June Markets Newsletter (50,000 subscribers and counting!)
Intro by Angela Mackintosh; Markets Column by Ashley Memory
|
|
Writers,
When my mind feels as cluttered as a Marie Kondo project, I turn to writing prompts and exercises for inspiration. It’s a quick way to clear the mental chaos, weed out the hum of the world, and focus, unlocking the hidden art inside me.
|
|
If I’m in-between writing workshops, I’ll dig in and make my own “homegrown” prompt like this one:
Find a poem or flash piece online that moves you, read it out loud twice, and then pick one line from it to use as a prompt. The line should be open ended, something like: “I didn’t know...” or “You should have seen...”—one you can repeat as a mantra. Then, set a timer for fifteen minutes and keep your pen on the page, never stopping to reflect on what you should write next. The idea is to not censor yourself; and if you feel the urge to pause, write the line again to bump your writing and keep going.
For example, this morning I used the prompt “What if...” and wrote for fifteen minutes. I urge you to try it, too! I’m not sure if this is a prose poem, because I’m unfamiliar with poetry, or a creative nonfiction piece, but I wanted to share it with you because it pertains to writers. Where I live, in Los Angeles, it was announced that “Safer at Home” orders would last until July. With that news on my mind, I wrote this:
|
|
What If
What if our lives never returned to “normal,” the normal we knew a few months ago; and we remained, for the most part, in low gear. That daily walk in the sunshine, a respite, a masked time of meditation. What if the animals reclaimed the land, yawning into the road, basking with renewed vigor and confidence, fearless in their approach. The air quality cleaner, fewer cars on the road. What if we let this experience humble us, inspire us to step softly—would Mother Earth flourish again? What if we learned how to slow down and nurture ourselves, permitted the little things to stir us—the scent of an orange peel, an eye smile returned, the wheels of a cart rolling on pavement, a conversation with those relatives we avoided each holiday. Could this really change us? What if we let it. Stopped expecting things to return to “normal” and instead drew a line on the floor, labeled it before and after, the day we pivoted for the better. What if we noticed all the tiny things we’d taken for granted, spent more time on our craft, whether knitting, sewing, baking, painting, sculpting, and of course, writing. What if we showed up to the page daily with open hearts, fingers moving rapidly, minds emptied of clutter, without fear, and never pulled away from our dreams. What if we stopped worrying and just accepted. Believed our writing was good enough, knew our words held power. Allowed them to flow out of us and into the world like driftwood catching the tide, gnarled and unadorned. Pure emotion. Unedited.
Yes, really. What if we trusted those words would be honored. Imagined a publisher snatching them up like bright candy. Could we make this time count for something positive and fruitful? What if you decided today was the most beautiful day you’d ever seen. Let it wash over you. Seep inside your body—your gut, chest, hips—carrying this moment of deep reflection like a polished stone, the weight of which serving as a reminder of what you survived, but its inner light piercing your body in rays. What if you let it shine. Knew all you needed was inside of you, and used this time to coax it out, create art that only you could create. What if you accepted yourself. Didn’t try to be and just were. Made this moment, right now, your own story of what if.
*
|
So that’s what I’ve been doing every morning. I’ll start with one phrase and bounce off of it, write to a timer, and then if I think it’s publishable, I’ll send it out into the world—believe it or not—
unedited. I know that’s controversial for an editor to say, but I encourage it! Especially during this time when we want to capture these strange feelings on the page. The rawness of your words will set you free.
I have one more prompt I want to share with you, and this one led to publication. Before the pandemic, I used a similar prompt by Kathy Fish, where you write a list of moments in your life filled with powerful emotion. Just one moment—the first time you kissed someone, or when, during the first month of shelter-in-place, a guy brushed your arm with his shopping bag at the grocery store. (An inside joke for those who read the
last newsletter!)
Then you pick a moment from the list and zoom in. Take five sheets of paper and write each of the senses in the middle of a thought bubble—see, smell, hear, touch, taste—and branch out bubbles filled with details you remember from that moment.
With the sense details embedded in your mind, set those papers aside, and do a free-write for five minutes without lifting your pen from the page. Afterwards, step back and read what you’ve written. Is there a sentence or phrase that stands out to you? Use those words as your first line.
Next, set your timer for fifteen minutes with your new first line at the top of the page. Don’t let up until the buzzer goes off, and make sure there is no white space. You can write it in multiple sentences or in one sentence. It’s called “Breathless Flash.”
|
I chose one sentence, wrote an experimental creative nonfiction piece in fifteen minutes, and submitted it to a journal without editing. And you know what? They accepted it, and it was published earlier this month. I drew illustrations to accompany the prose; and then per the editor’s suggestions, I turned the illustrations into black and white, cut them up to look like a zine. The colorful drawing you see above is the
before image, and the ones on their site are the
after. I prefer the after! The editors’ advice was spot on because those illustrations and animations match the dark mood of the piece better. It’s an experimental CNF flash called, “
Girls Like Us.” (There's also an audio recording of me reading the piece at the bottom of the page!) It was published in
Exposition Review, which is a fun, supportive literary journal that publishes outstanding literary work from writers of all levels in the genres of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, stage & screen, experimental, visual art, and comics. They have a Flash 405 Contest where you write a piece up to 405 words, and they produce live readings and work with nonprofits such as WriteGirl. I’m honored to have my work featured in their publication.
And you’ve been busy, too!
We share your Success Stories in this month’s issue, and I included a couple highlights from my inbox. Our markets columnist, Ashley Memory, also shares her dynamite first place win in her conclusion. Plus,
you’re going to
love
Ashley's interactive quiz: “What Kind of Submission Flower Are You?” Pick your flower, and then match up your style with your personalized submission plan!
|
If you want more detailed prompts and daily guidance from an expert,
I recommend Mari L. McCarthy’s
Courses for Writers
. She’s offering them to WOW subscribers for only $4.97 until May 31st! I’ve worked through
Overcoming Page Fright and
Journal Magic for Writers—both of which have a section for clearing the clutter.
Journal Magic is imaginative fun because it uses multi-media prompts with objects, books, magazines, and creative writing techniques, such as interviewing your characters or writing to a timer. It’s a fourteen-day course, so you learn to make time every day for your writing practice.
|
Our second top sponsor this month hosts prompt-based writing contests where you can win cash prizes and the opportunity to join their writer’s benefit program and receive monthly payments for writing serialized fiction.
Dreame is an international reading app for women with over twenty million readers—mostly in the romance genres. We
interviewed Dreame at The Muffin, and they also provided a guest post on
how to choose a genre and reader expectations.
They are hosting a
writing contest where your protagonist must be a billionaire
with a career other than a CEO (no Christian Greys here!). It’s free to enter, the deadline is June 30th, and the top prize is $1,500.
|
Remember
WOW’s
Spring Flash Fiction Contest
with guest judge Literary Agent
Quressa Robinson
of Nelson Literary closes May 31st! Get your best work under 750 words together and submit for your chance to win cash and prizes, plus praise from fellow writers. Someone has to win—actually, twenty someones! Why not you?
|
Also, we're accepting queries/article pitches for the next WOW e-zine theme. If you already queried us, thank you! We'll be looking at queries shortly after the deadline. A quick reminder:
Your Burning Question
Deadline for pitches: June 15
Every article title should be a question, and the content will be the answer to the most pressing questions writers have.
|
So, let’s dig in, discover fresh markets, and start submitting!
Make this time count. We believe in you.
Much love, and write on!
|
Angela Mackintosh, editor, with her surprising homegrown garden find. (Now that's a lot of zucchini!)
|
|
Editors Seeking Pitches
Bitchmedia
Seeking pitches that offer a feminist analysis of culture. Seeking discussion-provoking critical essays and reported features that are well researched with evidence to back up claims, timely statistics, and connections between one’s personal experience and larger social forces. Also seeking content for “Power” issue, with a deadline of August 24. Payment varies but is generally $700-$1000 for features, $350 for dispatches, and between $250-$700 for culture stories.
Bright Wall/Dark Room
Looking for pitches related to movies. They raised their freelance rates and are accepting more off-theme submissions as long as they relate to movies in some way. Pay ranges from $100 - $300 per essay. Word count varies. Visit their
submissions page for details, and either submit your essay or send your pitch first to
[email protected]
Cosmopolitan
Editor Taylor Andrews is looking for pitches and freelancers to assign projects to, with an emphasis on their love/sex/dating/relationships vertical. They’re focusing a lot on essays and service pieces about how COVID-19 is changing those topics. Send pitches to:
[email protected]
Catapult
Editor Lilly Dancyger is looking for non-COVID personal essays that use an external artifact (a critical/researched component) to illuminate a personal story. A personal narrative should be the main focus, and the more obscure or surprising, the better. Email pitches or completed essays (1,800-2,500 words) to
[email protected]
by June 1. Pitches should be thorough: explain the narrative arc, the emotional growth, and how the artifact relates. Completed essays as Word docs only (and tell her a little bit about the essay in your email.)
Fodors Travel
Seeking pitches of culture, lifestyle, and narrative pieces that are place-based. Think outside the traditional travel box: they love buzzy, zeitgeisty stories told with a bold personality. Pitch to
[email protected]
Hard Noise Magazine
A non-satirical music and culture publication seeks punk rock listicles. Rates are $50-$100. Visit
this page for more information on what to pitch and to submit ideas for listicles.
Metro Opinion's "Love, Or Something Like It series"
Seeking pitches about love, lust, and loss. They’re particularly looking for stories from men ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities but the angle doesn’t have to be about gender, sexuality, race or culture. Send pitches to editor Rosy Edwards:
[email protected]
Midwesterner
Accepting pitches for soulful 200-to-400-word mini-stories about food and agriculture in the Midwest. They pay $200 on acceptance, plus an additional $50 for accepted photos. Send pitches to
[email protected]
October
October is a publication about beer. Seeking pitches for features, interviews, 101s, op-eds, personal essays, as well as coronavirus-related content. Pitch editor Sarah Freeman:
[email protected]
On Parenting
Seeking new, insightful, different pieces that have an interesting angle related to parenting. No more than 1,200 words. They welcome reported pieces as well as personal essays. Payment varies. Please familiarize yourself with their work at
washingtonpost.com/onparenting, our
newsletter,
Twitter and
Facebook.
R29 Unbothered
"A Refinery 29 brand for black women by black women," is looking for freelance writers. Pitches can range from news, entertainment, spirituality, health, beauty, etc. but especially seeking fitness or education. Pitch senior editor, Stephanie Long at:
Remezcla
A Latinx publication looking for pitches on arts and culture. Rates vary depending on level of reporting and length. Pitch editor Ecleen Luzmila Caraballo:
[email protected]
Saveur Magazine
Seeking pitches from writers who want to tell amazing stories about food and travel. Include a brief summary of the proposed article and how you plan to execute the reporting. Links to clips. Payment varies. Submit queries to:
[email protected].
Soft Punk
A literary arts and culture quarterly, is looking for fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and visual features. Pitch:
[email protected]
Taproot
Taproot Magazine is an ad-free, independent print publication celebrating food, farm, family, and craft, both fine and domestic. They’re looking for creative pieces exploring the topics of food, farm, family and craft. Stories about the many makers, doers and dreamers of our time. Payment varies. Email them at
[email protected] with your submission attached as a word document. Please include the issue/theme name in the subject line of your email. A brief bio and publication history (if any) is helpful as well. For more, see
taprootmag.com/pages/submissions.
Teen Vogue
Editor Allegra Kirkland is looking for pitches of history-related pieces, op-eds, profiles of interesting candidates, explainers, stuff on youth activism/ immigration/climate change/education/voting rights, and anything else young people interested in politics would be into. Pitch:
[email protected]
The Face
Looking for pitches on anti-culture, ultra-fashion, weird science, games, music, and attitude. Send pitches to editor Matthew Whitehouse:
[email protected]
The Progressive
Seeking pitches on politics, culture, and activism during the pandemic. They pay $150 for web pieces (between 700 and 1,200 words) and roughly $500 to $1,200 for print pieces. Pitch editor Emilio Leanza:
[email protected]
The Temper
Explores life through the lens of sobriety, addiction, and recovery. Particularly interested in amplifying the work of women, people of color, the LGBTQIA+ communities, people aged 55+, people with disabilities, and those in any other historically marginalized or underrepresented group. Seeking pitches on 2020 monthly topics: LGBTQIA+ (June), Mental Health (July), Creating a Social Life (August), and more. Keep in mind that these are more tips and how-to/lifestyle based pieces, not necessarily personal essays. Although they do welcome a personal angle in every piece! Pays $100 each. For how to pitch, see
www.thetemper.com/submissions
|
|
This issue is sponsored by:
|
|
CreateWriteNow's Journaling Courses for Writers
|
|
Our partner, Mari L. McCarthy, founder and chief empowerment officer at
CreateWriteNow, is offering all writers' courses for only $4.97 through May 31! For some of the courses, that's over 80% off! Dive into courses like
Journal Magic for Writers,
53 Weekly Writing Retreats,
12 day Guide to Morning Pages, and
Overcoming Page Fright. All led by inspiring instructor, Mari L. McCarthy.
|
|
Sponsor: Dreame Writing Contests
|
|
The Multi-professional Billionaire Writing Contest
Deadline: June 30
Can a charming, young rich man be more than a CEO? Why not give your protagonist a different career? For example, an athlete, soldier, lawyer, doctor, or member of the secret services. Different professions have different charms; so what romantic stories might unfold when characters from different professions meet? Use your imagination to create a unique romantic backstory for a billionaire.
Looking for stories with strong characters, an engaging opening and storyline, and a plot related to the character's professional setting. Elements of romance are not required, but recommended. Other elements, such as horror/thriller, suspense, sci-fi, and fantasy, are also recommended.
Prizes: 1st Place: $1,500; 2nd Place: $800; 3rd Place: $500; 4th Place: $300; popular stories can join the Pay to Read Program and receive additional royalties.
No entry fee.
|
|
Dreame is a network reading platform, providing readers with excellent content, and authors with a platform to present their work. Dreame has published over 150,000 fictional works by more than 60,000 authors. Through the shared readings and knowledge, readers around the world can connect and enjoy a good book.
Dreame is available in many counties to help readers recognize the magical power of books. It aims to build a link between love and passion, and bridge a gap between different countries and cultures.
|
|
A special quiz and personalized submitting plan just for you
|
|
By Ashley Memory
No matter where you live, gardening this time of year is a dicey business. Late frosts and early heat waves brutalize young seedlings, as we learned when planting grass this year and trying to grow baby peach trees. Nonetheless, the extra rain has blessed us with a munificence of roses and the juiciest raspberries I’ve ever tasted. So why can’t we grow grass?
In so many ways, gardening reminds me of writing and submitting for publication. It’s equal parts disappointment, joy, and surprise! Ten volunteer pumpkin plants wiggled through the dirt of our raised bed garden this year and they’re flourishing just as well as the tomato plants we’ve intentionally nurtured. Humm….I wonder if any “volunteer” writing projects hover in my old notebooks.
As a writer, you can’t be scared to get your hands dirty. This means digging through the “soil” of your head and generating ideas that will bloom into stories, essays, poetry and more. And once you finally have a draft, as all writers know, the work only intensifies. Because here is when you must prune, prune, prune and sometimes even “graft” a new direction entirely.
When you’re proud of your creation and finally ready to share it with the world, you must till again. Sort through the hard clay and stones to find just the right home. But this is where we can help you! In this issue we’ve culled together 65 markets for the work you’ve so lovingly cultivated. And this list sizzles with opportunity, with tantalizing themes such as “The Heart,” “Lost,” “Work,” and “Scars.” But first, just for fun, we’ve created a quick little quiz to help you “espalier” your way into a successful submission.
|
|
What Kind of Submission "Flower" Are You?
|
|
Violet. Just like the delicate violets that spring up sparingly among the grass, you’re shy about submitting. You may not have even submitted anything before at all, or you may have submitted just once or twice, only to have your heart broken. Even as your dearest friends insist, after reading your latest poem, “That should be published!” still you quake in your gardening clogs. Shy Vi, you owe it to yourself and the world to share your work.
|
|
Forget-Me-Not. You’re not afraid of submitting, but you concentrate your energies on penning quality work, not on the “ins” and “outs” of submitting. Who has time for that? You’re a wonderful writer with a plentiful garden of every variety of flower, and I just bet you’ve been published before, but your submission acumen could be stronger. Don’t let the world forget about you, Forget-Me-Not!
|
|
Rose. You choose your markets very deliberately and only submit if you believe you stand a good chance of acceptance. You’re very successful in your submissions, even if the blooms are rare. We’re not talking about knock-out roses here—you’re more into quality than quantity. You’re the long-stemmed exquisite variety with enormous powers of endurance. You are a virtuoso in choosing just the right opportunity. But the world aches to hear more from you, Rose!
|
|
Dandelion. You send your work out into the world far and wide. Just as the wind whirls the fluffy seed head in all directions, you play scattershot when it comes to submitting. You’re not fussy, and you take rejection well because you’re a bright yellow optimist at heart. You also have an extensive garden to draw from and are a maven when it comes to seizing opportunity. Dandelion, you’re at risk of turning into a “busy lizzie!”
|
|
Think about it for a minute and try to choose the “flower” that best defines you. Bear in mind that there are no “right” or “wrong” types. Each flower brings her own strengths.
Rejoin us at the end of the market section to match up your style with a personalized submission plan!
|
|
Ashley Memory lives in rural Randolph County, North Carolina, with her sculptor husband, Johnpaul Harris. When she's not musing on a new metaphor, she's trying to learn to drive a skid-steer loader and move earth. Her writing has appeared in many publications and magazines, including
Romantic Home
s,
The Raleigh News & Observer
, and
The Thomas Wolfe Review
, and most recently online in
The Rumpus
,
O.Henry
,
Gyroscope Review
, and
Women on Writing
. Her first poetry collection,
Waiting for the Wood Thrush
, was published by Finishing Line Press in November 2019, and she's currently at work on a memoir of her life in the Uwharries. For a forkful of the literary life, follow her blog,
Cherries and Chekhov
, or find her on Twitter
@memoryashley
.
|
|
Gyroscope Review: Summer Poetry Submissions
Deadline: June 7
Submit up to four poems with no length restrictions. No fee.
For more and to submit, see:
Storm of Blue Press
Deadline: June 7
Storm of Blue's third anthology: “if we were made of water,” is themed after the BANKS song of the same title. This collection reflects upon water signs, the intersection of metaphors and baptism, and more. Seeking confessional poetry, LGBTQ+ narrative, unflinching emotional honesty, free verse and experimental, open vulnerability, what you would say if there were no consequences. Fee: $5. Pays $10 per accepted piece.
Black Sunflowers Poetry Chapbook Call Out
Deadline: June 7
"Our stable of authors will be art oriented with a clear focus on poetry from women, especially older women and black poets." They are looking for completed, polished mini collections of poetry. They would prefer a set of themed poems but are open to all submissions. What they like: edgy / experimental / beautiful /unsettling / powerful / unfamiliar / bold / hypnotizing. "We want to be startled and moved." Fee: $3.
RABBIT: Nonfiction poetry for Issue 31: The Science Issue
Deadline: June 11
Guest-edited by Tricia Dearborn (author of
Autobiochemistry, 2019). Submit up to three poems that flirt with, wrangle with or inhabit science, from the macro to the molecular, from the theoretical to the practical, from the lab to everyday life. No fee.
Northwestern University Press Poetry Prize
Deadline: June 12
Seeking unpublished, original collections of poems written in English by Black poets of African descent who have had no more than one full-length book of poetry published by a professional press (chapbooks and self-published works are excluded). Prize: $1,000. No fee.
Palette Poetry: The 2020 Sappho Prize
Deadline: June 14
Judged by Victoria Chang. Open only to women and/or non-binary. Submit up to 3 poems. Prizes: $3,000; $300; $200. Fee” $20.
Akron Poetry Prize
Deadline: June 15
Seeks manuscripts between 48-90 pages. Winner receives $1,500 and publication of book. Other manuscripts may also be considered for publication in the series. Fee: $25.
Bitter Oleander Press Library of Poetry Award (BOPLOPA)
Deadline: June 15
An award of $1000 plus book publication of the winning manuscript is open to anyone writing in the English language for 48-80 pages of poetry. Fee: $28.
The MacGuffin’s 25th Annual Poet Hunt Contest
Deadline: June 16
Submit up to 5 poems at no more than 400 lines each. One (1) First Place Winner will receive a prize of $500 and publication. Up to two (2) Honorable Mentions may also be awarded and published. Fee: $15.
Swan Scythe Press Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: June 16
20 to 32 pages of poems. Fee: $18.
Up the Staircase Quarterly 50th Issue
Deadline: June 16
Send up to 6 poems in one document. No fee.
|
|
Necessary Fiction
Deadline: June 15
Summer flash fiction is back! For the third year running, Necessary Fiction will publish weekly flash fiction for your summer reading enjoyment beginning in June and lasting through Labor Day. They're looking for your best work of flash fiction in 750 words or less.
Philadelphia Stories: Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction
Deadline: June 15
Previously unpublished works of fiction up to 8,000 words. Open to U.S residents only. Fee: $15.
West Trestle Review
Deadline: June 15
"We are open to fiction from around the globe, as long as it's written in English by women or nonbinary writers." Please send up to three stories of no more than 3,000 words each, attached in a single document. No fee.
2020 New American Fiction Prize
Deadline: June 15
The winning manuscript will be published and its author will receive a publication contract including $1,500 and 25 copies. Manuscripts should be at least 100 pages, but there is no maximum length. All forms and styles of full-length fiction manuscripts are welcome, including story collections, novels, novellas, collections of novellas, flash fiction collections, novels in verse, and other hybrid forms. Fee: $25.
Midnight & Indigo: Speculative Fiction/Horror Issue ONLY
Deadline: June 28
Fractured Lit Flash Fiction Prize
Deadline June 28
Prime Number Magazine (Press 53)
Deadline: June 30
Submit one unpublished story of up to 5,300 words (please include word count), double spaced, numbered pages, written in English in a standard 12-pt. font. Limit one story per submission period. No fee.
Fabled Collective: Women of the Woods
Deadline: June 30
This collection is about the lore, myths, and legends of women who dwell in the forest. Historically, it’s the witches, artists, and outcasts who make the dark forest their home. Writers can retell a piece of folklore or create something altogether new. They want spooky, eerie, gothic tales, stories with rich, haunting settings that leave out the gore and focus more on a feeling of dread and foreboding. Think dark fantasy or quiet horror. Length: 2,000-8,000 words. Pay: $20 for 2k words; $50 for 5k words; $80 for 8k words.
|
|
Hippocampus Magazine: Seeking essays for 2021 titles
Deadline: June 15
“Road” essays (true road stories) and “Corner” stories of all kinds that are set in or revolve around a corner bar/dive bar. No fee.
Her Stry: Women at Work: Stories from the Workplace
Deadline: June 18
Women have a lot of stories about the workplace. Both good and bad. During the month of June, they're collecting stories about women in the workplace. Stories should be true, about you, and between 500 – 3,000 words. Payment: $20. Fee: $3.
|
|
The Brooklyn Review: Playwriting Open Call
Deadline: June 21
Prize: Performance. Please submit a single performance text (max. 5000 words). This includes: un-produced one-act plays, excerpts from un-produced full-length plays, choreographic scores, and scripts for live multi-media performances. They do not accept: stand-up comedy, essays, screenplays, speeches, or unsolicited critical responses.
|
|
The Blue Mountain Review
No deadline
Submit up to 3 poems of any length and style. Fiction up to 2,500 words; microfiction up to 300 words (limit of 3 pieces). Essays up to 2,500 words. Fee: $5.
Burningword Literary Journal
Deadline: June 10
Flash fiction and nonfiction submissions should aim for a word-count of 300-500 words or less per piece. You may submit up to two pieces per issue, may be submitted as one file, fewer than 5 pages, and must be unpublished. Poetry: Any form or style up to five (5) poems, submitted as one file, fewer than 10 pages, and must be unpublished.
The Closed Eye Open: Micro-poetry and Micro-fiction
Deadline: June 10
They'll be starting a supplement to their first full issue, which is scheduled for release in June. This little “extra” will be called Maya's Micros and will exclusively feature the littlest form of creative writing—micros. Whether you consider them micro-poems or micro-fictions, they are welcome here… as long as each individual piece is 108 words or fewer. Fee: $3.50.
Malasaña Magazine: Poetry, Fiction, Translation
Deadline: June 10
For fiction, please submit up to 2,500 words. "We will occasionally accept a longer piece if we really feel it fits with our intent." For poetry, please submit three to five poems, all in a single document. Translations of poems and flash fiction are welcome. Translator should have written permission from original author. Fee: $2.
Tint Journal
Deadline: June 12
Seeking poetry (one poem) flash (fiction and nonfiction up to 800 words) and creative prose (fiction and nonfiction between 1,000 and 4,000 words) by non-native speakers of English for their Fall issue. No fee.
The Journal of Latina Critical Feminism: Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Deadline: June 15
Works should not exceed 1,500 words. They will also consider Flash Nonfiction pieces. Multiple submissions should not exceed 1,500 words and should be submitted in one document. Fee: $3.
Black Fox Literary Magazine Annual Writing Contest - Theme: Scars
Deadline: June 15
"Submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction or poetry and we will select one winner that we feel interprets the theme best." Prize: $150 and publication (all entries considered).
Pigeonholes - Theme: “Lost”
Deadline: June 15
Fearless fiction, nonfiction, poetry and artwork. Literary, speculative, experimental, or absurdly unclassifiable, just make it bold and beautifully written. "For this theme, send us your pandemic stories, your ghosts, your hot mullets, your funny-sad stories about grief and your sad-sad stories, too. Send us hope, send us redemption, send us howling." Fiction and nonfiction up to 1,000 words up to 5 poems no longer than 50 lines each.
Sequestrum - Theme: Family
Deadline: June 15
Seeking fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Families are an endless source of material. "We want buried secrets. We want generational stories. We want your most ambitious writing in its most imaginative form. Whether that’s realism or fantasy, slipstream or traditional, we want to read it." Fee: $6.35.
Third Point Press: Fiction and Poetry
Deadline: June 26
Short stories up to 3,500 words or up to 3 flash (no more than 1,000 words each). Up to 5 poems. Fee: $5 (for expedited response only).
The A3 Press: Flash fiction, art and poetry - Theme: “Heart”
Deadline: June 27
The prompt for this month's contest is: The Heart. That moment when you heart skipped a beat, or the time you were called "a bleeding heart." Fee $5.
Sundog Lit: Creative Nonfiction and Fiction
Deadline: June 30
"We are cool with traditional personal essay, memoir, etc. We LOVE us some experimental, research-driven stuff. Segmented. Lyric. Essays written in a bowl of alphabet soup. Surprise us. Play with form and content." Submit a single piece of no more than 4,000 words or up to 3 flash essays of less than 1,000 words each in a single document. Submit short stories of no more than 3,000 words or up to 3 flash fictions of less than 750 words each in a single document. Fee: $3.
Sunspot $100 for 100 Words or Art
Deadline: June 30
All forms of prose are accepted: poetry, plays, stories, essays, memoirs, travel pieces, opinions, genre works, rants...just keep it to 100 words or less. Artists are also welcome to submit. Instead of submitting 100 words, utilize a title of up to 10 words for your photo, digital art, painting, or other work. Fee: $5.
iō Literary Journal seeks fiction and nonfiction, poetry, and more
Deadline: June 30
iōLit aims to embrace all forms of creative writing and artistic expression, even those works that expand the genre beyond the conventional interpretations. "In doing this, we hope to showcase the spectrum of experience of all people, especially those in underrepresented groups whose voices are silenced in mainstream culture." Small fees vary.
Chestnut Review Stubborn Writers Contest
Deadline: June 30
Awards prizes ($500; $250; $125) and publication in Autumn issue in categories of flash fiction (less than 1,000 words), fiction (1,000 – 5,000) and poetry (up to 5 poems, <60 lines) Fee: $20 or FREE on June 15. Entries capped at 500.
The 2020 KAIROS Editors' Prizes in Fiction and Poetry represents the utmost talent in contemporary fiction and poetry
Deadline: June 30
Bellevue Literary Review Prize
Deadline July 1
The BLR Prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body. Fiction and nonfiction (5,000-word max) and poetry (up to 3 poems). Fee: $20.
Evocations Review's Summer 2020 Creative Nonfiction Contest is on the theme of “quarantine”
Deadline: August 15
"We are interested in hearing how people have coped with their different scenarios while in quarantine, due to the coronavirus, these past months. How has the weight of this situation affected people? Have you thrived, struggled, or both? The topic is intended as a launchpad and could address ideas of isolation, wellness, or community more broadly." Winner will receive $200. Fee: $10.
Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Contests. Deadlines: May 31 (Fiction) and July 31 (Creative Nonfiction)
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? Fee: $10 (Flash Fiction) and $12 (Creative Nonfiction).
|
|
Just for Fun
(and a good cause!)
|
|
Did you know that
June is National Adopt a Cat Month! Little Puss, our rescue cat, is a spooky little girl and she recommends you consider submitting to her favorite online magazine:
Vampcat Magazine - Theme: “This is the Fairy Land”
Deadline: June 21 (note: opens June 1)
A space for anyone with an imagination — hopefully, a weird one! Seeking short fiction, flash, essay, memoir, poetry and more! Vampires, cats, witches, Shakespeareans, wannabe '60s girl group member or Elvis fanatic, you’ve found the right place.
June is also the Great Outdoors Month! Celebrate the wild beyond by doing a good deed and submitting to:
Tiny Seed Literary Journal welcomes your poetry, flash fiction, and photography to the Pollinator Project!
Deadline June 15
All submissions must be about pollinators or pollination (bees, wasps, beetles, moths, birds, mammals, butterflies, birds, flowers, etc…). 25% of submission fees will go to the Pollinator Partnership.
|
|
Do you like true crime? Do you like true crime podcasts? Check out our very own Renee Roberson’s podcast that she just started—Missing in the Carolinas! She will highlight three missing persons cases and the first episode teases the content she’ll be covering! You can listen to it all at the link. Plus our very own chief in charge Angela Mackintosh did this cover art!
http://finishedpages.com/missing-in-the-carolinas/
Missing in the Carolinas
is available wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, and more!)
|
|
Compiled by Margo L. Dill
Staying positive and celebrating successes, big and small, are two ways to help during the crisis we’re currently facing around the world.
|
|
We put calls out periodically for success stories on
Facebook,
Twitter, and
Instagram. Please know, we mean any success! You can see from the list below that some writers are celebrating daily word count goals, and some published a book. We love hearing from you about what you are doing, and if anything we’re doing at WOW! helped you reach your goals. In this world where we can sometimes feel disconnected from each other, it helps to hear feedback!
If you aren’t on social media, that’s okay. You can always email at any time any success to me, Margo Dill, at
[email protected]. Because sometimes gmail puts those emails into the spam folder (one frustration with gmail!), please cc
[email protected] or email a few days later if you don’t hear back after using the WOW! address.
Now on to success…
From Angela's inbox:
Melissa Grunow's powerful flash CNF,
Thereafter: A Cleansing Spell, was published in
Brevity's May 2020 Issue. Writers will want to check out the form of this essay for a creative spark. It's written as instructions, which instantly makes the reader feel like it's written for her. The details are spellbinding, and the prose is elegant and encouraging. A witchy treat!
Joanne Lozar Glenn's
deeply moving essay,
Encore, was published in
The Northern Virginia Review (page 19). There are so many haunting lines in this piece. Writers will want to take note of her use of "the boy" as a device to make the story more personal, yet universal, because it prompts the reader to feel like he's our boy, too. At least it did for me. If you've ever lost someone to suicide, I urge you to read this piece. It's heartbreakingly beautiful.
----
I would've written about my writing partner Ann Kelly's work, but she shares below! :) She mentions my piece that was published in
X-R-A-Y Literary after hers, and in case you're interested, it's called, "
Doing It in Public." It's my most daring CNF piece to date.
From email:
Ann Kelly said, “WOW's fearless leader, Angela, and I were both published in
X-R-A-Y Literary this spring within weeks of each other, which was a really cool development since we're critique buddies. My essay, ‘The Pull,’ appeared in
X-R-A-Y in early March:
http://x-r-a-y.com/the-pull-by-ann-kathryn-kelly/cnf/
Ann also said, “I wrote an essay that was part craft, part travelogue, and part amateur wine aficionado (haha!), titled ‘Must.’ It was published in
Moxy Magazine in March:
https://moxymagazine.org/must/
From Facebook:
Georgia Hubley said, “I'm elated to have my story, ‘Message in a Bottle,’ in the current 2020 Mary/June issue of
Guideposts' Angels on Earth magazine. I write every day, and when I find a market that fits for my stories and essays, I submit. I try to keep at least ten submissions out there at all times.
Georgia also said, “I'm so proud of this accomplishment. My Facebook page is continuing to receive many likes and comments pertaining to this anthology. I'm pleased to have an essay between the covers of this gold ribbon indie book finalist:
Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop Laugh Out Loud: 40 Women Humorists Celebrate Then and Now. . . Before We Forget (Allia Zobel Nolan and 40 funny writers’ anthology). It was a finalist in the humor category of the 2019 Next Generation Indie Books Awards competition. Erma Bombeck was my idol. Growing up, my mother kept scrapbooks of Erma's columns. I wish my mom could see me now.”
Marguerite Vulfs said, “My success is simply to wake up in the morning and write. Make a cup of hot Irish Breakfast tea and write. Today, was a three-hour interlude of writing as a May rain shower outside prevented me from wandering into the garden. My success was writing with my child's father and editing memoirs for her upcoming birthday. We had written together 39 years ago. An eternity. Today through writing, we laid down the gauntlet of frustration between us.”
Kayla Green said, “My poetry collection [
Metamorphosis] was published this month and is available on
Amazon. I've been diligently working on writing a short story collection of fairy tale retellings as well as practicing flash fiction. I also got my entries submitted for the WOW spring contest!”
Yasmin Azad said, “My memoir,
Stay, Daughter, got a starred Kirkus Review and was chosen by the editors to be a notable book of the month. Thanks so much for this opportunity to share. And congratulations to all those who are posting here.”
Barbara Barth said, “I started a new group on Facebook, as part of my Walton Writers and the Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts, to have flash fiction writing contests and three-question interviews with writers, artists, and musicians. Something fun for everyone. It is open to the public, and you can find it
HERE if anyone wants to join in. I am also revamping a ghost story and plan to put it on Kindle in the next few weeks. Weaning myself off chips and dip, too. Staying at home is not a free pass to eat whatever you want I've learned. Congrats to all posting here.”
Dicole Elijah said, “Hello, my name is Barlaine Dicole. I am completely excited about my new journey of blogging. I have been writing for years. I have written articles, essays, and poetry. I finally decided to expose my gift to the world and started a blog on May 20, 2020. I have a goal to have 700 articles in a year. I post a new article typically every day. My blog is about life:
https://www.dicole-thoughts.com.”
From Instagram:
@jaimestathis said, “I got a regular, paid writing gig!”
@christina_rauh_fishburne said, “My first story was published!” (Editor’s note: Christina’s story is titled, “
Aperture,” published at
The Coachella Review.)
@sukanyabasumallik_official said, “Became a licensed blogger with @timesofindia and someone wrote a research paper about my works.”
@karendraper_author said, “Last week, I received four new 5-star reviews for my book,
The Place of Us.”
@marisa_fink said, “For the first time ever, submitted work. None accepted yet, but it's a start!”
@oren.adams_author said, “I participated in Camp NaNoWriMo in April and killed it! My word count goal wasn’t very high, but that’s because I’m SO CLOSE to finishing my first sci-fi novel. One chapter left to write.”
@ektargarg said, “Thrilled to have an article coming out on WOW's new site! Also, I'm recording a book podcast today that will go live at the end of . . . [May]; it's an analysis of
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and also includes writing exercises.”
@cindysea429 said, “My essay, ‘July, Exhaling,’ that I worked with Chelsey Clammer through her
Submissions Consultation was accepted by
Under the Sun for its 2020 issue, target date May.”
|
|
Check Out These Services Before Submitting
|
|
Online Clips for Freelance Writers: Websites vs. Portfolios
Published writers should always have a selection of clips easily accessible to provide to potential publishers and editors. By looking at case studies of writers who use either websites or online portfolio platforms (or both), participants will have a clear understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of both options. The workshop will also cover how to make your online portfolio cohesive with your social media profiles via simple branding tactics.
Video Class & Zoom Consultation with
Bernadette Geyer
|
|
Submissions Consultation
With over 150 publications in the past five years, Chelsey Clammer knows the literary journal world well. She is knowledgeable about paying markets, journal aesthetics, and what different literary journals are specifically looking for in a submission.
Submit up to 12 pages (4,500 words) of your writing for Chelsey to read, assess, provide 5 or more suggestions for where to submit the piece, and to format your document according to each journal’s guidelines. If you don’t have one long piece, you may send multiple, shorter pieces, though a maximum of 3 pieces. Return time is one week.
|
|
Manuscript Draft Editing Package (For Novels, Short Story Collections, and Memoirs)
Are you lost on how to turn your draft into a published book? Do you need someone to read your manuscript and give you suggestions? Margo L. Dill will: Read through your draft (up to 100,000 words);
Create a bullet point list of what works in the draft and what doesn’t; Write at least a one-page letter on suggestions for revision and what to do next; Schedule a 30-min Skype or phone call meeting to discuss suggestions and answer questions on Margo’s feedback. This package also comes with a page of technical edits.
|
|
Free ebook for Freelance Writers!
|
|
Carol Tice built her own freelance-writing business up until it hit six figures during the '08-'10 recession. In this free ebook, she reveals exactly how she built a thriving freelance business during those times, and provides you with a simple system of key actions you can take right now.
Includes resources to help you find clients and get hired!
A special section at the end of this book includes 3 of my most popular handouts:
- Find Your First Freelance Writing Client With These 7 Pitch Templates
- 8 Ways to Get Editors’ Emails
- 18 Free Resources for Finding Better Freelance Writing Clients
- The Recession-Proof Freelancer includes everything you need to confidently niche, pitch, and build a thriving freelance biz
This e-book answers questions including:
- What’s the secret of growing freelance income, despite a down economy?
- Which industries will do well in the recession?
- How can I ask for referrals, given everything that’s happening?
- What sort of sites do I need to set up, to appear professional online?
- I’m so worried — how can I make it stop, and take action to build my biz?
- What’s the easiest way to earn more, as a working freelancer?
Get
The Recession-Proof Freelancer
for Free (PDF, EPub, Amazon Kindle files available.)
|
|
Your Personalized Submission Plan
|
|
We hope that the markets above germinated your own seedlings and you’re excited about the blooms awaiting you. Now, take a moment to review your personalized submission plan.
|
|
Violet. Anthologies and themed issues are perfect for violets because the editors are committed to filling an entire book or issue with a narrow theme, which limits competition. And if your heart still aches from a previous rejection, try submitting for a while only to contests that limit entries and award more than one winner.
Your assignment: Write and submit a piece to the
Storm of Blue Press anthology or a themed issue of
Hippocampus Magazine. Next, send a piece to a contest such as
WOW or
The Chestnut Review’s Suffering Artist Contest. A few victories will bolster your confidence, and before you know it, you’ll have an enviable portfolio.
|
|
Forget-Me-Not. Your writing hours are precious and you resent investing the time it takes to understand the market. We get it. Try to spend just a couple of hours each week perusing what’s being published, either at the library or online. For starters, breeze through this month’s market listings and if one interests you, go to their website and read work published by the authors in these publications. Could you see your work being featured here?
Your assignment: Plunder your garden for existing work that could be slightly tailored for publications seeking work on “
Scars,” “
The Heart,” “
Work” or “
Lost” themes. You can do it!
|
|
Rose. You’re a perfectionist. How else could you churn out such beautiful blooms? There’s nothing wrong with that, but we’d like to hear more from you!
Your assignment: Go easy on yourself and take a chance. If you write fiction, try writing a confessional poem for
Storm of Blue Press or if you write nonfiction, turn a real-life piece into a flash for
Necessary Fiction. Also consider submitting a polished piece for publication AND a contest at the same time. These days, it’s very common (and accepted) to submit to both simultaneously. Yes, you may receive two acceptances at once, but for a writer, particularly a Rose, isn’t that a delicious dilemma?
|
|
Dandelion. Your courage is admirable, and now that you’ve broken into the smaller publications, consider saving your energies for more competitive markets. Be a little more selective. You’ve been published before so you can well afford to be patient.
Your assignment: Write something to the standards of your dream market, whether that’s
The 2020 KAIROS Editors' Prizes in Fiction and Poetry,
The Bellevue Literary Review, or something else entirely and submit it. Don’t sweat it. If they say “no,” Dandelion, you’ll have a wealth of other places to submit to!
|
|
On a more serious note, no matter what your submission type, the more material you write, the more secure you’ll feel about sending your work out into the world. You’ll have something to come back to and feel proud of. The tastes of the individual editors reviewing submissions vary widely, and that’s why it’s impossible to predict whether or not your work will be accepted each time you submit. In my experience, the submissions I peg my hopes on often disappoint, but the ones I discount as “pie in the sky” sometimes hit their mark. That’s the mystery and the magic of this business, and part of what makes writing and submitting so much fun.
When in doubt,
take a class! Every writing class I’ve taken has brought inspiration from a pro and new writing buddies who’ve helped me generate pieces worth polishing. In fact, in May I learned that a flash nonfiction piece, “A Tale of Two Tumbles,” that I first drafted in Sheila Bender’s “
Five-Minute Memoir” class won
first place in the 2020 Carolina Woman Writing Contest. Not only was it published, I also won an electric scooter. Fair warning! Don’t be surprised if you see this “Dandelion” scooting around the flower market on wheels.
~ Ashley Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
