Nik Nicholson's Blog, page 27
February 10, 2014
If I Have Something ValuableTo Add
I feel there is this global conversation going. There are millions of ads coming at us, and then our friends are sharing bits of their lives, there is the good advice, rants and me, just floating along.
Every day, I have these moments where I learn something or I’m inspired. But I don’t want to abandon those moments to tweet or post about them. By the time I’m in front of a pc or have my phone, these experiences have informed me enough to be different, but I don’t have the energy to relive them and share… If that makes any sense.
In the past, I use to share pictures and quotes that informed my life, people “Liked” those. Other people criticized me for not being real. My life isn’t perfect, but I can’t imagine posting statuses complaining or being too personal. Plus, what is the purpose of talking about a problem? Unless you are asking for help, a solution or doing a monologue… I guess you could call Twitter or Facebook your stage. I’ll pass on that drama.
Now that I’m a published author, I’m constantly being advised and encouraged to promote myself. I’m told, promoting me means blogging, Tweeting and Facebooking. I’m told all these actions somehow will draw people to my book which translates into book sales. So I started marketing through social networks. Every day, I felt pressured to say something, anything. Most of the things I’ve shared recently haven’t sat right with my spirit.
The Twitter page I hardly checked now has a couple thousand tweets. I’m told to talk about anything; Twitter is all about your randomness. I’m actually pretty random and outgoing. In real life, I’ve never met a stranger. Still it feels weird, just speaking into a mic on a platform, while random people pass by hoping to say something so profound it’ll resonate and compel them to follow you, and even better, buy whatever you’re selling.
I’m overwhelmed by Twitter (and Facebook too at times) because I’m naturally disconnected. By disconnected I mean, I’ve romanticized the not so distant past when phones were only landlines in our homes. I hate being called any and everywhere, so I keep my ringer off. I hate that now no one is anywhere, we are all just breathing and waiting to be contacted so we can respond. Some of us sit blankly, stirring at our phones or scrolling Facebook. Once I got the Facebook and Twitter app on my phone, infinite numbers of people were sharing thoughts and pictures about experiences in real time. While not actually having the experiences.
As an act of rebellion, I continue to check my phone randomly, if at all, instead of always being “available.” “Availability” is an interesting word, when I consider how always being available would actually render me absent from my life, but I won’t get into that riddle.
By being naturally disconnected I mean, before my book came out, I would regularly go through periods of not looking at my phone, which caused me to misplace it often. I’d go sometimes three days and at times an entire week without touching it. On top of that, I would deactivate my Facebook page for months at a time because it felt like I was giving it more energy than I was getting back. I felt submerged in a very shallow pool.
Plus, it’s unnatural to be clicks away from 90% of everyone you ever met since birth… All this sharing: talking, texting, tweeting, messaging, posting pictures becomes a lot of noise. Honestly I get bored. Other times I’m overwhelmed. Sometimes I feel like I’m talking but no one is listening. Sometimes there are so many conversations going on I can’t keep up. Then you factor in the news, real life, random advice, people in your physical space, responsibilities and goals, it’s like Grand Central Station in my head.
Not to mention the guilt. I always feel like there is something else I should be doing or somewhere else I should be. I can rattle off a list of things that would better serve me as a person that I’m not doing because I’m Facebooking.
Sometimes, I get bored and disappointed thinking, “All these people and this is what they have to say?” I get bored and I get crazy. I say crazy things, that aren’t helpful. I say things that don’t leave people better informed, happier or inspired. Sometimes I share things that are inappropriate for such a large audience. Sometimes I’m wise enough to care and delete, other times I’ve chosen to let it ride because I’m tired of censoring myself. It’s a lot of thinking and too much talking…
So I’m letting go of the idea of using blogs, Twitter and Facebook as marketing tools. I’ll only share when I have something valuable to add to the larger conversation always going on. I’m praying for discipline. LOL! I’m praying and hopeful others will join me in silence, so we’re free to listen to those who actually have something valuable to share. I pray whatever I share will make someone smile, evolve, be encouraged, be inspired, be better informed, innerstand me or themselves better, feel loved, or help us to relate. I’m saying all this remembering that Egypt’s revolution began on Facebook. I pray we will all be more mindful and present in our lives, and more absent online.
Love and Light
February 9, 2014
February 7, 2014
February 6, 2014
Mutha Fuckas Better Realize It’s Time to Self Actualize
I am sharing this spoken-word performance of one of my favorite poets, Saul Williams. I think this poetry piece is a quintessential introduction to how I’m celebrating Black History Month. I want to celebrate artists who are alive and this poem is about us and our rhythm. We as Black people have become a culture looking backward and some thinking they are better because they are always looking forward (forgetting their/our pasts) and planning for the future. I understand we have been reared to be worshipers of the dead and to live for dying. While the truth is, we are here, now.
So I want to encourage everyone to know and support our current Black writers, artists and poets who are here. Let’s not allow another Zora Neale Hurston to die broke and unknown… With the way the world is going, there is no promise that they will be rescued by the next generation. Our time is now.
It is beautiful that we celebrate Zora Neale Hurston, but she needed community love and support while she was alive. So as we are calling the name of our ancestors, and I believe in honoring our ancestors, let us also acknowledge, recognize and support all the lights struggling to lead us here and now.
Who are your favorite Black living artists? Please… Share…
February 5, 2014
How to talk to your daughter about her body
How to talk to your daughter about her body, step one: don’t talk to your daughter about her body, except to teach her how it works.
Don’t say anything if she’s lost weight. Don’t say anything if she’s gained weight.
If you think your daughter’s body looks amazing, don’t say that. Here are some things you can say instead:
“You look so healthy!” is a great one.
I love this.
The Ignored Art of Spines
Reblogged from Pixel & Pilcrow:
So much attention is paid to the front of books that it's easy to forget that the front cover is only a part, and perhaps not even the most important part, of a book cover. The back cover, the spine, and even the front and back cover flaps are important parts of the book cover experience.
I think there is a strong argument to be made that, at least historically, the spine is at least as important as the front cover.
Just a little reminder...
Sustainable Arts Foundation Awards $6,000, Deadline 08.31.2014
The Sustainable Arts Foundation is a non-profit foundation supporting artists and writers with families. Our mission is to provide financial awards to parents pursuing creative work.
Too often, creative impulses are set aside to meet the wonderful, but pressing, demands of raising a family. The foundation’s goal is to encourage parents to continue pursuing their creative passion, and to rekindle it in those who may have let it slide.
2014 Spring Awards
Online application available January 15, 2014
Deadline to apply February 28, 2014 5 p.m., Pacific Time
Awards announced May 15, 2014
2014 Fall Awards
Online application available July 15, 2014
Deadline to apply August 31, 2014 5 p.m., Pacific Time
Awards announced November 15, 2014
Please read these instructions carefully before you begin.
We strive to keep our application process as simple as possible. Please keep one thought in mind: the better we understand your work, the easier it is to evaluate it. The unfortunate reality is that the majority of applications go unfunded. Please know that regardless of the outcome, we greatly appreciate the time and effort you put into your application.
Our application is entirely online. It’s easier for us to process the volume of applications we receive and evaluate them online.
awards
The foundation will award the following:
Sustainable Arts Foundation Award: $6,000
Sustainable Arts Foundation Promise Award: $2,000
We typically offer five of each award in each application round.
eligibility
To be eligible, the applicant must have at least one child under the age of 18.
disciplines
The foundation offers awards in two major categories: visual arts and writing. We encourage writers working in fiction, nonfiction, play-writing, and poetry to apply.
Visual artists practicing painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, film/video, and photography are encouraged to apply.
At this time we are not accepting applications in the performing arts or music.
criteria
We seek to reward excellence. Your portfolio will assist us greatly in evaluating your work which may, but need not, refer to your parenting. We’re also interested in hearing what your plans are, and how this award might assist you in attaining your goals.
The application is very straightforward, and consists of 3 major parts:
contact information
Very basic stuff. We need your contact information so we can keep you apprised of the status of your application.
personal and artistic information
This is your chance to tell us who you are as a person, an artist, and a parent. We’ve organized this into a few sections:
Who I Am: Biography
Please tell us about yourself. Remember that the Sustainable Arts Foundation’s unique trait is our focus on artists and writers who are also parents. If it’s relevant, we’d like to hear how your family life inspires or challenges your artistic career.
What I Do: Artist Statement
Please give us a concise description of your work and goals as an artist.
What I’ve Done: Curriculum Vitae
We’d like to know about the public presentation of your work. Please paste (or attach on the next screen) your current CV or resume, noting especially, if applicable, any grants, awards, or fellowships, plus your exhibitions or publications.
What I’d Like to Do: How I Would Use this Award
If you have specific needs that would be met by this award — child care, workspace, new equipment, research, travel — please outline them here. If you have a budget for a specific project, let us know. The more we know about you and your work, the easier it is for us to envision how this award would succeed.
If you already have nicely formatted versions of any of the above that you’d prefer to use, please feel free to attach them in the Portfolio section of the application.
portfolio
Please supply samples of recent work. While you’re welcome to include or make reference to older works, please know that we’re particularly interested in the work you’ve produced since having children.
Submission Guidelines for Writers
Writers: 25 pages maximum. You may submit a single long sample or multiple shorter samples.
Poets: 10 poems, not to exceed 25 pages
PDF format only, please.
Please “blind” your attachments (no name or contact information on your attachments)
Submission Guidelines for Visual Artists
10-20 images
Use highest resolution (we want to see your work at its best). Each individual image should be less than 5MB.
No video uploads, please. For those of you working in video/film, please provide links to your work online
If the works have titles, please use the appropriate field on the application, and also note any additional description of the work (date created, medium, etc.) If the work has been published or exhibited, please note that as well.
We strongly urge you to prepare your responses offline. Computers crash, internet connections hang. We’d hate for you to lose your work due to a technical glitch. After preparing your answers, and the files you wish to upload, you can simply copy-and-paste them into our form in a matter of minutes.
application fee
As of 2014, we are now charging an application fee. The fee will be a modest one ($10), but we’re aware that many of you are applying for many awards and grants and we know these fees add up.
The response we’ve gotten to our award program has been nothing short of staggering. One of the ways we ensure that all of our applications get due consideration is to use jurors. Our jurors are previous award winners, so they are all parent artists and writers like yourself, and we pay them a modest fee for their time.
Given the number of applications we’ve received, however, our juror fees have become an unsustainable large portion of our budget (roughly 35% of our total awards). 100% of the application fee will go directly to pay these jurors for their time. By charging this fee, we will insure that at least two jurors will review each application.
If you have any questions about the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at: http://apply.sustainableartsfoundation.org/
No Entry Fee, Poetry Contest, Deadline 02.28.2014
THE ZERO BONE POETRY PRIZE
Port Yonder Press is pleased to announce its First Annual Zero Bone Poetry Prize Contest.
Named in honor of the distinguished American poet Emily Dickinson, the competition welcomes submissions of unpublished, original poems. This competition is open to all poets – those with or without previous publishing credits and from anywhere in the world. Winning manuscripts will reflect the thoughtful humanity and careful craftsmanship of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, though not necessarily her style. Nature themes are especially welcome as are all styles of poems such as villanelle, sonnet, confessional poetry, haiku, prose, ode, elegy, sestina, Fibonnaci, abstract, etc. All genres except erotica.
In keeping with our mission to provide strong emotive literature to a broad audience, please focus on artistry sans graphic depictions of gore, sexuality, and foul language. Any such must be used judiciously and expertly.
$100 First Prize
$25 Second Prize
Reading Period: February 1, 2014 – February 28, 2014
Reading Fee: NONE.
Submission Guidelines
Number of submissions – Please submit up to 3 poems of up to 40 lines each. Each must be submitted on a separate sheet of paper, no author’s name or other identifying marks on pages. (Cover page will identify you.)
Simultaneous Submissions – Poems may be under consideration elsewhere, but please inform ZBP if a poem is accepted for publication.
Poems will not be returned. Please do not send your only copy.
Eligibility – The poems must be unpublished. Authors and staff of Port Yonder Press and their families are not eligible for this award.
Submission Period – Entries must be received (not postmarked) February 1, 2014 to February 28, 2014 to be considered.
Submission Address – Poems should be one to a page with no identifying author name or address on each. Include a cover page with author name, address, email, phone number, and list of poem titles. A short bio is also welcome. Send to:
Zero Bone Poetry Prize
c/o Port Yonder Press
6332 – 33rd Avenue Drive
Shellsburg, IA 52332
Name of judge: Ann Struthers.
Competition Results – Results will be posted online in mid-April, 2014.
Notifications – We inform the finalist and the winner by email, phone, or mail.
Listed with Poets & Writers Magazine and Duotrope.
For more information go to: http://www.portyonderpress.com/zero-bone-poetry-prize.html
No Entry Fee, Poetry Contest, Deadline 02.14.2014
Poetry Contest
DEADLINE: February 14, 2014
Apply Online
Awards
First place: $500, published on The Writer’s Center’s “First Person Plural” blog, and a free class and membership to The Writer’s Center.
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $150
All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership Web site and honored at a special event during the Bethesda Literary Festival, held April 11-13, 2014.
Requirements
Poems cannot be more than 21 lines of text. Do not double space your entry. Only one entry per person. Your poem must be your original work and must be currently unpublished. Any poems containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified.
Eligibility
Open to residents of Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. who are 18 or older at the time of the entry deadline. Current and former employees, contractors, directors, and officers of the Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) and their immediate family members are ineligible. Current students, relatives, or close personal friends of the judge(s) are also ineligible.
Judging
The judge for this contest is Professor of English at George Washington University, David McAleavey.
Notification
Winners will be contacted by March 24, 2014.
Copyright
All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have in the poems they submit, but by participating in this contest and submitting poems, all entrants grant Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) the right, license, and ability to use and publish all submitted poems (in complete form or in excerpted form) on the BUP Web site, on other Web sites, and in other media.
Questions? Please email poetry@bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660, Ext. 117.
For more information, please visit
No Entry Fee, Poetry Contest, Deadline 04.30.2014
Contest Theme:
Colorism is a prejudiced attitude and/or discriminatory actions against people based on the relative lightness or darkness of their skin, the texture of their hair, or other features in comparison to others of the same race. The mission of this organization, site, and contest is to eliminate colorism and help those who’ve been affected by colorism to heal from it. Through this contest, we hope to give voice to those who’ve struggled with colorism in silence, believing they had no outlet for expressing themselves.
Please submit one original poem in which colorism is a major theme.
Eligibility:
The Colorism Poetry Contest is open to United States residents*, ages 10 and up. All contestants under the age of 18 must have consent from a parent or legal guardian before entering the contest. Employees, agents, and immediate families of S. L. Writes or the current judging panel are ineligible and may not enter. All contest entrants must be the original author of the poem. There are no entry fees, no purchase necessary, and no financial obligation to enter or win the contest.
Contest Dates:
Entries are accepted from 12:00 a.m. April 1, 2014 – 11:59 p.m. April 30, 2014 Central Standard Time. Any poems submitted before or after these dates will not be considered.
Selection:
Poems are judged based on theme, originality, and craft. The panel of judges will include advocates and writers Opal Palmer Adisa, Sharon G. Flake, and Calida Rawles. All decisions made by the judges are final.
Prizes:
Divisions are determined by the age of the entrant on the date of submission:
Division 1: Ages 10-14
1st Place- $100 and Publication on ColorismHealing.org and subsequent anthologies
Honorable Mentions- Any poems receiving honorable mention will be published on ColorismHealing.org and subsequent anthologies
Division 2: Ages 15-19
1st Place- $100 and Publication on ColorismHealing.org and subsequent anthologies
Honorable Mentions- Any poems receiving honorable mention will be published on ColorismHealing.org and subsequent anthologies
Division 3:
1st Place- $250 and Publication on ColorismHealing.org and subsequent anthologies
Honorable Mention- Any poems receiving honorable mention will be published on ColorismHealing.org and subsequent anthologies
Notification:
Winners will be announced by the end of May 2014. Winners are notified by phone or by email. Names of the winners, their respective poems, and an optional photo will also appear on this website.
How to Submit Your Poem
Each contest entrant should submit only one poem.
Submissions should be 100 lines or less and adhere to the contest theme
Any style of poetry is welcomed.
Poems containing profanity, vulgarity or offensive material will automatically be disqualified.
All contest entrants must be the original author of the poem.
Entrants must identify the correct age division in order to maintain eligibility. Divisions are determined by the age of the entrant on the date of submission:
Division 1 – ages 10-14
Division 2 – ages 15-19
Division 3 – 20 and older
If your poem is selected as a winner or honorable mention, we will ask you to provide a short bio and optional photo
Email questions to: poetrycontest@colorismhealing.org.
Privacy Policy:
The hosts of the Colorism Poetry Contest collect personal information for the purpose of notifying contest winners. All information submitted is kept in confidence and used solely for notification purposes and shall not be made public by the hosts. The Colorism Poetry Contest does not lease, sell, or share the personal information collected. Minor children must have parental permission to enter the contest.
Legalities:
The author retains all copyrights to the submitted poem. Selected poems will appear on ColorismHealing.org with the copyright notice intact and may be published in a forthcoming anthology. By entering the contest, you consent to the publication of your poem if it is selected as a winning entry or honorable mention.
All contestants under the age of 18 must have consent from a parent or legal guardian before entering the contest.
Void where prohibited. Sponsored by S. L. Writes & ColorismHealing.org. All rights reserved.
All information provided herein pertains to the 2014 contest. This information may update or change for future contests.
Failure to comply with the contest rules automatically disqualifies the entry.
If, after carefully reading the contest rules and regulations a few times, you still have questions, please leave a comment below, and we will respond as soon as possible.
*We are working on opening subsequent contests to non U.S. residents.
Colorism Poetry Contest Submissions- U.S. Edition
For more information follow this link: http://colorismhealing.org/colorism-poetry-contest-submissions-u-s-edition/
