Chatting with Jordan Hirsch

Jordan Hirsch writes speculative fiction and poetry in Saint Paul, MN, USA, where she lives with her husband. Her work has appeared with Apparition Literary Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, and other venues. Find her on Bluesky or her website: jordanrhirsch.wordpress.com

Jordan is the author of “Still” from Radon Issue 7 and “Every moment Hereafter” from Radon Issue 2.

Q: Your story “Still” takes a refreshingly positive approach to transhumanism. Why did you choose to tell this type of story, about a human mother and transhuman son?

Parental relationships have been on my mind and showing up in my work a lot lately, and I’m particularly fascinated by how those relationships change as the individuals change. There’s been so much pain and lack of acceptance, particularly experienced by queer and transgender folx. I wanted to imagine a scenario of a mother reaching toward her son, despite being afraid of the unknown.

Q: You left Twitter at the end of 2022. Has that impacted your writing reach?

Unfortunately, yes. My reach wasn’t large on Twitter, but finding a consistent writing community and connecting my work with readers on other social media platforms has been difficult. So far, I haven’t built a reach anywhere close to the one I had. It’s been especially bittersweet, as shortly after I left, I signed the contract for my first poetry chapbook. It was disappointing to announce that on Bluesky and Instagram to a comparably lackluster reception. However, I don’t regret leaving Twitter; my conscience wouldn’t let me stay (though I don’t begrudge anyone who has).

Q: In 2021 you guest edited for SFPA’s Eye to the Telescope journal with a “light” theme. How was that experience?

It was wonderful. I’ve been a member of SFPA since late 2019, and I’m continually inspired by the quality of poetry they publish. It was a huge honor to edit an issue, and I think about so many of the poems submitted for that issue to this day. To be entrusted with poets’ work in that way was humbling, and it gave me even more appreciation for the poetry community and for the work editors do.

Q: How did your latest chapbook published with Bottlecap Press, Both Worlds, come about?

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, Trek inspires and informs much of my work—including my poem in Radon Issue 2! I’ve been open about the poems I’ve written that are Trek-adjacent, with some being more obvious than others. It’s always fun to sneak in a reference. I have a handful of writing friends who are also Trekkies, and their encouragement got me wondering about putting a chapbook together. Thankfully, Bottlecap jumped on the idea right away!

Q: How has your MFA experience been at Concordia University?

There were a lot of ups and downs! I started the program in the summer of 2019, so about 75% of my graduate school time was during the first couple years of the Covid-19 pandemic, not to mention the necessary civil uprising after George Floyd was murdered here in Minneapolis. Honestly, a lot of that time feels like a blur, and I’m still unpacking it all. However, I can say with confidence that going through my program made me a better writer and editor: broadening my horizons, pushing me to take more risks, and giving me the time, space, and community to further hone my craft.

Q: What made you choose the fiction track rather than poetry?

I considered myself a fiction writer long before I considered myself a poet, and even still, I sometimes struggle to claim that latter title. Back when I applied to the program, my main goal was to get my novels and novellas out into the world, so the fiction concentration seemed most fitting.

Q: Do you suggest writers seek out writing retreats?

If they think it’ll serve their writing practice and creative process, then absolutely! For me, I get to a point in my creative process when drafting a longer work (especially when revising something like a novella or a novel) where my brain needs uninterrupted time to chew on the work as a whole. Time away from my forty hour a week job and domestic chores is helpful for me when I get to that point.

Q: Why did you stop blogging book reviews?

I wanted to focus on writing my own projects, and I suspected that trying to do both would result in doing neither well.

Q: What types of writing prompts can subscribers to your newsletter expect each month?

Hopefully a variety! I try to change it up every month. Sometimes broad, such as a certain theme or question, and sometimes specific, such as incorporating a particular word or image. Regardless, the prompt is always inspired by a project I’m currently working on.

Q: MFA now in hand, where do you go from here?

To my writing desk, as often as I can for as long as I can. While I have a few editing projects and potential workshops in the pipeline, my greatest desire is to tell stories, so I plan to keep doing that until I can’t anymore.