Birdland Journal offers a home for fiction, flash fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction from established and emerging writers. The theme for this issue is “A Matter of Character.” Take this where you want to. Besides a character in a story, how about considering the character of a people or place? Take character out of the box. It might be a person, or an animal or an inanimate object. Deadline: April 15, 2019 Open to Northern California residents only. Previously published material not accepted, including publication in any venue: print, web, and personal blogs.
One slice of the point of view pie
There are many articles and books about point of view. The following is an excerpt from a talk given by author Jim Dodge. Narrator – Who tells the story. The most used pov: First person and third person. There are three types of first person point of view. First person direct. First person indirect. First person objective. First person direct: Protagonist carries conflict and is usually involved. Direct – “it happened to me.” When narrator carries conflict = direct perception. This is the most difficult point of view to work with – has to be compelling voice to hold readers’ interest. If you can pull it off, it’s powerful. Stories move in time and space. Problems with first person point of view: person has to be “everywhere” to get information. First person indirect: Reflective, or indirect: narrator does not carry conflict. Narrator is a character and in a relationship with…
Natural Bridge invites submissions
The editors of Natural Bridge invite submissions of poetry, fiction, personal essays, translations, and art. From the Natural Bridge submission page: Because we are tied to the academic calendar, we will not read between May 1 and August 1. Submit through Submittable There is a $3.00 charge for non-subscribers to submit. This is not a reading fee, but helps maintain the submission service and website. This fee is waived for current subscribers. We will continue to accept submissions free of charge through snail mail. Submissions sent by email will not be read. A few Guidelines. We do not accept previously published work. This includes self-publication and work that appears online. Poetry submissions should be limited to one manuscript of up to six poems at one time. Poems should include the author’s contact information on every page, be clearly titled, and be paginated if longer than one page. Prose submissions should be limited…
If you could live anywhere. . . Prompt #415
If, for one month, you could live anywhere, any place, in a certain residence, or in a famous home, where would you pick? You can time travel into the past or future.
Send It!
Today’s post is by guest blogger, Guy Biederman For years I wrote without sending my work out for publication. Publishing, and rejection, seemed rather beside the point. I wrote because I was a writer. Felt the pull, found the chair. Occasionally I’d send out a story. Some were published. I won a few contests. But mostly I was content with writing and teaching. I created a literary magazine, Bust Out Stories, and published books by others. One student called me a story midwife. Two years ago, for whatever reason, I decided it was time to send out my work in earnest. I created a stable of revised stories and poems that felt ready to go and began to research and read — a lot. It was fun. I embarked on my own maniacal sending binge, sending out work every day, or at least several times a week. …
What did you used to do . . . Prompt #414
What did you used to do that you no longer do?
Today I saw . . . Prompt #413
Writing Prompt: Today I saw . . . You can write about what you saw today. Start writing and see what happens. Write freely and with no cares about the outcome. Just write!
You have won . . . Prompt #412
You have just been notified that you have won a prize on the level of a gold medal at the Olympics, or a Grammy, or an Academy Award, or a Pulitzer Prize. Write about a special skill you have and how you won an award for that. Let your imagination soar. What have you won a prize for? What is your reaction? Write your acceptance speech.
It’s a mystery . . . Prompt #411
Today’s writing prompt: It’s a mystery . . .
Betrayal. Prompt #410
“A time comes when silence is betrayal.” Martin Luther King, Jr. Write about a time you were betrayed. Or a time you betrayed someone. You could start with: I felt betrayed . . . Or write about a time you were silent and now wish you had spoken up. Or write about a time you could no longer remain silent. You could start with: I want to tell you about what happened . . .