Monthly Newsletter from Flint & Steel
Sparks №38: To Share Your Opinion or Not?
A roundup of Flint & Steel articles and July writing prompts across Medium-land
Well, this newsletter is coming out much later than I originally planned. I must apologize. I was deep in editor work at Flash Fiction Magazine as we wrapped up our latest writing contest where we provide about a page worth of feedback for each entry. It was a great experience for me as a newbie editor, but it took me away from Medium-land.
Originally, when I started to write this newsletter, at the end of June, I was still reeling from the news (yet again), which I will pick up here to introduce my latest writing prompt.
Do you at times feel like you’re living in an alternative universe? Or is that just me?
On Friday (June 24, 2022), I felt like I had time-traveled back 50 years. I must admit when the overturn was announced, I was shocked. And numb. And sick. I don’t usually go into politics anywhere on social media (okay, I did during the 2016 election).
But I couldn’t help my reaction to this news, so I spewed my frustration on Facebook and a family member unfriended me right away. Her viewpoint is the polar opposite of mine, which is the case for most of my family members. They have never hesitated to share their beliefs while I have stepped lightly, not wanting to make anyone upset with mine. Until Friday.
After a day of doom-scrolling, I had to make a decision to step away from my phone, and from social media (much like I did in 2016) as a way to not fall into the rabbit hole of anger and frustration. To protect my own mental health.
But this leads me to my question for you all…
Writing prompts: Do you share your views on social media? In what ways? If not, why? Have you received backlash from family and friends? Or strangers? How do you take care of yourself when you share your views? How do you take care of yourself when reading social media during difficult times? Do you think our world has become more stressful because technology allows everyone to voice their opinion? Or do you see that as a good thing, giving everyone a voice to learn from others? Have you changed your mind about something because of what someone shared on Medium or on social media? Why?
Summer, Camping, and Book Recommendation Articles
Thank you so much for all the wonderful camping and summer focus articles that have been submitted over the last few weeks. Loved reading each one. You will find all the latest articles below so make sure to spend some time reading and commenting on each other’s articles.
I’ve also added a section on your book recommendations.
I asked L Burton to write about her favorite cozy mystery books because I felt so overwhelmed with finding a good one as I searched through the Kindle library.
And the awesome Penny Grubb is writing about the books that are being featured at the upcoming book launch event, M.A.B.L.E (follow the link in the Medium story to sign up for the event!).
I invite Flint & Steel writers to write up book recommendations for our readers. And I challenge our readers to pick up a book from a genre you don’t normally read. I find reading other genres strengthens my own writing and sparks new ideas.
I hope everyone has an inspiring weekend ahead!
✨ Ellie, editor Flint & Steel
🎉 Featured Writer: Anne Bonfert 🎉
Anne wrote,
“I became a reader on Medium at the same time I started writing on this platform. Two years later, I have written and published over 550 articles of which most of them are 5-minute-reads or longer.
I am a rather active reader as well and comment on almost every piece I read out here. This way I wrote 1000 responses over the past two years.”
Anne was one of the first writers I stumbled upon when I was a reader of Medium. Her photography and stories enchanted me. But she also engages with her readers, which I found so inspiring because I know the amount of time that takes.
And I also recommend the “Welcome to Earth” documentary!
Read more about Anne and find out what her guilty pleasure is at the end of the day….
Will you be the next featured writer?
Read over the guidelines to find out more about being featured.
Another interview opportunity!
E. Katherine Kottaras is looking to interview creatives!
“With that, I am launching a series called The Creative Contemplative, and I would love to interview you!
I want to learn more about your life as both a creative and as a contemplative.”
✨Your Articles ✨
As always, take time to support your F & S writers! Stop by their articles and share your thoughts, claps and highlights.
Your Summer Focus Articles
In my latest article, I wrote,
“By finding your focus for the day, the month or a season, it gives us purpose for our time, allowing you to find your boundaries, where you draw the line and say “no, not today.” It gives me the grace I need to say those words and not feel the guilt I do saying “no” to anything or anyone.”
I’m asking you to write about where you will focus your energy this summer.
Dennett wrote,
“But, truthfully, the focus of this summer, as is usually the case, will be my work.”
I’m right there with you Dennett, working away!
Susan Poole wrote,
“I’m learning that one of the best things I can do for my son at this point is to teach him how to be a better advocate for himself.”
L Burton wrote,
“I have a whole list of Medium publications I’m a writer for, but haven’t submitted anything yet. I’ll spend some time getting reacquainted with those and submit something to each of them. In doing so, it might get me outside of my comfort zone, and get the creative juices flowing again.”
Your “Camping” stories
In the last Sparks newsletter, I asked you for your “camping” stories.
Barb Dalton 🇺🇦 wrote,
“No one gives a rat’s arse about what you look — or smell like. I don’t shower; if I need to freshen up I’ll jump in the river. No eyeliner, no hair straightener. I’m au naturelle for the time we are there and it’s incredibly liberating.”
I totally agree. It simply doesn’t matter what anyone looks or smells like because everyone at the camp is in the same condition!
Denise Darby wrote,
“We have added a new member to the family since our last trip. Judy, the three-legged kitten that I found on a rural stretch of road will be joining us. We are all anxious to see her reaction to the Shaky House, a term coined by Kitty Boy on his first voyage.”
Dennett wrote,
“I tried to determine if any of the sounds were within the walls of our cabin and then realized it didn’t matter since whatever was outside could come inside through the window holes covered with a plastic flap.”
After reading Dennett’s story, I can see why her first camping trip was her last. Maybe try going again but without anyone named Jennifer or Christy (or any such variation!).
Karen Schwartz wrote,
“So I looked forward to our adventure because, if nothing else, we’d all get to spend time together with a web of secret desires kept under lock and key.”
Penny Grubb wrote,
“We didn’t realise that the man who called himself a “caravan service engineer” (a term we have used ever since to denote delinquent idiocy) had not turned the tap to prevent gas from getting to the fridge. Instead, he had simply pulled the gas pipe off the bottom of the fridge. This meant that while we were cooking, gas was leaking unrestricted from a hidden pipe.”
Terry Barr wrote,
“Camping works for some people, but not those who consume so much coffee and water that the older they get, the more times they have to get up in the middle of the night, and you know how much that person surely loves trying to stand in a tent, grope around for a few minutes, unzip everything, and then stumble out into the Blair Witch Project woodsy night where any sound can interrupt the oceanic flow.”
Eira Braun-Labossiere 🌻 wrote,
“While cute as heck, they are built to succeed at running, climbing, swimming, and let’s not forget murdering humans by tearing flesh apart with their impressive claws. Bottom line, avoid a bear encounter. Especially when you’re vulnerably asleep in a tent. And… especially when you’ve never camped before.”
Adrienne Beaumont 🇦🇺 wrote,
“And this is when the trip suddenly turned weird. A guy on his own in long trousers, shirt, and tie arrived and set up camp right beside us! Who wears business clothes camping?”
Sharing Your Independence
In response to my latest freewriting exercises with a focus on independence.
Denise Darby wrote,
“To be outside of the norm of baseball, work hard, and raise a family is a lonely place to be until you realize that it is your story you are writing, not someone else’s story written for you. Then the stomp of independence reverberates through the ears of parents long trying to shove you into a mold that doesn’t fit. A foot down! Shedding the onion skin. The first layer of gaining independence.”
Tamil wrote,
“I don’t remember anything else about that day. All I could remember is that it was an immense feeling to take back my power. To be me, and do what I wish to do.”
Your Poetry
L Burton wrote in response to the Leave a Poem on my Pillow prompt,
“Let’s hang out later; silver streaks on summer sheets I’m drawn to your light.”
Jennifer Pierce wrote,
“Another round of lovers headed to the stars riding high on flames and heat”
and Jennifer wrote,
“It seems like only last night he sat at my feet and vetted my dates but I stopped dating years ago”
Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) wrote,
“It’s about how you curate your feed and how algorithms might shape our view through the world and more actively curating the feed that changes your relationship with it.”
Katherine’s Corner
Find inspiration with E. Katherine Kottaras’s; thank you Katherine for your writing inspiration!
The Collection of Flint & Steel Articles
✨ Welcome To Our Newest Writers ✨
Ginger Bangs, Rebecca Frailich, James Jordan, David L. Davis, Nicholas Tarleton, Courtney Capone, Agnes, Kunal Mehra, Gauri Sirur
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, the focus is independence.
📣 Around Medium: Calls for Submissions, Writing Prompts, and Challenges 📣
Check out the previous newsletter for more writing prompts and challenges.
And all our newsletters for even more writing inspiration
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!
Ellie Jacobson wants to see your book shelfie over at Six Word Photo Story (no deadline!)
⌚ Mary Chang Story Writer, with Six Word Photo Story Challenge, posted their July challenge: Shine!
Sahil Patel, with Lifeline, posted their latest poetry prompt theme of insecurity.
Interested in writing a children’s book? Joshua King posts children’s storybook prompts. “Today in Inspiration Corner is… a seagull who is very picky about what he eats!”
⌚ Globetrotters posted their July challenge. “We are looking for stories about your adventures with celebrations around the world. This could involve various holiday celebrations as well as festivals and really any type of celebratory event.”
Trista Signe Ainsworth, with Thank You Notes, shared their July theme. “For the July monthly challenge here at Thank You Notes, we encourage you to write a thank you note to someone who made your summer vacation memorable.”
Marilyn Flower, with Middle-Pause, posted they are now accepting short-form posts!
Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), with The Brain is a Noodle, shared their latest #WritingPrompt: how do you manage envy or jealousy? Do you distinguish between the two?
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, BichoDoMato, Jules Starley, Jordan Richardson, Angie Mangino, Obinna Uruakpa, Shanice Lawton, Barbara Radisavljevic, Gaurav Jain, Terry Barr, Christine Graves, Randy Runtsch, Susan Alison, Indra Raj Pathak, Ash Moonlight, Jesse M Hawthorne, Denise Darby, Laura Jevtich, Eira Braun-Labossiere 🌻, Donna J. Allen, Sarah-Jane W.
. . . and our 222 followers! 💖
About the Writer
Ellie is a freelance writer and editor from Minnesota. She is writing her first novel, a psychological suspense novel, while finishing her MFA at SNHU.
Need writing inspiration? Check out Sparks, Ellie’s newsletter filled with Medium writing prompts to spark your creativity.
Want to read more? Or even join Medium as a writer? Join Medium and have unlimited access to so many excellent writers & get started on your own Medium writing journey.
Let’s connect: Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook Writing Group
✍ Written by Ellie Jacobson, @2022 all rights reserved.
