If only

THEMES by PROMPT

We publish writing using a series of prompts as an entry point for exploring emotions, personal histories, shared truths, joy, grief, shame, and those themes that matter most to us in our hearts.

Explore the themes by prompt below:

Oct 12

I Should Have Said

By Gerry Grubbs — I should have said How lovely you were last night. I should have said I knew the stars were out because I could see you

Sep 24

Dear Nana

By Kim Steinberg — For eleven years, you lived on a sadist’s charity. The year was 1918. You were two years old, living in the port city of

Aug 21

Keeping Cool

By Eric Burgoyne — Fred was washing his new Subaru in the driveway in front of the house. A meteorite crashed down in his backyard before he

Jul 28

Let’s Talk About Fat

By Susan Anmuth — What if the hours I’ve consumed with diets, food plans, new bright starts, still missing the mud pie at Henry’s End in

Jun 27

The Problem with Chivalry

By Alan Cohen — There are more scars on my heart inflicted by women than there are days in the year. It is better not to love them.

May 31

The Nectar Song

By Yuan Hongri & Translated by Manu Mangattu — A sieve of my soul I weave with lightning of time. And cast it into the interstellar sea of

May 8

Just Passing Through

By Madge Kaplan — I know we’re both waiting outside a hospital’s locked psychiatric unit. But I won’t be doing this more than once or twice.

Mar 20

The House

By Anita Kestin — I have not traveled that route in some time. That place belongs to a time when we thought we were all healthy and when

Feb 22

Notes from an Agnostic

By Susan Hand — god: I’m going to strip you of your capital letters, if that’s ok with you. If only god would reveal himself, in the flash

Feb 2

If Only I Moved by Instinct

By D.R. James — Life has been a grand migration to where you are today! Well known wisdom. I didn't know! Otherwise, when those raggedy

Dec 29, 2020

Cutting Loose

By Carol Keegan — Too many of us cut loose at the same time, so the bell curve inverted. Eccentrics at both ends of old norms became the

Dec 14, 2020

I am Purple

By Megan Snedeker — If only you could see that being bisexual isn’t half red and half blue. It’s purple. We’re a beautiful mixture of lost

The

Premier

online
literary

journal

for

Expressive

Writing

The

Premier

online
literary

journal

for

Expressive

Writing

JOURNAL OF
EXPRESSIVE WRITING

THEMES by PROMPT

I Should Have Said

Dear Nana

Keeping Cool

Let’s Talk About Fat

The Problem with Chivalry

The Nectar Song

Just Passing Through

The House

Notes from an Agnostic

If Only I Moved by Instinct

Cutting Loose

I am Purple

The

Premier

online literary

journal

for

Expressive

Writing

The

Premier

online literary

journal

for

Expressive

Writing

JOURNAL OF EXPRESSIVE WRITING

THEMES by PROMPT

I Should Have Said

Dear Nana

Keeping Cool

Let’s Talk About Fat

The Problem with Chivalry

The Nectar Song

Just Passing Through

The House

Notes from an Agnostic

If Only I Moved by Instinct

Cutting Loose

I am Purple

online
literary

online
literary

JOURNAL OF
EXPRESSIVE WRITING