Write into the Week: June 1, 2025

Elle LaMarca  |  June 1, 2025  | 

“The world isn’t just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn’t that make life a story?”
–Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Dear Writer,

I hope you’re having a good start to your week. In this newsletter:

  • A writing prompt to inspire your creativity.
  • Reading and listening recommendations in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
  • Publishing, residency, and retreat opportunities available now.
  • Join our free Monday and Friday write-ins, and meet our community of writers.

Happy writing this week!

—Elle, Curriculum Specialist & Community Manager

Writing Prompt

Try to recall a moment you (or a character) misunderstood until much later. Write it first as you or the character experienced it then, and again from where you stand now.

How does the story change in the retelling? What was learned, gained, lost, or found?

From Writer to Writer: A Summer Check-In

We’ve made it to June, which always feels like both a breath and a checkpoint. What have you written so far this year? What’s still waiting to be said?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how getting to the heart of our stories isn’t just about writing well—it’s about paying better attention to how we live. Writing can be a lens that sharpens both memory and meaning.

So, here’s your gentle nudge: As summer unfolds, how might you fine-tune both your writing and your life? Where can you pause for a breath and observe the details?

Reading Recommendations:

Fiction:

  • “Lost & Finding” by Emilie Guan. Lyrical and emotionally piercing, this flash fiction piece follows a boy raised in the shadow of violence. Guan’s language is sharp and strange in the best way.

Nonfiction:

Poetry:

  • “THE WEEKEND” by Justin Rovillos Monson. This three-part poem moves through the tender chaos of a single weekend with humor, longing, and emotional precision.

Listening Recommendations:

  • From The Writer’s Voice Podcast by The New Yorker: “Louise Erdrich Reads “Love of My Days“. Erdrich reads her evocative short story, exploring the complexities of love and memory, inviting readers into a narrative rich with emotional depth.

Publishing Opportunities:

  • The Greensboro Review – Submission Window: June 1 – August 1, 2025. Seeking poetry and fiction submissions for their Spring 2026 Issue, and entrants for the Robert Watson Literary Prizes. Winners will receive a $1,000 reward and publication. 
  • Black Warrior Review – Submission Deadline: August 16, 2025. Send in your best poems, short stories and essays for a chance to win $1,000 and publication. Black Warrior Review centers and supports human beings and aesthetics historically underrepresented in literary publishing.

Monday and Friday: Free Group Writing Sessions

Come write with us! Community write-ins are a great way to meet other writers, and carve out space in your calendar for your writing.

Monday: Write Into the Week with Elle

Join me (Elle) for an hour of mindset support, goal setting, community, and dedicated time to write! We’ll meet on Monday at 11 AM Eastern time, at this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83999379617

Friday: Open Write-In

Join the Writers.com staff for a 90-minute writing session each Friday from 11 AM to 12:30 PM Eastern time. We will write together for the first hour. In the last, optional half hour, we’ll share our writing with one another and connect.

To add yourself, join our newsletter using the join box above, and add yourself to the “Friday Write-Ins” list at the bottom of any email. We’ll send you a Zoom link the morning of the call.

Join us on Instagram for more writing inspiration!

We’re sharing writing tips, creative prompts, and a steady stream of encouragement—follow us @writersdotcom. Click below to check out one of our latest posts on writing about love.

 

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Elle LaMarca

Elle is a writer and novelist originally from southwestern New York, now residing on the central coast in California. She does not miss the snow even a little bit. As an avid traveler, Elle can frequently be found wandering the globe, having lived in and explored over thirty countries, all while gaining inspiration for her writing and new perspectives on life. Elle is a former educator and Teach for America alumna, having taught in Los Angeles, Baltimore and Boston. She holds a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing from George Mason University and a M.A. in Education and Curriculum Design from Johns Hopkins University. She is passionate about well-crafted sentences and memorable metaphors. Elle is currently at work on a novel and a collection of personal essays.

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