New Workshop Milestone. This Week's Prompts.
Plus loads of update and opportunities
Another writing community launching this week!
This week there are three Speak Up writing communities meeting in three different places. Two in Rock Hill, SC, one in Matthews, NC. This is just the beginning.
It’s the beginning of the multiplication of these writing communities that bring people together for the essential human act of writing and speaking. These are not spaces of division—by politics, belief, housing status—but places of honor, curiosity, and presence. Sharing. Community. Friendship.
Your Help Needed
Speak Up is a 501(c)3 Public Charity — existing only thanks to your donations.
Please give today to support this movement.
Writing 1
What did you bring with you today? Focus on one thing or many. Take this any direction you’d like: physical items, emotions, circumstances, baggage.
A pet peeve. Something that bothers you. A recurring annoyance.
Finish the sentence: “Home is…” or “Homelessness is…”
Write prompts to submit for future writing workshops. (For next week or beyond.)
Writing 2
Reflect on community. What is it? Write about community in your own life.
Imagine and write a parody of a favorite movie or TV show.
Write about all or any of the following: honor, curiosity, presence.
Writing 3
Share about a place that has a strong meaning, history, or emotion for you.
Describe a big problem facing culture or society. Imagine bold solutions. Where do you fit into the problem or solution? What is a first good step you can take?
Write about funny words, such as dongle, argle-bargle, floozy, or brouhaha.
Speak Up Writing Workshops This Week:
The Mercantile, Tuesday, 9:30-11:00 AM — Rock Hill, SC
Matthews Library, Tuesday, 1:30-3:00 PM — Matthews, NC
Rock Hill Prayer Room, Thursday, 2:00-3:30 PM — Rock Hill, SC
Join the Online Space for Our IRL Community
We’re now using an app called Basecamp to brainstorm, chat, and plan stuff. This is an easy and fun way to stay connected. This side of Speak Up is for workshop writers, volunteers, and invested members of the Speak Up community.
2026 Q1 Magazine: Workshop Prompts & Writings
This upcoming mag is going to give readers a double value: (1) prompts that they can write from and (2) work inspired by those prompts.
Email in your workshop-inspired pieces.
Speak Up Open Mic
OPEN MIC NIGHT @ The Mercantile — Dec 17th @ 6:00 PM.
Save the date. Details to follow.
New Section: From the Workshops
We just published nearly 27 new pieces from workshop writers. Watch for another blast later this week.
Support the Movement
Your partnership in this endeavor is critical. Now more than ever.
Give to sustain and plant life-changing writing communities that give a voice and bring people together across cultural, social, and economic divides.
Speak Up is a 501(c)3 Public Charity. Your gifts are tax-deductible.
Wowzer, this is awesome.