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

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With the approach of June’s weed abatement deadline, an annual event in California to help prevent wildfires, I raked plant clippings while my partner weed-whacked tall grass in the orchard. As I inhaled the sweet scent of cut grass, I felt a sharp poke in my foot. I groaned. A crop of foxtails had lodged themselves in my running shoes.

Those pesky little grass spears were not only annoying but could be deadly to cats and dogs. They stabbed my shoes, got stuck in my socks, and flew into our catio (cat patio). I cried “Nooooo!!” as one of my cats licked one, but I couldn’t run to him in time before he swallowed it. I monitored him nervously for 48 hours, but thank God, he’s fine. Throughout it all, I pondered the purpose of those spiky little weeds, which, as it turns out, is to distribute their seeds as a unit—and this led me to this month’s theme.

Persistence is essential to any weed, but even more so for writers. Weeds may have spikes, but writers have hooks!

A talented writer friend spent close to ten years writing her riveting memoir. Her pages are polished, her query letter and book proposal written, but she’s barely queried any agents in over a year. “Do you still need to revise your manuscript?” I asked. She shot back that her memoir was pretty darn strong and reminded me it placed in a first chapter contest out of thousands of entries. I smiled and said, “I love that you just fought for your book!”

In my mind, there are only a couple of reasons why writers don’t submit. One, you don’t want your work published. Or two, you don’t want to be rejected. In my friend’s case, many agents she queried didn’t respond, which is also a type of rejection, and it’s a hot button for her. I get it! It sucks. But I keep telling her it’s a numbers game.

In an article for WOW, beloved instructor Chelsey Clammer wrote, “I realized that publication was really just a simple act of mathematics: the more submissions I made, the more rejections I received. The more rejections I received, the more acceptances I (ironically, eventually) received.”

When Chelsey first started submitting, she received 1,278 rejections in five years. That’s a heck of a lot of nos! Imagine the persistence you’d need to keep going. She says that each time you submit, you are telling the world that you believe in yourself as a writer, and you believe in your work. And if you don’t believe in yourself? Fake it till you make it! The best news is that during those five years, Chelsey’s work was published over 150 times.

We’ve all heard the stories of Stephen King’s Carrie getting rejected 30 times, or C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, racking up 800 rejections before his first book was published, or J. K. Rowlings’ rejections of Harry Potter. What would’ve happened if any of them gave up? Well, not much. It all comes down to one simple quality: persistence.

I wrote an essay in 2021, workshopped it with my writing group, and submitted it right away to the Barry Lopez Creative Nonfiction Contest, where it was chosen as a finalist. Although it didn’t win, I thought it would get picked up quickly. But after a revision workshop and year of contest submissions, the essay had racked up sixteen rejections. However, I felt the essay was important and needed to be published, so I didn’t give up. Here are five things I learned about planting a garden of persistence:

Remember your roots. Gardeners groan that removing deeply rooted bushes is challenging because they will often grow back after being cut down. When you know the reason why you are writing and hold it in your heart, it will help you persist when you face critical voices, rejection, and hardship. Jordan Rosenfeld, author of A Writer’s Guide to Persistence, calls this your “passion root.” Your reason why can be many things—to break your silence, write for social change, heal yourself and others, build a community, or simply the pleasure of creating art because it makes you feel alive. For me, each project has a different reason, but the unifying thread is sharing my experience in hopes of helping young women navigate the world. Keeping your why close to your heart will help you flourish despite the setbacks.

Tangled Locks Journal is an online literary journal committed to sharing complex, well-rounded stories, poetry, and essays that illuminate the experience and lives of women. We’re excited to explore this beautiful journal with founder and editor-in-chief Teresa Berkowitz.

Teresa Berkowitz grew up in a family of storytellers. Her poetry, short stories, and essays have been published in anthologies and literary journals. She has a background in marketing, graphic design, and art direction. A content writer and marketing consultant, Teresa is currently working on a novel and a poetry manuscript.

Before we start the Q&A, let’s get a feel for the magazine’s personality. From the About page:

“Too often, women in stories are plot devices designed to move the male protagonists along on their journeys. This is a place for full-bodied stories where no one is marginalized. We are looking for unvarnished truth. We come to you with tangled hair and dirt under our fingernails. The words you read are of people who do the unexpected, who are complicated, who break the mold or meet expectations with an inner narrative that shocks you.”

Tangled Locks Journal is open for stories, poems, and essays. Authors are paid $15 per published piece in the quarterly journal. The journal also offers occasional special projects. A limited number of no-fee submissions are available for each issue to enable those with financial hardship. Submissions are always open, and there are rolling deadlines.

WOW: Hello, Teresa! Thank you for taking time to talk with me. I’ve been a fan of Tangled Locks Journal since the first time I read your submissions page. This line grabbed me and would not let go: “We welcome all authors and their words with one caveat in mind—if you can sum up your female character in one line (or worse yet: one word), our publication is probably not for you.” I love the bold confidence of that statement, and the vibrant personality that infuses every story.

Tell us how Tangled Locks got its start. What are your goals for the journal? How do you maintain the unique attitude and aesthetic of the publication?

Teresa: Thank you for inviting me, Myna. It is an honor to be here with you.

Tangled Locks Journal was born in the pandemic. Prior to the Covid pandemic, I kept saying to myself, “I will write again after I retire. I will start a journal when my son is grown up.” I kept pushing everything to “after.” The pandemic shook up my professional life, and I was able to see that I wasn’t happy being an executive of a nonprofit organization—and hadn’t been for quite a long time. My work lacked the creativity that was essential to my joy. And I didn’t have the community of writers and artists that I craved.

There needed to be a restructuring of the organization which had been dramatically impacted by the pandemic and I embraced the opportunity to step back. When turned into now. We launched our inaugural issue two years ago.

The primary goal for the publication is to publish well-rounded stories that feature strong female protagonists.

I had a dear friend who I was in a critique circle with. He was such a clever writer, but his female characters were flat and offensive. The young, eager-to-please junior executive with a great body. The old bitter divorcée. They were props. He’s an extreme example, but the lack of developed female characters is all over the place. It affects what we read and what we watch. I remember being a preteen and curling up in our velour armchair with the TV guide looking for something to watch. I would read the actor’s names that were listed. If there wasn’t a woman’s name in the two or three that were listed, I had a good idea that I wouldn’t enjoy that movie.

When people’s stories aren’t being told, it limits our vision of our potential. Originally, my vision was women, but I quickly realized that there were other voices that needed a place where their stories could be told as well, and we expanded our vision.

Another important goal we have is to increase the visibility of each writer. We provide social media tips as part of our communication and encourage the writers in each issue to promote each other, as well. That builds community. We intentionally keep each issue small, six works, so that we can really connect with each writer.

WOW: The journal looks fantastic, and each published story gets its own unique artwork. As an author, that is such a treat! How did this practice come about? Does the process create a lot more work for you?

Teresa: I’m thrilled that you appreciate the artwork. For me, creating custom art for each published writer is one way I show each writer how much I appreciate them and their work. I reread their work multiple times while developing the artwork, looking for the images that resonate with their words. It’s one way I can express the gratitude I feel for their voice. For some writers, Tangled Locks Journal is their first publication and I like imagining how it feels to have your name and story or poem title in what looks like a mini book cover. I hope for some, the artwork is a vision board for their future publications.

But there’s a practical side, too. Posts with visuals get more attention and I want them to have the tools to promote their work. The images are formatted for social media and writers can use them on their social media posts and websites.

WOW: What are you looking for in terms of submissions? Are there any subjects or themes that you see too often? What advice would you offer writers wishing to submit?

Teresa: We do get a surprising number of submissions for each issue that don’t meet the guidelines. My first bit of advice is to make sure your work fits the guidelines. Read a few pieces online and see if your work is a fit.

We are looking for literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with strong female characters. We like the word count to be around 1,500 words or fewer, but have made occasional exceptions. Work that features gorgeous language, some wonder and magic realism, a compelling point of view, and something unexpected usually makes the long list.

The next phase is reading long list with the issue in mind. We want the pieces to work well together. We have to reject a lot of well-written pieces. I think many writers don’t realize that very good work gets rejected quite a bit.

Sometimes we see a lot of one subject or theme and plan on giving it a rest, then there’s a new submission that shines so brightly that we know it belongs in the issue. If anything, I would say that one type of writing we see a bit too often is memoir pieces that lack a story arc or dramatic tension. Often, at the core, there’s a good story, but the details need to be pruned.

WOW: This might be an unfair question, but can you recommend any stories that are exemplary of a Tangled Locks piece?

Teresa: This is not an easy question to answer. We have been fortunate to have submissions from so many talented writers. Your piece, “Slippin’ Away,” took my breath away and our readers loved it. Every word was perfectly placed. There’s a music to it.

Here are a few others that also stand out. We’ve published several modern reimaginings of fairytales with fresh perspectives, such as “Fractured,” by Josephine Sarvaas. We love it when writers take risks like Sarah Garnham did in her choose-your-own adventure piece, “Decisive Action.” Some stories, like “The Folding Gardens of Eden,” by Elizabeth Collins, reveal truths through magic realism. We also love poetry that tackles challenging subjects with powerful imagery like “The Saints Have Eyes,” by Stacey Manos, and “Message in Simple Delusion,” by Shatara Liora.

WOW: Thank you! These pieces brim with attitude and personality, and I’m honored to be among them! While reading these, I noticed that Tangled Locks does more than just publishing stories. Can you explain the services offered by Tangled Locks Journal? How are those implemented?

Teresa: We offer a developmental editing service. As a writer, I know how important critiques are to refining our work, and many times in my life, I have struggled to find a good critique partner who can tell me what works and what needs to be improved.

I believe, as writers, we are crafting an experience for our readers. Sometimes we pull our readers away from the experience by adding too much and we have to prune away beautiful and beloved clutter to give the readers the experience we are designing for them. Other times, there are challenges with voice, point of view, or pacing that need to be addressed. We intentionally keep the price affordable and often provide helpful resources to help refine the story and further develop the craft. We use Submittable so all writers have to do is upload their short prose and, usually in a few days, they have what they need for a revision.

I also consult with authors on marketing and social media strategy, develop author websites, and I have designed book covers and social media promotional images. The first step for those services is a complementary meeting with the author to see if we are a good match. From there, I create a proposal with clear deliverables, prices, and timelines.

WOW: You’re extremely busy! What do you do when you’re not working on Tangled Locks?

Teresa: I spend a lot of time with my family. When I have time alone, I write, create art, hike, and do DIY projects.

WOW: Speaking of your own writing, how did you get started? Are there certain themes or styles you like to explore?

Teresa: My whole family writes. For me, writing was a process to make sense of things that were going on. I grew up in a cinematically dysfunctional family. My process was to take a journal on long hikes in the Marin headlands, get a little lost (before cell phones), and then settle into a gorgeous location and write a fairytale. I would take what was troubling me and give it to a new character in a new magical world and just let a fairytale-like story unfold. When the protagonist battled her nemesis or found her way out of a dark and dangerous forest, I was the one who was transformed. I would pack up my journal in my fanny pack and return to San Francisco.

Writing was social for me then. My sister and I started writing groups. In one of them, I met and fell in love with my husband, all the while wondering if his fiction was really autobiographical. I’ve taken many workshops, including some fantastic ones led by Ariel Gore in the literary kitchen where I honed my craft and developed relationships with other writers.

My work still tends to have a bit of wonder in it and the protagonists usually experience some sort of transformation. Right now, I am enjoying writing sci-fi. Two of my short stories, “Quantum Tunneling to the Bright Radiance of Peace” and “Without Time,” have recently been published by Soft Star Magazine, which features sci-fi with a good measure of hope and optimism.

In May, Literally Stories, published “Suburban,” which is exemplative of my work. It’s a coming-of-age story based on my love for my younger brother who passed away last year.

WOW: Thanks for those links, and for the hopeful, uplifting stories! What’s next for you?

Teresa: Tangled Locks Journal is in good shape.

In my own writing, I have a vision of completing two in-process projects: a short story collection about the people we work with and a novel set in the 1990s that explores misogyny and two women’s quest to break free.

WOW: Nice! Good luck with both of those projects! Now, for a fun question. Imagine you have a full day off, with no responsibilities. What will you do?

Teresa: Probably a bit of everything that I love: a DIY project, a long hike to the beach, art, writing, and a delicious dinner.

WOW: Sounds like a great day. Thank you so much for this glimpse into Tangled Locks Journal, as well as your own writing!

Okay, writers, now it’s your turn. How do you infuse your writing with personality? Does your own unique outlook shine through your essays? Or perhaps you experiment with wildly different personas in your fictional characters? This might be just what Tangled Locks is looking for! Submissions are open for the summer issue until June 30. But the journal’s rolling submissions are always open, so why not give it a try!

Sponsored by The Heron's Nest, a haiku journal. Submit 5 haiku in English. First Place wins $200, and a miniature crystal turtle. Second Place: $100. Third Place: $50. Winners are announced July 31st. No fee.

Submit up to 3 pages of poetry. Any style or aesthetic. No previously published work. Prize: $500 cash, publication in our Summer 2023 Issue, automatic Pushcart Prize Nomination & Limited Run of Letterpress Broadsides! Fee: $10

$1,000 and publication awarded for the winning group of three poems by a poet who has not yet published a book of poetry with a nationally distributed press. The poems may be a sequence or unrelated. Fee: $18

A prize of $500 and publication by Finishing Line Press is given annually for a poetry book. Submit a manuscript of 40 to 99 pages. All forms of poetry are welcome including hybrid poetry. Fee: $10

The 42 Miles Press Poetry Award was created in an effort to bring urgent and original voices to the poetry reading public. The prize is offered annually to any poet writing in English, including poets who have never published a full-length book as well as poets who have published several. New and Selected collections of poems are also welcome. The winning poet will receive $1,000, publication of his or her book, and 50 author copies. The winner will also be invited to give a reading at Indiana University South Bend )post-pandemic) as part of the release of the book. The manuscript should be between 48 and 120 pages. Fee: $25

An entry may consist of up to 5 poems. Entries will be initially screened by The MacGuffin staff through a blind review process. Based on an anonymous vote, 15 to 20 finalists will be sent to the guest judge for a final blind review with one (1) first place winner and up to two (2) honorable mentions ultimately being selected from this pool. 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. Each entrant will receive one free issue of The MacGuffin that includes the winners of the 28th Annual Poet Hunt contest. Fee: $15

A prize of $1,200 and publication in Mudfish is given annually for a single poem. Deborah Landau will judge. Submit up to three poems of any length. Fee: $20

The annual Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry awards $2000 plus publication for a full-length poetry collection. The Prize is awarded for an unpublished, full-length volume of poems by a U.S. author, which includes foreign nationals living and writing in the U.S. and U.S. citizens living abroad. Entries must be 48 pages in length. Manuscripts may include poems that have appeared in journals, magazines, or chapbooks. Fee: $28

14 is an annual poetry magazine devoted to poems of 14 lines only. Please submit a maximum of three poems per issue. No fee.

Hudson Review is accepting poetry submissions. Poetry submissions should be sent by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope. They do not specialize in publishing any particular “type” of writing; our sole criterion for accepting unsolicited work is literary quality. No fee.

Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists, or PPP, were started by three poets who wanted to form a poetry collective. They are holding their annual competition. All money raised – once costs are covered – will go to local Wolverhampton charity Good Shepherd. 1st Prize: £300. 2nd prize: £100. Third prize: £50. Poems must be in English, and no more than 40 lines long. The maximum number of poems in a single submission is four. he maximum number of poems in a single submission is four. Fee: £3

The theme for Issue #13 will be These Things We Carry. The featured artist will be the talented Wesley Dallas Merritt. As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to [email protected] as a single Word document or within the body of your email. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. No fee.

The grant is offered annually to an author of children’s or young adult fiction for a novel-in-progress. The award was developed to help writers whose work is of high literary caliber and assist a writer at a crucial moment in their career to complete their novel. The author of the winning manuscript, selected blindly by judges unaware of nominees’ names, will receive an award of $5,000. Submission requirements include a 50-75 page sample, an outline, summary of the project, a professional review, recommendations from an editor or fellow writer, and a description of how the funds will be used. No fee.

In this contest, entrants have the opportunity to appear in print and digital anthology collections, and also as single author novellas-in-flash. Their books are published by the award-winning small press Ad Hoc Fiction. There is 300 word limit. £1000 prize for the winner, £300 second and £100 third. Two commendations £30 each. 50 longlisted entrants offered publication in our end of year print and digital anthology. Those accepting receive a free print copy. Fee: £9

805 Lit + Art, a literary magazine published by Manatee Libraries in Florida, is now paying for short fiction submissions. Submit 1 work of short fiction 751-2,500 words. Pay: $15 per story. No fee.

Grist is excited to announce their third-annual climate fiction short story contest. Imagine 2200 is an invitation to writers from all over the globe to imagine a future in which solutions to the climate crisis flourish and help bring about radical improvements to our world. The winning writer will be awarded $3,000, with the second- and third-place winners receiving $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. An additional nine finalists will each receive $300. Stories need to be between 3,000 and 5,000 words. No fee.

Cast of Wonders publishes young adult fantasy, science fiction, and horror in podcast. They are interested in work by writers under 18. The theme for their June deadline is Banned Books Week. Pay: $0.08 per word for original stories up to 6,000 words. For reprints: $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. No fee.

Got something short, sharp and snappy to tell? Wow us with your most economical and brilliant storytelling. This contest is for short fiction under 1000 words. Total entries limited to 300. First Prize: $300. Fee: $20

The NEW AMERICAN FICTION PRIZE is awarded each year to a full-length fiction manuscript, such as a story collection, novel, novella(s), or something that blends forms, like a novel in verse. The winner receives $1,500 and a book contract, as well as 25 author's copies and promotional support. Manuscripts should be at least 100 pages, but there is no maximum length. Fee: $25

They publish two to three flash stories a month on Patreon. They are looking for speculative stories that explore science fiction, fantasy, and horror with a queer bent. They welcome weird, slipstream, and interstitial writing. Their June theme is "Quiet Stories." Word count: under 1,500 words, but they'd love to see more stories under 500 words. Pay is $0.08 per word. No fee.

Seeking flash fiction submissions 500 words or less. You can submit up to three stories per submission. Pay: $20 CAD per story via PayPal. Fee: $3

All winning and shortlisted stories will be published in the online anthology edition of WestWord. The theme is: Wild. Micro-fiction: up to 150 words. Prizes: 1st: £100; 2nd: £50; 3rd: £25. Flash fiction: 200 - 750 words. Prizes: 1st: £200; 2nd: £100; 3rd: £50. Short Stories: 1,000 - 2,500 words. Prizes: 1st: £300; 2nd: £200; 3rd: £100. Fee: £5 (micro-fiction); £8 (flash fiction); £10 (short story).

The Other Stories podcast is seeking submissions for their June theme: Artificial Intelligence. Stories must be 2,000. They will consider entrants whose work has been entered and published elsewhere. Two entries per theme is accepted. Payment per accepted story is 15GBP. No fee.

"New, ground-breaking Science Fiction and Fantasy novels are what we’re on the lookout for. Whether you’ve written a Speculative novel, an Epic Fantasy, or Military SF, Urban Fantasy, we want to read the first 5,000 words and a one-pager plot synopsis." Judge: literary agent Ben Clark, director at Soho Agency. First Prize: £1,000, mentoring, and the chapters will be published on The Plaza. Second Prize: £300; Third: £100. Fee: £16

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world. The award is open to authors who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals. Winners receive a cash prize of $15,000, publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press, and support in the nation-wide promotion of their book. Manuscripts may be no fewer than 150 and no more than 300 pages. No fee.

For the The Lascaux Review, submit your flash fiction to their contest. Stories may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. True stories are welcome as long as they’re written in a narrative style. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in The Lascaux Review. Fee: $15

Hobeck Books is running a short story competition. Entries must be a fictional short story of up to 2,000 words on any theme. Prizes: 1st Prize £200, 2nd Prize £100, 3rd Prize £50. Fee: £6

“We are looking for bold, visionary and persuasive essays that use academic research to pursue innovative questions. The topic may be addressed from the perspective of any of the literatures (including literary linguistics, translation and comparative literature approaches) normally covered by the journal: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. We are seeking submissions that focus on literature, film, art, or other cultural outputs that manifest courage in their content or form and/or which provoke us to be courageous in how we read, write, research and teach in our discipline(s).” Essays should be 6,000 and 8,000 words. The winning essay will also get published in an issue of Forum for Modern Language Studies. First Prize: £500. No fee.

Submit one micro essay, up to 300 words. Any style or aesthetic. No previously published work. Writer Lisa Nikolidakis will read all submissions and select one winner. Prize: $500 cash, publication in New Orleans Review Summer 2023 Issue, automatic Pushcart Prize Nomination & Limited Run of Letterpress Broadsides! Fee: $10

Spark: Celebrities, Representation and Decisive Moments (tentative title) seeks creative nonfiction essays that explore how celebrities, public figures and pop culture phenomena inspire us to understand ourselves, our identities, our decisions and pivotal moments in our lives. While we may never really know celebrities, we may feel connections to them based on who or what they represent and how that reflects moments in our own lives. Celebrities may be heroes, villains, sign posts or temporary influences. They may be our crushes, our deities, or who we love to mock. Essays should be first person and bring readers on a journey, encouraging emotional, visual or visceral connection to your experience. Celebrities (etc.) need not be contemporary nor do they have to be mega-stars or household names - the concept of celebrity, public figure or pop culture phenomenon for this call is broad. Essays should be between 2,000-4,000 words, and writers will be paid $.02 per word and a complimentary copy of the book. No fee.

Faith is a tricky business. It’s personal and it’s political and it’s sometimes the source of heartache and trauma. For Herstry's July issue, they’re collecting your stories about faith. How it has shaped you, formed your world view or broken you down. Stories must stay between 500–3,000 words. Pay is $20 per essay. Fee: $3

$2,000 CAD for Best Creative Nonfiction Essay. The judge is Cody Caetano. Submit one creative nonfiction up to 6,000 words. The winning entry will be published in 297 of The Fiddlehead and on our website. There is a publication payment of $60/page in addition to the contest prize of $2,000 CAD. Fee: $35 (if your address is in Canada); $40 (if your address is in the US).

"We love writing that merges into memoir, poetry, fiction, lyric, or dramas, and we love personal essays, as well as narratives about travel, science, history, art, pop culture, music and more—all with an emphasis on narrative. So, no matter what you write about or how you write it, be sure to tell a story." Send them an engaged piece of writing that takes chances with its writing style. Pieces should not exceed 3500 words. Fee: $3

The Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Westerly Magazine are offering a prize for Life Writing. "We welcome submissions of autobiography, biography, memoir, and essays. We celebrate Life Writing as a rumination upon memory and experience and encourage creative and hybrid approaches." This competition is open to writers at any stage of their career. Send Life Writing submissions of up to 3500 words. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize, a one-year subscription to Westerly, and conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP, where they will be invited to read from their work. The winner’s work will be considered for publication by Westerly. Fee: $20 AUD

Any appropriate nonfiction topic is eligible. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. So-called "creative nonfiction" will not be considered. Stories posted after July 1, 2022, and not entered in a previous contest can be entered. Word count: 1,000 - 5,000 words. Prizes: $200 for the winner, $100 for the runner-up. No fee.

We've all learned a thing or two in our time on this Earth. So, if you could have a conversation with your younger self, what you would say? What bits of wisdom would you impart? For this contest, hosted by the Institute for Writers, they want to see a personal essay of 1,000 words (or less) with insights you'd give your younger self written in first person point of view with an inspirational slant. The age of your younger self should be clear. 1st Place: $650; 2nd Place: $350; 3rd - 5th Place: $100. Fee: $19

This is an international contest, they want a 600-word essay on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. They'll publish the best piece in their newsletter and blog – plus the winner receives $200 (R2 000 or £100). No fee.

The Los Angeles Review Creative Nonfiction Award is a prize of $1,000 and publication in LAR given annually for an exceptional work of nonfiction. This season's judge is Chelsey Clammer. Please submit a piece no longer than 2,500 words. The winning piece will be published in the new LAR Online and included in the annual best-of print edition. The winner will be selected in fall of 2023 and announced via our website, and a Red Hen Press press release. Fee: $20

Midway Journal’s -1000 Below: Flash Prose and Poetry Contest offers a $500 grand prize. Submit up to 2 poems per entry, up to 40 words per poem. No more than one poem per page. For nonfiction and fiction, 1 piece per entry, up to 1,000 words per piece. All submissions will be considered for publication. First prize receives $500 and publication; second prize receives $250 and publication; third prize receives $50 and publication. Fee: $10

Send up to five poems, or one prose piece, or three flash pieces per submission. Fiction, nonfiction, translations, and poetry will be considered for print and online publication. $200 honorarium per prose piece, and $40 per poem. Fiction and nonfiction word limit is 10,000 words. Submit up to 5 poems. Fee: $3

They publish new fairy tales or fairy tales mashups, and poetry. The theme for 2023 is “LOVE,” with romance preferred, but love between friends, family members, pets and their humans, etc., will be considered as well. They are also open to the stories and poems focusing on seasonal holidays, like solstice celebrations, Halloween, Hanukkah, etc. as long as you include the theme. Do bear in mind that all fairy tale related fiction and poetry needs an element of the supernatural—as well as transformation. Transformation is a huge deal for the 2023 publishing year. Fiction: 1,000-5,000 words (up to 3,500 preferred). Poetry: up to 500 words. Pay: $50 per piece. No fee for their regular issue. Submit via email only: [email protected]

They publish South Asian speculative fiction, and also accept non-fiction pitches that pertain to South Asian spec fic in any manner. Fiction: "Give us your dreamscapes and nightmares, your soaring fantasies, your futuristic miasmas. Give us also your unstructured ramblings, where a story exists at the edges, dripping with lush, brilliant prose. We are not sticklers for the usual 3-act, 5-act structures, because great storytelling is so much more than that. So send us your lores written in reverse, written in verses, written in the form of email exchanges across multiverses, or haphazard POVs. Which is not to say we won’t accept a story with a usual structure. A good hero’s journey is a good hero’s journey. But if you’re doing that, take chances, and twist it!" Word count: 1,000 - 5,000 words. Nonfiction: pitches for critical essays of South Asian speculative fiction, such as through a feminist, queer, and/or post-colonial lens; dives into the speculative fiction traditions of different regions of South Asia. Word count: 250 - 500 words. Pay: 2.5 cents per word for stories of 1,000-5,000 words, and $100 for commissioned nonfiction. No fee.

Submit flash fiction and flash nonfiction of no more than 300 to 500 words per piece. You may submit up to two (2) pieces per issue, may be submitted as one file, should run fewer than 5 pages in length, and must be unpublished. Your poetry submission may contain up to five (5) poems, may be submitted as one file, should run fewer than 10 pages in length, and must be unpublished. Fee: $3.

“Do you embrace the idea of the cosmos, wanting to seek out the unknown? Or does it spark reflection within yourself as you are faced with its endless expanse? Can the cosmos be discovered through rigorous scientific methodology or careful spiritual reflection? How do the cultures that define us see the cosmos? Or will you reject this idea entirely as the human instinct to defy even in the face of the encompassing unknown?” Seeking creative nonfiction (up to 3,000 words), scholarly research articles (up to 7,500 words), poetry (up to 100 lines), and artwork. Pay is AUD50 for contributors to the print magazine. No fee.

This summer we are hitting up the karaoke bar with an online call! For this online series we are looking for pieces in all genres that engage with pop songs and pop music. The saccharine, the power ballads, the manufactured and the sincere. Send us work centering around your go-to karaoke song, the earworm you can’t shake, the songs or artists that shaped you…for better or worse. Pop music is a broad label so we are leaving this call open to your interpretations or experiences of what “pop” might look like or mean to you. Grab that mic and give us your best! Poetry: submit up to 3 poems; Fiction/Nonfiction: up to 3500 words. Pay: $50 for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction in their print issues. Online Exclusives: $50 for poetry and $100 for prose. Blog posts: $50. Fee: $3

They accept the following genres for unpublished unsolicited submissions: poetry up to 3 poems (maximum 7 pages); and fiction and creative nonfiction up to 6,000 words) OR 3 pieces of flash fiction (1,000 words per piece). If your submission is accepted for publication in the journal, you will receive two free copies of Issue 30 and $20 per accepted piece. Fee: $3

Sequestrum publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual arts on a rolling basis. Their two current themes for poetry and fiction are: Memory and Fantasy. “Memory is slippery. It can be misremembered, forgotten. It’s often colored by the events of the present, yet informs our view of the future. Memory fuels imagination, culture, and aspirations. There’s a lot to unpack here. Mostly, we’re ready to see if your memory is different than ours.” “Fantasy is a loaded word in literature. There’s swords and sorcery, sure. But there’s also escaping a cubicle. There’s defeating disease. There’s finding a way to the past, the future. Finding a path without limitations. There are other worlds out there, and every one helps us understand our own a little better. In short, we want your best writing with a fantastical element.” Fiction should not exceed 12,000 words. Poetry should be no more than 35 lines. Submit a maximum of 4 poems per submission. Fee: $6.35

The Saltbush Review publishes literary fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. For our fourth issue we are seeking submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction of up to 3,000 words on the theme of ‘Fracture.’ Shorter works are also welcome, as are works that challenge genre boundaries. Pay: AUD$150 per piece of fiction and non-fiction and AUD$100 per poem or piece of flash fiction. No fee.

Single works of fiction or nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, between 3,501 and 7,500 words can be submitted here. Graphic novels should run 11 to 25 pages. A single poem of 4 to 10 pages is accepted here. Please do not mix formats (for example, submitting a graphic novel and a poem in the same file). Also note that collections are not accepted in this open call. Fee: $8

Gold Man Review, an annual literary journal, is aimed at serving and supporting our community of authors residing on the West Coast. They publish poetry, fiction, and nonfiction from residents of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. All others will be rejected. Poems: three short poems or longer poems with a three page maximum. Prose: up to 5,000 words. No fee.

Submit poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and flash fiction or nonfiction. Poetry: Length and format are open. Poems should be single-spaced and all in one document. Begin each poem on a new page, and clearly indicate when a poem extends beyond one page. For fiction and nonfiction, submit one piece between 1,000 and 5,000 words, single-spaced throughout. Prose submissions can be works of fiction or nonfiction. Flash: Submit one piece of up to 1,000 words, single-spaced throughout. No fee for poetry and flash; $5 for prose.

"We are interested in writing that pushes into, dares to reveal, its own truth, that takes emotional risks, that gets to the heart of the matter. Poetry submissions may include lyric, narrative, experimental, prose poems--we're open to all variations of the poetic voice. Fiction submissions may include short stories, flash fiction, or novel excerpts if the excerpt can stand alone. We're open to a wide range of nonfiction, with the exception of academic articles, or that which would be considered more traditionally journalistic. Personal essay, memoir, lyric, literary journalism, or some blurring in between, are all acceptable." Submit 3 to 5 poems no more than 10 pages total. Fiction and nonfiction should be no longer than 3,000 words. No fee.

Exceptionally international in scope, the prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication and will be published in Wasafiri’s print magazine. Shortlisted writers will have their work published on Wasafiri’s website. No entry may exceed 3,000 words. All prizes are for short works, not for novel/memoir excerpts. A single poetry entry can include up to three poems, which together total no more than 3,000 words. Fee: £10

Haven Spec's goal is to publish diverse voices from around the world, and to do that, we are actively seeking stories, poems, and non-fiction pieces by authors from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in the science fiction and fantasy canon. Fiction: up to 6,000 words. Poems: any length. Nonfiction: up to 3,000 words. Pay: 1¢/word for fiction & nonfiction, $5-10 for poetry, and $35 for art. No fee.

Epiphany is open to submissions for their print issue in the categories of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art. All submissions will receive a free digital subscription with the code included in our initial response letter. Pay: Fiction: $175 and two copies of journal; Poetry: $75 and two copies of journal; Nonfiction: $175 and two copies of journal; Art: $200 inside magazine, $300 for cover; Flash: $25. Submit up to 5 poems at a time. For prose, submit one piece (no word count listed). Fee: $5

redrosethorns began with a simple core belief, that feminism is about empowerment. Through short stories, fiction, articles, creative nonfiction, poetry, interviews, and art, we intend to empower others to share their voices. Their 2023 theme is "Home/Belonging." Let your imagination to run wild. You can submit any writing style in any genre based on this year's theme, and any art work that can be available for print. Written work should not exceed 3,000 words. No fee.

THEMA literary journal was born in a Chinese restaurant in 1988 as the result of a conversation over how different writers would respond to a single quirky theme—specifically, stories involving the fortune cookies received that day. The premise (The Magic of Light and Shadow) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental. Stories longer than 20 double-spaced typewritten pages will not be considered. Indicate premise on title page. Be sure to Indicate target theme in cover letter or on first page of manuscript. Include self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with each submission. All stories must be mailed to THEMA, Box 8747, Metairie, LA 70011-8747, except for authors who live outside the US. Pay: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10; artwork, $25 for cover, $10 for interior page display. No fee.

Rose Metal Press is holding an open reading period for full-length hybrid and cross-genre manuscripts for consideration for publication in 2024 and beyond. We are interested in flash fiction; prose poetry; novels-in-verse and novel(la)s-in-flash; flash nonfiction or memoirs-in-shorts; fragmentary works and lyric essays; image and text works; hybrid col­laborative works; and other literary works that move beyond traditional genres to find new forms of expression. We welcome submissions in all styles and on all subjects, and encourage a broad and expansive interpretation of hybridity. Surprise us with your innovation! Manuscripts should be 48 pages or longer. Fee: $15; waived reading fee for 20 BIPOC writers.

They publish speculative fiction, character-driven fiction, and essays from Black women writers. Short stories: min. 1,500 words. Narrative essays: min. 1,200 words. Pay: $100 for speculative fiction on their website and $200 for works compiled in their anthology, $100 for essays, and $0.08/word for other fiction. No fee.

Deadlines: May 31 (fiction) and July 31 (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. Previously published work is accepted! What’s not to love? This season's guest judge is Literary Agent Kaitlyn Katsoupis with Belcastro Literary Agency. Fee: $10 (Flash Fiction) and $12 (Nonfiction).

With Father's Day coming up, Tales from a Moonlit Path is seeking dark, eerie, speculative poetry and fiction on the theme of Fiendish Father's Day. For fiction, they like character-driven stories 2,000 words and under. For poetry, submit 3-5 poems at a time. Pay is $10 per piece, and a $50 first place prize for special issue challenges like this one. Submit by June 2nd. No fee.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Medusa took a selfie? To celebrate National Selfie Day, submit your work to the newest incarnation of Grimoire Magazine, Medusa: The Stone Cold Bitches Issue. Icing out your enemies, femme-presenting antiheroes, Medusa, the White Witch, snow queens and more, all coming to your house in the middle of the night to cut up all your wigs. They are seeking poems, from the lyrical to the experimental, and prose—fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid—up to 4,500 words. Pay is $20. No fee.

et’s step into another world, shall we? Fantasy fiction has a way of doing just that. From worldbuilding to wielding magic, this imagination-driven genre can seem both exciting and daunting to craft. Author, folklorist, speaker and executive director of Willamette Writers, Kate Ristau shares her approach on how to materialize a fantastical story.

Kate is the author of two middle grade series, Clockbreakers & Wylde Wings, and the young adult series, Shadow Girl. In her ideal world, magic and myth combine to create memorable stories with unforgettable characters. Until she finds that world, she’ll live in a house in Oregon, where they found a sword behind the water heater and fairies in the backyard.

WOW: I’m so excited to jump in. So tell me, where does fantasy storytelling begin for you? What comes first? Character? Plot? Worldbuilding?

Kate: Yeah, for me, the story begins differently each time. Sometimes, I have a character that I want to see in a particular scenario (like when I thought about Charlie riding her wheelchair back into an Ancient Greek myth in Clockbreakers). Other times, I have an idea of a scene (like when Áine’s mother is accused of being a changeling in Shadow Girl). From there, though, it’s all plot!

I’m not a worldbuilder; that’s where I struggle. Initially, I spend a lot of my early drafts working on scenes and characters—thinking about the story and what happens. Later, when I revise, I build out the world.

WOW: That makes sense. I’ve heard when it comes to fantasy and worldbuilding that it pays to be a planner. How important is pre-plotting?

Kate: I always think of story building like English class: you learn a lot of stuff, but you only really take away the things you need and the things that matter to you. For me, I start my stories with an idea or scenario or character, and then I start thinking. Then with a conception of where the story will go and what the narrative arc might look like, I dive in and all that disappears. I follow the threads of the story based on the needs and motivations of the characters.

Without detailed planning and outlining, I make a lot of mistakes—which means that my second drafts and third drafts (and ninth drafts) are always going to take me longer than someone who planned it all beforehand. But for me, the best part of the process is the discovery along the way, so I’ve had to learn how to cope with my wild drafts.

WOW: That’s good news for us non-planners. What sure-fire tips would you give those who write by the seats of their pants?

Kate: Yeah, so this isn’t in any particular order, but what first comes to mind is:

WOW: Such great takeaways! Speaking of drawing out the plot arc, are you consciously thinking of markers you want to hit as you write?

Kate: I mean I have a sense of the shape of where I want the story to go. I do a lot of scenes, no transition and no setting. Writing Excuses podcast talks about the Scene and Sequel format. Scenes are where things are happening, and Sequel is the plot and the movement between scenes. So, I mark the transitional sections with an arrow sign pointing up; and then if it’s a scene, I put an arrow sign pointing down.

WOW: That seems like a great way to indicate where you’re at in the story and staying organized. How would you say your craft changes in the second draft from the first draft?

Kate: Yeah, so when I’m down in the scene, I’m following my characters, and I don’t pull out much for that omniscient perspective like I do when I’m revising. I think about the first draft as the draft for myself, where I’m following the story and learning to understand the characters. The second draft is when I let the reader in. I think a lot about what the readers need and what they’d want from a part of the story. From there, I work on the setting, transitions, and adding in the emotions.

WOW: How do you build a marriage between the physical and the supernatural? Are there any tried and true methods to which help suspend a reader’s disbelief in fantasy fiction?

Kate: Ok, the first thing that comes to mind is an example in my book, Shadow Queene. One of the main characters is going to Fairy Hell, and she is not prepared for the situation at all. She has no weapons; the only thing she has is an attitude and an iPhone—which is something most of us can relate to.

One way to suspend disbelief is to send your character into the situation with the same disbeliefs as your reader, which is a way for readers to connect and understand. So in a sense, it’s not even about suspending disbelief, but acknowledging that it’s there. You see that a lot in fantasy; for instance, take Harry Potter or Frodo, two different characters who are coming into something new or something they don’t understand, and we are right there with them—therefore, we can experience the unknowns together, share their doubts, and see it all through their eyes while encountering their emotions along the way.

WOW: I love that: acknowledging the disbelief. I imagine that fantasy requires a lot of imagination. Are there any specific things you do to help you cultivate your imagination?

Kate: I like to get into my silly self, draw, get outside, play...doing creative things outside of writing, too. I enjoy things that help me look at the world differently: so yeah, movies and TV shows, reading comic books and graphic novels—anything that helps you think of story in a different way.

WOW: In what ways do you work to develop/enhance your skills towards your craft?

Kate: I read a lot other people’s work because you’ll see quickly what they are doing well at; and it’s not just published work, but what other writers are working on and drafting. I also like going to workshops. I’m currently not in the mode of critique groups, mainly because I’m working at a faster pace now, although I do think they are helpful. I do a lot of beta reading and connecting with other writers, sending them half bits, and chatting through each other’s story problems.

WOW: Yeah, story problems. So how do you overcome getting hung up on wording that doesn’t fit the culture you’ve created? For example, do you ever write up character dialogue that doesn’t seem natural to the characters?

Kate: In the first draft, I just let it happen. In the second draft, I really think about that character and how they would talk and react in the situation and if it’s authentic to who they are and who they are becoming.

Shadow Girl and Shadow Queene take place partly in Ireland, so I draw a few phrases that give a sense that it is Ireland; but I don’t get totally into the dialect because it can pull the reader so far out of the character and what I want them to experience. However, train your reader early on; when a big scene or emotional moment matters for the character to respond with a phrase, your reader won’t get stuck.

WOW: In what ways do you use tales told for centuries to put a spin on your own work?

Kate: I often pull in pieces of older stories or myths into my work. As a folklorist, I’ve studied narrative, and the stories that last are the ones that pull at us, that touch something deep inside us. They resonate. So, for me, drawing on those ideas is a way of connecting with my reader. But I also love to challenge and upend those stories and themes. I like to rewrite stories or shine a light on universal themes and challenge my readers to think about them. There is a reason why stories last—but, honestly, not all stories need to last. As people, we use stories to help us understand our world, to entertain ourselves, and to connect with each other. Those stories change as our needs, hopes, and dreams change across cultures and time. For example, in Clockbreakers, Charlie rolled her wheelchair into Ancient Greece and encountered a world that wasn’t ready for her. As readers, it’s important for us to see her perspective and how many characters like her have not been fairly represented (or represented at all) in stories throughout the centuries. As storytellers, we have the power to shift that narrative.

WOW: When it comes to wielding magic, are there rules? Is there a system, or is anything permissible?

Kate: Magic has to have rules, no matter how simple or complicated. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned, though, is that magic should also have a cost—you should put limits on your magic. If magic in your story is unlimited, your story can fall apart because your characters can use magic to solve all of their problems. Magic with a cost makes for a more compelling story because your protagonists have to make a choice when using their magic, and choices can create more tension.

WOW: How do you determine the cost?

Kate: First, I look at my character’s motivations and needs. The character’s emotions should change in response to what is happening in the scene. So think about how the character is coming into a situation, and then how you want that character to come out on the other end of it. Another example is the idea of putting your characters up in a tree, and then you throw rocks at them, making it a challenge. When it comes to magic, make the cost a physical one. It could be that doing magic is physically exhausting. You can’t just magic your way out of every problem, and ultimately, the cost should be what’s going to lead the character to the most growth.

WOW: As someone who wears many hats, how big of a priority is writing in your day-to-day?

Kate: It is a huge priority. I used to drop my son off at school, then write for an hour before tackling any other type of work. But right now with everything being so complicated, I’m getting up early again. I’m usually up at 5:45 a.m. For me, I have this thing in my head that I need to do my writing first and focus on that. So even if I have emails or other things to do, I don’t do it until the actual family stuff starts—when my son’s getting up and my husband is making his coffee.

WOW: So, you’re disciplined.

Kate: Well, yeah. For a year, I did 500 words or 30 minutes, whatever came first. I did that every day; and some days, 500 words came easy, and I wrote for longer. Other days, 500 words felt like pulling teeth, and I also wrote for longer…but what I got out of doing that every day was that it made it easier to get into the creation stage. If you really want to get nerdy about it, author Eric Witchy has researched brain hacks, ways to train your brain’s beta cells to signal your brain’s creativity at a specific time. It’s great, especially when you have a lot of life happening around you, and your time is limited.

WOW: What was your favorite piece of advice as an emerging writer, and what advice would you give now as a seasoned one?

Kate: I still do like the writing every day thing because it gets you into habit, and I think that’s important. I got that advice over and over early on, and I use to think, whatever. But when I actually did it, the more joyful the experience became; and now it’s something I can take pride in.

As a seasoned writer, I’d say tell the story you want to tell. You don’t have to tell the story others are telling or use the characters others are using; tell the one that matters to you.

WOW: I feel like that can’t be reinstated enough. We all need that reminder. Where can people find you and your books?

Kate: They can find me at kateristau.com. My books are online in all the usual places, including local independent bookstores! You can order a signed and personalized copy of my books here.

WOW: Thanks so much, Kate, for taking the time to share with us your tips and experience in crafting fantasy fiction. I believe a lot of what you’ve shared can help writers of any genre. I’m excited to look at my own work anew with your insightful approach.

Interview by Nicole Pyles

As a writer, it's important to picture the goal you have in mind for your work. Without it, it's easy to stumble in the dark, uncertain of the direction of your writing future. That's when vision boards come into place! Being able to create a visual of the goals you have for your writing career has tremendous benefits.

By Barbara Noe Kennedy

If you want to break into travel writing, you don’t need to travel far and wide for that amazing story. Think about what place you know best—where you live! You have the inside scoop on what happens in your location, including museum, hotel, and restaurant openings, under-the-radar things to see and do, what plants bloom and birds arrive when, fun angles that only locals know. Whether it’s a metropolis or tiny village in the middle of the countryside, you’ll find plenty of stories to tell (and sell).

By Sue Bradford Edwards

One of my favorite newsletters is Sarai Mitnick’s Making Time. Making Time is her year-long experiment on making time to be creative. Sarai isn’t all about getting up an hour early to write or creating lengthy to-do lists. Instead, she focuses on creativity and getting to creative endeavors because they make her happy.

In her last newsletter, she encouraged her readers to use active questions to make time for the things they want to do. What’s an active question? It’s easier just to show you. First we’ll start with questions that are not active.

By Renee Roberson

Last week, I was frustrated with my current work in progress. I finished the first draft of the novel in November 2021 as my National Novel Writing Month project. When I have hard and fast deadlines (and when I blab to everyone I know that I’m writing a book in a month) the work gets completed. When I don’t have any sort of accountability, I fail.

Last fall, I left my full-time editing job, telling myself I would focus on my true crime podcast and finishing the revisions on the 2021 NaNoWriMo book. It is now seven months later and while I’m producing bi-weekly episodes of the podcast, the book revisions have stalled.

By Cathy C. Hall

When I see something new in the writing world, it might take a minute to make an impression. That’s what happened this week, when, after months of seeing Substack mentioned here and there, I finally studied up on the new platform.

Well, I say “new” but Substack has been around since 2017—and it seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. Or maybe I should say dollars and cents because Substack is all about subscriptions. And though it’s possible to have a free Substack, I’m sure that once an audience explodes, the switch is made to the paid option. Which works out well for everybody.

By Nicole Pyles

All of those short email blurbs of neighborhood complaints turned into interesting story starters. Some were odd. Some were hilarious. All are fantastic fodder for short stories or even lengthier works. Or great tidbits for dialogue or character development.

I've only been doing this for a couple of weeks, but here are the ones I've saved so far.

By Kelly Sgroi

They say you should aim to be rejected 100 times per year. This refers to submitting to literary journals, but there is something to be said about this theory.

If you are submitting, your chance of acceptance goes up. So if the more you submit, the more chance you have of being published, why are you worried about all your rejections rather than focusing on sending out your next query?

By Ann Kathryn Kelly

On my return from my morning walk, I always take a few minutes and step into flower beds that ring my house, eagerly inspecting them. I see shoots pushing up from the earth and literally gaining an inch each day. I’ve got seven flower beds, each one a decent size. Though the beds demand a lot of attention during summer with weeding and pruning, it’s the spring that is the busiest as I rake away winter mulch blankets, fertilize, prune browned remains from the previous autumn, and haul out garden statues from winter storage. The prep required even before the beds can be freshly mulched for a new season is easily two full weekends of manual work.

As novelist and poet Rudyard Kipling noted: “Gardens are not made by singing, ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.”

By Michelle Cornish

A blog tour is a marketing campaign that involves coordinating a series of blog posts and online promotions to create buzz and generate exposure for your book. It typically involves collaborating with bloggers and influencers who have an audience that aligns with your target readership. These bloggers will read your book, write reviews, host author interviews, and feature guest posts or excerpts from your book on their blogs. The goal is to reach a wider audience and generate interest in your book within their established community.

Welcome to almost-summer for many of our readers. School is out, kids are running wild (or buried in screens), and if you thought you were busy before, well, there’s nothing like June, July, and August, for me at least. With a 12-year-old involved in a lot of camps and extracurricular activities, plus she has figured out the joy of hanging out with friends, sometimes the day is a blur since I also work at a marketing agency!

Enough about that! These writers below are getting it done! And you’ll notice there are some big publication success stories below and some about meeting goals. You know what the common thing is between all of them? How this event or publication or goal met made the writer feel—successful! If you want to share your success with us, look for a post on social media or the easier way is to email them to me at [email protected] and include Success Story in the subject line.

I vow to continue writing my novel this summer and move that toward completion which will make me feel successful. How about you? What’s one goal or routine you can establish on your road to success?

Kathryn Caraway writes, “I am excited to announce I have finalized my true-crime memoir, UnFollow Me. It is a rare account of one woman’s stalking experience and the effort it took to successfully convict her perpetrator. With an estimated 13.5 million incidents of stalking per year, resulting in a 0.1% conviction rate, this novel delivers true crime enthusiasts’ insights that challenge perceptions and expectations of today’s legal system.

“I am currently seeking Beta Readers. If you are interested, please visit www.KathrynCaraway.com and enter your email address to receive access to an Advanced Reader Copy.”

Joni B. Cole writes, “I'd like to share the success of the brand-new release of my revised and expanded book, Toxic Feedback: Helping Writers Survive and Thrive, (An excerpt from it just came out in the Jane Friedman blog) and my other popular writing guide, Good Naked: How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier are available wherever books are sold.”

@maryelleng.author writes, “I Must Have Wandered: An Adopted Air Force Daughter Recalls, my creative nonfiction memoir, is a hybrid of letters, vignettes, and lyrical prose. Available in ebook and paperback widely.”

@cheri_krueger_writer writes, “My novel, The Abduction of Adrienne Berg, will be at a bookstore near you October 5, 2023 🥳.”

@nottingham_lass__onthemove writes, “I won a commendable place in the Notes to Self anthology produced by @wrap_ntu at Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England. The anthology was a place to share a piece of life writing. My piece took place during a very difficult week in my life when children were small that almost cost me my life.”

@marthalouise1919 writes, “My preteen book, Adeline in a Gymnastics Jam, placed first, winning a gold medal, in the 2022 Florida Association of Publishers and Authors President’s Awards for category Children’s Grades 3 to 5. It was an exciting day!”

@christyflutterby writes, “I just graduated from UAlbany with my MA in English after writing a creative thesis. I was named the SUNY Thayer Arts Fellowship finalist for writing. Now onto finishing the book I started!”

@lhsittig writes, “My newest book was released last week. A children’s book, Opening Closed Doors: The Story of Josie Murray is the story of an unsung hero of the early Civil Rights Movement who fought for the desegregation of a Virginia public library, paving the way for desegregation of public buildings in 1957.”

@bhattacharyaindrani writes, “Poetry confluence was arranged by Antonyms and Bhasha Samsad of Kolkata. Where poems of different languages were translated both in English and Bengali. I have tried to translate five poems each of three poets in Bengali and English and won the Jibanananda Das award for the translation of the Bengali poems by famous Bangladeshi poet Md. Nurul Huda into English, last year.”

@birncs writes, “Fulfilled a dream and published my first book, Purges of the Soul. So proud of it. It is comprised of 40 flash fiction stories, each one of which was inspired by a work of art. A happy marriage of art forms for me.”

@priscillathomaswrites writes, “I published a deck of writing prompts based on something I made for myself and was asked to make more of — feels huge!”

Sheri White (@sheriw1965) writes, “A story published this month: ‘This Ain’t No Mudd Club’ at Cream Scene Carnival.”

Kathie Giorgio (@KathieGiorgio) writes, “I am delighted to have my poem, ‘Retreat’, appear in the current issue of Blue Heron Review. The theme of the issue was Sanctuaries & Places of Peace. Check it out!”

Note from Margo: This is a new section we will hopefully include each time we have a column, and it is appropriately named STAFF! These are writers who help WOW! be the supportive, informative spot on the Web that it is. You may notice some of the names from blog posts or articles on the site or newsletters that have graced your inbox, like this one! This is also where I will put my good news, written in the third person as you can see…

Margo L. Dill writes, “Editor-911 Books has four-five books coming out in hopefully the next six-eight months! Three are new authors, Kandace Davis (memoir), Shama Shams (memoir) and Renee Roberson (YA paranormal). The fourth is book 2 of the Hope and Horses series by Cinda Bauman. And Fred Olds is currently working on a fifth picture book about a flop-eared rabbit with body image issues. I’m a busy woman at the moment, but still taking time to work on my novel three to four times a week, thanks to my encouraging writing group!”

Ann Kathryn Kelly writes, “I am delighted to have received three acceptances in one week. Yay for the month of May! I have two poems forthcoming, and a 100-word micro-flash, all to be published later this summer.”

Anne Greenawalt writes, “I published ‘You Are a Strong, Brave Girl’ with Autofocus Literary Journal. It's a CNF [creative nonfiction] braided essay that explores the intersection of identity, sport, and motherhood.”

Ashley Memory writes, “I wrote my essay, ‘My Rembrandt Weekend,’ over a year ago, and it finally got accepted, winning an honorable mention in the Alex Albright Nonfiction Prize. It’ll be published by the same publication that published my deviled egg essay earlier—the North Carolina Literary Review. They sent out a press release and the judge wrote some kind comments: https://nclr.ecu.edu/2023/05/05/laura-hope-gill-creative-nonfiction-prize/”

Chelsey Clammer writes, “Six years after I started it—the swan essay about my grandmother—published in LIT magazine! 'Collecting 92 Years of Wisdom'”

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