Nancy Kelly Allen's Blog, page 37
February 26, 2012
Keep Them Laughing, part III/Calls for Submissions
Like adults, children live in a serious world. Humor is necessary to add balance and books provide the perfect source for humor. Writing humor is serious business but these tips might add the needed tee-hee sparkle to set your readers chuckling.
1. Read a variety of humorous books to develop an understanding of what works with various age groups.
2. Talk with kids in the age group of your intended audience. Ask them what makes them laugh. Try out your material on children to see if it resonates with them. Normally, I don't advise writers to try out material with children, but with humorous books, seeing the reaction to the work can be revealing.
3. For young readers and those who enjoy picture books, make the humor direct, simple, and obvious.
4. Older readers enjoy humor that helps diffuse serious situations or in characters who are in situations for which they are unprepared.
Readers love to laugh so keep the audience in mind when writing giggle worthy stories. Humor resonates from the maturity of the readers' minds and their experiences so light the path with a grin. As Roald Dahl said on giving advice to children's writers - "It's got to be funny!"
Call for submissions for young writers:
Kentucky State Poetry Society STUDENT POETRY CONTESTS -- K thru 12 -- No entry fees -- Cash Prizes.
Deadline: March 1, 2012
Details at KSPS
Call for submissions for adult writers:
The Southern Review
"We seek to publish the very best new fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and literary essays by established and emerging writers. " Pays: "$25 per printed page with a maximum payment of $200 for prose and $125 for poetry, plus two copies of the issue in which the work appears and a one-year subscription."
Deadline: March 1, 2012
Details at http://www.lsu.edu/thesouthernreview/
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
1. Read a variety of humorous books to develop an understanding of what works with various age groups.
2. Talk with kids in the age group of your intended audience. Ask them what makes them laugh. Try out your material on children to see if it resonates with them. Normally, I don't advise writers to try out material with children, but with humorous books, seeing the reaction to the work can be revealing.
3. For young readers and those who enjoy picture books, make the humor direct, simple, and obvious.
4. Older readers enjoy humor that helps diffuse serious situations or in characters who are in situations for which they are unprepared.
Readers love to laugh so keep the audience in mind when writing giggle worthy stories. Humor resonates from the maturity of the readers' minds and their experiences so light the path with a grin. As Roald Dahl said on giving advice to children's writers - "It's got to be funny!"
Call for submissions for young writers:
Kentucky State Poetry Society STUDENT POETRY CONTESTS -- K thru 12 -- No entry fees -- Cash Prizes.
Deadline: March 1, 2012
Details at KSPS
Call for submissions for adult writers:
The Southern Review
"We seek to publish the very best new fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and literary essays by established and emerging writers. " Pays: "$25 per printed page with a maximum payment of $200 for prose and $125 for poetry, plus two copies of the issue in which the work appears and a one-year subscription."
Deadline: March 1, 2012
Details at http://www.lsu.edu/thesouthernreview/
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
February 19, 2012
Keep Them Laughing, part II/Calls for Submissions
1. Situations can be funny. Absurd plots such as building a spaceship in the backyard and flying off to defend the territory can be hilarious to an eight-year-old. Grandpa removing his false teeth or losing his hairpiece is funny to a four-year-old. The word "underwear" cracks up a group of kindergarteners. So does "snot." Keep the audience in mind with the humor. What's funny to one age group is totally lost on another.
2. Characters performing in unexpected ways bring out the humor, such as a dog that talks or a clumsy cat. Kids love quirky characters. Injecting the unfamiliar into a familiar situation can be funny: a buffalo going to dinner or a an elephant who takes a bath in a tub.
3. Use exaggeration.
4. Don't try to make every sentence funny. Surprise the reader with a touches of humor scattered throughout the story. The humor should serve to carry the plot forward and not be an isolated gag stuck onto a story.
5. Set up the humorous episode by leaving the humor as the last line or at the end of the sentence for a more powerful punch. In picture books, keep the surprise with the turn of the page. The reader is guessing what might happen. If you surprise the reader, you just might get a laugh.
Call for Submissions for Student Writers:
Giggle Poetry Accepts original poetry from childrenDetails at http://www.gigglepoetry.com/
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
The American South is a haunted place – full of ghost stories, native legends, persistent devils & angels, souls sold at the crossroads, and moon-eyed maidens living in the Okefenokee. The South's best writers – Faulkner, O'Connor, McCullers – all keep this sense of the otherworldly in their fiction. In this spirit, Q & W Publishers is looking for submissions for an anthology of short fiction and non-fiction that explores the fantastic, eerie, and bizarre side of the American South." Pays: $50/accepted piece, plus one copy of the anthology.
Deadline: March 1.
Details at http://www.qwpublishers.com/anthology...
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
2. Characters performing in unexpected ways bring out the humor, such as a dog that talks or a clumsy cat. Kids love quirky characters. Injecting the unfamiliar into a familiar situation can be funny: a buffalo going to dinner or a an elephant who takes a bath in a tub.
3. Use exaggeration.
4. Don't try to make every sentence funny. Surprise the reader with a touches of humor scattered throughout the story. The humor should serve to carry the plot forward and not be an isolated gag stuck onto a story.
5. Set up the humorous episode by leaving the humor as the last line or at the end of the sentence for a more powerful punch. In picture books, keep the surprise with the turn of the page. The reader is guessing what might happen. If you surprise the reader, you just might get a laugh.
Call for Submissions for Student Writers:
Giggle Poetry Accepts original poetry from childrenDetails at http://www.gigglepoetry.com/
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
The American South is a haunted place – full of ghost stories, native legends, persistent devils & angels, souls sold at the crossroads, and moon-eyed maidens living in the Okefenokee. The South's best writers – Faulkner, O'Connor, McCullers – all keep this sense of the otherworldly in their fiction. In this spirit, Q & W Publishers is looking for submissions for an anthology of short fiction and non-fiction that explores the fantastic, eerie, and bizarre side of the American South." Pays: $50/accepted piece, plus one copy of the anthology.
Deadline: March 1.
Details at http://www.qwpublishers.com/anthology...
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
February 12, 2012
Keep Them Laughing/Call for Submissions/Contest
Wouldn't you love to know what type story an editor is looking for? That would certainly put us a step ahead of the competition. Many editors say they don't know what they're looking for until they see it. Oh, well, there goes that idea. But one aspect of writing most editors are looking for is humor. Like editors, children of all ages enjoy humorous books.
Writing humor for children can be difficult. What is funny to a two-year-old may seem silly and boring to a five-year old. Humor must be geared to the child's world so he will know and appreciate the words, actions, and plot. The child must understand what is happening before it the story can be appealing and funny. Humorous writing is difficult because what is funny is often subjective and personal. One reader may crack up laughing at a joke and another might see little or no humor in the text. Even though writing humor can be difficult, it is not impossible.
Here are some ways to create humor in books for children:
1. Dialog offers an opportunity to add humor seamlessly. "We'll be batburgers!" is a line one of my characters said when lost in a cave.
2. Humorous narrative creates interest in a story. Another of my characters, Liz, is telling the story in The Munched-Up Flower Garden so her thoughts are expressed in a way to tickle the reader. I looked at my brother and said nothing. My look must have said plenty because he hightailed in back in the house.
Next week, I'll discuss other ways to incorporate humor into stories.
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
Kaleidoscope Magazine , which "creatively focuses on the experiences of disability through literature and the fine arts," is planning an issue "on the theme of 'Appreciating the Small/Simple Moments in Life.' In the midst of our daily struggles there can be moments in which a small kindness, or the simple gesture of another, makes us feel as if all is right with the world. They are the instances that usually do not involve much, if any, preparation or planning. These are the small things that can make the biggest differences. These can be times of joy experienced in the midst of sadness, or of peace and contentment in the midst of chaos. They can be shared or solitary experiences, moments of transcendence that fulfill us. They are also those moments that, if we are not paying attention, can slip right past us. Share one or more of those moments with us, in poetry, fiction, or personal essays." Deadline is March 1, 2012. Pays: $10-$125. See http://www.udsakron.org/news/detail.a... for more information
Contest for Young Writers:
PUBLISH-A-KID CONTEST-We invite young readers to write book reviews. Winning entries will be published in the pages of Moment. And yes, there will be prizes. We've selected a list of books for you to choose from. Pick one
or more that you enjoy or find intriguing and tell us why! Anyone ages 9-13 is eligible. We encourage children of all faiths to enter. Each review should be 1 to 2 pages double-spaced, 250-500 words. Each child can send one review for each book on the list.
Deadline: Deadline February 15, 2012.
Details at http://momentmag.com/moment/contests/...
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
Writing humor for children can be difficult. What is funny to a two-year-old may seem silly and boring to a five-year old. Humor must be geared to the child's world so he will know and appreciate the words, actions, and plot. The child must understand what is happening before it the story can be appealing and funny. Humorous writing is difficult because what is funny is often subjective and personal. One reader may crack up laughing at a joke and another might see little or no humor in the text. Even though writing humor can be difficult, it is not impossible.
Here are some ways to create humor in books for children:
1. Dialog offers an opportunity to add humor seamlessly. "We'll be batburgers!" is a line one of my characters said when lost in a cave.
2. Humorous narrative creates interest in a story. Another of my characters, Liz, is telling the story in The Munched-Up Flower Garden so her thoughts are expressed in a way to tickle the reader. I looked at my brother and said nothing. My look must have said plenty because he hightailed in back in the house.
Next week, I'll discuss other ways to incorporate humor into stories.
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
Kaleidoscope Magazine , which "creatively focuses on the experiences of disability through literature and the fine arts," is planning an issue "on the theme of 'Appreciating the Small/Simple Moments in Life.' In the midst of our daily struggles there can be moments in which a small kindness, or the simple gesture of another, makes us feel as if all is right with the world. They are the instances that usually do not involve much, if any, preparation or planning. These are the small things that can make the biggest differences. These can be times of joy experienced in the midst of sadness, or of peace and contentment in the midst of chaos. They can be shared or solitary experiences, moments of transcendence that fulfill us. They are also those moments that, if we are not paying attention, can slip right past us. Share one or more of those moments with us, in poetry, fiction, or personal essays." Deadline is March 1, 2012. Pays: $10-$125. See http://www.udsakron.org/news/detail.a... for more information
Contest for Young Writers:
PUBLISH-A-KID CONTEST-We invite young readers to write book reviews. Winning entries will be published in the pages of Moment. And yes, there will be prizes. We've selected a list of books for you to choose from. Pick one
or more that you enjoy or find intriguing and tell us why! Anyone ages 9-13 is eligible. We encourage children of all faiths to enter. Each review should be 1 to 2 pages double-spaced, 250-500 words. Each child can send one review for each book on the list.
Deadline: Deadline February 15, 2012.
Details at http://momentmag.com/moment/contests/...
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
February 5, 2012
Reflecting Real Life in Writing
Exciting news. My latest picture book, Big C and Little Ox, arrived this week. Big C, a cape buffalo, is a loner, quite grouchy, and has almost nothing say. Little Ox, a busybody oxbird, is the opposite: loves to jabber, always in a happy mood, and enjoys company. So what do the two have in common? They have a symbiotic relationship: Little Ox picks off fleas that keep Big C from itching; in turn, Little Ox gets lunch. But one day, Big C and Little Ox have a quarrel and Little Ox leaves. For Big C, a lesson about friendship unfolds.
My primary goal in writing fiction is to entertain, but I always add layers of meaning into the storyline. In this book, readers will learn about getting along with others who are different, the dependent relationship of a cape buffalo and an oxbird, and the importance of friendship. Plus, it's packed with humor.
Humor is the universal language all kids enjoy. Parents and teachers do too. I strive to write so my stories have layers of understanding. The younger child will laugh at the grumpiness of the cape buffalo and his antics. Older readers will appreciate the acceptance of a friend who is different. Friendship is a theme everyone can relate to in some capacity.
Nearly all of my writing reflects real life. I don't mean specific events or people, but things that are important to me. Animals rank high among my interests. The writer in me enjoys researching and writing about animals in a voice kids will enjoy.
Call for submissions for adult and student writers:
An essay competition for adult and student writers commemorates the 50th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Two prizes will be awarded: a "Junior Prize" of $1,000 for essays 1,000 words (or less), which is open to students aged 13-18; and a "Senior Prize," conferring $2,000 for 2,000 words (or less), which is open to anyone aged 19 or over." Questions to spark your essayistic response are posted on the website. There is no entry fee.
Deadline: March 15, 2012.
Details at http://www.carsoncenter.uni-muenchen....
January 29, 2012
Dialog/Call for Submissions
In most fictional books, characters talk with each other. The ability to speak makes us human and speech in fiction helps to bring the characters alive, to make them fully developed. Dialog is usually introduced early and each character should have a distinctive manner of speaking. Dialog must be interesting, reflect the character, and carry the plot forward. That's easier said than done. Here are some key points for writing dialog that will appeal to readers.
1. Avoid accents. Figuring out what the character is saying slows down the story and distracts the reader. If accents are used sentence after sentence, reading is like decoding a message. A word or two is enough to give the reader a sense of the accent. Greater usage makes reading difficult and the reader will likely abandon the story.
2. Listen to how people talk. Words and phrases can identify a region or a particular profession. A teacher would not use the same words as a student in describing a plant or animal. As we vary the style of speech, dialog tags can be removed in a lengthy discussion between two characters.
"Jill, how do you remove this label?" asked Jack.
"What label? Jill turned to look at Jack.
"This label on the ransom note."
The reader can follow who is speaking without "said Jack" attached to the piece of dialog. And "said Jill" can be eliminated by placing Jane in action following dialog.
3. Reveal portions of the plot through dialog. Maybe the character could hint about a surprise event or threaten harm. This not only develops the character but makes the surprise or threat more real when it is spoken rather than revealed through narrative. The suspense value is heightened.
Next week, I'll introduce more tips for writing dialog.
Call for submissions for young writers:
Kentucky State Poetry Society STUDENT POETRY CONTESTS -- K thru 12 -- No entry fees -- Cash Prizes. This is a great way to get students interested in poetry.
Deadline: March 1
Details at http://www.kystatepoetrysociety.org/f...
Call for submissions for adult writers:
The Flatt Prize for Literature welcomes submissions of short stories (no longer than 3,000 words). "The theme for the short story is to be inspired by the title 'INTERRUPTED'." $1,000 prize. No entry fee. Deadline: February 29, 2012.
Details at http://flattprize.com/submission.htm
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
1. Avoid accents. Figuring out what the character is saying slows down the story and distracts the reader. If accents are used sentence after sentence, reading is like decoding a message. A word or two is enough to give the reader a sense of the accent. Greater usage makes reading difficult and the reader will likely abandon the story.
2. Listen to how people talk. Words and phrases can identify a region or a particular profession. A teacher would not use the same words as a student in describing a plant or animal. As we vary the style of speech, dialog tags can be removed in a lengthy discussion between two characters.
"Jill, how do you remove this label?" asked Jack.
"What label? Jill turned to look at Jack.
"This label on the ransom note."
The reader can follow who is speaking without "said Jack" attached to the piece of dialog. And "said Jill" can be eliminated by placing Jane in action following dialog.
3. Reveal portions of the plot through dialog. Maybe the character could hint about a surprise event or threaten harm. This not only develops the character but makes the surprise or threat more real when it is spoken rather than revealed through narrative. The suspense value is heightened.
Next week, I'll introduce more tips for writing dialog.
Call for submissions for young writers:
Kentucky State Poetry Society STUDENT POETRY CONTESTS -- K thru 12 -- No entry fees -- Cash Prizes. This is a great way to get students interested in poetry.
Deadline: March 1
Details at http://www.kystatepoetrysociety.org/f...
Call for submissions for adult writers:
The Flatt Prize for Literature welcomes submissions of short stories (no longer than 3,000 words). "The theme for the short story is to be inspired by the title 'INTERRUPTED'." $1,000 prize. No entry fee. Deadline: February 29, 2012.
Details at http://flattprize.com/submission.htm
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
January 22, 2012
Plot Revision
After you've finished the manuscript, it's revision time. Does the plot work? Test the following:
Can you explain the plot of your story in one or two sentences? This is called a logline, a brief summary of the plot. Many editors are now asking for a logline in the submission process.
Look closely at the verbs. Use action verbs—hop, skip, jump—as opposed to is, are, was, were… Strong verbs don't need adverbs [ly-words] to rev up the action. Screamed is stronger than yelled loudly.
Are the sentences active, rather than passive? Jim rode the bicycle is active. The bicycle was ridden by Jim is passive. Active places the character in charge of the action, rather than being acted upon.
Stories need a beginning, middle, and end. Did you start with action, where the character's life is changed as a result of the plot or where the day is different from all the other days? Throw the character in the middle of the action at the beginning. Toss away any build up in describing the character or setting. This information can be woven into the plot as the story unfolds. Prune the beginning and up the action. In order to accomplish this, some writers discard the first one, two, or three chapters. It's important to write them so the WRITER understands the character, but the reader doesn't need to know as much about the characters as does the writer.
Next week, I'll focus on dialog.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
"The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award brings together talented writers, reviewers, and publishing experts to find and develop new voices in fiction. The 2012 international contest will award two grand prizes: one for General Fiction and one for Young Adult Fiction. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance." No entry fee.
Deadline: February 5, 2012.
Details at http://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-No...
Call for submissions for young writers:
Storybird.This service lets you create stories based on artwork on the site, then you can share your stories with friends, family and visitors to Storybird.
Details at http://storybird.com/
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
Can you explain the plot of your story in one or two sentences? This is called a logline, a brief summary of the plot. Many editors are now asking for a logline in the submission process.
Look closely at the verbs. Use action verbs—hop, skip, jump—as opposed to is, are, was, were… Strong verbs don't need adverbs [ly-words] to rev up the action. Screamed is stronger than yelled loudly.
Are the sentences active, rather than passive? Jim rode the bicycle is active. The bicycle was ridden by Jim is passive. Active places the character in charge of the action, rather than being acted upon.
Stories need a beginning, middle, and end. Did you start with action, where the character's life is changed as a result of the plot or where the day is different from all the other days? Throw the character in the middle of the action at the beginning. Toss away any build up in describing the character or setting. This information can be woven into the plot as the story unfolds. Prune the beginning and up the action. In order to accomplish this, some writers discard the first one, two, or three chapters. It's important to write them so the WRITER understands the character, but the reader doesn't need to know as much about the characters as does the writer.
Next week, I'll focus on dialog.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
"The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award brings together talented writers, reviewers, and publishing experts to find and develop new voices in fiction. The 2012 international contest will award two grand prizes: one for General Fiction and one for Young Adult Fiction. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance." No entry fee.
Deadline: February 5, 2012.
Details at http://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-No...
Call for submissions for young writers:
Storybird.This service lets you create stories based on artwork on the site, then you can share your stories with friends, family and visitors to Storybird.
Details at http://storybird.com/
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
January 15, 2012
Character Revision/Calls for Submissions
Word vomit. That's the term some writers call the first draft. The phrase is certainly an apt description of my un-revised writing. Good writing is born from rewriting.
Begin revision by examining the main character. Is the character believable? The main character should not be perfect. Instead, give the character flaws. Play up those flaws through the problems the character has to work through. Is the character likeable? If not, the reader won't care what happens. Create a likeable character so the reader will relate and want to follow his/her journey.
Provide enough description for the reader to envision the character but not so much to slow down the action of the plot. If the color of the hair doesn't affect the plot, the reader doesn't necessarily need to know she has red hair. In picture books, the illustrations will provide many of the descriptions.
Is the character's behavior consistent throughout? The character shouldn't be mild-mannered and meek in one part of the story and loud and obnoxious in another unless the change in character is fully explored and related to the reader.
The character needs to grow, change, or learn something over the course of the story.
Next week, I'll focus on plot revision.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
Kudzu. Hazard Community and Technical College's literary magazine Kudzu is seeking submissions for the Spring 2012 issue. Writers must submit their prose or poetry at http://kudzu.submishmash.com/submit/5....
Deadline: January 31.
Details: Contacts Scott Lucero at Scott.Lucero@kctcs.edu.
Call for submissions for student writers:
B.J. ROLFZEN MEMORIAL DYLAN DAYS CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST
Student Poetry Division
Must be currently enrolled in high school or undergraduate
college and have no professional literary publication. Poems
limited to 1,000 words on any subject. Multiple entries will
not be considered.
Deadline: March 1, 2012.
Details at http://www.dylandays.org/a/j/dylan-da...
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
Begin revision by examining the main character. Is the character believable? The main character should not be perfect. Instead, give the character flaws. Play up those flaws through the problems the character has to work through. Is the character likeable? If not, the reader won't care what happens. Create a likeable character so the reader will relate and want to follow his/her journey.
Provide enough description for the reader to envision the character but not so much to slow down the action of the plot. If the color of the hair doesn't affect the plot, the reader doesn't necessarily need to know she has red hair. In picture books, the illustrations will provide many of the descriptions.
Is the character's behavior consistent throughout? The character shouldn't be mild-mannered and meek in one part of the story and loud and obnoxious in another unless the change in character is fully explored and related to the reader.
The character needs to grow, change, or learn something over the course of the story.
Next week, I'll focus on plot revision.
Call for submissions for adult writers:
Kudzu. Hazard Community and Technical College's literary magazine Kudzu is seeking submissions for the Spring 2012 issue. Writers must submit their prose or poetry at http://kudzu.submishmash.com/submit/5....
Deadline: January 31.
Details: Contacts Scott Lucero at Scott.Lucero@kctcs.edu.
Call for submissions for student writers:
B.J. ROLFZEN MEMORIAL DYLAN DAYS CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST
Student Poetry Division
Must be currently enrolled in high school or undergraduate
college and have no professional literary publication. Poems
limited to 1,000 words on any subject. Multiple entries will
not be considered.
Deadline: March 1, 2012.
Details at http://www.dylandays.org/a/j/dylan-da...
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
January 8, 2012
Publishing Trends/Calls for Submissions
In a blog or two each year, I focus on publishing trends. Onlinecolleges.org has compiled a list of trends that exist in "ghastly little numbers" and suggest that these trends need to go away because the trends are "poisoning beloved bookstores and libraries for far too long." Here's the list:
1. Lackluster graphic novel/comic book adaptations
2. "Self-help" guides doing more harm than good
3. Bandwagon-jumping [writing to trends]
4. Self-indulgent celebrity memoirs
5. "Revolutionary" diet plans
6. Celebrity authors who just can't write
7. "Women's literature" with reductionist views of women
8. Remixing the classics
9. Assuming genre fiction has nothing to say
10. Dismissing all self-published literature
You can read the entire article at
http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.o...
What do you think? Should any of these trends go away?
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
Call for submissions for adult writers:
Milkweed Editions poetry prize: The Linquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry is an annual regional prize, presented in partnership by Milkweed Editions and the Lindquist & Vennum Foundation. Established in 2011 with the aim of supporting outstanding Midwestern poets and bringing their work to a national stage, the prize will award $10,000 as well as a contract for publication to the author of the winning manuscript. The winner will be selected from among five finalists by an independent judge." NB: "Submissions for this regional prize will be accepted only from poets currently residing in the Upper Midwestern United States, defined as: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin."
Deadline: January 31, 2012.
Details at http://www.milkweed.org/content/view/...
Call for submissions for young writers:
"Kids Count for Earthday" Earthday Haiku Contest 2012. Kids
will need to count to create their Earthday haiku and help
all of us to learn how to keep the planet clean and healthy!
The contest is open to individual students 7 -20 years old.
Deadline: March 22, 2012.
Details at http://www.planetpals.com/earthdayhai...
Age Groups:
7-9 years old
10 -12 yrs old
13-15 yrs old
16-18 yrs old
19-20 yrs old
1. Lackluster graphic novel/comic book adaptations
2. "Self-help" guides doing more harm than good
3. Bandwagon-jumping [writing to trends]
4. Self-indulgent celebrity memoirs
5. "Revolutionary" diet plans
6. Celebrity authors who just can't write
7. "Women's literature" with reductionist views of women
8. Remixing the classics
9. Assuming genre fiction has nothing to say
10. Dismissing all self-published literature
You can read the entire article at
http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.o...
What do you think? Should any of these trends go away?
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
Call for submissions for adult writers:
Milkweed Editions poetry prize: The Linquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry is an annual regional prize, presented in partnership by Milkweed Editions and the Lindquist & Vennum Foundation. Established in 2011 with the aim of supporting outstanding Midwestern poets and bringing their work to a national stage, the prize will award $10,000 as well as a contract for publication to the author of the winning manuscript. The winner will be selected from among five finalists by an independent judge." NB: "Submissions for this regional prize will be accepted only from poets currently residing in the Upper Midwestern United States, defined as: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin."
Deadline: January 31, 2012.
Details at http://www.milkweed.org/content/view/...
Call for submissions for young writers:
"Kids Count for Earthday" Earthday Haiku Contest 2012. Kids
will need to count to create their Earthday haiku and help
all of us to learn how to keep the planet clean and healthy!
The contest is open to individual students 7 -20 years old.
Deadline: March 22, 2012.
Details at http://www.planetpals.com/earthdayhai...
Age Groups:
7-9 years old
10 -12 yrs old
13-15 yrs old
16-18 yrs old
19-20 yrs old
January 1, 2012
New Year, New Beginning
Happy New Year. May 2012 bring you positive results in your writing endeavors.
The new year rings in a new beginning, a time for renewed hope, fresh inspiration, and the setting of goals. I like to review what I've done the previous year and determine what worked and what didn't. Did I spend too much time on a manuscript that is going nowhere or procrastinating when I should have been writing? I also like to look at what worked. Why was one manuscript accepted and others rejected over and over by various publishers? Another question: How can I become more organized so I can spend a maximum amount of time writing? The answers to these questions differ for every writer, but January is a perfect opportunity for writers to question how they work and scrutinize how their routines and writing styles can be improved.
One suggestion for beginning writers is to examine how they view themselves. A positive attitude helps to keep writers focused on the ultimate goal of garnering a publishing contract. Do you view yourself as wanting to write a book or wanting to be an author? In a conference I recently attended, the speaker clarified the difference. Anyone can write a book and get it published, but to be an author, the writer must learn the craft, dedicate time to writing, and believe that a contract is in your future. Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes.
Here's to a creative year filled with professional dedication. Let's be positive, stay focused, and devote time to writing.
Next week, I'll discuss some of the latest trends in publishing.
Call for submissions for adult writers
The latest Ploughshares newsletter contains this reminder: "We are on the hunt for Patricia Hampl's Fall 2012 all-nonfiction issue. Submit online or via regular mail. The regular reading period ends on January 15th, so please polish and send in those essays soon." NB: If you submit online and you don't subscribe to the journal, you must pay a fee. No fee for postal submissions. Ploughshares pays "upon publication: $25/printed page, $50 minimum per title, $250 maximum per author, with two copies of the issue and a one-year subscription."
Call for submissions for student writers
CUCKOO QUARTERLY welcomes submissions of original writing by writers
under the age of 19. We encourage everything from poetry to
prose, short stories to movie reviews, opinion to imagination.
It can be work that fits the categories laid out in previous
editions or entirely different; don't feel constrained by
form or genre. Cuckoo will be published quarterly
Deadline: December 21, 2011
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
The new year rings in a new beginning, a time for renewed hope, fresh inspiration, and the setting of goals. I like to review what I've done the previous year and determine what worked and what didn't. Did I spend too much time on a manuscript that is going nowhere or procrastinating when I should have been writing? I also like to look at what worked. Why was one manuscript accepted and others rejected over and over by various publishers? Another question: How can I become more organized so I can spend a maximum amount of time writing? The answers to these questions differ for every writer, but January is a perfect opportunity for writers to question how they work and scrutinize how their routines and writing styles can be improved.
One suggestion for beginning writers is to examine how they view themselves. A positive attitude helps to keep writers focused on the ultimate goal of garnering a publishing contract. Do you view yourself as wanting to write a book or wanting to be an author? In a conference I recently attended, the speaker clarified the difference. Anyone can write a book and get it published, but to be an author, the writer must learn the craft, dedicate time to writing, and believe that a contract is in your future. Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes.
Here's to a creative year filled with professional dedication. Let's be positive, stay focused, and devote time to writing.
Next week, I'll discuss some of the latest trends in publishing.
Call for submissions for adult writers
The latest Ploughshares newsletter contains this reminder: "We are on the hunt for Patricia Hampl's Fall 2012 all-nonfiction issue. Submit online or via regular mail. The regular reading period ends on January 15th, so please polish and send in those essays soon." NB: If you submit online and you don't subscribe to the journal, you must pay a fee. No fee for postal submissions. Ploughshares pays "upon publication: $25/printed page, $50 minimum per title, $250 maximum per author, with two copies of the issue and a one-year subscription."
Call for submissions for student writers
CUCKOO QUARTERLY welcomes submissions of original writing by writers
under the age of 19. We encourage everything from poetry to
prose, short stories to movie reviews, opinion to imagination.
It can be work that fits the categories laid out in previous
editions or entirely different; don't feel constrained by
form or genre. Cuckoo will be published quarterly
Deadline: December 21, 2011
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
December 25, 2011
Writing Quotes/Calls for Submissions
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
A friend sent me this photo of a Christmas tree made of books. How appropriate for writers.
Here's a gift for my Followers: May each of you find writing inspiration in the new year. To help you along I've listed some of my favorite writing quotes. Enjoy.
A writer is someone who can make a riddle out of an answer." - Karl Krauss
"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." ~Anaïs Nin
"Write about what you know and care deeply about. When one puts one's self on paper — that is what is called good writing." ~Joel Chandler Harris
"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection." ~Anaïs Nin
"Anyone can become a writer. The trick is staying a writer." ~Harlan Ellison
"To write is to practice, with particular intensity and attentiveness, the art of reading." –Susan Sontag
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're
working on another one. If you have talent, you will
receive some measure of success - but only if you persist.
~Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992)
"Writing for children means thinking about your own past, while staying in touch with young people now."-- Michael Rosen, UK Children's Laureate
"Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.
(William Strunk, Jr.)
"To me the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the music the words make." Truman Capote
"Rejection is actually an opportunity to find the right editor and the right publishing company." - Jane Yolen.
Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:
Electric Dragon Cafe Science Fiction and Fantasy Quarterly Short Story Contest
Entry Fee: None
Prize: 1st place: $25 Barnes and Nobel gift certificate 2nd place: $10 certificate
Seeking short fiction contest entries. Must be science fiction, fantasy or horror with fantastic elements and adhere to a theme which we will provide.
Please visit the website for full contest details and guidelines.
E-mail: contest@electricdragoncafe.com
Deadline: MONTHLY
Details at http://www.electricdragoncafe.com
Call for Submissions for Student Writers:
Hazard Community & Technical College is hosting their annual Young Appalachian Poets Award. Any poet, high school aged or younger, may submit their original poetry. First prize includes $100 and publication in Kudzu; Second Place is $50 and publication in Kudzu. Makalani Bandele will serve as this year's judge. He has been a member of the Affrilachian Poets since 2008. His poetry has been anthologized in My Brother's Keeper and The Storytellers, and has been picked for upcoming issues of the African-American Review and Mythium Literary Magazine. He is a winner of the Ernest Sandeen Prize for Poetry. His most recent book—hellfightin'—is out now. You can contact Scott Lucero the contest's coordinator at Scott.Lucero@kctcs.edu. With all correspondence, please put YAPA in the subject line. You can submit your work at their new submittable account-- http://kudzu.submishmash.com/categories. The deadline is January 30th.
Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/
