Weekly Newsletter | Flint & Steel
Sparks №25: What Are Your Tips for New Medium Writers?
Your writing prompt resource to spark your creativity
It is a new month, which means new prompts and challenges from publications around Medium land, which is always fun and gets my creativity flowing.
It was a challenge that got me writing here on Medium after reading articles for months (and self-publishing a few articles). The 30-day challenge.
I’ve been writing here steadily since June 2021 and kept reading about this 30-Day Challenge publication. It was the first time I noticed publications as I mainly read on my phone. My interest peaked after reading about people’s 30-day journeys writing here on Medium.
After researching for a few weeks, I made a 30-day plan, which got the ball rolling for learning about the different Medium publications. Take some time to make a plan that works for your life. If a 30-day challenge is too much, then revise it to 10 days. There are no rules. Do what works best for you.
My advice is don’t focus on how large the publication is, but on how active the community is around it. Do writers comment on each other’s work?
Also, write what you love and find those places that fit your writing, not the other way around.
Today, my question for you is…
Do you have tips for writers new to the Medium platform? You know the advice you wish you had when you began. Or wisdom you have gained with your time here.
As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments or submit a post in response here at F&S!
✨ Ellie, editor Flint & Steel
📣Update! Writing Prompt Challenge Contest 📣
Thank you to you all who submitted articles for my first challenge contest!
I hope this was as much fun for you all as it was for me! I was so inspired by the prompt ideas and prompt responses and will be writing “Prompt Response” posts over the next few months.
Make sure to check out the last group of submissions below and I’ll be announcing the winner tomorrow, February 8th.
The latest submissions
AliciaMarie Belchak | Master Life, Build Dreams wrote, “I would love to go back to my 25-year-old newly-wed self and stop myself from going into panic mode after mom died and I lost my job (practically the same week)” in “Don’t Panic: My Life’s One Regret.”
Asking the question, “If you could write a note to your younger self, what would you say in two words?”
Sorina Raluca Băbău wrote, “Now, why do I say that these things can lead one to the next level of their life? Well, that’s because all that creative energy I have been suppressing all those years is now finally allowed to manifest into the material world,” in “What Did You Enjoy Doing as a Child?”
Such an important read on the importance of play and a great writing inspiration prompt!
Prashansa Chandekar wrote, “I have always wondered where ideas come from. Are they living entities that move through time and space? Do they have minds of their own that decide where they want to set up their tents? Or, do they already live in our heads and show up at the suitable chemical configurations of the brain,” in “The Journey of an Idea.”
Such great ideas (yes intended!) and observations in Prashansa’s submission asking, “What are your thoughts about ideas?”
You can find the list of all the challenge entries here:
✨Your Articles ✨
Thank you to everyone who submitted articles this past week!
Bookmark this newsletter and make sure to stop by each other’s articles to give some clap/highlight/comment love.
Karen Schwartz wrote, “I long to hold hands with my competitors and together guide them toward success, while leaning on them should I fall,” in “Fierce as a Tigress — Gentle as a Pussycat,” in response to the Freewriting Friday prompt.
Amen to that Karen!
Amanda Laughtland wrote, “The PW article explained that some well-known publishers like Sesame Workshop develop special product lines for dollar stores because they want ‘to reach parents and kids wherever they are,’” in “How Do Publishers Afford Dollar Store Books?”
I love that publishers do what it takes to get books out there to reach kids; thank you so much Amanda for this informative article!
Jennifer McDougall wrote, “I’m sure you know of some oddball who labels their toenail clippings or shares a 37-minute long retell of happening upon the much-coveted Mary Poppins PEZ worth $1250 at the local thrift shop,” in “My Growing Collection of Orgasms in a Jar,” in response to the collection prompt.
I read an article about a woman selling farts in a jar, so why not orgasms in a jar?!
VerityAlways wrote, “My secret ingredient wasn’t glory at all, Just seeds of morning glory,” in “Carousel of Colors-Blue,” in response to the Freewriting Friday prompt.
A haunting, fictionalized response to the word prompts of brave and unpredictable.
Nick Stockton wrote, “It’s the continual process of finding purpose, realizing goals, making new ones, and starting over again,” in “What is the Meaning of Life?”
What is the meaning of life for you? Respond with a post!
Jennifer Dunne wrote,” It’s not brave to find a different environment. It’s desperation and self-preservation,” in “Bravery From the Inside Looks a Lot Like Desperation,” in response to the Freewriting Friday prompt, Bravery.
Do you agree? Read more on Jennifer’s take on bravery.
Jennifer Dunne wrote, “I never thought that I’d pray for the bone-rattling, eardrum-thumping noise of a turboprop jet. Until one fateful trip,” in “Silence at 7,000 Feet,” in response to pockett dessert’s prompt asking “What is your best exciting flying adventure?”
Okay, I’m not sure I could fly again in a turboprop after that experience but thankfully it does end on a most positive note!
Jennifer Pierce wrote, “Wide awake in the darkness
of morning
or mourning
The sound is the same,” in “Starting the Day with a Broken Heart.”
I love the use of the words “morning” and “mourning” to evoke feeling in this poem.
“Just open that heart and write like a machine.
I tell you Mark Twain knows just what I mean,” in “The Secret of Success.”
Oh yes. . .that darn algorithm and all the writers writing for its attention LOL
Jennifer Pierce wrote, “Always wanting more thinking glory lives somewhere else not inside my door,” in “Grit Back on It.”
The power lies in the realization glory can live anywhere, even inside our door.
Makena Darya wrote, “I’ve been dead for six months. It happened quickly. Too quickly. It’s still fuzzy in places, my memory, that is,” in “Hereafter — You Actually Die Twice.”
Read more of chapter one of Makena’s fiction story!
Anne Bonfert wrote, “This was when I decided I also had to open up. I had to open up on my past and present. I had many different hobbies over the years and thinking back at them, I’ve stopped most of them because of traveling,” in “Let’s Talk About Passion and All Those Things That Bring Us Joy.”
Make sure to check out Anne’s stories filled with her passions over the years (and as always great photos!).
Tamil wrote, “Magic Bytes is my Substack newsletter designed to deliver handpicked stories directly to your inbox ❤️,”Have You Heard the New Buzzword?”
Check Tamil’s new Substack newsletter!
and
Tamil wrote, “I read a similar strategy from Substack about how sending cold emails worked to get more subscribers for their newsletters. So I told myself, why not?!” in “How I Got Likes for My Story?”
Reaching outside Medium for marketing can be intimidating but check out Tamil’s tips for getting outside your comfort zone.
B A Little wrote, “The condition of your home interior provides buyers with a view of how you take care of it. Buyers want to see a well-maintained home. Here are some important “to-dos” before a showing or open house,” in “Staging Your House to Sell.”
Thank you for the great tips for staging your home for sale.
Călina Mureșan wrote, “It was looking at her with big, watery eyes. A deer’s head was hidden under the pile of clothes. She was ready to throw up and ran outside” in “Board Game Night.”
Read more to find out who was unexpectedly staying at the family cabin.
✨ Welcome New Writers ✨
Jennifer Dunne — K-kun Writes!
Calls for Submissions
I welcome writers to share their own freewriting exercises, writing prompts, and writing contest alerts here at Flint and Steel. You can write short-form or long-form posts.
You can find submission guidelines on our Be a Writer page.
✍ Freewriting Friday
In the latest Freewriting Friday post, we are exploring Valentine’s day traditions, a perfect Valentine’s day, and reasons why you hate the day.
📣 Around Medium: Calls for Submissions, Writing Prompts, and Challenges 📣
Check out last week’s newsletter for more writing prompts and challenges.
Tips
As always, review each publication’s guidelines for their prompts. Many prompts do not have a set deadline.
Make sure when you are responding to a prompt, you credit where your inspiration came from, like a link to the prompt article.
Many of these prompts could fall under nonfiction, poetry, and fiction so don’t limit yourself. There is no right or wrong. Use these prompts as a springboard to your writing.
⌚ = time-sensitive writing prompt!
New Pub Alert! Sahil Patel opened Reciprocal, where writers support each other (you must mention the work of three other writers for example) with the topics of “favorite Medium authors” and “tips for Medium.”
If you’re a new writer here on Medium, this would be a great resource. To become a writer, make sure to read over the submission guidelines.
⌚ KL Simmons, with Pure Fiction, posted their first fiction challenge! Make sure to check out the post for all the challenge guidelines.
I didn’t see a due date for submissions but reached out on the challenge post. I’ll update this with a date once I get that info!
Three winners will receive a $20 Amazon gift card!
⌚ Warren Patterson, with Globetrotters, posted their February challenge, “Where I’d Take My Partner To.”
The deadline for submission is February 28, 2022.
⌚ Mary Chang Story Writer, with Six Word Photo Story Challenge, posted their February prompt: Hide & Seek.
The deadline for submission is February 28, 2022 at Noon, PST
Ravyne Hawke, with KTHT, shared a February writing challenge, round robin style with the theme, “When my spirit is free, I…”
KiKi Walter, with The Memoirist, shared their February prompt: “It Happened in February.”
Marrisa W. , with Coffee Times, shared the latest book prompt: Your favourite romance book
Trista Signe Ainsworth with Thank You Notes, shared the weekly prompt, about your loving friendships. What do your friends mean to you?
and the February prompt is about celebrating the quiet moments of love. Valentine’s Day is about the commercial side of love. Don’t get me wrong, I love a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates, but what about the tiny moments of love that fill us with gratitude? With romantic love, a friend, a family member, or a stranger even?
Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), with The Brain is a Noodle, shared her latest #WritingPrompt: Write about a quirky / annoying / unique bit about the weather for where you live.
Subscribe to the Sparks Newsletter
If you would like to subscribe to the Sparks newsletter, visit the newsletter page. You can also find past newsletters for more writing inspiration.
— Ellie Jacobson, editor
📣 Attention Medium publication editors 📣
Have a writing prompt, challenge, or a call for submission you want included in an upcoming Sparks Newsletter? Feel free to leave a comment in the Latest Newsletter (link found on main page at Fleet & Steel), email me at [email protected], or tag me in your prompt article and I’ll include the info in the next newsletter. Newsletters go out on Monday or Tuesdays.
Please include a link to the article that summarizes the prompt/challenge/call for submission and if there is a deadline. I will link to the article and to your publication in the newsletter. I also tweet the newsletter throughout the week for added exposure.
💖 Thank you to all the Flint & Steel writers 💖
Sahil Patel, Shirley Jones Luke, Samantha Jensen, MA, MAEd, Trista Signe Ainsworth, MIGHTY MISCELLANY, L Burton, Heathere CW, Kaori Mitsui, Penelope Mayfield, Pierce McIntyre, Pene Hodge, Yean Foong (M.Ed.), Elin Melaas, Sarah Minnis, Mindy Morgan Avitia, JM Heatherly, Nikki, Andria Kennedy, pockett dessert, Dennett, Diana Lotti, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, Mulan, Amanda Laughtland, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Penny Grubb, Sorina Raluca Babau, Prashansa Chandekar, Will Hull, Ravyne Hawke, Jane Grows Garden Rooms (Jane Frost), Mimi Bordeaux, Adrienne Beaumont, Karen Schwartz, Divina Grey, Sangeetha Shankar, Ellen Andaya, Barb Dalton, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), Beverly Annette Little, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), Beverly Annette Little, Aabye-Gayle F., AliciaMarie Belchak | Master Life, Build Dreams, Danielle Hestand, Rick Allen, Jennifer Pierce, Tamil — Amy Rosie — Jennifer McDougall — Susan Poole — Adrienne Parkhurst — Chelsea Marie — Charlie Cole — Katie Michaelson — Sandra B — Buse ermen — E. Katherine Kottaras — Bingz Huang — Winston — Stephanie Stephenson — Marilyn Flower — Kris Bedenian — Kathy K — Nick Stockton — VerityAlways — Makena Darya — Umme Salma — Călina Mureșan — Anne Bonfert —
. . . and our 164 followers! 💖
✍ Written by Ellie Jacobson, ©2022 all rights reserved.
✨ I’m a freelance writer and editor from Minnesota, writing my first novel, a psychological suspense novel. Are you a writer? Check out Sparks, my newsletter filled with writing prompts to spark your creativity.
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