“. . the best prize that life offers . . .

  • “. . the best prize that life offers . . .

    Theodore Roosevelt.1“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” — Theodore Roosevelt, from a speech given in Syracuse, New York (September 7, 1903) From Real Simple magazine, September 2014

    Note from Marlene:  Your writing, your work matters.  Just write!

    Marlene C

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  • Broad Street hopes to create engaging platforms. . .

    Tell It SlantBroad Street is a nonprofit magazine featuring great true stories told in many different ways. At Broad Street, we hope to create an engaging platform where writing, poetry, and artwork can come together in one space to be enjoyed both by longtime fans of creative nonfiction and by those who are new to this exciting form. We are always looking for more talent to feature in the magazine, so if you have an interesting piece of writing or art please feel free to submit through Tell it Slant.

    Marlene C

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  • The Christian Science Monitor accepts personal essay, poems and more . . .

    The Christian Science Monitor is an independent international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage. “We want to inspire people to think about what they’ve read long after they’ve left the page. To share what they’ve learned with others. And to do something that makes a difference.”

    The Home Forum section of The Christian Science Monitor is looking for upbeat, personal essays from 400 to 800 words. “We also welcome short poems. All material must be original and previously unpublished. For seasonal material, be aware that if you submit something that is about a particular month, holiday, event (back to school, graduation), or season, we need to receive it a minimum of six weeks ahead.”

    Essays:

    These are first-person, nonfiction explorations of how you responded to a place, a person, a situation, an event, or happenings in everyday life. Tell a story; share a funny true tale. The humor should be gentle.

    Essays are accepted on a wide variety of subjects.

    CS is always looking for essays on travel, parenting (your experiences with children), home, family, gardening, neighborhood, and community.

    Poetry:

    Poetry that appears in The Home Forum explores and celebrates life. It provides a respite from the bleakness that appears in so much contemporary verse. Of particular interest:  poetry that has an international flavor or that offers some global or cultural insights. Short poems are more likely to be accepted (because of space constraints) than poems that are more than 18 lines long.

    Submissions are accepted only by e-mail, one poem per e-mail; no more than 5 poems submitted at one time. In order to preserve line breaks and indents, you may want to consider using a Microsoft Word attachment. (We are not able to open any other attachments. If you don’t use Word, please paste the text into the e-mail.)

    Christian Science MonitorClick here for Contributor Guidelines.

    Click here for copyright and terms of acceptance.

     

    Marlene C

  • We write for a variety of reasons . . .

    Hand & PenWe write for a variety of reasons:

    ~ To tell a story, or what happened as we remember it

    ~ To create a fictional story

    ~ To tell a fiction story, based on truth

    ~ To journal what happened and our feelings about what happened

    ~ To write non-fiction: share our knowledge or to tell what happened

    All of this involves what we learned, what changed us, what impressed us.

    It doesn’t matter why you are writing. It is important that you write.

    No matter the motivation for your writing . . . Just Write!

    Marlene C

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  • Crazyhorse Prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction, & Poetry

    CrazyhorseCrazyhorse welcomes general submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from September 1st through May 31st, with the exception of the month of January, during which we accept entries for our annual Prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry, and the month of July, during which we accept entries for our annual short-short fiction contest:   Crazyshorts!

    From January 1st to January 31st, submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication.

    Click here for submission guidelines.

    Marlene C

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  • Literal Latté accepts prose, poetry and art.

    Literal Latté, a journal of prose, poetry and art accepts submissions 365 days a year.

    “98% of what we publish comes from the so-called slush pile. We accept work for publication on a continual basis and publish within one year of acceptance. Most issues contain someone who has not been published before.”

    Cup coffeeClick here for submission guidelines.

     

     

    Marlene C

  • Breathe, focus, keep your head down and . . .

    keep going.

    — Christina Baker Kline, interviewed by Alicia Anstead in the October 2014 issue of The Writer Magazine.

    Or, as Dory sings in Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming. . . swimming. . . swimming. . . ”

    At some point in your writing life, you may think your writing is no-good, awful, horrible and no one would want to read it.

    Join the Ark. Most writers, I think, are in that boat at least once.

    Take the advice of Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train, “Breathe, focus, keep your head down and keep going.”

    Click here if you want prompts to jumpstart your writing. Click on “Comments” on any of the Write Spot Blog posts to read inspirational writing.

    fish 3And just keep swimming, swimming. . . writing, writing.

     

     

    Marlene C

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  • Narrative Magazine’s Mission: advance literary art . . .

    The Mission of Narrative Magazine is to advance literary art in the digital age. From Narrative’s website:

    A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003, Narrative is dedicated to advancing literary arts in the digital age by supporting the finest writing talent and encouraging readership across generations, in schools, and around the globe. Our online library of new literature by celebrated authors and by the best new and emerging writers is available for free.

     Vision: to connect writers and readers around the globe.

    Narrative welcomes submissions of previously unpublished manuscripts of all lengths, ranging from short short stories to complete book-length works for serialization. Narrative regularly publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, including stories, novels, novel excerpts, novellas, personal essays, humor, sketches, memoirs, literary biographies, commentary, reportage, interviews, and features of interest to readers who take pleasure in storytelling and imaginative prose.

    Narrative looks for quality and originality of language and content. In addition to submissions for issues of Narrative Magazine itself, we also encourage submissions for our Story of the Week, literary contests, and Readers’ Narratives. Please read  Submission Guidelines for all information on manuscript formatting, word lengths, author payment, and other policies.

    typewriter 1Marlene Musings: It occurs to me, my dear writing friends, that your writing just might qualify for publication in Narrative Magazine. What have you got to lose? Submit!

    Marlene C

  • Are emails and FB Posts writing?

    Marlene and dreadsDo you think emails and Facebook posts can be considered as “writing?”

    I do!

    You are writing and communicating.  Have fun with your writing . . . wherever that takes you. Your writing is your personal, and sometimes public, journey. Wherever your writing lands . . . Just write!

    Marlene C

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  • Got a gutsy story?

    Sonia MarshEvery Monday, My Gutsy Story® features a short story on “Gutsy Living”  about something Gutsy you have done in your life that either:

    • Changed you
    • Changed the way you think about something.
    • Made your life take a different direction.

    My Gutsy Story® founder, Sonia Marsh, is looking for:

    • A well-written story
    • Something gutsy
    • Inspirational
    • Unique
    • Motivational
    • Engaging
    • Humor

    Submission Guidelines:

    • The story should be no more than 1,000 words.
    • 100 word bio with your website.

    Click here to read the winners for August 2014.

    Click here for  information for My Gutsy Story® anthology  contest (different from the Monday short story feature).

    Sonoma County author Patrice Garrett was a featured writer in July 2014.

    Marlene C