Category: Just Write

  • More Chicken Soup For The Soul

    Do you think submitting stories to Chicken Soup For The Soul books are for someone else, not for you? Do you think you have no chance of your writing being selected?

    Well, I know three people who have had their writing accepted.

    So, why not you?

    One of the key things is to follow their guidelines.

    Thank you, John Lesjack, for letting me know about the holiday topics (deadline 5/1/22).

    John has been published in Chicken Soup books over ten times.

    Nancy Julien Kopp has been published in Chicken Soup books over 20 times!

    Possible Chicken Soup Topics

    Angels (deadline 4/15/22)

    Crazy, eccentric, wacky lovable, fun families (4/30/22)

    Cats (deadline 5/30/22)

    Dogs (deadline 5/30/22)

    How stepping outside my comfort zone changed me (deadline 7/31/22)

    Chicken Soup Holiday Topics

    Are the memories from this past holiday season still fresh in your mind? We sure hope so! That’s why, just a few days into the new year, we are sending this request to you for holiday stories. And we mean the entire season — from Thanksgiving to Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa to Boxing Day to New Year’s. We want stories about every one of them.

    We want holiday stories that share your traditions and memories of normal times — pre-pandemic. We want your holiday stories that share how your traditions and celebrations changed because of the pandemic. Please remember to make sure your submissions are “Santa safe” so we don’t spoil the magic for our precocious readers!

    Here are some suggestions but don’t let these limit you. We know you can think of many more.

      • New holiday traditions started — and to be continued?
      • Thanksgiving — holiday fun, disasters, and family bonding
      • Hanukkah — all by itself or incorporated into your Christmas tradition
      • Kwanzaa — traditions and celebrations
      • Boxing Day — traditions and celebrations
      • The weeks leading up to Christmas — anticipation, energy, the kids
      • Using technology, Zoom or FaceTime gatherings instead of meeting in-person
      • Decorating — oh, how we love to do that!
      • Undecorating — oh, how we hate to do that!!
      • Shopping and finding the perfect gift
      • Shopping on-line only — hits and misses!
      • Staying home instead of traveling
      • Holiday humor — things that went wrong
      • Holidays through the eyes of the children
      • Around the table — eat, eat, eat and be merry
      • Family reunions
      • Unique gifts, creativity, the best gift you ever gave or received
      • Unique gifts, creativity — the worst gift you ever gave or received!
      • Regifting
      • Happy New Year!
      • Holiday miracles, amazing coincidences, answered prayers
      • Gratitude, counting your blessings
      • Seeing the silver linings
      • Forgiveness and how you used it during the holidays
      • Family dynamics — milestones, tender moments, epiphanies
      • What you learned during the holidays

    All stories and poems need to be true.

    No longer than 1,200 words.

    Written in first person.

    Marlene C

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  • Writing is magical

    Photo by Robin Hewett Jeffers

    Writing is magical. Take some blank pages, write or type on them, and as if by magic, a story appears. It may be an incomplete story and it may feel fragmented, but it’s the beginning of Your story.

    Writing can be healing, especially when you write what you really want to say, rather than listing what you did that day, journal style.  The most magical writing is when you get so involved in your writing that you lose track of time, you lose track of where you are and even, who you are!

    The process of writing can be therapeutic. With this deep writing, you may experience a release of emotions, clearing the air, and seeing old things in a new way. — “The Write Spot to Jumpstart Your Writing: Connections.”

    Personal Essay as Therapy

    Just Write!

    #amwriting #justwrite #iamawriter

    Marlene C

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  • The Ekphrastic Review

    The Ekphrastic Review

    “We only publish literature inspired by or responding to visual art in some way. Our definition is flexible, but we are a niche journal and an ekphrastic writing archive and do not consider or publish non-ekphrastic work. Submissions that are not connected in some way to visual art will be deleted without response.” 

    Ekphrastic Mission
    ​
    The Ekphrastic Review is committed to the growth, expansion, and practice of the art form of creative writing inspired or prompted by visual art. 

    We define ekphrastic writing simply as “creative writing inspired by art.” The piece can be an in-depth experience of the art work, or it can use the art as a starting point for expression. The connection to the artwork or artist can be subtle, or it can be central to the work.

    Best Chances of Publication

    1. Ekphrastic translations. We are hungry for ekphrastic work from all over the world, in its original language, and translated into English.

    2. Stellar flash fiction, microfiction, small fictions: fiction from 50 to 1000 words.

    We have naturally evolved as a poetry-centric publication.

    We love poetry and always will, but we do receive a constant deluge of poetry, much of it stellar.

    We want to grow with great fiction. We like beautiful fiction that reads like poetry. We like interesting fiction. We like fiction that packs an emotional punch. We like fiction with language that stabs you in the heart, that you want to tape onto your fridge. We like fiction that shows us something new about art.

    Since we receive only a small fraction of fiction as we do poetry, and want to publish more, your story might stand a greater chance. Send your best!

    3. Ekphrastic Writing Challenges. Our biweekly prompt series is your best chance overall, as they are ongoing throughout the year. We have received as few entries as 10 and as many as 300, but we do publish multiple responses for each painting in one post, which gives you higher odds.

    Submission Guidelines

    Thanks to Guy Biederman for recommending The Ekphrastic Review. His piece, “Together Alone”, was accepted by The Ekphrastic Review

    #amwriting #justwrite #iamawriter

    Marlene C

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  • Writing is intimate . . .

    Excerpt from The Sun November 2003, “Keep The Hand Moving,” Natalie Goldberg interviewed by Genie Zeiger:

    Zeiger asked Natalie, “What is the difference between speaking our stories and writing them down?”

    Natalie: Writing it down is more intimate because, first of all, you are developing a relationship among your hand, your arm, your shoulder, your heart, and your mind. Then, because the story is recorded, you have a chance to read it later, so you can see who you are and come home to yourself.

    I tell students to read deeply—which doesn’t mean reading all the great literature but just reading carefully, studying the mind of the author rather than whipping through the book. Reading is important because when you read, you enter the mind of the author, and so you get to study a practiced mind.

    Notice: How do writers create structure in a book? How do they turn phrases and present facts?

    Note from Marlene: Your turn. Just Write!

    More about writing practice from Natalie Goldberg

    #amwriting #justwrite #imawriter

    Marlene C

  • Panoplyzine

    Panoplyzine is a fresh new look at poetry and short prose.

    “We seek to publish lively new insights in creativity, outlook, perspective, and analysis. Issue 1 debuted in August 2015. We’re edited by three friends located around Pensacola, FL who got together to offer a new look and a new option for readers and writers and lovers of good writing worldwide. In January 2022, we welcomed a new editor based in Romania to enhance our viewpoint and feel.

    Our mission is to share the best in contemporary poetry and short prose, to enlighten and entertain, and to touch our readers’ hearts and minds.”

    Submission Guidelines

    Guy Biederman had success with “This isn’t the story I intended to write” being published in Panoplyzine.

    Guy’s piece “Send It!” encourages writers to submit their writing. “I record where, when, and what I send, and of course, the results. I record quality declines if I’m given feedback, especially from those who invite me to try them again. And when accepted, I write Yes! next to that entry in Zapfino font, just to party a little.”

    May 5 and May 19, 2022: Guy will teach flash fiction writing. Free on Zoom through Recovery Writing of Idaho.

    Register for Recovery Writing.

    Just Write! And then, submit your writing! Places to Submit.

    Marlene C

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  • MacQueen’s Quinterly

    MacQueen’s Quinterly : Knock-your-socks-off Art and Literature publishes writing of a thousand words or less.

    “Short forms are deceptively difficult to write well, and although they take only a few minutes to read, the best resonate far longer than that. Perhaps for a lifetime. We’re dedicated to publishing such gems—please dive in to see the latest we’ve found for you.”

    Submission Guidelines

    Bonus Info:

    Guy Biederman is a successful contributor to MacQueen’s Quinterly.

    Marlene C

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  • Rollick Magazine

    Rollick Magazine is committed to championing new literary voices and is open to unsolicited submissions of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

    “We are specifically interested in publishing contemporary literature, thought, and opinion about popular culture, society, and everything on the periphery. We are passionate about representing all types of voices and seek to offer a home to those who might be otherwise marginalised or underrepresented.”

    Submission Information

    #amwriting #justwrite #iamawriter

    Marlene C

  • Inspiration to “Just Write”

    Photo by Robin Hewett Jeffers

    Thank you for visiting The Write Spot Blog. I hope you find motivation to Just Write from these blog posts.

    I feel like I’ve been hibernating. I guess I needed a rest. You might be feeling that way, too.

    In these difficult times, it’s hard for some to be motivated.

    After the glitter of December, I enjoyed being quiet in January.

    February 1st seems like a good time to start a new writing year!

    My flexible blog post schedule:

    Monday: Inspiration to write

    Tuesday: Quotes about writers/writing

    Wednesday: Writing Prompt

    Thursday: Guest Blogger

    Friday: Writing Prompt

    Saturday: Places to submit your writing

    Sunday: Book Reviews

    Memorable writing posted randomly on the Sparks page

    I don’t post every day. I don’t want to overwhelm anyone, including myself!

    If you want to contribute to The Write Spot Blog:

    ~ Send your inspirational thoughts about writing, or the writing life

    ~ Email writerly quotes to me

    ~ You can be a guest blogger: 800-1,000 words to inspire writing

    ~ Share places to submit writing

    ~ Send a book review – what you liked about the book, not a summary

    It’s a new day! Just write!

    Marlene, Happy Curator of The Write Spot Blog

    Marlene C

  • Wordrunner eChapbooks Anthology 2022

    Does a new year inspire you to reach your goals of submitting your writing to publications?

    Here’s an idea to start off the new year. Send your writing to Wordrunner eChapbooks anthology.

    Wordrunner eChapbooks Anthology 2022

    Submissions will open January 1 through February 28, 2022.

    There is no theme.

    “We simply want to publish your best writing.”

    Guidelines

    Submit up to three poems (no longer than a page each) or three flash fictions (750 to 1,000 words each), or one short story, novel or memoir excerpt, or a personal essay (up to 5,000 words).

    There are separate categories for each genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction). You may submit to more than one category. Send your best.

    All submissions to the anthology must be previously unpublished.

    No genre fiction (horror, fantasy, mystery), please, unless a story transcends its genre. Literary/speculative fiction is acceptable.

    Fees for submissions to the anthology: $3. These fees cover basic operational expenses and payment to authors.

    All rights revert to authors. We appreciate being credited as a first publication source.

    About Wordrunner eChapbooks

    “We are pleased and proud to showcase diverse and talented writers, whether they be emerging newbies or old hands with a long list of publishing credits. We read submissions blind, always on the alert for genuinely excellent writing.”

    Marlene C

  • Get past ego to connect

    “I think American society alienates us from ourselves, and we have a great need to reconnect. Human beings yearn to connect and to tell our stories before we die.

    Sometimes we want to write, but when we get down to it, there’s resistance, because the ego gets scared.” — Natalie Goldberg in an interview with Genie Zeiger, “Keep The Hand Moving,” The Sun November 2003.

    Ideas on how to get past ego and Just Write

    The Inner Critic Tar Pit of Doom and Despair

    Is “Go Big or Go Home” Right for You?

    Rachel Macy Stafford: Live Love Now

    #amwriting #creativewriting #justwrite #freewrites

    Marlene C

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