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October 24-26, 2014 Symposium
Register here for our Symposium: Writing for Publication.
Critiques will be held through video conference, telephone conference, or email. They are available at the registration page above.
Please check our social media, website, and future editions of The Quill for more information.
SCWW Chapter Challenge: Submission Marathon!Although the legend’s historical accuracy is questioned, the term “marathon” is said to have evolved from the story of the Greek messenger Pheidippides (sometimes referenced as Philippides). In August or September 490 BC, Pheidippides left the battlefield of Marathon to run several hundred kilometers (without stopping) all the way to Athens. Reaching his destination, Philippides dashed into the Assembly proclaiming the defeat of the Persians and shouting, “We won!”
Unfortunately, he then collapsed and died.
But the point of the story is that he did it…he made the run. He accomplished his goal. He completed the race. And as writers, we would do well to take note of this persistence. SCWW was established, in part, to encourage writers to go the distance to accomplish their individual writing goals. As a part of this encouragement, it is vital that we train by submitting work to be considered for publication. But when it comes to running the “submission marathon,” many of us “hit the wall.” We get the story written, workshop it, revise a bit. Then we send it off, take a break, get a rejection. We suffer extreme fatigue, frustration. Dejected, we leave the track.
But rejection does not disqualify us as participants in this race. We persevere. We fuel up and keep running. Like Pheidippides, we must complete the run in order to proclaim victory. And we will not collapse and die.
So, pull up those computer files; take out the old folders, and haul down the shelved boxes. Dust off those old stories, or even write something new. Flex those typing fingers because making submissions offers groups the opportunity to build revision muscle, to tone market-selection sinew, to develop prowess in following guidelines and formatting.
We’re holding a marathon.
Each SCWW Chapter is challenged to participate. The goal of this marathon is to encourage us to submit, to struggle through that process, to put ourselves out there. We’re training for the Olympics, here.
Members should submit writing to various publications, contests, etc. during the weeks between September 15 and October 15, 2013. Your submissions may include articles, stories, novels, memoir–anything that can be submitted for publication. Acceptance and publication are NOT requirements. Just the act of submitting will help your chapter claim victory. Members may send as many submissions as they wish. Email the SCWW Chapter name, the title and author of each submitted work, the place it was submitted and the date of submission to Sandy Richardson at prichardson5@sc.rr.com no later than October 16, 2013.
At our Conference on October 26, special recognition will be presented to the SCWW Chapter submitting the MOST pieces for publication between September 15 and October 25, 2013. A certificate will also be awarded to the individual member overall who submits the most pieces. All you have to do is accept the challenge, do the training, and run the race.
YOU might just win the gold medal—publication.
NEWLY REVIVED: From the Round Table
Our board members fill in the membership about the latest SCWW developments.From the Grants Chair:
A grant was submitted in February 2013 to the Arts Cultural Council of Rockland and Lexington County to assist in the publication of The Petigue Review. I’m happy to say we were awarded $700.00 which will help in printing costs. As part of the grant, SCWW will make TPR available at local libraries and high schools. Members are encouraged to submit work for TPR and those selected will not only receive copies of the publication but also have their names are authors promoted to the public.
I have also recently submitted another quarterly grant to the Arts Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties for $1,000.00 to support two of the Symposium Workshops for our one day conference in October. If awarded these funds, our organization is in a better place financially to provide workshops and prepare for the larger 2014.
In regards to the 2014 conference, I am happy to report that a grant written to the South Carolina Arts Commission was awarded to us in the amount of $2,372.00. This is an increase from the $1,568.00 awarded in the past. SCAC is a huge supporter of our organization and despite concerns in state funding was able, in part with SCWW letter writing campaigns to local politicians, to obtain funding needed for many art organizations across the state.
If anyone would like copies of the grants written and/or final reports submitted to our funding sources, please contact me. I would be happy to send you a copy.
Linda Cookingham
Surfside Chapter
BOD Member since 2011
President’s Post
Greetings, SCWW!
I hope you’ve had a fun summer and now you’re rededicating yourself to the written word. Since my last communication with you, the Board has continued to work diligently on matters of importance to its members. For details, I refer you to the block of announcements in this issue. It’s an encore presentation of the SCWW Board Bulletin sent to you on August 23. The points of interest are: 2012 deficit retired; 23rd annual conference, registration incentive, professional critiques available for purchase; 2014 conference, Board nominations sought; call for candidates for 2014 Conference Chair. Please read these news items with care and consideration and remember that SCWW can only be as strong as her chapters and their members. SCWW needs you. Please answer her call.
See you on October 26 in Columbia.
Happy writing,
Ginny Padgett
Member Chatter
Glad tidings of great writings by our membership!
GREENVILLE
Bob Strother’s short story “A Little Off the Top” has been selected for publication in the November/December issue of Children, Churches, and Daddies: the Unreligious, Nonfamily-Oriented Literary and Art Magazine.
COLUMBIA II
Bonnie Stanard has had two poems, “Journaling Faith” and “Natural Piety,” accepted for publication by Lalitamba. The journal’s name means Divine Mother and reflects its interest in mystics of our time. It is an annual publication of Chintamani Books which publishes fiction, nonfiction and poetry. It’s website is http://www.lalitamba.com.
The documentary produced by Laura P. Valtorta entitled White Rock Boxing will air on South Carolina ETV on August 8, 2013 at 8 p.m. and at the USC Russell House on September 23, 2013 at 7 p.m. The film follows the story of a local boxing gym and gym owner Billy Stanick, who has been involved in the boxing community for 50 years.
Shaun McCoy sold the urban fantasy story “Pwned” to Big Pulp Magazine. It will be printed in March of 2014.
MEMBER AT LARGE
Carlotta Russell is a non-Fiction writer. Her books includes two genres: southern history and ancestry; and Memoirs. Carlotta’s books are: We Smoked Our Sister: Stories from a Childhood: A time to Remember; Changes: From Spiritual Hopelessness to Spiritual Hope: One Woman’s Search for God: The Discovery.
Currently due to go live September 2013: I Lived On The Other Side of the Line: The 1960′s Civil Rights Movement Through The Eyes of A Child: The Road To Freedom. This book gives an impassioned account of the experiences of a child during the uncertain days of the Civil Rights Movement.
Carlotta is current writing her fourth book. The current books is number three of the three book trilogy of her first two book. The current book is titled: A Time to Remember: The Saga Continues of We Smoked Our Sister. Growing up in the South during the 1960′s had a certain ambiance to the atmosphere as of looking through a ”rose colored” glass. This author’s books take the reader on a wonderful journey back in time to the mysterious and unusual events that took place during this period of time.
Carlotta books are on Amazon.com; B&N.com and at her website: carlottamaria.com.
Barbara Evers’ short story, Pieces, was published in the Spring 2013 issue of moonShine Review. His short story, Gentle Snow, will be published in the Fall 2013 issue.
Send your Member Chatter to scwwquill@gmail.com! If you sent your MEMBER CHATTER and don’t see it, the editor apologizes and asks that YOU click HERE to resend it directly to the editor for inclusion in next month’s issue.
The Stealth PoetNan Lundeen
The Stealth Poet Asks: Are Adverbs Personae Non Gratae?
Appealingly, adverbs agitate for inclusion. Or do they roust the ear?
Skip the adverb and go for the strong verb, writing pundits tell us. Resoundingly, we applaud the strong verb. Hear! Hear! Yet does the lowly adverb always trip us up? Surely, it was invented, created, came into being, was discovered or crawled out of some roadside hole somewhere for a reason. You think?
Of course, adverbs aren’t always paired with verbs. Sometimes, they modify adjectives. When I read “boyishly good-looking, with thick, wavy brown hair now frosted with snow,” describing a cop in J.K. Rowling’s new book, The Cuckoo’s Calling, I immediately saw a type of man, if not the individual. Rawling describes the scene of the suicide (or was it murder?) of a young woman who was a darling of the media. The victim lies on the sidewalk. Rowling’s description of police “self-consciously” laying flowers brought to the site by young fans in the back of a police van because the coppers are aware of cameras following their every move, clarifies the scene.
Rowling, writing as Robert Galbraith, wields adverbs superbly. But search the book for examples, and you will find few. She only uses them when she needs them.
What do you think of the adverbial use in the following sentence?
“Worryingly for the army, violence was reported across Egypt on Friday, suggesting it will struggle to impose control on the vast, largely desert state.” – The Huffingon Post, Aug. 17, 2013.
No question that a well-placed adverb can have huge impact. Consider the spare and erudite poetry of Emily Dickinson:
Because I could not stop for Death—
He kindly stopped for me—
So, where did the adverb originate? A Wikipedia entry tells us some languages don’t distinguish between adverbs and adjectives. OK, where did adverbs used in English originate?
The adverb seems to appear first in a grammatical classification scheme in the 2nd century B.C. as one of eight categories listed in a Greek treatise, Art of Grammar, according to Wikipedia. (I can’t vouch for the accuracy of that. Anybody know?) Other parts of speech recognized then were: noun, verb, participle, interjection, pronoun, preposition, and conjunction. Note, the adjective hadn’t earned a separate category yet.
In their usual sparse and to-the-point style, Strunk and White give succinct advise on adverbs. Basically, don’t use one unless it’s the way people talk. Words that aren’t used orally don’t do well on paper, they say. And don’t add “ly” to a word to dress it up. They suggest that would be overdressing akin to “putting a hat on a horse.” Example: overly for over.
I plan to use adverbs sparingly and hope to get along swimmingly with my readers.
Happy writing!
Nan Lundeen
www.mooingaround.com
Writing Tips from a Nonfiction Writer
By Helen Aitken
I write nonfiction. Don’t ask me to write a novel or any kind of fictional piece. I couldn’t do it if Stephen King handed me a manuscript, stood over me, grabbed my fingers and began typing.
I also write humor. If I take a tidbit of truth and stretch it, pull it, or squish it, it becomes another animal altogether, which isn’t nonfiction, but that’s not my point here.
You might say that humor and nonfiction are polar opposites, unless it’s humorous creative nonfiction, which is my favorite genre. Believe it or not, fiction, nonfiction and humor have a lot in common.
Writing nonfiction, creative nonfiction and humor require the same qualities as great fiction, it should be well written and flowing in a direction that takes the reader to a logical destination without them knowing they’ve been highjacked.
Nonfiction doesn’t have to be boring, or in sequential order. However, it requires a working knowledge of English, few passive verbs, pertinent facts, great quotes, and a lack of clichés, in a concise, coherent writing style, with lots of hot coffee.
Sometimes when I’m writing a humor piece, I use regional phrases and accented words, like ”darlin’, and “Well, shut my mouth”, but it would be inappropriate for an article on nuclear fission, unless it’s Southern nuclear fission. Look professional and choose the right writing style.
The same thing is said for clichés. Whoever coined the phrase “think out of the box” was innovative and descriptive. After the millionth time, it became a cliché and there are better ways to utilize the English language. Your goal should be to create the perfect phase that becomes cliché, so we can avoid it.
In Japanese, there is only one word to describe delicious food, “Oishi”. It doesn’t matter if it is for a meat or dessert, that’s the only word to use. However, if you were to list all the words to describe delicious food in English, you might come up with ten, fifteen words or more. Try it, and make your writing, “delicious.”
When I write a magazine or newspaper article, I must be mindful of the word count. Sometimes there is a space limitation, or the publisher is paying me by the word; he’s always counting his pennies. Bottom line, be concise, choose your words wisely, and edit, edit, edit so that his pennies become your dollars.
A shortcut that may help is using “TK”. It means, “To Come”, or used to fill in a space for the right word later on. I use it when the writing stalls and I need to move on, or I’ve had a little too much coffee; it holds my place.
Need more direction? Check out Jim Romenesko’s blog about words in writing from the Washington Post’s Outlook section. http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/20/washington-posts-outlook-bans-these-words-and-phrases/ and
http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/22/the-story-behind-washington-posts-things-we-do-not-say- list/.
Hoppy Writing.
- See more at: http://myscww.org/writing-tips-from-a-nonfiction-writer/#sthash.7wiffpr2.dpuf
I write nonfiction. Don’t ask me to write a novel or any kind of fictional piece. I couldn’t do it if Stephen King handed me a manuscript, stood over me, grabbed my fingers and began typing.
I also write humor. If I take a tidbit of truth and stretch it, pull it, or squish it, it becomes another animal altogether, which isn’t nonfiction, but that’s not my point here.
You might say that humor and nonfiction are polar opposites, unless it’s humorous creative nonfiction, which is my favorite genre. Believe it or not, fiction, nonfiction and humor have a lot in common.
Writing nonfiction, creative nonfiction and humor require the same qualities as great fiction, it should be well written and flowing in a direction that takes the reader to a logical destination without them knowing they’ve been highjacked.
Nonfiction doesn’t have to be boring, or in sequential order. However, it requires a working knowledge of English, few passive verbs, pertinent facts, great quotes, and a lack of clichés, in a concise, coherent writing style, with lots of hot coffee.
Sometimes when I’m writing a humor piece, I use regional phrases and accented words, like ”darlin’, and “Well, shut my mouth”, but it would be inappropriate for an article on nuclear fission, unless it’s Southern nuclear fission. Look professional and choose the right writing style.
The same thing is said for clichés. Whoever coined the phrase “think out of the box” was innovative and descriptive. After the millionth time, it became a cliché and there are better ways to utilize the English language. Your goal should be to create the perfect phase that becomes cliché, so we can avoid it.
In Japanese, there is only one word to describe delicious food, “Oishi”. It doesn’t matter if it is for a meat or dessert, that’s the only word to use. However, if you were to list all the words to describe delicious food in English, you might come up with ten, fifteen words or more. Try it, and make your writing, “delicious.”
When I write a magazine or newspaper article, I must be mindful of the word count. Sometimes there is a space limitation, or the publisher is paying me by the word; he’s always counting his pennies. Bottom line, be concise, choose your words wisely, and edit, edit, edit so that his pennies become your dollars.
A shortcut that may help is using “TK”. It means, “To Come”, or used to fill in a space for the right word later on. I use it when the writing stalls and I need to move on, or I’ve had a little too much coffee; it holds my place.
Need more direction? Check out Jim Romenesko’s blog about words in writing from the Washington Post’s Outlook section. http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/20/washington-posts-outlook-bans-these-words-and-phrases/ and
http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/22/the-story-behind-washington-posts-things-we-do-not-say- list/.
Hoppy Writing.
- See more at: http://myscww.org/writing-tips-from-a-nonfiction-writer/#sthash.7wiffpr2.dpuf
I write nonfiction. Don’t ask me to write a novel or any kind of fictional piece. I couldn’t do it if Stephen King handed me a manuscript, stood over me, grabbed my fingers and began typing.
I also write humor. If I take a tidbit of truth and stretch it, pull it, or squish it, it becomes another animal altogether, which isn’t nonfiction, but that’s not my point here.
You might say that humor and nonfiction are polar opposites, unless it’s humorous creative nonfiction, which is my favorite genre. Believe it or not, fiction, nonfiction and humor have a lot in common.
Writing nonfiction, creative nonfiction and humor require the same qualities as great fiction, it should be well written and flowing in a direction that takes the reader to a logical destination without them knowing they’ve been highjacked.
Nonfiction doesn’t have to be boring, or in sequential order. However, it requires a working knowledge of English, few passive verbs, pertinent facts, great quotes, and a lack of clichés, in a concise, coherent writing style, with lots of hot coffee.
Sometimes when I’m writing a humor piece, I use regional phrases and accented words, like ”darlin’, and “Well, shut my mouth”, but it would be inappropriate for an article on nuclear fission, unless it’s Southern nuclear fission. Look professional and choose the right writing style.
The same thing is said for clichés. Whoever coined the phrase “think out of the box” was innovative and descriptive. After the millionth time, it became a cliché and there are better ways to utilize the English language. Your goal should be to create the perfect phase that becomes cliché, so we can avoid it.
In Japanese, there is only one word to describe delicious food, “Oishi”. It doesn’t matter if it is for a meat or dessert, that’s the only word to use. However, if you were to list all the words to describe delicious food in English, you might come up with ten, fifteen words or more. Try it, and make your writing, “delicious.”
When I write a magazine or newspaper article, I must be mindful of the word count. Sometimes there is a space limitation, or the publisher is paying me by the word; he’s always counting his pennies. Bottom line, be concise, choose your words wisely, and edit, edit, edit so that his pennies become your dollars.
A shortcut that may help is using “TK”. It means, “To Come”, or used to fill in a space for the right word later on. I use it when the writing stalls and I need to move on, or I’ve had a little too much coffee; it holds my place.
Need more direction? Check out Jim Romenesko’s blog about words in writing from the Washington Post’s Outlook section. http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/20/washington-posts-outlook-bans-these-words-and-phrases/ and
http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/22/the-story-behind-washington-posts-things-we-do-not-say- list/.
Hoppy Writing.
- See more at: http://myscww.org/writing-tips-from-a-nonfiction-writer/#sthash.7wiffpr2.dpu
I write nonfiction. Don’t ask me to write a novel or any kind of fictional piece. I couldn’t do it if Stephen King handed me a manuscript, stood over me, grabbed my fingers and began typing.
I also write humor. If I take a tidbit of truth and stretch it, pull it, or squish it, it becomes another animal altogether, which isn’t nonfiction, but that’s not my point here.
You might say that humor and nonfiction are polar opposites, unless it’s humorous creative nonfiction, which is my favorite genre. Believe it or not, fiction, nonfiction and humor have a lot in common.
Writing nonfiction, creative nonfiction and humor require the same qualities as great fiction, it should be well written and flowing in a direction that takes the reader to a logical destination without them knowing they’ve been highjacked.
Nonfiction doesn’t have to be boring, or in sequential order. However, it requires a working knowledge of English, few passive verbs, pertinent facts, great quotes, and a lack of clichés, in a concise, coherent writing style, with lots of hot coffee.
Sometimes when I’m writing a humor piece, I use regional phrases and accented words, like ”darlin’, and “Well, shut my mouth”, but it would be inappropriate for an article on nuclear fission, unless it’s Southern nuclear fission. Look professional and choose the right writing style.
The same thing is said for clichés. Whoever coined the phrase “think out of the box” was innovative and descriptive. After the millionth time, it became a cliché and there are better ways to utilize the English language. Your goal should be to create the perfect phase that becomes cliché, so we can avoid it.
In Japanese, there is only one word to describe delicious food, “Oishi”. It doesn’t matter if it is for a meat or dessert, that’s the only word to use. However, if you were to list all the words to describe delicious food in English, you might come up with ten, fifteen words or more. Try it, and make your writing, “delicious.”
When I write a magazine or newspaper article, I must be mindful of the word count. Sometimes there is a space limitation, or the publisher is paying me by the word; he’s always counting his pennies. Bottom line, be concise, choose your words wisely, and edit, edit, edit so that his pennies become your dollars.
A shortcut that may help is using “TK”. It means, “To Come”, or used to fill in a space for the right word later on. I use it when the writing stalls and I need to move on, or I’ve had a little too much coffee; it holds my place.
Need more direction? Check out Jim Romenesko’s blog about words in writing from the Washington Post’s Outlook section. http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/20/washington-posts-outlook-bans-these-words-and-phrases/ and
http://jimromenesko.com/2013/03/22/the-story-behind-washington-posts-things-we-do-not-say- list/.
Hoppy Writing.
- See more at: http://myscww.org/writing-tips-from-a-nonfiction-writer/#sthash.7wiffpr2.dpuf
**Note from the editor:Links are broken to avoid spam filters, so please copy-paste them into your browser. This article also appears on the SCWW Blog!
CONTEST HOUND
Know of a great contest or competition? Share it with your SCWW friends!
PLEASE NOTE, THESE LISTINGS ARE NOT DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE CORRESPONDING ORGANIZATION’S WEBSITES. LINKS MUST BE BROKEN TO AVOID SPAM FILTERS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GOOGLE THE CONTEST DETAILS.
NEW! AT LENGTH CALL FOR POETRY AND PROSE
Deadline: August 31
At Length is reading submissions throughout the month of August. We’re interested in poems and sequences that are at least 7 single-spaced pages long. We’re also looking for fiction and nonfiction of at least 7,500 words in length. We welcome novellas, novel excerpts, memoirs, narratives, essays, and long short stories. No academic papers, please.
NEW! COVERED WITH FUR CALL FOR FICTION
Deadline: August 31
A brand-new indie press based in Austin is currently seeking short stories and novel excerpts for publication in its online magazine, Covered with Fur. Covered with Fur publishes original fiction, accompanied by artifacts of the creative process, in a regular series called “Material Fiction.” Dedicated to publishing fiction and the story of its creation, “Material Fiction” is a space to explore writing as process and publishing as material practice. We love: stories that take risks and take us places; writing that moves us and language that rattles us; fiction that is big-hearted and wild, elegant and innovative. We seek: writers who are eager to collaborate with us to tell the story of their creative process. This means being willing to share with us–and with readers–artifacts of your writing process. Such artifacts might include: drafts, outlines, or notes; written commentary on the piece’s evolution; visual or textual evidence of “aha!” moments; inspirational objects, quotes, images, et cetera. We believe: writing is hard work, y’all. We pay authors $250 per accepted story or excerpt.
NEW! GLIMMER TRAIN SHORT STORY AWARD FOR NEW WRITERS
Deadline: August 31
Award: $1,500 / $500 / $300 and publication
Open only to writers whose fiction has not appeared, nor is scheduled to appear, in any print publication with a circulation over 5,000. Most entries run from 1,500 – 6,000 words, but
any lengths up to 12,000 words are welcome.
NEW! APPLE VALLEY REVIEW CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: September 15
Apple Valley Review is reading submissions of short fiction, personal essays, and poetry for the Fall 2013 issue (Vol. 8, No. 2). All work must be original, previously unpublished, and in English. Please do not submit strict genre fiction or anything particularly violent or explicit. All published work is considered for our annual editor’s prize.
NEW! CAPE FEAR REGIONAL ARTS GRANTS
Deadline: September 20
The Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County is seeking applications for the 2013–2014 Regional Artist Project Grants. The Regional Artists Project program is administered by the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County through a partnership with the North Carolina Arts Council and local arts councils working as a consortium. Counties include New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, and Pender counties. Residents in these counties are eligible to apply for grants which provide financial support to artists in all disciplines, including literature/playwriting. Types of fundable projects include the creation of new work; purchase of equipment and materials and professional development workshops.
NEW! 3ELEMENTS REVIEW
Deadline: October 10
The goal is to write a story or poem that includes all three of the given words. Each quarter, we´ll post three new elements. We hope 3Elements helps your creativity as much as it has helped ours! Current elements: procession, tandem bicycle, ache. Stories must stay under 3,500 words. Poems must not exceed two pages.
NEW! COAL HILL REVIEW CALL POETRY CHAPBOOK CONTEST
Deadline: November 1
Award: $1,000, publication, contributor copies
Fee: $20
Coal Hill Review, an imprint of Autumn House Press, is interested in a wide range of poetry. We ask that all submissions come through our annual contest. Submission should consist of
10-15 pages, either a long poem or a group of poems.
NEW! MOBILELOVESTORIES SEEKS SHORT ROMANTIC FICTION
MobileLoveStories seeks short stories of 2,000 words or less for inclusion into a Short Romance Anthology to be released in time for Christmas. The stories need to illuminate something meaningful about love, desire, and passionate human relationships. The stories need not have a happy ending, but they can. The stories need not be explicit, but they can be. The stories can be new or previously published. What is important is that they are the kind of story people will remember for a lifetime. We are accepting historical romance, paranormal romance and contemporary romance submissions at this time.
NEW! OSTRICH REVIEW SEEKS GUEST BLOG CONTENT
Ostrich Review is looking for guest blog content. If you are already familiar with Ostrich Review’s Fifty Word Fridays and Tuesday Grab Bags, then you know how fun they are to read! How would you like to try your hand at some TGB and FWF fun?
NEW! PARAPALOOZA CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance has created “Parapalooza!”–a YouTube channel devoted to people reading favorite selections from favorite books–as a way to foster avid readers’ enthusiasm for great writing. People are invited to submit their own short videos to the channel. SIBA isn’t looking for book trailers or slickly produced video clips–they are looking for spontaneity and passion. The only requirement is that selections are read aloud with meaning, enthusiasm, and feeling.”
FLASH FICTION ANTHOLOGY CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: August 15
International flash anthology: We’re looking for stories under 750 words for Flash Fiction International, due from distinguished publisher W.W. Norton in 2014. We generally prefer recent, previously published work (recent=within the last ten years or so), but we will also consider unpublished submissions. The stories must be in English, originally or in translation. Limit of 3 stories. Editors for the Norton Sudden and Flash Fiction book series, James Thomas and Robert Shapard, are joined by Chris Merrill, director of the U of Iowa International Writing Program.
SHELF UNBOUND WRITING COMPETITION
Deadline: September 10
Fee: $30
Shelf Unbound book review magazine announces the Shelf Unbound Writing Competition for Best Independently Published Book. Any independently published book in any genre is eligible for entry. The winning entry will be selected by the editors of Shelf Unbound magazine. “Independently Published” books include self-published books (such as those published through CreateSpace, Lulu.com, iUniverse, etc.) and/or books published through small presses releasing less than five titles per year. Books entered in last year’s competition are eligible for re-submission in this year’s competition. There is no limit to the number of books an individual can enter; each book is a separate entry.
SLIPPERY ELM POETRY AND PROSE CONTESTS
Deadline: September 13
Awrd: $1,000 (poetry) / $1,000 (prose)
Fee: $15
The University of Findlay’s newest literary journal, Slippery Elm, is live and open for submissions! Poetry judge: Mary Biddinger. Prose judge: Robert James Russell. All entrants will receive a copy of the winning issue, and all submissions will be considered for publication.
BLOOM CALL FOR ESSAYS
Deadline: September 15
Bloom is seeking personal essays from writers of all ages—young writers who are inspired by diverse artistic paths, older writers who pursued creative work in later life—on topics related to Bloom’s mission. We are open to your interpretation of what “related to Bloom’s mission” might mean. And we are interested in fresh, authentic voices that engage the artistic life honestly, with humor, rawness, wisdom (we are less interested in self-promotion or angsty catharsis). Submissions of 2,500 words maximum.
COUNTY LINES CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: September 15
Franklin County Arts Council Writers Guild is looking for submissions of color and B&W art and writing for their new literary journal, County Lines.
RED MOUNTAIN PRIZE FOR POETRY
Deadline: September 15
Award: $1,000 and publication
Fee: $27
The 2013 Red Mountain Prize for Poetry will award publication of a full-length book of poetry. The most important criterion is that the manuscript manifests significant themes in beautiful, strong and evocative language. The winner will receive publication with our standard contract and a $1,000 award. All entries may be considered for future publication. Send a manuscript of 48-75 pages in a single document.
CREATIVE NONFICTION ESSAYS BY GEORGIA RESIDENTS
Deadline: September 16
Award: $500 / $200 / $100 / $50 Honorable Mentions (4)
The Gallery at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture in Tifton, in conjunction with Georgia Backroads Magazine and the Tifton-Tift County Arts Council, announce a contest for nonfiction essays concurrent with a photography contest and exhibit on the same theme. Essays should be no longer than 4,000 words and should address the “Back Roads of Georgia” theme in some way, whether directly or obliquely, literally or figuratively. We’re looking for Creative Nonfiction/Literary Nonfiction submissions.
PIEDMONT LAUREATE APPLICATIONS
Deadline: September 27
The Piedmont Laureate program is accepting applications from writers of short fiction for 2014. The mission of the Piedmont Laureate program is to promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts throughout the Piedmont region. The program is sponsored by the Alamance County Arts Council, City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, and United Arts of Raleigh and Wake County.
BEST OF THE NET ANTHOLOGY OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: September 30
SundressPublications is excited to announce that submissions are open for the eighth volume of the Best of the Net Anthology! The internet continues to be a rapidly evolving medium for the distribution of new and innovative literature, and the Best of the Net Anthology aims to nurture the relationship between writers and the web. In our first seven years of existence, the anthology has published distinguished writers such as Claudia Emerson, B.H.Fairchild, Ron Carlson, Dorianne Laux, and Jill McCorkle alongside numerous new and emerging writers from around the world.
MELINDA COCHRANE INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR POETRY
Deadline: September 30
Melinda Cochrane International will be accepting poetry manuscripts for the Fall /Winter 2013-2014 season. Manuscript submissions can vary in theme and poetic style. We are looking for quality writing only and will do our best to support all emerging writers.
NATURE POETRY COMPETITION 2013
Deadline: September 30
Award: £1,000 / £500 / admission to writing workshop
Fee: £6
As a BirdLife International Partner, RSPB works for birds and nature on an international scale. As well as offering poets the chance to win considerable cash prizes and publication of their poems, the competition will raise money for conservation and poetry. We are working in partnership with leading independent UK poetry magazine, The Rialto, as we feel the magazine will be the perfect place to showcase the winning entries. Please do note the term “Nature Poetry” will be given a wide interpretation by the judge.
TALLGRASS LITERARY REVIEW CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: September 30
The Tallgrass Literary Review seeks short fiction about Oklahoma but will publish stories about any state or country. Likewise, we request literary fiction but will accept short stories of any genre. More than any other factors, we judge works based on quality and innovativeness. Submissions should be no longer than 6,000 words. We accept multiple submissions as well as simultaneous submissions to other journals. To celebrate our first issue, we are awarding the best submission a $250 prize.
ANTHOLOGY SEEKS SUBMISSIONS FROM MILITARY
Deadline: October 1
LGBT military, veterans, family, and allies: what are your stories and experiences from repeal of DADT through its first year? All submissions considered for anthology Repeal Day: When DADT Became History edited by Victoria Hudson.
JEFFREY E. SMITH EDITOR’S PRIZE IN FICTION, ESSAY, AND POETRY
Deadline: October 1
Award: $5,000 (fiction) / $5,000 (poetry) / $5,000 (essay)
Fee: $20
Select winning entries in the past have been reprinted in the Best American series. Please include no more than 25 typed, double-spaced pages for fiction and nonfiction. Poetry entries can include any number of poems up to 10 pages in total. Each story, essay, or group of poems constitutes one entry. Sponsored by the Missouri Review.
WHITE MICE POETRY CONTEST
Deadline: October 1
Award: $100 / $50 and publication
Fee: $10 / $15 with subscription
The International Lawrence Durrell Society announces the White Mice Poetry Contest. Submit 1-3 poems focusing on “Islands.” Prize includes publication in Deus Loci.
ARTE LATINO NOW CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: October 12
Sponsored by The Center for Latino Studies at Queens University of Charlotte in partnership with Gil Projects, Inc., Art Sí and Queens’ Departments of Art and Foreign Languages, ARTE LATINO NOW seeks to highlight the exciting cultural and artistic contributions of Latinos in the United States. We invite artists who self-define as Latino and live and work in the United States to submit an original creative work in their medium of choice. Winners will be exhibited at Queens University of Charlotte in Spring 2014.
LEE SMITH NOVEL PRIZE
Deadline: October 15
Award: $1,000 and publication
Fee: $20
Carolina Wren Press will choose one unpublished novel to receive the Lee Smith Novel Prize, an award of $1,000 and publication in honor of esteemed Southern author, literary mentor, and teacher Lee Smith. The award will be presented to a novel by an author from, living in, or writing about the American South–authors need only meet one of these qualifications, not all three. It is our hope to find and promote novelists from the South and their novels and, in the process, to explore and expand the definition of Southern literature. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished novels, written by one person, in English, at least 50,000 words in length.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: MERMAID POETRY
Deadline: November 1
Mermaids in the Basement is an anthology seeking original poems of mermaid poetry. This project is interested in poems that push the mermaid myth and figure into a new light. Submissions should not simply retell the mermaid and her classic story but establish new facets in which to read, question, admire, interrogate, and fear this fantastical siren. Poems need not mention mermaids directly but must suggest, at the very least, a mermaid theme. This project is not interested in genre, fantasy, or overtly-campy writing, so please consider if your work would fit the aims of this anthology. Please send 3-5 poems in a word document. Previously published work will be considered.
“MISTAKES” ESSAY CONTEST
Deadline: November 1
Award: $1,000 / $500
Fee: $20
For an upcoming issue, Creative Nonfiction is seeking new essays about mistakes—major or minor, tragic or serendipitous, funny or painful. We’re looking for stories about poor decisions, missteps, or miscalculations; we want to read about embarrassing boo-boos, dangerous misjudgments, or fortuitous faux pas in well-crafted stories that explore the nature and outcomes of human fallibility. Essays must be vivid and dramatic; they should combine a strong and compelling narrative with an informative or reflective element, and reach beyond a strictly personal experience for some universal or deeper meaning. We’re looking for well-written prose, rich with detail and a distinctive voice; all essays must tell true stories and be factually accurate. Guidelines: Essays must be previously unpublished and no longer than 4,000 words.
SPLIT THIS ROCK POETRY CONTEST
Deadline: November 1
Award: $500 / $250 / $250
Fee: $20
Submissions should be in the spirit of Split This Rock: socially engaged poems, poems that reach beyond the self to connect with the larger community or world; poems of provocation and witness. This theme can be interpreted broadly and may include but is not limited to work addressing politics, economics, government, war, leadership; issues of identity (gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, disability, body image, immigration, heritage, etc.); community, civic engagement, education, activism; and poems about history, Americana, cultural icons. Split This Rock subscribes to the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses Contest Code of Ethics. Submit up to 3 unpublished poems, no more than 6 pages total, in any style, in the spirit of Split This Rock. Judged by: Tim Seibles.
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS/NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL
Deadline: November 15
Award: $1,500 (fiction) / $1,000 (poetry) plus acess to 2014 New Orleans Literary Festival and publication
The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival’s Poetry Contest is now accepting submissions. For poetry, Robert Pinsky will serve as the contest’s judge. We’re also offering a $1,000 grand prize, a VIP All Access Pass ($500 value) for the 2013 Festival and publication in Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine. Only open to writers who have not yet published a book of poetry. We are also accepting submissions for our annual Fiction Contest. Victor LaValle and Emily Raboteau are the judges. This contest is open only to writers who have not yet published a book of fiction.
ANTHOLOGY SEEKS STORIES ABOUT ANIMALS
Deadline: December 1
The After Coetzee Project, an anthology of fiction, seeks short stories that bring forth a new kind of writing about animals, one that disengages from speciesist fictional strategies (animals as metaphors and allegories) and reimagines animals as subjects.
FOURTH RIVER CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ISSUE ON WOMEN AND NATURE
Deadline: December 15
In honor of the 35th year since the publication of Susan Griffin’s eco-feminist classic Woman and Nature: the Roaring Inside Her, The Fourth River announces a 2014 themed issue on Women and Nature. We are looking for poetry and creative nonfiction, written by women, inspired by the natural world or addressing environmental concerns. Although we will accept lined poems and traditional essays, we are most interested in seeing prose poetry or lyric essays. In the words of Adrienne Rich, who reviewed Griffin’s book, we are looking for any work that “demands of us activity, not passivity; which enlarges our sense of female presence in the world; . . . which uses language and sensual imagery to impart a new vision of reality, from a woman-centered location; . . . which expands our sense of the connections among us in the bonds of history; . . . which drives us wild, that is, helps us break out from tameness and repetition into new trajectories of our own.”
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: THE SOUTHERN POETRY ANTHOLOGY, VOLUME VII: NORTH CAROLINA
Deadline: January 15, 2014
Editors William Wright, Jesse Graves, and Paul Ruffin now seek submissions for the seventh in our series, The Southern Poetry Anthology, featuring North Carolina poets. The anthology will be published by Texas Review Press in 2014. If you are a North Carolina native, or if you have lived in North Carolina for more than one year, please feel free to send up to five poems for consideration. This anthology is not limited to those who have published before; we invite first-time submitters as well as those who have had full-length works of poetry published with national presses. The only rules: Poems must be original and of high quality. We consider formal poems and free verse. Poems about North Carolina are not necessarily championed over other motifs and themes, as we wish for the “sense of place” to manifest in different ways, with different voices. Please note that the success of this anthology depends a great deal on word of mouth. Notify your poetry students, poetry-writing friends, and gifted nemeses of this opportunity.
THE INDIAN RIVER REVIEW CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: January 15, 2014
The Indian River Review is currently soliciting submissions for its third issue scheduled for publication in late spring/summer 2014. The theme for this issue is “Technology,” and we plan to take a very broad view of this theme. As man moved from an oral to a literate culture, technology has affected the way we communicate and live. At one time, even the simple number 2 pencil was a technological advancement. From quills to computers, from knitting needles to the Mars Rover, technology comes in many forms, and we would like to explore this concept in our third issue. Genres include short fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, critical essays, black and white photography, and book reviews.
ANTHOLOGY CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: POEMS INSPIRED BY PUBLIC RADIO
Deadline: January 31, 2014
Seeking submissions of poetry and artwork for an anthology of work inspired by NPR and PBS to be published on Nine Toes Press, an offshoot of Lummox Press and tentatively entitled The Liberal Media Made Me Do It!. The poems may have been inspired by stories, quotations, or lines heard/seen on NPR or PBS, and should, if possible, name their original source (the show and subject matter of the story). These can include poems with subject matter and/or lines taken from interviews and news stories, recipes, even book reviews or documentaries. Contributors will receive an e-copy of the book or reduced cost on the hard copy. Previously published poems or poems printed on blogs are permissible, if the author owns the rights, though the place of first publication should be named.
1966 CALL FOR CREATIVE NONFICTION
An online journal of creative nonfiction seeks pieces of literary nonfiction with a research component–anything from immersion memoir to nature writing to reportage to travel writing.
BLOOMSBURY SPARK OPEN SUBMISSION PERIOD
Bloomsbury Spark is a one-of-a-kind, global, digital imprint from Bloomsbury Publishing dedicated to publishing a wide array of exciting fiction eBooks to teen, YA and new adult readers. Launching in Autumn 2013 our outstanding list will feature multiple genres: romance, contemporary, dystopian, paranormal, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, and more. If you’re an author, Bloomsbury Spark is the premiere place to publish your work. Why? Because we are a hands-on, full-service publishing house We will publish you globally but market you locally. We are not just interested in publishing your book; we want to help craft your career. If you have a manuscript between 25 and 60k words long, then send it to us. An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing.
BROAD STREET CALL FOR CREATIVE NONFICTION
Broad Street, a new, annual magazine of true stories, seeks beautifully written narratives that have the benefit of being nonfiction. Memoir, essay, and experimental, from five words to five thousand. Based at Virginia Commonwealth University, Broad Street will present the best of literary journalism, creative nonfiction, photography, and illustration. No academic studies or pomposity please.
CALL FOR YOUNG ADULT SUBMISSIONS
Forever Onward! Review is currently accepting submissions for weekly internet publication and to be featured in our 2014 Ebook edition.What are we looking for? Strong sense of imagery, language, and characters. We want to feel like we understand the characters, and if we don’t, we want to know why. We want language and dialogue that moves us. We want a story that is worth being told. We want you to evoke an emotion from us–whether that be joy, disbelief, sadness, giddiness. We believe in the craft of writing and the joy of reading. We want to publish pieces from established and new writers. We don’t need to see a long list of credentials. If you can move us with words, then we want you.
GINOSKO LITERARY JOURNAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Accepting short fiction and poetry, creative nonfiction, spiritual insights for Ginosko Literary Journal. Editorial lead time 1-2 months; accept simultaneous submissions and reprints; length flexible; accept excerpts.
PEAK CITY BOOK FESTIVAL SEEKS AUTHORS TO EXHIBIT
The Peak City Book Festival will be held November 9 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm at The Halle Cultural Arts Center in Apex, NC. The organizer is looking for authors to exhibit. If you are a mystery, thriller, romance, young adult, or children’s author or illustrator and you would like to be kept informed of progress or would like to be an exhibitor, contact the festival.
PRIME NUMBER MAGAZINE CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Prime Number Magazine is open for submissions! We are looking for work in ALL GENRES: creative nonfiction (up to 5,000 words); flash nonfiction (up to 750 words); fiction (up to 5,000 words); flash fiction (750 words); poetry of any length or style; book reviews and interviews (query Books editor first). A Press 53 publication.
REVOLUTION HOUSE MAGAZINE CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The editors of Revolution House Magazine are currently reading submissions of poetry, nonfiction, short stories, flash fiction, and graphic stories for issue 3.1, due late summer/early fall 2013. This issue’s creative nonfiction is also guest edited by Silas Hansen, formerly of The Journal, whose work is forthcoming or has appeared in such publications as The Normal School, Hayden’s Ferry Review and Slate. Hansen welcomes “essays that wrestle with complexity and ask questions without answers.” Revolution House doesn’t care if you have a hundred publication credits or if this is your first attempt. Send us your poems, your stories, your moments of shining truth, and we will treat them as we want our own to be treated: with respect and compassion. Send us the work that moves you, for better or worse.
ROSE RED REVIEW CALL FOR HALLOWEEN SUBMISSIONS
Rose Red Review is now accepting submissions for its Autumn 2013 Halloween-themed issue! Submit fiction, poetry, art, and photography that concerns the dark origin of fairy tales. Send in your ghosts. Your goblins. Your beasts. Rattle those chains!
SEEKING WRITING GROUP NEAR MOORE COUNTY
Location: Moore County area
NCWN member Linda M. Mizell would like to be involved with a writers group in the Whispering Pines/Southern Pines/Pinehurst/Aberdeen area. Her e-mail address is lmizell@embarqmail.com and her phone number is 910-949-5565.
SNAKE-OIL CURE CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
To help combat the tedious ills of the world, submit to Dr. Hurley’s Snake-Oil Cure. Dr. Hurley’s Snake-Oil Cure is looking for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and prose.
STORYSCAPE JOURNAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Storyscape Journal accepts submissions all year long. We welcome your poems, prose, audio, visual art, and are proud to publish all these genre under the following truth categories: Truth, Untruth, and We Don’t Know And They Won’t Tell Us. We love to publish work that interrogates these truth and genre categories. We like weird hybrid stuff. We like found poems, lists, erasures, overheard conversations, etc. We like things we haven’t thought of yet. And we like just regular old brilliant writing in any form it comes.
VOICE OVER VIDEO ESSAYS AND CINNEPOEMS CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Voice Over is an emerging online literary magazine publishing video essays and cinnepoems. We are currently accepting submissions for our first edition launching later this summer.
Send us your poem, nonfiction essay, or piece of literary journalism spoken over a video or slideshow. Please keep videos under 8 minutes. We do not accept news packages or short films set to music.
In case you’re wondering, this month’s mascot for CONTEST HOUND is 3-week-old Loki Koutarou Henderson. If you have a picture you’d like to submit of your own contest hound, please email scwwquill@gmail.com!
Once again, all above hyperlinks are broken to prevent spam filters from snagging The Quill. Please google the contests and copy-paste information addresses as needed.
SUBMIT YOURSELF!
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