The Agony and the Ecstasy
A Prism & Pen writing prompt
Anais Nin wrote in her diary that “the secret of joy is the mastery of pain.” Alice Walker, in her novel “Possessing the Secret of Joy,” rejects agony as a prerequisite to joy, particularly with respect to cultural imposition of gender.
How do agony and ecstasy intersect in the queer experience? I have my own ideas; what are yours?
It’s time for the Prism & Pen writing challenge, time to unleash a storm of stories from all corners of the queer world.
It’s time to write about the Agony and the Ecstasy!
Read this challenge any way you like. We’re calling for fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. You can write about anything you can dream up. Treat the prompt seriously, use it to springboard into humor, or take off in a wild, unexpected direction. (Irving Stone, anyone? Club culture and molly?)
What matters is you, your storytelling perspective, your poetry or prose. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
P&P’s challenge round 6 starts today —
Not written with us before? Here’s the link to our submissions guidelines. Hope to hear from you soon!
Don’t forget our master classes —
If you want help polishing your prose, David Wade Chambers is offering a series of interactive workshops for P&P writers and prospective writers. Wade is an accomplished author and creative writing professor volunteering his skills at the Master Class link at the top of every Prism & Pen page and story.
Stories so far —
Esther Spurrill-Jones, BFoundAPen, Zayn Singh, Ainsley L, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Fred Shirley, Ikedi Oghenetega, neil chapman, David Wade Chambers, Artemis Shishir, alto, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro 🏳️🌈, Rodney Frazier, Simon, Carl Rebeiro, Brian Fehler, Deneishia Jacobpito, Chris Hedges, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Alex David Bevan, Ikedi Oghenetega, David Wade Chambers, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, Valentine Wiggin, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro, Rodney Frazier, Simon Z. Brian Fehler, Cassie Brighter, Deneishia Jacobpito, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, James Patrick Nelson, Brigid Maloney, Gabriela, Presley Thomas, Evan McCoy, Loren Olson, Ken Wilson, Chandler Myer, NaNa’sworld, Arabelle J., Liam Heitmann-Ryce, Edis Rune, Prickly Pam, Dawn McGrath, Jonathan | sex & theology, Tabitha Lowndes, Emma Nwosisi, Melissa Speed, Dr. Thomas J. West, Till Kaeslin, Dave Smurthwaite, Ellie Rebecca, Zoey Milford, Edris Quinn C., Dennett, Michael Constable, Jim Martens, Stephen Foster, Kravitz M.