WOW! Women On Writing | Workshops & Classes | Quarterly Contests | The Muffin

Hello April! We love your crisp breezes, longer days, and warmer weather. You also bring showers, and at WOW this month, it’s raining POETRY!

Whether you’re a virtuoso or just starting out, our 5-minute poetry guide will shower you with inspiration. And it’s just in time, because in addition to our usual market round-up, this month’s newsletter overflows with poetry contests!

Why should I write poetry? Here’s a little secret. The act of writing poetry is the ultimate self-care for writers. Poetry allows you to step back, capture a single moment, and embrace the joys of being human. And during difficult times, poetry gives us the means to safely grieve, rage, cope, or inspire, as in the breathtaking "The Hill We Climb," written by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and recited at President Biden’s inauguration. Writing poetry also helps hone the art of compression, an essential tool that will improve every kind of writing you do.

How do I get started? There are two ways to break into poetry. First, you should read it. As much as you can. But beware, and don’t say you weren’t warned 😊, reading poetry will lead to a lifelong addiction. My favorite online poetry fixes are Poetry Daily and Rattle, which are delivered each morning to my in-box. When I read a poem I love, I’ll check out the poet’s complete collection and read even more.

The second way to start writing poetry is just that. Start writing!

But how do I begin? I don’t know the rules. The truth is, unless you’re writing a very specific type of poem such as a haiku (more on haiku later) or Shakespearean sonnet, there are no rules. “A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness,” said Robert Frost. That’s truly all you need.

What about line breaks? Great news. Break the line wherever you like. It’s all about choosing a break that serves the line itself. A favorite convention (not rule, mind you) is to end the line on the most interesting word you can because you want to lure your reader to the very next one.

Do I have to capitalize the first word of every line? More great news! There is no standard for capitalization – the first word of a line may be capitalized or not; it’s entirely up to you.

Do words have to rhyme at the end of the line? Catch the rhyme in this past sentence? This is an example of internal rhyme. Unlike limericks or the grade-school poetry we wrote as children, most contemporary poems don’t have end rhymes. Instead, poets like to experiment with all kinds of rhyme, such as internal or slant rhyme (words with similar, but not identical sounds, such as the words “unpack and “detach”). But rhyming is not necessary at all; in fact, the worst thing you can do is force a rhyme just for the sake of rhyming.

Punctuation? Again, no rules. As you read the work of other poets, you’ll observe some very different punctuation styles. The most important thing to learn is the difference between end-stopped lines (those with periods) and enjambment (the continuation of a sentence without pause to the next line or stanza, and sometimes even from the title.) Some poets don’t punctuate at all and some, like Emily Dickinson, love experimenting with all of the various marks, particularly dashes.

We’re going to concentrate on free verse poetry, which is defined as a poem without regular rhyme or consistent meter. But for our mavens or those of you who love a challenge, we’re going to look at a formal poetic form that does include rhyme and structure at the end of the newsletter, where I’ll also share more hints for growing as a poet.

April marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of National Poetry Month, the largest literary celebration in the world with tens of millions of poetry lovers marking its importance in our culture. I’ve been wanting to bring more lyricism to my memoir and essay writing, so I signed up for a five-week poetry class that just started. I’m looking forward to diving in! We also wanted to mark National Poetry Month at WOW! by bringing in another guest poet and editor. Please give a warm welcome to Nicole Rollender, Managing Editor for THRUSH Poetry Journal!

Before diving into our Q&A, let’s take a look at the journal’s mission statement:

THRUSH Poetry Journal publishes six times a year: January, March, May, July, September, and November. And, this is welcome news for all of us who spend months waiting to hear about our submissions. THRUSH aims to respond within five days! Gotta love that turnaround! Another plus: They do not charge submission fees. Poets may send up to three poems, pasted in the body of an email, with a cover letter and bio to: editorthrushpoetryjournal@gmail.com. If a poem requires special formatting, please also include an attachment. See their submissions page for more details.

WOW: Happy National Poetry Month, Nicole! I’ll bet this is a month your journal enjoys each year, as the literary world shines a spotlight on poetry. Does THRUSH do anything special to celebrate?

Nicole: Hello! Happy to be here. Regarding National Poetry Month, we do what we always do at THRUSH Poetry Journal: celebrate the best poetry out there, and share. We never charge a reading fee, so submissions are accessible to all. We make our ten years of digital archives free. And of course, we stay close to our mission of diversity and inclusivity, publishing the best poems we find from people working at all levels of the poetry craft.

WOW: How long have you been Managing Editor, and what led you to the journal? 

Nicole: I’ve been with THRUSH for almost four years. Before I approached founding editor Helen Vitoria about joining her, I’d had the fantastic luck to have three poems accepted for publication in the journal over the years. Here’s what impacted me: the smaller curated issues, and the sheer artistry of every poem THRUSH publishes. Truly, I felt that every poem was itself a masterpiece with each strong issue. When I wanted to join a journal’s staff, THRUSH Poetry Journal was top of mind for me. Helen needed a managing editor, and I’ve been on the masthead ever since.

WOW: THRUSH states on the website: “Our passion is poetry. We want fresh. We want voice. We want craft.” What, specifically, is meant by that? What makes a poem unforgettable for you? And, what sets THRUSH apart from other poetry journals?  

Nicole: When we receive a submission, of course, we appreciate the cover letter and the poet’s bio. But more important than a “name” or a list of top-tier journal publications, we want poems that understand craft but that beat with a living heart, poems that stay with us after we’ve read them. We’re looking for poems that stun us, that make us feel something deeply and viscerally. We receive technically excellent poems that leave us feeling a little cold after reading them. We want poems that work at higher levels of craft, but they need to also make a difference to the people who read them.

WOW: I love your point that pieces need to “ … make a difference to the people who read them.” Yes! Writers always need to consider how the reader will be affected, not just how they were affected as they wrote it. I know from my own experience as an editor with Barren Magazine that when we do not accept a piece of writing, it’s often because the writer has not taken into account your very point and has left the reader out in some way—so, the connection to the writing doesn’t happen. 

Nicole: I tell people that poems are spaces of encounter. The poet distills their experiences and emotions into a poem, and invites you in to step in. Will you love or understand every poem? No, and that’s OK and true for poets as well. We have our own style loves and dislikes. There’s a poem for every reader, for every time in your life. Maybe you need to read a parenthood poem or a poem about the death of a loved one or pet. Maybe you need to read a poem about gratitude or letting something go. Again, it’s about getting out there and reading poems and finding the voices you connect to the most.

WOW: Spaces of encounter, that’s helpful. It’s like a reader is meeting the poet halfway. We also like to help our readership not only understand what journal editors look for in submissions, but for those interested in learning a new writing craft we like to share tips from experts. As a poet, what do you suggest writers new to the craft keep in mind as they start to experiment? What do all, or most, poems share? 

Nicole: First, you need to read voraciously: journals, of course, and the poets of today and yesterday. There are so many people writing from different perspectives from different parts of the world. See what that art looks like and feels like to you. How does it look on the page? How does it feel when you read it aloud? And of course, then you need to write and revise. It’s never a bad idea to find an online (or in-person) group of like-minded poets who want to share their work and offer feedback. I’ve also told people that some poems with amazing linguistic gymnastics leave me feeling not much of anything. I prefer a poem that is raw, breathing and heaving with emotion, that draws me in and makes me feel something or even slightly changes me.

“We’re looking for poems that stun us, that make us feel something viscerally. We want poems that work at higher levels of craft, but they need to also make a difference to the people who read them.”

WOW: I’m a memoirist and CNF writer, and up to this point traditional metered poetry has been elusive to me when it comes to writing. How and when to stress syllables, count feet, create rhythm—there’s a lot to keep track of! That’s why I’ve been drawn to prose poetry lately. I feel like I can get a handle on that because it has one foot in the CNF camp which I’m comfortable with, and the other foot in the poetry camp that I want to practice. That said, what are your thoughts around prose poetry? Would you say it aligns more closely to CNF over poetry, or vice versa? Do you like that prose poetry breaks the rules and goes galivanting off the page, defying the guidelines of traditional poetry?

Nicole: I like prose poems personally, and write many in that form. At THRUSH, we also love great prose poems. I would say that you can’t write a CNF piece and then put it into a “prose poem form” and say, “There it is!” You adapt your narrative to fit the feel of a poem. I often write in prose blocks that look like paragraphs but with unique spacing or slashes or ellipses. Like all poems, some prose poems follow a more straightforward narrative and others ask readers to take leaps.

WOW: Oh, good! It sounds like I’m on the right track because I start out with the intention to write something new as a prose poem. I’m not interested in trying to surgically cut and paste an existing CNF essay into a prose poem. OK, back to THRUSH, specifically. How far do you have to read in a submission to know whether or not it’s a fit for the journal?

Nicole: We know pretty quickly whether a poem is for us after reading the title and getting into it. If I know quickly that a poem isn’t for us, I skim and then read the ending. However, we read all poems within a submission because sometimes that third poem is a stunner. We know what we’re looking for and we get back to writers fast with our decision.

WOW: Your masthead lists three people. I’m aware of many journals with a much larger staff, sometimes a dozen people or more. There is a tremendous amount of work involved in putting together a journal issue, so this small masthead impresses me. Do you work with any readers, or all decisions made by this lean team? 

Nicole: We don’t work with any outside readers. We love poetry and as a volunteer staff we devote time daily for responding to the high volume of submissions we receive.

WOW: I read on your submissions page that THRUSH aims to respond to submitters within five days. That’s especially impressive, given your small staff! What’s the acceptance rate? 

Nicole: Actually, we respond to submitters within two to three days! We don’t believe that a poet should have to wait months or even a year or more to hear back from us, as they sometimes experience with other journals. That being said, we ask submitters to wait six months to try us again, so that we can efficiently move through the thousands of submissions we receive every month. According to Duotrope, our acceptance rate is pretty low (0.33%), but that’s because we lean toward smaller, more intimate issues of ten or fewer poets. We also aim to only take the very best poems that we receive.

WOW: What gives you joy as an editor? On the flip side, can you share a challenge? 

Nicole: The biggest joy as an editor is finding a poem that moves us and stays with us, whether from a brand new writer or an established voice. When we accept a poem, we’re thrilled that our platform will share that voice with the world and we love telling a poet that we’ve accepted their work. The challenge is one that most journal editors have: receiving submissions that don’t follow the guidelines and contain poems that aren’t ready to go into the world or don’t meet our aesthetic. We always suggest that people read the guidelines thoroughly, along with several issues of the journal, before submitting to us.

WOW: We love to promote other writers. What poems from THRUSH have stayed with you, and why? 

Nicole: Wow, you’re putting me on the spot! I love all of the poems we accept, but I’ll point to a few that come to mind.

First up, Hala Alyan, a Palestinian American writer and clinical psychologist. Her work has appeared in multiple issues. We love Habituation as well as September, a week in, from our January 2020 issue. We also admire Joseph Fasano, author of four poetry books including The Crossing. Joseph has appeared in several of our issues. His At Wolf Lake, from July 2020, is a stunner.

And, we love visual poetry and welcome more submissions of it. Your readers can look to several pieces by Sarah J. Sloat in our May 2020 issue, titled Before Tomorrow, Lay the Table, and What It Takes.

WOW: I agree with you, Joseph Fasano’s poem is stunning. It’s haunting and otherworldly. Incredible! I also love Hala Alyan’s poems. Let’s turn the tables now from the journal to you, personally. How do you approach writing poems? How long does it take you, on average, to get a poem to where you feel it’s finished? How do you know? 

Nicole: I approach writing poems like a collector: thoughts, words, phrases, scraps of dialogue, things that happen today, memories, things that occur to me as I read others’ writing. I write all of these down in my “poetry Word doc” and let them percolate until I feel like I’ve got enough to write a poem. Writing a draft itself may take a couple of days, but I often revisit and rewrite at many levels over days, weeks, even months sometimes. So, it really depends on my inspiration and focus at that particular point in time.

“... all of us, working at whatever level we’re at, have the capability to turn out amazing work and drafts that require more time. Reading others’ work has showed me that it’s important to wait until you feel a poem is working at its highest level before you send it out to a journal.”

WOW: Has being an editor strengthened your writing, or made you approach the page differently? 

Nicole: Yes, absolutely. First, of course, reading other poets’ work on a regular basis always enhances your perspective and scope, since you see how other artists approach the craft. You zoom in quickly on what works in a poem and what doesn’t. You see techniques or narrative structures that you want to try in your own work.

Another hidden gem in reading lots of poets’ work? Not every poem that top-tier poets turn out is a rock-your-world poem. That lends a human quality to the process, that all of us, working at whatever level we’re at, have the capability to turn out amazing work and drafts that require more time. Reading others’ work has showed me that it’s important to wait until you feel a poem is working at its highest level before you send it out to a journal. We can often tell where a poet has skimped on time, whether it’s in the title or the last lines.

WOW: Tell us about your first publication. The thrill of it. 

Nicole: Well, I remember publishing poems in some journals whose names I’ve forgotten, as a teenager and then in college. But the first big, memorable publication for me came in graduate school when I was earning my MFA in poetry at Penn State. I wrote a poem in one of Robin Becker’s workshops. When I read it aloud to the class, everyone kind of stopped because in that poem my emerging voice and themes took form. I sent it to Alaska Quarterly Review through email and within a few days the editor responded and said they were taking it for their print issue. For a young poet with self-doubts, that was a big moment. We usually don’t start writing awe-inspiring poems from day one. We grow and must practice our craft.

WOW: I visited your website, and I see that you’ve authored four chapbooks and a poetry collection! Congratulations, Nicole! Can you tell us about your process for bringing these chapbooks and the collection into the world? Do you have a favorite?

Nicole: Thanks so much! It’s been a minute since I’ve introduced a new book or chapbook into the world. There were times in my life where I was more focused on writing poetry and wrote faster and produced more. I generally write around a theme or themes, and then when the poems grow in number and come to fruition and I love each one, I start to order them to see how they hang together and what’s missing. My full-length collection, Louder Than Everything You Love, centers around a life event where my maternal grandmother died about two weeks before my first child, a daughter, was born. My grandmother wanted to meet the baby and they passed each other, so that book is about those days and what’s passed down through women: the stories, the spirituality, the superstitions. Lately I’ve been working on a second manuscript, which again focuses on themes of motherhood and spirituality.

WOW: A final question: People sometimes joke that with poets there’s a lot of gazing involved. At clouds. At flowers. There’s deep thinking. Perhaps some doodling in the margins. I say this with a wink, but also with true admiration for what poets do. What do you think poets bring to the world, to help us understand it better?

Nicole: I believe that poets create spaces of encounter, or rooms, for people to enter where they recognize something of themselves and their own experiences. I write to connect with others, so that we all feel a little less alone on this planet and in our lives.

My thanks to Nicole Rollender, Managing Editor with THRUSH Poetry Journal, for chatting with me. To our audience of poets, we hope this month of celebrating poetry is full of wonderful work that you’ll read—and write! When you’re ready, be sure to send something over to Nicole. For our fiction and nonfiction audience, we wish you a productive month as well, and we’ll see everyone next month!

“Poems may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in both the online and annual print editions of The Lascaux Review.” Submit up to five poems per entry (all pasted into one document); you may enter more than once. Fee: $15.

“FreezeRay is looking for poems that are based in or have relevance to pop culture (as broad as that may be). Feel free to submit 1-5 original poems, uploaded via the handy link, making sure not to include your name in the document or the title. We're reading these blind (using our altered hyper-senses, naturally). Make us feel things!” No fee.

“Spillway #29 will be guest edited by poets Lynne Thompson and Patricia Smith. Send us your best unpublished poems of any theme! Attach 3-5 poems as a single document in Word or Adobe pdf format (.doc or .pdf).” Fee: $3

Phantom Kangaroo is published twice a year and features 13 poems by 13 poets. “We accept poems in any form, of any subject, or of any length, but favor is given to poetry in the shape of ghost sightings, horoscopes, obituaries (preferably yours), fortune cookie fortunes, tales of UFO abductions, and home-made love spells (preferably ones that work). Submit 1-3 of your most cryptic and haunted poems, a 3rd person bio, and a scandalous confession (optional).” No fee.

Passager is a nonprofit journal and book press that publishes authors over 50. Writers must be age 50 or older at the time of publication to submit. You may submit up to 5 poems (40-line maximum for each). The reading feed of $20 includes a one-year subscription to Passager (2 issues).

“The Peseroff Prize honors Joyce Peseroff’s work as a poet, teacher, editor, innovator, and mentor. She helped found the MFA Program in Creative Writing at the University of Massachusetts Boston, served as its first director, and retired from teaching in 2014. 2021 Finalist Judge: Chen Chen. Submit up to three poems. There are no restrictions on content or form: “it’s all poetry.” Poems should be previously unpublished. Fee: $10.

“Honoring the memory of a celebrated poet and a beloved teacher, the Agha Shahid Ali Prize in Poetry is awarded annually and is sponsored by The University of Utah Press and The University of Utah Department of English. $1,000 Cash Prize and Publication; Reading in The University of Utah's Guest Writers Series. This year's judge is Matthew Olzmann. Manuscripts must be in English and should be between 48 and 100 typed pages.” Fee: $25.

“Words Without Borders is pleased to announce the 2021 Poems in Translation Contest to spotlight some of the groundbreaking poets working around the world today and to celebrate the art of translating poetry. The winning poets and translators will be awarded $150 each. (In the case of multiple translators, the translator award shall be split evenly.) Translators may submit up to three poems. (All three poems need not have the same author. Similarly, co-translations are also eligible.) Individual poems must not exceed forty lines.” No fee.

“We will consider all forms of poetry for the Elinor Benedict Poetry Prize, including lyric, experimental, and formal work. Up to three poems may be submitted in one document. Guest judge: Kevin Latimer. First prize: $1,000 and publication in Passages North. One or more honorable mentions may also be selected and published. Guest judges read blind, so please leave your name and other identifying information off your manuscript. All entrants receive a copy of the contest issue.” Fee: $15

“For emerging poets, this contest only accepts submissions from authors with fewer than two full length collections out at the time of submission. The winning poet will be awarded $3,000 and publication on Palette Poetry. Second and third place will win $300 & $200 respectively, as well as publication. The top ten finalists will be selected by the editors, and guest judge Kelli Russell Agodon will then select the winner and two runner ups.” Fee: $20.

“We are pleased to announce our 12th annual Short Story Contest. First prize is $1,000, with four additional cash awards. All five winning stories will be published online in the June/July issue of Gemini Magazine. We are open to stories of any subject or style. Maximum length: 6,000 words. All entries are read blind so everyone gets an equal chance.” Fee: $8.

“The winner of the third annual Porter House Review Editor's Prize in Fiction will receive $1,000 and publication. All submitted works will be considered for publication. Porter House Review is dedicated to paying all of our featured writers a competitive rate for accepted works. Our review seeks to publish fiction that is emotionally affecting, haunting, bizarre, and in firm control of the machinations of storytelling (e.g. character, scene, plot, and momentum). We welcome both traditional short stories, flash fiction, and other hybrid forms. Limit your submissions to 8,000 words or less.” Fee: $7. https://theporterhousereview.submittable.com/submit/189911/2021-fiction-contest-1-000-prize

“Welcome to Imagine 2200 — a new climate-fiction contest by Fix, Grist’s solutions lab. What we’re seeking: short stories that envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress. What we’re offering: $8,700 in prizes, publication, and a reason to stay hopeful. Submissions must be short, fictional stories, between 3,000–5,000 words.” No fee.

“We invite writers to submit to the Fractured Lit Anthology 1 Prize from February 19 to April 19, 2021. Guest judge Kathy Fish will choose 20 prize winners from a shortlist. We're excited to offer the 20 winners of this prize $250, publication, and 5 contributor copies of the printed anthology. All entries will be considered for publication.” Submit up to 2 stories of 1,000 words or fewer. Fee: $20.

“A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given biennially for an essay collection, memoir, or book of narrative and/or research-driven nonfiction. Deborah Thompson will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of at least 150 pages with a $25 entry fee by March 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.” https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit/41781/red-hen-press-nonfiction-award

The Gournay Prize will select one book length collection of essays each year to receive a cash prize of $1,000 and publication in the 21st Century Essays series on Mad Creek Books, an imprint of The Ohio State University Press. Please note that all manuscripts submitted to the prize will also be considered for the 21st Century Essays series. The award is open to all writers for first books of essays. (writers may have published books previously in other genres.) We publish manuscripts that range from 40,000-85,000 words. Fee: $28

“We encourage creative nonfiction submissions without constraints on content or form. Send your best essays our way: lyric essays, personal essays, memoir, literary journalism, or hybrid work (up to 10,000 words.) Judge: Natalie Lima. First prize: $1,000 and publication in Passages North. One or more honorable mentions may also be selected and published. Guest judges read blind, so please leave your name and other identifying information off your manuscript.” Fee: $15 per essay.

“We want writing that shows tension between character and surroundings, that shows how changes in living space affect actions and interactions in that living space. This environment could be an abandoned school, a strip-mall comic bookstore, a thinning forest or a hiking trail—if it shapes the characters, affects events, it’s of interest to us.” Poetry: Submit up to 5 poems, up to 200 lines or 500 words for prose poems. Fiction: We’re looking for short stories from 500 to 7,500 words. Don’t query about longer pieces. We will accept up to 3 short-shorts (no more than 1,000 words each) Nonfiction: We are accepting creative nonfiction pieces between 500 to 7500 words. You may submit up to three <1000-word pieces in one submission packet. Fee: $3.

“We’re pleased to announce the 2021 Pinch Literary Awards sponsored by the Hohenberg Foundation.” Poetry First Prize: $2,000. Judged by Catherine Pierce. Accepts 1-3 poems per contest entry. Fiction First Prize: $2,000. Judged by Dianca London Potts. Manuscripts can be a maximum of 5,000 words. Fee: $20; $10 per entry after the first.

“This issue's theme is LOVE, LUST and LONGING loosely defined.” Poetry: Submit up to 5 poems of no more than 45 lines each per entry in Word. Pays $30. Flash Fiction: Submit up to three unpublished stories of less than 1000 words each per entry. Pays $30. Fiction: Submit only one story per document in Word. The work should be between 1,000 – 4,200 words. Pays $60. Nonfiction: Submit only one article of 800 to 4,200 words per entry in Word. Pays $60. Do NOT put your name or other identifying info on the document or in the title. We welcome the expression of diverse voices, diverse cultures - including submissions partly or entirely in Spanish, French, Italian, German, or Portuguese. Please include an English translation. See specific guidelines for each genre. Fee: $3.

Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook Prize 2021 Judge: Benjamin Garcia

Clay. Reynolds Novella Prize. 2021 Judge: Leslie Jill Patterson.

Winner will receive a $500 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book. Poetry manuscripts must not be longer than 40 pages. Novella manuscripts should have a total word count of between 20,000 and 50,000 words. Please include a table of contents, title page, and page numbers. Fee: $20.

Poetry: Submit 3-6 poems in one document, not to exceed a total of 12 pages. Poems published in MQR by early career writers (those who have not yet published a full-length collection) will be considered as finalists for our Page Davidson Clayton Prize. Prose (fiction and nonfiction): Manuscripts should be double-spaced, right margins not justified; 1,500-7,000 words. All stories accepted for publication will be passed on to a judge as finalists for the $2,000 Lawrence Prize. There is no additional fee for the prize beyond submission. Fee: $3.

Zone 3 is a biannual magazine. All poems, essays, and stories accepted for publication in the journal will be considered for the Zone 3 literary awards. Poetry: Submit up to 6 poems. Fiction and Creative Nonfiction: We seldom publish prose that is more than 5,000 words in length. We will consider novel excerpts and flash pieces. One winner will be selected from each genre. The winners will be announced in the fall and receive a prize of $250. For Fall 2021, they will be introducing a special issue celebrating Black, Indigenous, and Voices of Color. To encourage entries to these special issues, they will waive the submission fees of any submitter whose work addresses the featured theme. Fee: $3.

“$1,000 in prizes in 2 categories! ($500 per category) Accepting entries for 1. I Made this Stuff Up! (Fiction Humor) or 2. You’ll Never Believe This! (The Truth Is Stranger). Judged by Jimmy Kimmel and Huey Lewis. Winners will be published in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue.” Max: 1,000 words. Fee: $20.

Chautauqua welcomes unsolicited submissions of poetry, flash, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The theme for the 2022 issue of Chautauqua is “Resilience.” Poetry: Submit a maximum of three poems, typed single-spaced, justified left, saved in a single document. Flash fiction, Micro Essay, Prose Poems: You may include up to three flash pieces in a single file. Each should be no longer than 750 words. Fiction and Creative Nonfiction: A maximum of 25 double-spaced, single-sided pages in 12-point font, no extra spaces between paragraphs and all pages numbered—or about 7,000 words. Fee: $2. https://chautauqua.submittable.com/submit/

“We are pleased to announce our first annual Bat City Review Editors' Prize Contest.” Poetry: Submit a single poem, no longer than one page. Prose: For this category, please submit a single piece of prose no longer than 500 words. Please do not include your name or any identifying information on the document you upload. Pieces with identifying information will be disqualified. One winning piece will be selected. The winner will receive $500 and print publication in Bat City Review Issue 18 (Spring 2022). All submissions will also be considered for future print publication. Fee: $5

“Our Spring/Summer 2021 issue will be devoted to highlighting Black writers, Indigenous writers, writers of color, and writers who identify as LGBTQ+. We know there are many writers who wish to be considered for publication in Cheat River Review, but if you do not fall into one of these categories, we ask you to wait until our next reading period to submit. We can’t wait to see what you have for us, but we want to devote this issue to exclusively publishing marginalized voices.” Poetry: Please submit up to 3 poems totaling no more than five pages in a single submission. All poems and titles should be aligned to the left unless there is an intentional choice on the part of the author. Fiction: Please either submit one short story up to 3,000 words OR a maximum of 3 flash pieces up to 1000 words as part of a single document. Creative Nonfiction: Please submit either one manuscript of no more than 4,500 words OR a maximum of 3 flash pieces up to 500 words each as part of a single document. No fee.

Poetry: So to Speak Journal is looking for poetry which is (implicitly or explicitly) intersectionally feminist. Submit up to 5 poems. Your submission should not exceed 10 pages. Fiction: What we most want to read are stories that approach intersectional feminism in new and exciting ways, that add to and further the conversation. We want stories that see tried-and-true topics—motherhood, coming of age, assault, miscarriages—in new ways, and stories that see timely topics—immigration, sexuality, disability, class—in new ways, too. Though we don't have a hard word limit for the online issue, pieces over 4,000 words will have to be outstanding. Nonfiction: We welcome submissions of personal essays, memoir, profiles, and other nonfiction pieces, but please only send one. All nonfiction submissions should be double-spaced with numbered pages. There is no hard word limit, but pieces over 4,000 words will have to be outstanding. No fee.

Alchemy is a magazine of Portland Community College literature and art. Submit up to 5 poems, and/or up to 3,000 words of fiction or nonfiction per piece. All works must be titled. No fee.

“Pangyrus publishes well-crafted, thought-provoking writing in every genre: fiction, poetry, journalism, essays and memoirs, reviews and criticism, comics and visual arts. We publish two print editions a year, and continuously online. Some of the work we accept during this submission period will appear in our 10th print issue! As we discussed possible themes to mark this milestone, we gravitated to the environment, and the need (and opportunity) to restructure more sustainable systems for both democracy and the planet. Poetry: Please send a maximum of 3 poems contained within a single document. Because our volume of submissions is high, we ask that you submit only once per reading period. Fiction: We are looking for well-crafted, thought-provoking fiction in all forms. Word count: submissions should be a maximum of 3,800 words. Because our volume of submissions is high, we ask that you send only one submission per reading period. Nonfiction: We favor two kinds of submissions: short, focused essays between 600 and 1,500 words, and longer, more reported features of up to 3,500 words. Please send only one selection at a time.” Fee: $3.

“We are now accepting entries for the 2021 Gulf Coast Prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry.” Poetry: Submit up to five poems (ten pages max) in a single .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf file. Fiction: Submit one story (twenty-five double-spaced pages max) in a single .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. Nonfiction: Submit one essay (twenty-five, double-spaced pages max) in a single .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. Fee: $23 per entry

Poetry Contest. Judge: Diane Seuss. $1,500 Prize and publication in New Ohio Review 30. You may submit up to 6 single-spaced pages of poetry per submission entry. Fiction Contest. Judge: Anthony Marra. $1,500 Prize and publication in New Ohio Review 30. Submissions for this contest are blind. Prose should be typed, double-spaced and be no longer than 20 pages. Nonfiction Contest: Jerald Walker. $1,500 Prize and publication in New Ohio Review 30. You may submit one essay/memoir per submission. Prose should be typed, double-spaced, and be no longer than 20 pages. Submissions for this contest are blind. Please exclude your contact information from your actual submission--including name, email address, and mailing address. Fee: $22 per entry.

“South 85 Journal accepts poetry, fiction, and non-fiction during our open submission period. Please send only one submission per category (poetry, fiction, and non-fiction) during each reading period. You are welcome to submit to more than one category.” Poetry: Submit up to 3 poems. Fiction: Fiction submissions should be between 2,000 and 5,000 words. (For submissions 850 or less, please see our Flash Fiction Contest.) Please include the word count in an upper corner of the first page. Nonfiction: Non-fiction submissions should be no longer than 8,000 words. Please include the word count in an upper corner of the first page. Fee: $3

Slipstream: “Magical Realism. Fantasy. Science fiction. We're after literary-quality writing with a healthy serving of imagination. You wrote it. We want it.” Optimism: “We’ll read heartbreak if we get a little redemption. We’ll stomach tragedy and brutality if there’s a little ambition and hope. Humor is fine too. Hell, we’ll even take some revenge. Revenge is optimistic, right? Please identify your work as fiction or nonfiction in your cover letter. Submissions should generally not exceed 12,000 words. If have a great piece which you think is a good fit and exceeds these guidelines, send it. Simultaneous submissions accepted. Include a brief bio in your cover letter to be used as a contributor bio in the event of publication. Your name should not appear anywhere on your manuscript. No previously-published material. Fee: $6.35

“Writers have two avenues for submission, either a general submission or a submission to our contests, the Rash Awards, which offer $500 first prizes in both Fiction and Poetry. All general submissions and contest submissions received during the reading period will be considered for publication. However, only official entries for the Rash Awards and the $15 entry fee will be eligible for the prize awards. Poetry: Entries are restricted to five poems, with no more ten pages total per submission. Fiction: Entries must be double spaced and no longer than 5,000 words. Winning manuscripts will appear in the Volume 53 of the Broad River Review, which will be published in late fall of 2021. All entrants will be mailed one copy of Volume 53 of the Broad River Review.” https://broadriverreview.submittable.com/submit/

“Submissions for the 2021 Honeybee Prizes in Poetry and Nonfiction will be open until April 15th. The 3-5 finalists will be sent to our guest contest judges (see below) who will select the winner. The winning entry will receive $200 prize via Paypal, publication in the Summer 2021 issue of The Good Life Review that will include an endorsement from the respective judge for that category, and a jar of honey from a Midwest apiary. The runner up in each category will also receive an honorable mention on our site and possible inclusion in the Summer 2021 issue.” Poetry: There is no length limit on individual poems, but please send no more than six poems per submission and no more than 10 pages in total. Essays: Essays should not exceed 8,000 words. Excerpts from memoirs may be considered but should be self-contained. Fee: $3 (waived for BIPOC).

“Please note that we receive numerous submissions and the contest may not be judged until spring or summer 2021. Submission fee includes a one-year subscription to The Florida Review.” Poetry: Up to 5 poems per entry, and individual multiple entries in any category or combination of categories are OK. Fiction: Please limit each submission to 6,000 words. One story per entry, but multiple individual entries by a writer in any category or combination of categories are considered. Nonfiction: Please limit each submission to 6,000 words. One essay per entry, but multiple individual entries by a writer in any category or combination of categories are considered. Fee: $25

“Attention LGBTQ+ writers and artists! To celebrate Pride Month in June 2021, 805 Lit + Art will publish a special issue of writing and art by LGBTQ+ creators. Submit your short stories, flash prose, creative nonfiction, art, and graphic fiction by April 18, 2021. The issue will be live on our website on June 1, 2021.” Poetry: Up to 3 at a time in one submission. .: up to 2 at a time, max 750 words Fiction: up to 2 at a time, 751-2,500 words. Creative Nonfiction: up to 2 at a time, max 2500 words each. No fee.

“This submission is open to any written work (poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and hybrid forms), as well as visual art in any medium. For written work, please submit pieces under 1,000 words (exceptions can apply to work that is particularly compelling to the given themes, so please note if your submitted piece is part of a longer expression). Both literal and figurative interpretations of the ‘brave new world’ theme are welcomed. The submitted pieces can be any type (poetry, prose, art), in any combination. They can relate to any of the following speculations, musings, forecasts, or concerns about the future—near or far (…well, maybe not too far. We’re not so much interested in distant sci-fi/fantasy worlds as we are in the more grounded concerns for the days ahead that most of us are likely to experience). Having said that, we are certainly open to the creative possibilities that you have to offer, in all of their craft, experimentation, and intuition.” No fee. https://theclosedeyeopen.submittable.com/submit/186433/theme-aldous-huxleys-brave-new-world

Poetry and Visual Poetry: Please submit in one file a portfolio of 3-6 poems (up to 10 pages), with each poem on its own page(s). Send visual poems in this category as well. Fiction: Please submit one short story of up to 9,000 words. We are looking for fully embodied stories that remind us of what it means to be alive, that show us something new, and that stand up over many reads, deepening each time. Nonfiction: We seek nonfiction that bends—but doesn't break—the genre. We appreciate risk-taking with structure, chronology, form, and other elements of nonfiction (save for truth—there’s no messing with that) that tell a richly textured story. We are open to memoir that goes beyond the personal story to engage with larger ideas through the use of research, multiple narrative voices, and chronological deviations. Fee: $2. https://grr.submittable.com/submit/

Categories Accepted: Poetry: (up to five poems in the same document) up the three pages per poem; (up to five poems in the same document) up the three pages per poem; Short stories: 1,001 – 7,500 words; Flash fiction: (up to three pieces in the same document) up to 1,000 words per piece; and Creative Nonfiction: up to 6,000 words. Fee: $10 per entry.

“Welcome to the 29th annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $8,000 in prizes. For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction.” Judge: Dennis Norris II, assisted by Lauren Singer Ledoux. Please submit as many entries as you like. All themes accepted. Entries may be published or unpublished. Length limit: 6,000 words maximum. No restriction on age of author. All countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). Fee: $20 per entry.

“Ninth Letter is pleased to announce our eighth annual Literary Awards call for submissions! We'll be accepting entries from March 8, 2021 to April 30, 2021 for our Literary Awards in three categories: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction. The winning manuscript selected in each category will receive publication in our Fall/Winter 2021-22 issue (vol. 18 no. 2) and a publication rate of $1,000. Our publication fee purchases first North American print rights only; all other rights are retained by the author.” Poetry submissions should include 3-5 poems, no more than 10 pages total in the submission Fiction and Creative Nonfiction submissions should be a maximum of 8,000 words. Fee: $18 (includes subscription or copy of Fall/Winter 2021-22 edition). http://www.ninthletter.com/contest/contest-guidelines

WOW! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Contests - Deadlines: April 30 (Creative nonfiction) and May 31 (Fiction). Our favorite writing community offers quarterly contests judged blindly with multiple cash prizes and more for 20 winners, up to $1,350 (fiction) and $1,175 plus a gift certificate to CreateWriteNow (nonfiction), an affordable critique option, and a 300-entry limit on each contest. What’s not to love? This season's guest judge is Literary Agent Emily Forney with BookEnds Literary Agency. Fee: $10 (Flash Fiction) and $12 (Nonfiction).

April 17 is National Haiku Day! Celebrate by submitting your haiku to Moonstone Arts Center. Deadline: April 10. “Haiku poetry is a form of Japanese poetry that is non-rhyming and usually consists of 3 lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5. Usually, an element of nature, a season, moment of beauty, or an individual experience inspires haiku poems. Sensory language is used to capture a feeling, image or moment. As one of the world’s oldest and most regularly used forms of poetry, many poets wrote many haiku. While the most well-known is Matsuo Basho, others we may recognize are William Blake, T.S. Eliot, Richard Wright and Maya Angelou. Try capturing an entire moment or emotion in 17 syllables and getting it right. English haiku does not always follow the strict syllable count found in Japanese haiku.” Submit up to 5 haiku. Fee: $5. https://moonstoneartscenter.submittable.com/submit/187679/national-haiku-poetry-day

April 27 is National Tell a Story Day! Celebrate by entering the Geist 2021 Postcard Story Contest ($500; $250; $150). Deadline: April 15. “Send us a story and a postcard—the relationship can be as strong or as tangential as you like, so long as there is a clear connection between the story and the image. If you’re not sure where to look for a postcard, you can make your own or visit Wikimedia Commons. The story can be fiction or non-fiction; maximum length is 500 words. For a classic example of a postcard story, read "Grizzly Bill" or "No Time to Write." Visit our postcard story archive for more examples of notable stories. Fee: $20 CAD. https://geist.submittable.com/submit/187207/2021-postcard-story-contest

Using Save the Cat to Write a Memoir, and Cracking the Beat Sheet Course Review

From my title, you may have surmised I’m going to talk about using Save the Cat to structure a book-length memoir, and review their Cracking the Beat Sheet course from a memoirist’s perspective. You may be thinking: Are you kidding? Use a screenwriting structure tool for nonfiction? But like the orange cat in the logo ... hang on.

There’s a misconception that memoir doesn’t need to have a dramatic story arc or plot. That as long as you tell a true story, share your vulnerabilities, and write well, readers will forgive a nonfiction book that lacks an arc or one that doesn’t quite resolve. Well, yes, they might because readers know that real life is messy; however, if you’re writing a book you plan to pitch and sell, your memoir should be just as compelling as a novel (or even more!). Memoirists can use craft elements to elevate their true stories. If you’ve read bestselling memoirs like Wild, Educated, The Glass Castle, and Brain on Fire, you’ll notice they have a distinct character and story arc and an underlying theme. In fact, I bet if you mapped them, you’d find they fit into Save the Cat’s fifteen story beats.

You may be wondering: What is Save the Cat?

It’s a story structure method developed by screenwriter Blake Snyder after consuming every structure and screenwriting book over the course of his career. He took what he learned and distilled it into fifteen critical beats (plot points, character arc, theme arc) that are so universal they can be used to tell any narrative story. Not only that, Blake mapped story types and condensed them into ten genres, which allow you to study how the beats fit into genre expectations.

I’ve noticed that when beginning writers start thinking about writing a memoir, we often begin with journaling, floating from one memory to the next, trying to uncover our story. We tend to think of our memories in terms of what happened—this happened, and then that happened, and so on—and we write it out that way. But hopefully, we realize in a moment of epiphany, or perhaps reading a lot of craft books and articles, that this really doesn’t offer anything valuable to the reader. We need to shape our narrative into an artistic combination of significant events based on a theme and dramatic structure in order to create emotional resonance in the reader.

I’m currently writing three memoirs, each set at a specific, intense time in my life. I write about trauma, grief, addiction, and transgression, which may sound like strange topics to plot, but I’ve found that utilizing the right container for my memories can help corral them into a gripping story. Creative nonfiction writers are familiar with containers. We use structures like braided, collage, hermit crab, vignette, list, lyric, and more, but they are usually used for flash and essay-length pieces. A book-length nonfiction project can quickly become overwhelming without having a structure in place.

Signs of spring and hope are in the air, as we head into April, one of my favorite months of the year—the month we adopted my energetic dog, Sudsi, and celebrate my daughter’s half-birthday. In the spring, I have more energy to accomplish tasks, including writing and editing (and even cleaning my house!), and the longer hours of daylight help with those energy levels immensely. It’s been a hard winter—at least here in St. Louis, but I always love when I see all your success stories, like the ones we have below.

As for my own success, lo and behold, with my publishing company, Editor-911 Books, I finally figured out the order of how to put books into the Ingram Spark and Amazon systems to get a print pre-order to work correctly. I did a happy dance because this was for Sioux Roslawski’s middle-grade novel, Greenwood Gone: Henry’s Story (pub. date April 14), which many of you have been following its trials and tribulations on The Muffin. (I won’t say much more since Sioux needs to turn in her own success story for next month!)

Remember, if you’re not connected to us on social media, then feel free to email me, Margo, at margo@wow-womenonwriting.com and also cc margolynndill@gmail.com as sometimes emails for success wind up in my spam folder.

As you read through these posts below, I hope you feel as inspired as I did, and I also hope that you will check out some of the markets people submitted to and/or some of the ways people are getting published—these stories are inspirational and educational. Here we go…

Kathryn Schleich writes that her next domestic thriller novel, Darkness and Grace, was published on March 15, 2021, with Chris Olsen Communications. “Inspired by real-life events, it’s a compelling story of the Pierson family, as they discover that neither their money nor their considerable influence can keep them safe from one woman’s malicious intent,” Kathryn says. It’s available on Amazon now.

Marjan Sierhuis writes that the website “Everyday Fiction published my story ‘Flame.’ On submission to the Fall 2020 contest with WOW, it was titled: ‘Aevnass.’ Although my story failed to make the grade with WOW, Melanie Faith's advice was excellent.”

Linda M. James writes to us about her novel, A Fatal Façade, and shares her book trailer. [Editor’s note: If you are thinking of a book trailer, watch Linda’s example!] Linda says, “Having gone to a convent school, studied art (amongst other subjects), and singing with a jazz band years ago, I thought it would be fascinating to explore the diverse worlds of religion, sex, art, and jazz—a heady mix in my crime thriller.”

Patricia White Gable writes, “I took a WOW class in Dec., and a piece I wrote then was accepted by Pacific Press. Just finished another WOW class in Feb. and had another story accepted. My sister and I are taking a class with Margo in April. WOW gives me knowledge and motivation.”

Janis Doherty writes, “Wrote and self-published my first book while facing breast cancer. It was the shining star that kept my head looking up. The book is called Find HER - 20 Revealing Questions to Discover the Woman Within.”

Jen Payne writes, “Last year, I launched a new zine called MANIFEST (zine). It's a hold-in-your-hands art installation featuring my writing and bits and pieces of creative whatnot. The next issue? IT'S ABOUT TIME this time — time travel, time loops, time passing — a 28-page, full-color book filled with artwork, photography, poetry, and a curated Spotify playlist. You can get a copy here.”

Sharon Lampert writes about her book coming out in summer 2021, “Get ready for a mind-expanding adventure, GOD TALKS TO ME: A Working Definition of God. This book answers Albert Einstein’s most profound question, ‘I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details.’” Find out more details at this link: https://www.facebook.com/GodTalkstoMeBook

Heather Huffman-Author writes, “After a long hiatus in my writing career, I rebranded and relaunched my 12-novel series, The Throwaways. My first new novel in five years goes on preorder in less than two weeks!”

Tina Russo Coash wrote in for Kim Plasket and says, “Kim Plasket published a book!” The book is The Forgotten Ones and is on Amazon.

Lynn Nicholas – Author writes, “I finally started writing again after a long, dry, Covid-shutdown. Got my first vaccination and wrote several short pieces in a few days. One was accepted for Story Snacks, hosted by the Society of Southwestern Authors. Two I submitted to WOW's contest, if only for the invaluable critiques. Two I sent to the NY Times 100-word stories, and one to Chicken Soup for the Soul - Cats. Have no idea where any of those might go, but the point is I'm writing again!”

Leanna Falconer writes, “I have put together a new collection of my short stories that will be published at the end of March. It contains ten stories that have been previously published in various anthologies over the years as well as three brand new ones.”

deborah_l_burns writes, “A pandemic silver lining was the time to finish my second book. And now Authorize It! Think Like a Writer to Win at Work & Life is available for pre-order!”

tyreanmartinson writes, “I had two successes with the same local literary arts magazine. I had a sci-fi short story, "Companion for the Journey," published in Creative Colloquy, Volume 7, in February; and at a celebration for their 7th birthday on Zoom, I read out loud a short essay piece Creative Colloquy published on their website. Volume 7 can be found on Amazon.

carolcovengrannick writes, “Won an IL Arts Council Grant that supported the development of this wonderful new trailer for REENI'S TURN, giving a second wind to outreach!” You can watch the book trailer on Carol’s home page.

annkkelly writes, “Excited that a flash CNF I wrote last summer about a link between a birdbath and current events and the cracks between was published.”

christina_rauh_fishburne writes, “Coming up on the final two installments of my serial novella, The Bridge That Would Not Burn.”

Ready to submit your work to a contest or publication? We hope so! We also hope that you’ll write some poetry this month in celebration of National Poetry Month.

Let’s Write a Villanelle! For poets in seek of a challenge, I’d like to introduce the “villanelle,” which is a French poetic form based on Italian peasant songs. It comprises five tercets (3-line stanza) followed by a quatrain (4-line stanza), a journey that separates a couplet (two lines of rhymed verse) and magically reunites it in the end. This form may take more than 5 minutes to write, but if you like puzzles, you’ll adore the villanelle. There are few things in life as satisfying as hearing a villanelle recited aloud.

My favorite villanelles include Elizabeth Bishop’s “One Art” and Martha Collins’ “The Story We Know,” and especially Sylvia Plath’s ”Mad Girl's Love Song”. For a breakdown of the form and even more examples, see the glossary entry on the villanelle from Poets.org. What’s fun is to take a proverb or other accepted wisdom and turn it on its head, as my husband J.P. and I did in our own villanelle challenge.

For any writer seeking to grow in poetry, I hope this article sparks your curiosity and cultivates your own exploration. There are countless excellent poetry guides out there, and I wish I could list them all, but two of my favorites are The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux and Poemcrazy by Susan Wooldridge. Above all else, please continue to read and collect the work of your own favorite poets. These will be more than books on your shelf; these poets will be your friends for life.

~ Ashley & Team WOW!

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