What is The Mudroom?

The Mudroom is a place for the stories emerging in the midst of the mess.

Our vision is simple: make room for people.

Sometimes we feel like there’s no room at the table, or we don’t belong at the table, but what if we sidestep the table entirely and just meet in the mudroom? Sometimes the formality of the table can be intimidating and we find ourselves wishing we were under the table.

Sometimes we need the smaller space, the comforting place, with the people who will shove the cast off sweatshirts and baseball gloves and skateboards out of the way and slide to the floor with us. What if we just didn’t go in, and stayed in the mudroom instead?

Welcome to the mudroom. It might be a mess, but that’s what it’s there for. There might be a field hockey stick in your way, or some shoes that were shed. You might find some pine cones and cool rocks on the bench, and occasionally an escaped insect or two creeping around, a collection of artifacts from the day.

Whatever junk you’re carrying with you, you can leave it here. However much a mess you are today, the mudroom is here for you, a place to drop all the other selves we are constantly putting on and taking off, a place to catch your breath as your soul catches up with you.

We don’t have to be anything in the mudroom except our messy, marvelous selves. There is a hook with your name on it, with room for your stuff. All of it.

What are you carrying around with you? Is it a dream heavy with possibility? Is it a story welling up that is dying to be told? Is it a long night in the waiting room? A short drive to fear? Is it the original, shimmering self, buried too deep, scratching its way to the surface?

We can navigate that half-drawn map with you. We want to pull that dream down and see its insides. Empty your pockets, let’s see what you’ve got.

We are open for submissions. Click here for guidelines and monthly themes.

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