Places to submit

The New Verse News

The New Verse News covers the news of the day with poems on issues, large and small, international and local. It relies on the submission of poems (especially those of a politically progressive bent) by writers from all over the world. The editors update the website every day or two with the best work received. What’s best? A genuinely poetic take on a very current and specific news story or event. TIPS FROM THE EDITOR See the website for guidelines and for examples of the kinds of poems the New Verse News publishes. Scroll down to read thesubmission guidelines in the sidebar. Paste your submission and a brief bio in the text of an e-mail (no attachments, please) to nvneditor [at] gmail.com Write “Verse News Submission” in the subject line of your e-mail. Unpublished poems only. No payment. No simultaneous submissions. For an example of what is published, please read: “Hope” by Sandra Anfang,…

Book Reviews

The Write Spot: Musings and Ravings From a Pandemic Year

Reviews of The Write Spot: Musings and Ravings From a Pandemic Year Review by Sande Anfang: The Write Spot founder and writing coach Marlene Cullen has been guiding writers through her Jumpstart workshops. I’ve been lucky to participate in some of them. Marlene’s motto is “Just Write,” as in don’t stop to evaluate what you’ve written during the drafting process—just keep the pen moving until the timer rings. In this collection, she has gathered a wide variety of poetry and short prose pieces from sixteen writers. If there’s a common thread that binds this anthology, it’s a grappling with the surreal nature of 2020 and the coronavirus pandemic. Being forced to upend our “normal” lives and adapt to changing threats, both medical and socio-political, has created an opportunity for deep investigation that finds catharsis, much-needed humor, and rich forays into family memories. There are inviting dips into the pool of…