News & Updates from J.R. Roth

Using Murder to Better My Craft

J.R. Roth / August 22, 2026

In his memoir On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King famously wrote: “Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, […]

J.R. Roth / August 17, 2026

I am pleased to announce that my story “Meeting Daddy” will appear in Exploitation Media’s anthology Tales From the Menu.

J.R. Roth / August 13, 2026

In the morning, before I sit down to write, I’ll read some poetry or maybe a short story or two.

J.R. Roth / August 11, 2026

I was recently asked about my writing process. “Are you a plotter or a pantser?” I’ve always struggled with that

J.R. Roth / August 6, 2026

In case you couldn’t tell, I love writing and reading 101-word stories. More than just an exercise in concise storytelling,

J.R. Roth / August 3, 2026

In a recent critique group, a discussion about unfinished stories made me realize how difficult it is to define what

J.R. Roth / July 26, 2026

I wrote this 101-word story on 29 February, shortly after reports emerged that U.S. precision-guided Tomahawk missiles had destroyed the

J.R. Roth / July 22, 2026

I recently joined a local writers’ guild. As part of the introduction process, I was asked to write a short

J.R. Roth / July 17, 2026

Yesterday I discovered that the folks over at Exploitation Media are looking for short stories for an anthology about cannibalism.

J.R. Roth / July 14, 2026

On July 3, I came across a writing competition in one of the many online magazines that lands in my

J.R. Roth / April 27, 2026

Today, my new story “Last Dance with Mr. Brownstone” is live in The Raven Review (Vol. VII, Issue II). While writing this,

J.R. Roth / December 28, 2025

If you know me, or if you know anyone who knows me, then you probably are aware that I like