, cycles, runs backward and sideways, or radiates like spokes from a central moment.

Shaking up how a piece is structured can have a massive impact on the overall weird-factor. This might involve changing the order in which your story unfolds (see above), injecting an unexpected point of view, adding or subverting predictable rhythms (like starting every line with the same word or phrase), or manipulating how you engage with formatting — what happens if you break your story into short, numbered segments vs. one long block of text? Does your poem stick to the left margin, or do words sprawl across the page? To what effect?

Perhaps this one is obvious, but diction and syntax are great tools for infecting your writing with the off-kilter. Unexpected phrasing, a description from a funky angle, or building contrast between tone and content (like presenting bizarre events in a matter-of-fact tone, or vice versa) can introduce weirdness where there previously was none.

With great weirdness comes great responsibility! Here are a few potential pitfalls to be mindful of as you go forth into the weird:

It may be tempting to think that writing a mind-bending, trippy, off-the-wall piece means you don’t have to worry about pesky little things like characterization, pacing, or rhythm and sound. And while I’m all for rejecting “traditional” craft expectations, the best weirdness (in my opinion) works in tandem with other craft techniques, rather than sidestepping them.

This one can be tricky because as a reader, I’m open to pieces that thoughtfully prioritize vibes and “experience” over a classic plot progression. But I still want whatever weirdness is happening in a story to feel meaningful and significant, rather than incidental to whatever else is going on. I find it helps to dig for a “why” behind the weird, lest your piece end up feeling flashy but forgettable.

Keep in mind that what is weird to one person may not be weird to another. Particularly when adding speculative elements, be wary of presenting something as strange or “other” that might be part of someone else’s culture, preferences, or lived experience. Hopefully this one goes without saying, regardless of your story’s weirdness.

Ultimately, weirdness is both a craft technique and a creative muscle. You may have to flex it a few times before it starts to feel natural. But whether you’re new to the weird or already firmly entrenched, it’s always a good time to celebrate weirdness in your writing. So have fun, take care of each other, and send us your weird work!

We love when past contributors keep us updated on their lives! If your work has ever appeared in OKD, reach out and tell us about your new book, project, album, etc. We’ll give you a shoutout on our socials and here in the newsletter.

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