Modern Women: August Writing Prompts
What does the muse have in store for you this month?
A prompt is a way of opening a door you momentarily lost the key to, and there is nothing more fascinating or exciting for me to offer you the tiniest spark and see where you take it.
I invite to you to follow wherever your imagination leads you, to not worry about the structures or styles you are used to or even most comfortable with. Just to walk through whatever door chooses to open and enter willingly.
You can start with journaling, doodle with words and see what flows from the pen before deliberately shaping it into something you feel comfortable sharing, if you choose to. The Modern Women prompts are there for you to do what you will with, to let them sit for a week, a day, a minute or right until the last day of the month, if you need.
But before we get to the prompt for this month can we take a moment to celebrate some of the amazing pieces that came our way in response to the prompt Saying Goodbye.
Nerdishwrites offered us insight into the parts of ourselves we discard and say goodbye too but never stop missing.
Julie Hall spoke to the goodbye she was forced into through breast cancer, and in doing so shared her vulnerability and courage which gives voice and inspiration to others.
And last but by no means least, Chantelle Atkins delved into the constantly goodbyes that become part of daily life as a parent watching your children grow and age in front of you. She perfectly captures a sensation I know many of us will resonate with.
There were so many heartfelt pieces this month I genuinely urge you to read through them in your own time. They are powerful, deeply impactful and many have stayed with me long after reading.
And now, with no further ado…
The prompt for August is:
Tell me a story about your dreams
Are dreams just for the young, or do you still reach for yours?
What dreams did you wish for and achieve?
When you look around you, is this the life you dreamed of? What is different?
Did you get told ‘you live in a dream world?’ Do our dreams keep us from truly living in the present moment and always wondering about that green grass across the way?
Are you holding on to the dream of what a person or a situation could be at the expense of seeing things for what they are?
What are the dreams that repeat on you in your sleep?
Do you think the dreams your mind conjures up can help you decipher your daytime dilemmas?
What are the dreams you have been talked out of or gave up on? Are they truly dead or lying dormant inside you still?
Our monthly prompts are open to you not just for the month in which we release them but for whenever they strike the cord of inspiration within you.
Whether you respond to one of the questions I pose or the overall theme in your own way is entirely up to you, and we welcome work in any style, whether that is poetry, prose, fiction or an essay. The choice is yours.
Our only request is that you share genuine, heartfelt and down-to-earth stories that you think other women might be inspired or empowered by.
If this month’s prompt isn’t the spark you need today, you are welcome to write for any of our previous writing prompts. Some of my personal favourites have been,
A Relationship That Helped Me Grow
If you are submitting a response to a prompt, please include the tag ‘prompt’ when sending it to us and add a link at the bottom of your piece to the prompt you are responding to.
If you’ve never written for Modern Women before, then please do take a moment to read our ‘how to’ guide below.
If you’d like to read my response to last months prompt, you can check it out below.