Opportunities and Activities for Poets and Writers, Locked down, Quarantined, Day-jobless

“So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters; and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say.” A Room of One’s Own
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
THE MADRAS COURIER publishes on art, culture, environment, biography, public policy and global affairs topics. Poetry welcome. No payment. No submission fees. Details HERE.
OVERLAND LITERARY MAGAZINE is open to receiving pitches or completed works of nonfiction or essays.
PEDESTAL MAGAZINE will open for submissions of poetry from May 11-31 to its June 2020 issue. The themes are: “a lament for the earth” and/or “a song of residence.” Payment. $50 for accepted poem. Details HERE.
COMPETITIONS:
LITERARY TAXIDERMY (REGULUS PRESS) is open for submissions to its 2020 Short Story Competition. Cash awards and publication in the next Literary Taxidermy Anthology. Opening and closing lines provided. Stories to 2,500 words. $10 entry fee. Details HERE.
MASTERS REVIEW is open for entries to its Anthology Prize showcasing the best emerging writers. $5,000 will be awarded between ten finalist. Entry fee: $30. Deadline: March 28. Details HERE.
NARRATIVE WINTER 2020 STORY CONTEST is open for entries of previously unpublished short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entry fee: $27 (covers entry and subscription). Deadline: March 31. Details HERE.
WRITER’S DIGEST SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK AWARDS is open for entries through April 1, 2020. Cash award, publication, and trip to New York for the annual conference. Categories include poetry. entry feels run from $85 – $125. Details HERE.
IDEAS, THINGS TO DO, RESOURCES:
- Buzz Aldren has some advice for Americans in quarantine, Eric Berger, Ars Technica
- COVID-19 Freelance Artist [and others] Resources [Financial]
- NaNoWriMo, Write a Novel in a Month [accessible internationally]
- NaPoWriMo, National Poetry Writing Month [April], 30 poems / 30 days [accessible internally]
- How to Write a Peace Poem, Michael Dickel, The BeZine
- Tweet Speak Poetry Coloring Book [downloadable]
- Teaching Art Online, Kaitlin Pomerzntz, Hyperallergic [Remote teaching experience]
- “Write It Down: Historian Suggests Keeping a Record of Life During Pandemic, Anne E. Bromley, UVA Today [University of Virginia)
- The Poet by Day, Wednesday Writing Prompt
On another note (sort of): United Way has a COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund. They will help with bills, rent, and food. You can call 1-866-211-9966 and provide your zip code. You will be given a list of local agencies that might offer assistance.
Jamie Dedes:
- About /Testimonials / Disclosure / Facebook / Medium / Ko-fi
- 2020 Poet Laureate of Womawords Literary Press
- The Wombwell Rainbow interviews Jamie Dedes
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Jamie Dedes. I’m a Lebanese-American freelance writer, poet, content editor, blogger and the mother of a world-class actor and mother-in-law of a stellar writer/photographer. No grandchildren, but my grandkitty, Dahlia, rocks big time. I am hopelessly in love with nature and all her creatures. In another lifetime, I was a columnist, a publicist, and an associate editor to a regional employment publication. I’ve had to reinvent myself to accommodate scarred lungs, pulmonary hypertension, right-sided heart failure, connective tissue disease, and a rare managed but incurable blood cancer. The gift in this is time for my primary love: literature. I study/read/write from a comfy bed where I’ve carved out a busy life writing feature articles, short stories, and poetry and managing