“You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.” Ray Bradbury
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Opportunity Knocks
COMMONWEALTH WRITERS sponsors an annual short-fiction in English prize and is open for entries through November 1, 2018. Demographic restrictions. No entry fee. Cash award. Details HERE.
CUTTHROAT, a journal of the arts, Worlds into words into Worlds, will accept submissions of through October 30, 2018, ten days from this posting, for an anthology of Chicanx writing to be published in 2019. Of interest: poetry, essay, short stories, memoir, flash fiction. Details HERE.
THE FIDDLEHEAD is open through November 30 for poetry and will open for fiction and nonfiction in January. “We particularly welcome submissions from Indigenous writers, writers of colour, writers with disabilities, LGBTQQIA+ writers, and writers from other intersectional and under-represented communities. If you are comfortable identifying yourself as one or more of the above, please feel free to mention this in your cover letter.” Details HERE.
FOGLIFTER JOURNAL is open for submissions of poetry, prose, cross-genre work, text-image hybids, and drama through December 1st in preparation for their spring issue. No submission fees. Details HERE.
GHANA WRITES LITERARY GROUP has an open call for submissions of poetry to be considered for a special anthology, Bodies and Scars. Demographic restrictions. Deadline: October 30, 2018. Details HERE.
HER STORY MATTERS, the journey of a woman is collecting personal stories about gender indifference. Details HERE.
HerSTRY, Empowering Women Through Storytelling says, “Telling your story is a revolutionary act.” Personal stories are invited. Details HERE. (scroll down)
THE SUN MAGAZINE Personal. Political. Provocative. Ad-free. A reader-supported publication, this magazine publishes nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. “We tend to favor personal writing, but we’re also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues.” Paying market. No submission fee. Details HERE.
THE WALRUS is an independent publication and, according to its site, a registered nonprofit in Canada that is “invested in the idea that a health society relies on informed citizens.” This magazine is open for submissions of short essays, long narrative journalistic pieces (query first), and arts and culture. Online publication includes fiction and poetry. Details HERE.
I often get requests to read and critique poetry and short stories. I don’t have that kind of free time and it’s not something for which I have any passion, which makes me your worst option ….
However, for those of you who’d like some feedback on your stories and poems, I think you might find Sixfoldoffers a workable and rather unique solution. I haven’t played with it myself (it’s on my to-do list), but I like the sound of it. Writers and readers vote on and critique stories. Check it out. The entry fee is just $5, not unreasonable. There are cash awards for best story and best poem. The deadline for the current round is: October 24th. If you have something ready to go, now’s your chance. Details HERE.
REMINDERS:
The Poet by Day
WEDNESDAY WRITING PROMPT
Response deadline is Monday, October 22, at 8 p.m. Pacific. Poems on theme are published on this site on Tuesday, the October 23. Details HERE.
The BeZine
Call for submissions for the December issue.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be. Submissions for the December issue – themed A Life of the Spirit – close on November 10 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific .
Please send text in the body of the email not as an attachment. Send photographs or illustrations as attachments. No google docs or Dropbox or other such. No rich text. Send submissions to bardogroup@gmail.com.
Publication is December 15th. Poetry, essays, fiction and creative nonfiction, art and photography, music (videos or essays), and whatever lends itself to online presentation is welcome for consideration.
No demographic restrictions.
Please read at least one issue. We DO NOT publish anything that promotes hate, divisiveness or violence or that is scornful or in any way dismissive of “other” peoples.
December 2018 issue, Deadline November 10th, Theme: A Life of the Spirit
The BeZine is an entirely volunteer effort, a mission. It is not a paying market but neither does it charge submission or subscription fees.
Previously published work may be submitted IF you hold the copyright. Submissions from beginning and emerging artists as well as pro are encouraged and we have a special interest in getting more submissions of short stores, feature articles, music videos and art for consideration.
COMPETITIONS
CUTTHROAT, a journal of the arts, Worlds into words into World has three competitions open for entries at this time: The 2018 Joy Harjo Poetry Award; Barry Lopez Nonfiction Award; and the Rick DeMarinis Short Story Award. These contests are open for submissions through October 31, 2018. First Prize in each genre: $1300 and publication. Second Prize in each genre: $250 and publication. Honorable Mention: Publication. $20 entry fee. Details HERE.
THE FIDDLEHEAD sponsores an annual contest for best short story and best poem with $2,000 awards in each category and $250 for honorable mentions in each category. Entry fee. Deadline: December 3, 2018. Details HERE.
2019 SONIA SANCHES-LANGSTON HUGHES POETRY CONTEST sponsored by Split Rock as part its commitment to “raise the visibility and prestige of poetry of provocation and witness.” Open for entries through November 1. Cash awards. Publication. Details HERE.
SOUTHWORD FICTION CHAPBOOK COMPETITION or 10,000-15,000 words “which can consist of a novella, a long short story, several short stories, a collection of lsh fiction, or a mix of stories and flash fiction. Entry fee: 25 Euros. Deadline: October 31, 2018.Two categories: Best Irish Entry and Best International Entry. Cash award and twenty copies of the chapbook. Details HERE.
OTHER INFORMATION and NEWS
Poet, poetry teacher and consultant to Second Light Network of Women Poets
Congratulations to English poet, Myra Schneider, on her new website. Check it out HERE. Myra’s latest collection is Lifting the Sky (Ward Wood Publishing, 2018). She has published some ten other poetry collections in addition to a book on writing and, early in her career, some young adult novels.
“Zora left the South to support herself, but she never ran away from it. She told real stories of her place. She exploded the reality of Southern living for her time.” Mashama Baile
Prolific Yorkshire Poet, Paul Brookes
FYI: Paul Brookes, a stalwart participant in The Poet by Day Wednesday Writing Prompt, is running an ongoing series on poets, Wombwell Rainbow Interviews. Connect with Paul if you’d like to be considered for an interview. Visit him, enjoy the interviews, get introduced to some poets who may be new to you, and learn a few things.
The Poet by Day always available online with poems, poets and writers, news and information.
The Poet by Day, Wednesday Writing Prompt, online every week (except for vacation) and all are invited to take part no matter the stage of career or status. Poems related to the challenge of the week (always theme based not form based) will be published here on the following Tuesday.
The Poet by Day, Sunday Announcements. Every week (except for vacation) opportunity knocks for poets and writers. Due to other weekend commitments, this post will often go up late.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be – always online HERE.
Beguine Again, daily inspiration and spiritual practice – always online HERE. Beguine Again is the sister site to The BeZine.
YOUR SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS may be emailed to thepoetbyday@gmail.com. Please do so at least a week in advance.
If you would like me to consider reviewing your book, chapbook, magazine or film, here are some general guidelines:
send PDF to jamiededes@gmail.com (Note: I have a backlog of six or seven months, so at this writing I suggest you wait until June 2018 to forward anything.Thank you!)
nothing that foments hate or misunderstanding
nothing violent or encouraging of violence
English only, though Spanish is okay if accompanied by translation
your book or other product should be easy for readers to find through your site or other venues.
TO CONTACT ME WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION FOR THE POET BY DAY: thepoetbyday@gmail.com
TO CONTACT ME REGARDING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE BeZINE: bardogroup@gmail.com
PLEASE do not mix the communications between the two emails.
Often information is just that–information– and not necessarily recommendation. I haven’t worked with all the publications or other organizations featured in my regular Sunday Announcements or other announcements shared on this site. Awards and contests are often (generally) a means to generate income, publicity and marketing mailing lists for the host organizations, some of which are more reputable than others. I rarely attend events anymore. Caveat Emptor: Please be sure to verify information for yourself before submitting work, buying products, paying fees or attending events et al.
Poet and writer, I was once columnist and associate editor of a regional employment publication. I currently run this site, The Poet by Day, an information hub for poets and writers. I am the managing editor of The BeZine published by The Bardo Group Beguines (originally The Bardo Group), a virtual arts collective I founded. I am a weekly contributor to Beguine Again, a site showcasing spiritual writers. My work is featured in a variety of publications and on sites, including: Levure littéraure, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature,Compass Rose, Connotation Press, The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, Second Light, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta / Phor(e) /Play, and California Woman. My poetry was recently read byNorthern California actor Richard Lingua for Poetry Woodshed, Belfast Community Radio. I was featured in a lengthy interview on the Creative Nexus Radio Show where I was dubbed “Poetry Champion.”
“You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you’e working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success – but only if you persist.” Isaac Asimov
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
CUTTHROAT, a journal of the arts, Worlds into words into Worlds, will accept submissions of through October 30, 2018, ten days from this posting, for an anthology of Chicanx writing to be published in 2019. Of interest: poetry, essay, short stories, memoir, flash fiction. Details HERE.
CONTESTS open for 11 more days …
The 2018 Joy Harjo Poetry AwardBarry
Lopez Nonfiction Award, and
the Rick DeMarinis Short Story Award
These contests areopen for submissions through October 31, 2018. First Prize in each genre: $1300 and publication. Second Prize in each genre: $250 and publication. Honorable Mention: Publication. $20 entry fee. Details HERE.
Poet and writer, I was once columnist and the associate editor of a regional employment publication. Currently I run this site, The Poet by Day, an information hub for poets and writers. I am the managing editor of The BeZine published by The Bardo Group Beguines (originally The Bardo Group), a virtual arts collective I founded. I am a weekly contributor to Beguine Again, a site showcasing spiritual writers.
My work is featured in a variety of publications and on sites, including: Levure littéraure, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature,Compass Rose, Connotation Press, The River Journal,The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, Second Light, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta / Phor(e) /Play, and California Woman.
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
“I dream of lost vocabularies that might express some of what we no longer can.” Jack Gilbert, The Great Fires
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Opportunity Knocks
AJI MAGAZINE will open for submisson of poetry, stories, and essays in November. Details HERE.
CLOCKHOUSE, a national literary journal by Clockhourse Writers’ Conference in partnership with Goddard College is open through December 1 for submissions of fiction, poetry, and dramatic work. Details HERE.
CONSEQUENCE MAGAZINE, an international literary journal focusing on the culture of war opens for submission from May 1-August 31, 2019. Mark your calendar. Publishing interests are: short fiction, poetry, non-fiction, interviews, visual art, and reviews. Compensation: Poetry: $25 per page; Prose: $10 per page ($250 maximum); Translations:$15 per page ($250 maximum). Details HERE.
HORROR ADDICTS opens it call for submission to be considered for inclusion in its 2019 A Horror Anthology with “What horrors will our technological hubris bring us in the future? When technology takes over more of our lives, what will it mean to be human, and will we fear what we have created? Artificial intelligence, robotics, bionics and cybernetics, clones, and virtual reality.” 2,000 – 7,000 words. No payment. $10 fee for digital copy. Deadline: October 31, 2018, 11:59 pm Pacific Standard. Details HERE.
GUERNICA, a magazine of global arts & politics is open for submissions of short form and long form nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. No flash fiction. Details HERE.
PLEIADES, Literature in Context (University of Central Missouri) has an open call for submissions for it upcoming fiction folio celebrating Afro-Latinx/Afro-Caribbean Fiction. Deadline: October 20. Any genre. Any subject. Any theme. Details HERE. See the same link for regular submission which open in December. Mark your calendar.
REMINDERS:
BELLVIEW LITERARY REVIEW publishes creative nonfiction and poetry with a $5 reading fee that is waved for subscribers. “The BLR remains committed to publishing superb writing on themes of health, healing, illness, body and mind.” Details HERE.
LUNCH TICKET, a publication of the Creative Writing MFA program at Antioch College, is open through October 31 for submissions of poetry. Details HERE.(Scroll down on the page.)
SALMAGUNDI, a publication of Skidmore College, will open for submissions of poetry, fiction, personal essay and cultural criticism on January 1 (mark your calendar) publishes poetry. Details HERE.
The Poet by Day
WEDNESDAY WRITING PROMPT
Response deadline is Monday, October 15, at 8 p.m. Pacific. Poems are on theme are published on this site on Tuesday, the October 16. Details HERE.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be. Submissions for the December issue – themed A Life of the Spirit – close on November 10 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific .
Please send text in the body of the email not as an attachment. Send photographs or illustrations as attachments. No google docs or Dropbox or other such. No rich text. Send submissions to bardogroup@gmail.com.
Publication is December 15th. Poetry, essays, fiction and creative nonfiction, art and photography, music (videos or essays), and whatever lends itself to online presentation is welcome for consideration.
No demographic restrictions.
Please read at least one issue. We DO NOT publish anything that promotes hate, divisiveness or violence or that is scornful or in any way dismissive of “other” peoples.
December 2018 issue, Deadline November 10th, Theme: A Life of the Spirit
The BeZine is an entirely volunteer effort, a mission. It is not a paying market but neither does it charge submission or subscription fees.
Previously published work may be submitted IF you hold the copyright. Submissions from beginning and emerging artists as well as pro are encouraged and we have a special interest in getting more submissions of short stores, feature articles, music videos and art for consideration.
COMPETITIONS
Opportunities Knock
EVERY WRITER 50 WORD $500 HORROR STORY HALLOWEEN CONTEST. Deadline: October 28, 2018Details HERE.
GAIL B. CRUMP PRIZE IN EXPERIMENTAL FICTION is open through October. Cash award. Publication Pleiades, Literature in Context. $20 submission fee. Details HERE.
WRITER’S DIGEST POPULAR FICTION AWARDS closes tomorrow midnight (Eastern time, I believe), October 15. Cash awards. Publication. Categories: Mystery, Crime, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller/Suspense, and Young Adult. Details HERE.
The Poet by Day always available online with poems, poets and writers, news and information.
The Poet by Day, Wednesday Writing Prompt, online every week (except for vacation) and all are invited to take part no matter the stage of career or status. Poems related to the challenge of the week (always theme based not form based) will be published here on the following Tuesday.
The Poet by Day, Sunday Announcements. Every week (except for vacation) opportunity knocks for poets and writers. Due to other weekend commitments, this post will often go up late.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be – always online HERE.
Beguine Again, daily inspiration and spiritual practice – always online HERE. Beguine Again is the sister site to The BeZine.
YOUR SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS may be emailed to thepoetbyday@gmail.com. Please do so at least a week in advance.
If you would like me to consider reviewing your book, chapbook, magazine or film, here are some general guidelines:
send PDF to jamiededes@gmail.com (Note: I have a backlog of six or seven months, so at this writing I suggest you wait until June 2018 to forward anything.Thank you!)
nothing that foments hate or misunderstanding
nothing violent or encouraging of violence
English only, though Spanish is okay if accompanied by translation
your book or other product should be easy for readers to find through your site or other venues.
TO CONTACT ME WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION FOR THE POET BY DAY: thepoetbyday@gmail.com
TO CONTACT ME REGARDING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE BeZINE: bardogroup@gmail.com
PLEASE do not mix the communications between the two emails.
Often information is just that–information– and not necessarily recommendation. I haven’t worked with all the publications or other organizations featured in my regular Sunday Announcements or other announcements shared on this site. Awards and contests are often (generally) a means to generate income, publicity and marketing mailing lists for the host organizations, some of which are more reputable than others. I rarely attend events anymore. Caveat Emptor: Please be sure to verify information for yourself before submitting work, buying products, paying fees or attending events et al.
Poet and writer, I was once columnist and associate editor of a regional employment publication. I currently run this site, The Poet by Day, an information hub for poets and writers. I am the managing editor of The BeZine published by The Bardo Group Beguines (originally The Bardo Group), a virtual arts collective I founded. I am a weekly contributor to Beguine Again, a site showcasing spiritual writers. My work is featured in a variety of publications and on sites, including: Levure littéraure, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature,Compass Rose, Connotation Press, The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, Second Light, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta / Phor(e) /Play, and California Woman. My poetry was recently read byNorthern California actor Richard Lingua for Poetry Woodshed, Belfast Community Radio. I was featured in a lengthy interview on the Creative Nexus Radio Show where I was dubbed “Poetry Champion.”
“The 3 types of terror: The Gross-out: the sight of a severed head tumbling down a flight of stairs, it’s when the lights go out and something green and slimy splatters against your arm. The Horror: the unnatural, spiders the size of bears, the dead waking up and walking around, it’s when the lights go out and something with claws grabs you by the arm. And the last and worse one: Terror, when you come home and notice everything you own had been taken away and replaced by an exact substitute. It’s when the lights go out and you feel something behind you, you hear it, you feel its breath against your ear, but when you turn around, there’s nothing there…” Stephen King
Thursday evening eight San Francisco Bay Area horror authors read samples of their stories (and poems, Sumiko Saulson) for the San Mateo Library Second Annual Tales of Horror, which was organized by author, artist and speaker Emerian Rich in collaboration with members of Horror Addicts.net and library staff. What a fun way to kick-off Halloween celebrations. Horror is not my genre but I find it a good occasional escape and certainly so at this time of year.
The evening was dominated by welcome and expected thrills and chills and more than a soupçon of laughter and sweet treats. I venture to say, it was enjoyed by all, fans and authors.
If you are reading this in an email subscription, you’ll probably have to link through to the site to view the slide show included here:
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
We writers tend to be introverts, often resistant to the necessary survival skills of self-promotion and marketing. It’s always interesting to me to see how other writers are marketing themselves: imaginative business cards, fanciful post cards, small bound copies of an excerpt from a chapbook (Loren Rhodes), and little bags of Halloween tchotchkes along with a business card (Sumiko Saulson). Take note in the interview below: Emerian Rich leaves time in her schedule for marketing. Bravo!
EMERIAN RICH (The Official Website of Emerian Rich) is the author of the vampire book series, Night’s Knights. She also writes the Sweet Dreams Musical Romance Series under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. Her novel, Artistic License, mixes both horror and romance. She’s been published in anthologies by publishers such as Dragon Moon Press, Hidden Thoughts Press, Hazardous Press, and White Wolf Press. Emerian is the podcast horror hostess of HorrorAddicts.net. She is the Editorial Director for the San Francisco Bay Area based magazine, SEARCH.
JAMIE: Have you always written in this genre and what is the attraction for you … and for readers?
EMERIAN: I have written in many genres. I love Horror because it just has a special calling to me. It’s like the whisper of a ghost in the hallways of my soul. I also write Romance under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. I have a New Adult series called Sweet Dreams Musical Romance and I have a few Regency Romances out as well as a modern rewrite of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey coming soon.
JAMIE: What’s the special attraction of steampunk?
EMERIAN: I think people like the mixture of the past with new technology that could have been discovered back then had history taken an alternate course. It’s the draw of… What would our ancestors do if they knew what we knew? Also, the fashion is just cool.
JAMIE: Do you have a “day job”?
EMERIAN: I am a writer, artist, and voice actress full time.
JAMIE: What is your writing schedule/routine like?
EMERIAN: I get up and write/blog/market/network just like anyone with an office job, only I get to do it in my PJs most of the time. 🙂 However, I work harder than I ever did when I went to an office. I usually work from about 7am to 5pm every day – and on weekends. If I’m on deadline, I will work again from 8pm to 12am, or 2am, or whenever I am done or fall asleep on my keyboard. HA! I try to take one day off a week, but it rarely happens.
JAMIE: What is your best advice for aspiring horror writers?
EMERIAN: Write, write, and write more. Don’t dwell on one book for too long. Write a story and edit it, but don’t pin your hopes on one book. Once you get published you’ll have much less creative time and more demand for your work. It will be nice to have a closet full of books and stories available to pull out and tighten up.
EMERIAN: HorrorAddicts.net is a podcast, blog, and publisher for Horror Addicts, by Horror Addicts. We strive to cover the whole lifestyle of horror fans. Not just movies and media, but also books, fashion, lifestyle, and news.
JAMIE: There are a lot of activities going on at Horror Adicts. When it comes to writing competitions or other calls for submissions, what qualities separate the wheat from the chaff?
EMERIAN: Last year we held the first ever Next Great Horror Writer Contest where the best new horror writers competed for the chance to win a book contract with Crystal Lake Publishing. It was a tough competition where the authors had to fulfill thirteen challenges and their accumulative score would win them a chance to be in the final and be published. It was great fun and we met a lot of new writers that have since gone on to brilliant careers.
Our winner, Jonathan Fortin, is off to a great start and I expect to see great things from him. He’s already been published in several anthologies and his novel will be coming out in 2019 from Crystal Lake.
We are deciding whether to hold another Next Great Horror Writer Contest next year in 2019. You can keep up to date with that by subscribing to our blog. We will make announcements as soon as we know.
Also, every year we publish an anthology. This year, it is titled Kill Switch and the theme is tech horror. The submission guidelines can be found online and it closes October 31st, so pretty soon we will have tons of stories to read! How we make the decision on who gets published is with a panel of submission editors. We read all the stories, giving them a score between 0-5. Those with the highest scores are considered in a second round and then we create a well-rounded anthology that our readers will enjoy. For a story to be chosen, it must meet the theme and submission requirements as well as being scary and telling us a story we haven’t heard before, or at least in a new and different way.
Horror Addicts.net Submission Call direct link HERE.
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” Stephen King
FOR HORROR LOVERS ONLY
This weekend in Sacramento, CA
For the horror genre lovers and writers among you, join HorrorAddicts.net and authors Mercy Hollow, Emerian Rich, E.M. Markoff, and J. Malcolm Stewart at Sinister Creature Con. Look for them at a vendor table in the Main Hall, 6151 H St, Sacramento, CA 95819
Poet and writer, I was once columnist and the associate editor of a regional employment publication. Currently I run this site, The Poet by Day, an information hub for poets and writers. I am the managing editor of The BeZine published by The Bardo Group Beguines (originally The Bardo Group), a virtual arts collective I founded. I am a weekly contributor to Beguine Again, a site showcasing spiritual writers.
My work is featured in a variety of publications and on sites, including: Levure littéraure, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature,Compass Rose, Connotation Press, The River Journal,The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, Second Light, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta / Phor(e) /Play, and California Woman.
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
SIXFOLD
Congratulations to English poet, Myra Schneider, on her new website. Check it out HERE. Myra’s latest collection is Lifting the Sky (Ward Wood Publishing, 2018). She has published some ten other poetry collections in addition to a book on writing and, early in her career, some young adult novels.
Often information is just that–information– and not necessarily recommendation. I haven’t worked with all the publications or other organizations featured in my regular Sunday Announcements or other announcements shared on this site. Awards and contests are often (generally) a means to generate income, publicity and marketing mailing lists for the host organizations, some of which are more reputable than others. I rarely attend events anymore. Caveat Emptor: Please be sure to verify information for yourself before submitting work, buying products, paying fees or attending events et al.
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 