About Write Now Rebekah: Stories, Craft, and Expat Life
Welcome to Write Now Rebekah. We’re glad you found us. We started this English-language blog because we know what it feels like to love short stories while living far from home. As an expat in the Netherlands, we wanted a warm, unpretentious corner of the internet where readers and writers could meet over fiction, craft, and the strange, funny, tender business of building a life in a new country. Whether you’re in Amsterdam, Utrecht, or anywhere else in the world, we hope you’ll pull up a chair.
Our Mission: Making Room for Short Fiction
Our mission is simple: we publish original short stories and flash fiction, and we champion the idea that a compact narrative can hit as hard as a 400-page novel. We also share regular writing prompts and craft-focused notes, because we believe good writing grows from practice, not gatekeeping.
Why Short Stories Matter
A short story asks for one sitting and gives back a whole world. In the time it takes to drink a coffee, a skilled writer can break your heart, make you laugh, or change how you see a rainy Tuesday. We celebrate that economy.
Flash Fiction as a Daily Practice
Flash fiction is where we sharpen our tools. A 500-word piece leaves no room for filler, so every sentence has to earn its place. We publish flash regularly and encourage readers to try it as a daily writing habit.
Writing Prompts for Real Life
Our writing prompts are designed for busy people — parents, commuters, night-shift thinkers. They’re short, specific, and meant to be used, not admired. Here’s the kind of thing we share:
- A stranger on the tram hands you a note. What does it say?
- Write about a room you’ve never entered.
- Describe a Dutch rainstorm using only sounds.
Editorial Focus: Expat Life, Imagination, and Craft
Our editorial voice blends personal essay, fiction, and practical advice. Some weeks we’re publishing a story set in Amsterdam; other weeks we’re unpacking how to write dialogue that doesn’t sound like a job interview.
Stories Rooted in the Netherlands
We love Dutch settings — canal houses, Utrecht’s wharves, the flat light of a winter afternoon. But we’re not writing travel brochures. We’re interested in what it feels like to live here: the bureaucracy, the bikes, the loneliness, the small victories.
Craft Notes and Writing Advice
Our craft pieces are opinionated but practical. We talk about structure, point of view, revision, and the habits that keep writers writing.
English-Language Reading for Expats
We write in English for international readers living in the Netherlands, because sometimes you want to read in your first language without leaving your adopted city behind.
How Our Team Works: Personal, Opinionated, Informed
Our editorial team reads widely, writes regularly, and curates every piece with care. We workshop drafts together before publication, and we welcome submissions and guest prompts from our community.
Our Reading and Workshop Process
Every submission gets a real read. We discuss it as a team, offer notes, and only publish work we genuinely believe in.
Submissions and Guest Contributors
We’re open to short stories, flash fiction, essays, and prompt ideas. If your piece fits our voice, send it over.
What We Look For in a Story
Voice, specificity, and emotional honesty. We’d rather read something imperfect and alive than something polished and empty.
FAQ
Do you only publish writers based in the Netherlands?
No. We’re rooted in the Netherlands and love work that engages with expat life here, but we welcome submissions from writers anywhere.
Can I submit flash fiction instead of a full short story?
Absolutely. Flash fiction is a core part of what we publish, and we treat it with the same seriousness as longer work.
Are your writing prompts free to use?
Yes. Use them for your own practice, a writing group, or a workshop — just credit us if you share them publicly.
How often do you publish new work?
We aim for a steady rhythm of stories, prompts, and craft notes rather than a rigid schedule, so quality always comes first.
Write Now Rebekah is a welcoming home for readers and writers who love short fiction, wherever they live. If you’re an expat in the Netherlands, a curious reader, or a writer looking for prompts and honest craft talk, we’re glad you’re here — and we hope you’ll stay a while.