Never let your creative dreams die.

They may lay dormant,

or enjoy a snug period of slumber,

but to eliminate them all together,

is a mistake...

Why so dramatic? you may be asking.

Because creativity is one of our last remaining forms of freedom

which we have full control over,

once we realise its power.

If we relinquish it,

we lose a part of ourselves along the way.

Art is often seen as a childhood memory to most,

something they practiced at school as a carefree child,

and slowly stopped due to real life getting in the way.

But some form of creative outlet should be prioritised, in my view.

My philosophy isn't as crass as ditch your profession and follow art, though.

That can be unreasonable and unrealistic.

Rather, it's to always leave the possibility open

for your creative ideas to come back to the forefront,

because all it takes is one moment of epiphany,

for those creative dreams to align

into something that truly works.

But if you cut off circulation completely,

these ideas will never have a shot at developing,

even subconsciously.

I recently had an epiphany myself,

that has allowed me to link together a string of fiction ideas

in a way that I'd been searching for for a while,

and it came to me because I never lost hope in the ideas,

no matter how difficult it seemed to execute them correctly.

So, Reader,

if you have a creative dream,

pursue it with passion,

or at least save it

for a rainy day.

Creative Update

As mentioned,

a few fiction ideas clicked over the past week,

and I feel like I'm at a point

where I can confidently bring them into fruition,

if God wills it.

I have a few poems I hope to create, too,

and some that need memorising.

It seems like I'm taking aboard the lessons I learned

while doing pilgrimage,

and can finally see with a fresh perspective,

and use the rest of this year to get stuck in.

So stay tuned for more announcements on events,

and other projects that are on the way...

Upcoming Opportunties

Birmingham Literature Festival 2026 is taking place from 8-12 October.

A range of workshops, showcases, events, creative support sessions, and much more will be taking place in a few months in Birmingham--perfect for literature lovers, all-round creative people, and writers to engage and expand their knowledge and creative networks.

Find out more below.

Driftwood Press are currently open for submissions and support in multiple categories.

Driftwood are 'an independent magazine publisher & press [...] [who] publish chapbooks, full-length poetry collections, comics, novellas, and a robust literary magazine yearly. [...] [They're] also a paying market for both [...] [their] press authors and those who place work in [...] [their] magazine.'

Stay well,

and stay creative,

Bilal Psyche Akram