Weekly Newsletter | Flint & Steel
Sparks №30: Get Your World Poetry Day On!
Your writing prompt resource for sparking your creativity
🌺 Finally spring has arrived! 🌺
I have been waiting for this time period, well, since the first day of winter (huh!). I hope wherever you are that it feels like spring. It was nearly 60 degrees here in Minnesota yesterday, but in Minnesota-like fashion, snow is expected on Wednesday. Typical March in Minnesota.
Today marks World Poetry Day.
When I was in high school, poetry was the form of writing I really didn’t enjoy, except for the poetry by Walt Whitman. I’m not sure why I didn’t like to read or write it, maybe feeling like I wouldn’t get it “right.”
My oldest son has recently taken an interest in reading poetry. He started reading The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I decided to read it with him, as our own little book club. My desire is to twofold, to read more poetry and do whatever I can to connect with him more. He’s never been a big book reader once he entered middle school so I jumped at this chance.
Which leads me to my prompt(s) for the week. . .
My prompt for you this week is to write a poem (freeform, haiku, whatever style you wish) in response to a recent photo you took or go to a photo-sharing site like Unsplash and type the word “poetry” in the search bar and write a poem in response to the image (or any image). Include the image with your poem.
And/or. . .
Share works of poetry that have inspired you at any point in your life. What role does poetry play in your life? How has it helped you with your writing and/or in life?
Upcoming Writing Challenge
Our next writing challenge will be announced here on March 28th. Just like with the last challenge, one winner will receive $50.
Thank you again to those how have donated for the writing challenges via my Ko-fi page. I appreciate it so much!
Supportive Writing Group
Come on over to our writing group over on Facebook. This is a safe, private group to share your writing questions, goals, and advice with writers of all skill levels.
I hope everyone has a wonderful upcoming week!
✨ Ellie, editor Flint & Steel
🎉 Featured Writer 🎉
Diana Lotti is our featured writer this week!
Diana wrote,
“You see, about ten years ago, I wanted to become a writer. I took writing/grammar/editing courses, attended a writer’s conference, belonged to a writer’s group, did some beta reader work, and even wrote a book.
I loved every minute of it, but life happened.”
Read Diana’s interview to find out how she made her way to Medium, her guilty pleasures, what book she is currently reading and what must she have around her while writing.
Do you want to be a featured writer? Read over the guidelines to find out more about being featured.
✨Your Articles ✨
As always, take time to support your F & S writers! Stop by their articles and share your thoughts, claps and highlights.
Those marked with a✨next to their name mean an Editor’s Pick!
E. Katherine Kottaras wrote,
“I’m especially curious about how the poetry of centuries-old intuitive knowledge fits in with our strange and oddly stressful modern lives,” in “Undomesticated Tarot: Bringing Back the Wild to a Domesticated World.”
Have you used tarot cards in your creative writing? (prompt alert!) I love unexpected methods like these to spark your creativity. I mean, look at the digital collage she made in response (LOVE!).
✨Jennifer Dunne wrote,
“That got me thinking about what gardeners do to improve the soil, and what we, as an international community, can do to improve the “soil” of the Ukrainian situation, to help their “sunflowers” (a.k.a. the Ukrainian people) thrive,” in “Creating Better Dirt — in Gardens and the Ukraine,” in response to the sunflower Freewriting Friday prompt.
I loved Jennifer’s creativity in response to the sunflower freewriting prompt, showing us the connection to working the soil with what is happening in our world, that hope is not dead and buried. Our hands, our strength can always rework the soil of this earth.
✨Marilyn Flower wrote,
“Full of sunshine, singing a cheerful song all day long. I can’t look at those bright yellows, oranges, and golds and not smile,” in “Strong and Resilient, ‘Bring me the Sunflower Crazed with the Love of light!’” in response to the sunflower Freewriting Friday prompt.
I love the connection Marilyn made with the sunflower prompt, connecting the uniqueness of the sunflower to how to cope with the heaviness in the world with Covid and the war in Ukraine. Marilyn’s words are a reminder of how to take care of ourselves when we are feeling overwhelmed. Sharing with friends, laughing, dancing!
✨E. Katherine Kottaras wrote,
“But I am still haunted by the event, especially this week as I’ve had a desperate desire to talk to my mom, who died almost fifteen years ago,” in “On the Transformative Potential of Talking to the Dead.”
I’ve always wanted to observe and attend an event like this, for the same reason, to connect with my mother. Thank you Katherine for sharing your observations, and yes the stories are so heartbreaking. I’m so glad you received a sign from your mother and shared the stories with us.
✨ Welcome Our Newest Writer ✨
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 how our lives have changed because of Covid.
📣 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!
B.R. Shenoy and Yana Bostongirl, with Coffee Times, posted a nature prompt:
“For this nature prompt, spend 20 minutes outside examining the environment around you. Describe whichever aspect of nature draws your attention or inspires you. Please include one of your own nature photos as well if possible.”
Marilyn Flower, with Middle-Pause, asks, “What are you planting in your garden? Or gardens. They can be physical gardens, indoors or out. In containers or in the earth.”
Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), with The Brain is a Noodle, posted her latest #WritingPrompt: living in the gray.
Spyder, with Know Thyself, Heal Thyself, posted their latest prompts:
1) What is your relationship with money?
2) What is your relationship with work?
3) What is your relationship with time?
4) What is your relationship with relaxation?
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, 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 weekly on Monday.
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 — Jennifer Dunne, K-kun Writes!, M Cher, CARMEN F MICSA, Annette Liron, Sam Finlayson, Ian Hanson, LM, Elizabeth Kasujja, Sandi Parsons, Veronica Haunani Fitzhugh
. . . and our 187 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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