There’s any amount of reasons to write, they are innumerable. Sometimes, it’s about creating a piece with something you’re given. There’s an argument about how all writing is in response to stimulus of some kind, and I appreciate that line of thinking. However, I was imagining more formal situations, such as writing challenges and strict boundaries set by publishers and journals. Often, outside rules can direct a work that might otherwise be expansive, shapeless, and perhaps in danger of never being completed. Sometimes, works will only be created in response to these suggested prompts or boundaries, which can be word limits, genre, style or structure rules.

I enjoy writing in response to prompts. It’s why I read Eclectica Magazine‘s word poem challenge with interest, and then wrote a poem including the four particular words they suggested. Because Eclectica exists and runs these opportunities, which I saw and responded to, so too does my poem exist. Because Eclectica liked my response enough, they have published it. Because of all of that, you, if you like, may read my new poem Three Halves of a Dream, which can be found here. For me, sometimes, that’s enough reason to keep writing.

Steady as she goes – the 2022 writing update

Rejections: 109
Pending: 62
Acceptances by publisher: 19
Acceptances by work: 23
Published: 18