Writing Round Up, Cool Exercise, and Submission Opportunity
Write Better Now
Every Monday, we’re sending out a quick round-up of what we talked about and some cool links to check out to help all of us become better writers.
As a reminder, on Wednesdays the WRITE BETTER NOW podcast comes out here (and everywhere).
Later in the week there is a bonus post for paid subscribers because, honestly, it’s super kind of you to support me that way, and I want to make sure to make it’s worth your while. Thank you for being here.
Last week’s posts.
Writing Exercise of Awesome
There’s a great, great, great blog post by J.D. Erwin on The Write Practice all about theme. You should check it out. This is the exercise at the end of it.
Cool Links By Other People!
How about J.D. Erwin?
A pretty cool story about Khentrul Lodro T'haye Rinpoche, monk and author.
A reading of Shido Bunan’s poem, “Die While You Are Alive.” You can get a poem a day if you want to there, too.
SUBMISSION POSSIBILITIES!
Pithead Chapel Larry Brown Short Story Award
(Deadline October 31 – $500)
“We’re pleased to announce the seventh annual Larry Brown Short Story Award. The winners will receive the following prizes: 1st $500 USD, 2nd $50 USD, 3rd $50 USD, and 4th and 5th will receive a copy of the book Tiny Love: The Complete Stories by Larry Brown. Each prize winner will be published in the January 2023 issue of Pithead Chapel.
“2022 Guest Judge: Kristen Arnett
“Pithead Chapel is an independent and volunteer-run literary journal and small press founded in 2012 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. At Pithead Chapel, we’re looking for engaging art, fiction, nonfiction, and prose poetry. Most of all, we want your work to make us feel something. We want to reach the last word and immediately crave more. We want your work to leave a brilliant bruise. Send us your polished work and we’ll do our best to help your voice get heard.”
The “journal accepts previously unpublished work only. Please use the following word counts to select a category to submit, and please send no more than one piece at a time per category, except where noted. In addition, please only submit once per submission window:
Flash (fiction or nonfiction): max 1,000 words each (1-3 pieces per submission)
Short story: max 7,500 words
Creative nonfiction: max 6,000 words
Graphic novels, cartoons, comics: we want to see them
Poetry: any length or form (please send no more than five poems at a time)
Abandon Form: this is hybrid, experimental, and/or idiosyncratic work that doesn’t fit into conventional genres, categories, or forms, and can be of any length
Artwork: we are particularly looking for genres that were created in a digital format (video, sound, animation, photography, design, etc.) but we will consider all visual art media (max five works at a time)
Craft essays and writing about art: although we are not looking for academic work or reviews, we’d like to see creative nonfiction or personal essay/memoir about writing, art, and art-making
Book reviews and interviews: please pitch us first before submitting.”
What We’re Looking For
“We want to showcase writing and artwork that has been created with abandon. That term is free to be interpreted liberally, but ideally it is the kind of work that takes risks, created in a space wherein the artist doesn’t care what anyone else thinks or what everyone else is doing. This means that we’re open to so-called “genre fiction,” from mystery to sci-fi to romance to fantasy to horror to whatever strikes your fancy. As long as the writing is powerful and abandons the preconceived notions of what is expected, we want to read it.”
Current Calls For Submissions
9/15/22 through 11/30/22.
How To Submit
“We accept unsolicited general submissions, for free, forever, always, no exceptions. (However, we’re happy to take tip jar submissions or other donations, if you’d like to contribute to our operating expenses and to helping us pay writers.)
“Simultaneous submissions are fine — we’re writers too, after all — but please let us know if your piece is accepted elsewhere as soon as you can.
“No more than one active submission per category at a time, and please wait at least two months before submitting again.
“Feel free to inquire about the status of your submission if you haven’t heard back after 6-8 weeks.
“Please, no re-submissions of the same work unless a revision was specifically requested. We're listed here at Duotrope, so please don’t forget to report your submission.”
Payment
$15 per piece or series.
There you go! Happy writing!
xo
Carrie