mycelial writing prompts

reflections on mycelial mothers so far

the first MYCELIAL MOTHERS sessions have just come to an end and it feels almost like a relief (just one less thing to fit into my chaotic week!), but it’s a sad one, as it’s become my only set time to sit down and write (which is one of the reasons i started it) and listening to m/others share on the calls has really given me a sense of connection within the isolation of motherhood that i often experience.

i’ve created an auto-reply on my work emails to try and take some time out to rest—if you know me, you’ll know this is out of character. i really struggle with pausing things, taking things slowly and setting boundaries (in order to balance work and creativity and caregiving) when it comes to my freelance academic editing job as it’s risky in that they may just give the contract to someone else next time. but this creative work—motherlore magazine, MYCELIAL MOTHERS and the motherlore residency, not to mention actually spending time on my own poetry and writing—is what i really want to be doing, what my mind is ever-dancing towards when i’m stuck doing anything but.

to round things off, i’m going to share the writing prompts from this cohort of MYCELIAL MOTHERS with you below, but before i do, those who have been part of the MOTHERLORE MAGAZINE community for a while may have seen that i’m seeking writing submissions for the third issue, on the theme BODY (out oct/nov 2024). MYCELIAL MOTHERS is pausing until october so that i can work on this issue and there’s almost exactly one month left to submit. the first prompt below relates directly to this theme if you need some inspiration…

ideas might include your relationship to your body or your dependent's; exhaustion, physical burnout; body as corpora, as corporation, as a part of the community, part of a whole; embodiment; the bodily aspects of mothering/caregiving, or of conception or birth, including trauma, loss, miscarriage; menstruation/the moon, hormones, sex; body dysmorphia, ableism, genes in relation to mothering/caring; illnesses; being in charge of keeping another body alive; bodily changes, bodies of water...

you do not have to be a mother/caregiver to submit.

read the full guidelines here. deadline: 15th september. share your poetry, stories, vignettes, non-fiction, to-do lists, journal entries, letters, book reviews, etc.

each issue features your writing alongside articles on literary mothers both past & present, explorations of mothering in all its forms, writing prompts, interviews, book recommendations, creative events for mothers, family activities, maternal support, motherhood resources & more.

order a copy of issue one & two to get an idea of the stories shared within.

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MM prompts

week one:

write about the word "mother" in relation to a part of the body. this could be from memories of your own mother, it could be a body part that you feel often does the work of mothering, it could be a child or baby's body part, it could be the interactions between two body parts, etc.