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!
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.
