My name is Eric, and welcome to The Ampersand Syndicate.
Despite the name, there’s no team here. No secret council of poets. Just one guy writing poems and short stories.
I consider myself a poet first, though I enjoy writing short stories just as much. I write what I want, how I want, and I’m deliberately uninterested in chasing trends.
Most days, I write early. Around 3 or 4 in the morning, before the city wakes up. That stretch of time feels like borrowed space, and it’s where my best work tends to happen.
Writing Prompts
Most of my writing begins with a writing prompt. Sometimes it’s something I’ve come across, sometimes it’s one I give myself. Writing prompts can open up a dozen directions, while a blank page tends to feel more like a hard stop. When something clicks, I can write for hours.
Sometimes the result gets shared. Other pieces are held back, with the idea they may eventually find their way into a book.
I share a lot of my writing on Bluesky, sparked by daily writing prompts. But some longer poems and short stories need space to unfold. Social media isn’t built for that. This site is where those pieces end up.
I don’t always know when a piece is finished. Usually, it ends when my mind stops paying attention and moves on to the next thing.
I write for myself, but not only for myself. If something I write gives a reader a small break from their own reality, that matters to me.
When I read, I escape. When I write, I do the same.
Alongside my writing
I also enjoy recording ambient sounds that catch my attention. Most come from ordinary places. I like taking the time to notice them, capture them, and share them on Pixabay.