Places to Publish

Avery

2009-03-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

I like what the editor offers here on their About Page...

"Avery is an anthology of fiction - fiction, because, in a world made meaningful by storytelling of all kinds, it's still what moves us most.

Perhaps you've noticed that Avery also does something an anthology of fiction isn’t supposed to do: it publishes stories that haven't been published anywhere else. Our stories are here, now, to be read, now. We - Avery's readers, writers, and contributors - are deciding what’s worthwhile and what’s necessary. You needn't wait for the Best Best Best of the Year - we've got it for you in every issue.

So what is worthwhile? What kind of stories do we read? Donald Barthelme once said the only criteria on which to judge a story is: Does it knock your socks off? We like that, but we don’t think it’s entirely accurate. We like stories that knock our socks off, but we also like stories that slip our socks off gently, or rip our socks off unexpectedly, or tug and tug at our socks until they’re lying on the floor beside the bed. The important thing is that by the end of the story our feet are bare.

We plan to publish two anthologies per year. We hope that writers will find their way to us, so that readers can find their way to them."

Vist their site for complete guidelines for submission and sample stories from their previous anthologies - http://www.averyanthology.org/submissions.html

Sentence

2009-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Sentence is dedicated to publishing prose poems and reviews and essays about prose poetry. We are interested in traditional prose poems as well as work that extends our conceptions of what the prose poem can be.

The objectives of Sentence are:
To continue the tradition of publishing excellent prose poems established by Peter Johnson's The Prose Poem: an International Journal (currently dormant)
To publish reviews and essays (personal, critical, experimental, etc.) about the prose poem, prose poets, and the poetics of the prose poem
To continue the discussion about the distinction between the prose poem and "poetic prose" (why is this distinction useful? are there other distinctions to be made?)
To explore the gray areas around the prose poem, especially in work that exists on the boundary between the prose poem and free verse on one hand and the prose poem and the essay on the other
To publish work that extends our conceptions of what the "prose poem" is or can be

They do not publish other types of poetry. I rather like that they include a mission statement, but note that no where do they include paying writers as a mission, so that generally means you will get contributor copies. Visit their website for complete submission information and for back issue samples - http://http://firewheel-editions.org/index.htm

Mouth Full of Bullets

2009-02-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Mouth Full of Bullets is a quarterly mystery magazine that offers the best original fiction and poetry from writers of all levels. In addition to the new print magazine, we will continue to offer the free online version. It will feature the best reprinted stories and poems we receive, as well as professional book reviews, author interviews, informative columns, and more.

Fiction we seek:

· Mystery/suspense of all types (police procedural, private eye, amateur sleuth, cozies, hardboiled, etc.). Basically, if it involves a crime and it's within our guidelines, we'd love to consider it.

· We want stories that feature believable characters who speak naturally, realistic situations that bleed conflict, and surprise endings that stay with us long after we reach the final period.

· We welcome new and established authors.

Poetry we seek:

· Anything crime-related.

Nonfiction we seek:

· We are open to articles and columns related to mystery writing, seeking representation, editing, writing in general, or anything else that grabs our attention. Query with your ideas.

They have a good looking website with quite a bit of copy available to read (which you should always do before submitting). Also make sure you follow carefully their formatting guidelines. http://www.mouthfullofbullets.com/submissions_guidelines.htm

Zoetrope: All-Story

2009-02-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

In 1997, Francis Ford Coppola launched Zoetrope: All-Story, a quarterly magazine devoted to the best new short fiction and one-act plays. It has received every major story award, including the National Magazine Award for Fiction, while publishing today's most promising and significant writers: Mary Gaitskill, David Mamet, Ha Jin, Elizabeth McCracken, Yiyun Li, Don DeLillo, Andrew Sean Greer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Woody Allen, Yoko Ogawa, David Means, Susan Straight, Charles D'Ambrosio, David Bezmozgis, Neil Jordan, and Haruki Murakami among them.

We consider unsolicited submissions of short stories and one-act plays no longer than 7,000 words. Excerpts from larger works, screenplays, treatments, and poetry will be returned unread. We do not accept artwork or design submissions. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, and first serial rights and a one-year film option are required. We do not accept unsolicited revisions nor respond to writers who don't include an SASE.

To be published in Zoetrope... now that would be a feather in your writing cap. Take a look at their website to read their online offerings and for complete submission guidelines. http://www.all-story.com/index.cgi

You are a writer, WRITE. Don't be afraid of rejection, be afraid of never doing anything that could be rejected.

Poll Comments

2009-02-21T06:03:00.000-08:00

Ok... so this blog has given you quite a few markets and challenges. Have you submitted your writing any where? Have you added it to your to do list? Have you giggled nervously at the concept of sending your precious baby words into the world? Go ahead share your fears, your questions, or your.... whatever.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

2009-02-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ok... this is a fun contest and worthy of a blog post if you decide to enter. Vist their site for all the details... http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php

But these are the basics...

Submission Period
Entries accepted August 15, 2008-April 1, 2009

How to Submit Your Entry

Find a vanity poetry contest, a contest with low standards whose main purpose is to entice poets to buy expensive products like anthologies, chapbooks, CDs, plaques and silver bowls. Vanity contests will often praise remarkably bad poems in their effort to sell as much stuff to as many people as possible. Click here for an example of a vanity contest that accepts nearly everything.
Make up a deliberately absurd, strange, laugh-out-loud humor poem. Click here for examples.
Submit your parody poem to a vanity contest as a joke.
After you've done steps 1-3, click here to submit your entry to the Wergle Flomp Poetry Contest.
There is no fee to submit to the Wergle Flomp Poetry Contest. Poets of all nations are welcome. Your poem must be in English (inspired gibberish also accepted). Please submit only one poem during the submission period. Your poem may be of any length.

Friday Submission Challenge

2009-02-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is the same challenge as last week. But you didn't do it did you? Why not? You aren't a writer? BS... now... write and submit. It won't hurt a bit.

Roll the die - http://www.random.org/dice/?num=1
Go to the post for The Sun magazine.
Your die roll is the topic you will write for today and have in the post by tomorrow.
Just do it!!! You are a good writer!! You have something to say, something to offer or you would not be here.
Leave a comment here if you have completed the challenge.

Quick Fiction

2009-02-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Quick Fiction publishes stories and narrative prose poems of 500 words or less. Since 2001, when it was founded, the journal has released issues every spring and fall. The Boston Globe recently ranked Quick Fiction #4 among 100 New England literary magazines. Boston’s Weekly Dig has called it “a journal filled with great work from writers who respect the rigid, potentially gorgeous contours of microfiction and have a great deal to say in very little time.”

They take submissions online and offer two contriburtor copies of their print publication as payment if your writing is accepted. Visit their website for complete submission details - http://www.quickfiction.org/submit/guidelines.php

The Bitter Oleander Press

2009-02-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Many people request our guidelines for submission of poetry & short fiction. They are simple: be as imaginative as possible, be honest in speaking to yourself, and inspire yourself as you write. Once you've done that, put those exact poems or pieces of fiction in an envelope with a SASE (self-addressed & stamped envelope) for a response and/or the return of your work. Make sure you've supplied enough postage.

They also currently have a contest that may be of interest...

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Bitter Oleander is given annually for a single poem for the Frances Locke Memorial Poetry Award. Submit up to five poems of no more than two pages each with a $10 entry fee ($2 for each additional poem) by June 15. Bitter Oleander Press, Frances Locke Memorial Poetry Award, 4983 Tall Oaks Drive, Fayetteville, NY 13066-9776. Paul Roth, Publisher.

Visit their website for more information and complete contest and submission guidelines -http://www.bitteroleander.com/index.html

The Bear Deluxe

2009-02-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Bear Deluxe Magazine, a nationally distributed environmental arts publication. Published twice per year, The Bear Deluxe offers that unsolicited submissions and samples are accepted and encouraged. Established in 1993, The Bear Deluxe has been recognized for both its editorial and design excellence. The Bear Deluxe is published by Orlo, a nonprofit organization exploring environmental issues through the creative arts.

Visit http://www.orlo.org/orlo.html click on the link for The Bear Deluxe and then Submissions for complete guidelines and all other information available.

Sojourners

2009-02-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Soujourners is a Christian publication that may fit well with what some bloggers are alreadying writing. They pay well, offering $50-$400 depending on the type of article. Visit their site for complete guidelines and past issues - http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=about_us.writers_guidelines

Although most of the articles that appear in Sojourners have been requested from particular writers, we do occasionally publish unsolicited manuscripts. We are interested in feature articles that treat biblical, social, political, economic, theological, community, or church themes (to mention a few) from a progressive Christian perspective. Where it is reasonable to do so, pieces should explicitly state their grounding in Christian faith. We encourage writers who are describing social or other problems to consider suggesting creative solutions to those problems. We encourage writers to use gender neutral language.

The length of features is generally 1,200-3,000 words. In addition to feature articles, we print "Taking Action" pieces (profiles of groups making a difference in the world) of about 600 words. We also publish commentaries, of roughly 600-650 words, on particularly current events

Fantasy & Science Fiction

2009-02-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is a good paying market and quite a cherry on your writing resume if you are a Sci-Fi or Fantasy writer. I always recommend reading a magazine to see if your submission fits with their needs, but with this market even more so. Visit their website for more information - http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/index.html

We have no formula for fiction. We are looking for stories that will appeal to science fiction and fantasy readers. The SF element may be slight, but it should be present. We prefer character-oriented stories. We receive a lot of fantasy fiction, but never enough science fiction or humor. Do not query for fiction; send the entire manuscript. We publish fiction up to 25,000 words in length. Please read the magazine before submitting. A sample copy is available for $5 in the US and $7.50 elsewhere.

We prefer not to see more than one submission from a writer at a time.

Allow 8 weeks for a response. Please write and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if you have any questions.

Payment is 6-9 cents per word on acceptance. We buy first North American and foreign serial rights and an option on anthology rights. All other rights are retained by the author.

Our columns and non-fiction articles are assigned in house. We do not accept freelance submissions in those areas.

Send story submissions and cartoon queries as well as orders for sample copies to Gordon Van Gelder, Fantasy & Science Fiction, P.O. Box 3447, Hoboken, NJ 07030.

I Love Cats

2009-02-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

I went looking for a magazine or journal that had a theme of love for Valentine's Day. Funny what you find when you Google. But this is a paying market and perhaps this Valentine's your true love really is soft and fluffy.

Visit the website for a sample copy and more information for submission - http://www.iluvcats.com/writguidfori.html

I am always interested in new ideas for I Love Cats and request that you either send a paragraph or two about your idea or the finished piece. When using the postal service, ALWAYS include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with a return address.

If accepted, I will request the story be sent via e-mail.

I am now accepting email queries and completed stories at ilovecatseditor@sbcglobal.net.

If you prefer, completed manuscripts to be delivered by mail to I Love Cats, c/o Lisa Allmendinger, Editor, 16 Meadow Hill Lane, Armonk, NY 10504.

I do not want poetry (as I seldom publish it) but I am interested in feature stories about cats and their owners, (no talking cats, please), interesting or odd happenings with cats, tips for cat owners, health issues, nonfiction pieces, behavior problems, that sort of thing. Please do not send stories about cats that go or live outdoors.

I'm looking for a story--preferably with photos or drawings--that is 1,000 words, tops, ideally 500-800 words. I buy all rights, since we copyright all stories.

You also must sign a consent form, which spells out all resale questions. I pay $50. Payment is upon publication.

Nonfiction pieces $50. Color photos or .jpegs are always a plus, as I am usually in need of art to illustrate a story.

Short fillers are also welcome and payment is $25.

Friday Submission Challenge

2009-02-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Roll the die - http://www.random.org/dice/?num=1
Go to the post for The Sun magazine.
Your die roll is the topic you will write for today and have in the post by tomorrow.
Just do it!!! You are a good writer!! You have something to say, something to offer or you would not be here.
Leave a comment here if you have completed the challenge.

Caketrain

2009-02-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

This one caught my attention mostly because I find their editorial statement interesting.

Caketrain is a literary journal and press based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Our interest is in bringing you, reader, the very best in contemporary creative writing, full stop. Our goals are for each issue of our journal to submerge you in a birthing tank for gelatinous language monsters, young masses of tentacular foci undulating as directed (in all, at once) by our eclectic stable of contributors; for each new book to seduce and ensnare you, sometimes intangibly, always undeniably; and for you, reader, to be able to draw at least one passage from our banks that prods your mind with a precision and power that feels as if it was written for your eyes alone.

So if you consider yourself a gelatinous language monster offer up your poetry. They do take submissions by email as well, always a nice option. Be sure and read the submission guidelines carefully - http://www.caketrain.org/submissions.html

Arc Poetry

2009-02-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Arc editor offers this...

"The best new poetry and poetry criticism from the emerging and established writers to watch - in Canada and beyond." http://www.arcpoetry.ca/mag/submission/submission_guide.php - for complete submission guidelines.

The Sun - Readers Write

2009-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Sun is one of my favorite print magazines that comes in my mailbox every month. And one of my favorite features in The Sun is their Readers Write section. A new short, open topic offered each month to be interupted and submitted to. We bloggers already write shortish non-fiction pieces each day... hint, hint... write and submit, you who is reading this. Visit their site for complete details and some pieces from the current issue. http://www.thesunmagazine.org/

This would be a wonderful addition to your writing publication resume, is probably the kind of thing you are already writing, and is so very easy to write, print, pop in an envelope and toss in the mail box. Plus, payment is a subscription to The Sun and that is always wonderful. They also take poetry and short story submissions.

_____________________________

Readers Write asks readers to address subjects on which they're the only authorities. Topics are intentionally broad in order to give room for expression. Writing style isn't as important as thoughtfulness and sincerity.

Because of space limitations, we're unable to print all the submissions we receive. We edit pieces, often quite heavily, but contributors have the opportunity to approve or disapprove of editorial changes prior to publication. (If you don't want to be contacted regarding the editing of your work, please let us know.)

We publish only nonfiction in Readers Write. Feel free to submit your work under "Name Withheld" if it allows you to be more honest, but be sure to include your mailing address so we can give you a complimentary one-year subscription if we use your work, as a way of saying thanks. Occasionally we will choose not to publish an author's name, or will use only a first name and last initial. While we don't question the truthfulness of the writing, we must be sensitive to considerations of libel or invasion of privacy. If you've already changed the names of the people involved, please say so.

Send your typed, double-spaced submissions to Readers Write, The Sun, 107 N. Roberson St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516. If you cannot type, please print clearly. We're sorry, but we can't respond to or return your work, so don't send your only copy unless you don't want it back. Because we must wait until the last minute to make our final selections, we are unable to answer questions regarding the status of submissions. If your work is going to appear, you'll hear from us prior to publication.

Upcoming Topics......... Deadline for Submission.. Publication Date
The Middle of Nowhere...... March 1....................................... September 2009
Rain....................................... April 1.......................................... October 2009
Selling Out........................... May 1........................................... November 2009
Anger................................... June 1........................................... December 2009
Narrow Escapes................. July 1............................................ January 2010
Borrowing........................... August 1....................................... February 2010

The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest

2009-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness."
--Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

History of the BLFC

Since 1982 the English Department at San Jose State University has sponsored the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, a whimsical literary competition that challenges entrants to compose the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels. The contest (hereafter referred to as the BLFC) was the brainchild (or Rosemary's baby) of Professor Scott Rice, whose graduate school excavations unearthed the source of the line "It was a dark and stormy night." Sentenced to write a seminar paper on a minor Victorian novelist, he chose the man with the funny hyphenated name, Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, who was best known for perpetrating The Last Days of Pompeii, Eugene Aram, Rienzi, The Caxtons, The Coming Race, and--not least--Paul Clifford, whose famous opener has been plagiarized repeatedly by the cartoon beagle Snoopy. No less impressively, Lytton coined phrases that have become common parlance in our language: "the pen is mightier than the sword," "the great unwashed," and "the almighty dollar" (the latter from The Coming Race, now available from the Broadview Press).

Conscripted numerous times to be a judge in writing contests that were, in effect, bad writing contests but with prolix, overlong, and generally lengthy submissions, he struck upon the idea of holding a competition that would be honest and -- best of all -- invite brief entries. Furthermore, it had the ancillary advantage of one day allowing him to write about himself in the third person.

By campus standards, the first year of the BLFC was a resounding success, attracting three entries. The following year, giddy with the prospect of even further acclaim, Rice went public with the contest and, with the boost of a sterling press release by Public Information Officer Richard Staley, attracted national and international attention. Staley's press release drew immediate front-page coverage in cultural centers like Boston, Houston, and Miami. By the time the BLFC concluded with live announcement of the winner, Gail Cane, on CBS Morning News (since defunct through no fault of the BLFC), it had drawn coverage from Time, Smithsonian, People Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Manchester Guardian, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Australian Radio, and the BBC. Most important, over 10,000 wretched writers had tried their hands at outdoing Bulwer's immortal opener, with the best entries soon appearing in the first of a series published by Penguin Books, It Was a Dark and Stormy Night (1984).

Since 1983 the BLFC has continued to draw acclaim and opprobrium. Thousands continue to enter yearly, the judging has been covered by all the major American television networks, and journalists and pundits from Charles Osgood to George F. Will have commented on the BLFC phenomenon. And each year the winners continue to be announced by both national and international media, including such worthies as the BBC, Australian Radio, Radio South Africa, and Radio Blue Danube from Vienna. To sustain the momentum, the Penguin collections of entries have reached five, each an indispensable addition to the bookshelves of discerning readers and collectors (lamentably, they are now all out of print, a commentary on the misplaced and mercenary values of modern publishers).

There is no prize money, but what a thing to put on your resume, I enter every year just to say I have. Visit their website for past winners, various unique links and the complete rules -http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/#The%20rules

What is a SASE?

2009-02-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

The acronym SASE stands for Self Addressed Stamped Envelope.

Many publications will ask you to send with your mailed submission a SASE. Even if the submission guidelines don't ask for a SASE I recommend you include one. Keep the receipts for this sort of expense, the envelopes and postage are tax deductible in most circumstances if you claim any income from your writing. Though do check with your tax person for the appropriateness of this type of deduction.

When you include a SASE it should be a standard business size envelope (the size your paper fits in when folded horizontally in thirds) with your home address in the center. Be sure to use your real name not your pseudonym on this address. It should include appropriate postage on it to return the envelope to you. If you are offering your work to a publication outside of your home country you can generally use an International Reply Coupon for the postage. If you don't need/want your manuscript back say so on your cover letter politely and that will save you postage on your SASE.

One hint an editor offered to me at a writer's conference was to only include the publication you are submitting to's name in the upper left hand corner. Now, the post office may frown on this practice, but her reasoning was this... If you didn't put enough postage or say postage costs were raised in the time it took for that magazine to send a reply to you and there is no return address, then you will get your envelope as that is the only address they have to deliver it to (though your mailman may make you give him the penny or two that is owed) rather then it being returned to the sender for the additional postage.

Pearl

2009-02-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Pearl is a 96–160 page, perfect-bound magazine featuring poetry, short fiction, and black & white artwork. We also sponsor the Pearl Poetry Prize, an annual contest for a full-length book, as well as the Pearl Short Story Prize, an annual fiction contest. Our annual poetry issue contains a 12–15 page section featuring the work of a single poet, and our annual fiction issue features the winner of our short story contest, as well prose poems, "short-shorts," and some of the longer stories submitted to our contest. Please send poems and short fiction separately. Submissions are accepted January through June only. Manuscripts received between July and December will be returned unread. We report back in 6-8 weeks. Work accepted for publication appears 6-12 months from date of acceptance.

No email submissions allowed within the U.S. Submissions from other countries may be sent in the body of an email. Do not send attached files.

http://www.pearlmag.com/submission.html - Offers guidelines and there is sample work available. Their needs are well spelled out even as far as... "We prefer poems no longer than 40 lines, though we occasionally consider longer ones. Our format and page size, however, will not accommodate lines of more than 10-12 words. So unless you're Walt Whitman or Allen Ginsberg, please consider your line breaks."

Ink Byte

2009-02-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ink Byte Magazine is an online journal with numerous articles of interest to writers. They do not offer payment. But it is a nice addition to your writing resume. View their complete guidelines and read their content at - http://inkbyte.com/front_page

The following guidelines apply:

Articles should be about the art, craft, business, life, etc. of writers or writing. At the moment we don't publish much in the way of short stories or poetry. (There are already a lot of literary journals, poetry magazines, etc.) We do welcome articles about publishing one's work, however.
Articles should be short enough to read online, but contain a lot of information: the content to fluff ratio should be very high!
We welcome samples of your writing or even "finished" articles, but we may ask you for revisions, etc. even if we accept.
Don't be bashful... We're not snobs and we welcome creative ideas, even if they're half-baked.
When we accept your work for Ink Byte, you are agreeing for us to publish it on the web as we wish; however, you retain the copyright to use it elsewhere on the web or for other media. Our goal is to be an easy-to-access platform for authors to use while they retain maximum rights to their own work.

Formatting for Submission

2009-02-06T05:19:00.000-08:00

I had a really great article written here and came back to make one spelling correction. And somehow lost everything and ended up with a post that simply said "gourmet." I am sure it was a computer error and not a human error. So instead of rewriting it all (as I am now quite unhappy and don't want to retype it all) I will offer you this great article that has most of the information I was offering to you (sighhhhhhh) -

http://sfwa.org/writing/vonda/Mssprep.pdf

But, I will use this as a reminder for myself and for you. Write your blog posts in your word processing programs first. Save them and then copy and paste them into Blogger or Wordpress or whatever blog platform you use. It really is a good lesson. One I should have paid attention to myself.

Friday Submission Challenge

2009-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Go to your word processor files where you keep your short stories or poetry.
Look at the third, fifth and seventh file. (If one of those was previously published skip to the next file after that number that hasn't been published. If none of those work... just pick one already.)
Pick the best one.
Edit it for no more than fifteen minutes for poetry and a half hour for a short story. Set a timer if you need to - http://www.vickiblackwell.com/timer.html
Send it to one of the five markets from this week.
Postmark this submission by tomorrow, Saturday, February 7.

The point of this is to let your writing go out into the world and stand on its own. You wrote it originally and you felt it was good enough to hit the Save As button. You will spend a bit of time looking at the piece with fresh eyes, and my guess is you will like what you wrote.

Go on, throw it in the mailbox. And leave a comment here when you have done so.

California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch 2009 Flash Fiction Contest

2009-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

I really like Flash Fiction. The art of telling a short story (beginning, middle, end) in such few words is always a good writing challenge. I also like contests put on by writing clubs as the entry fees are usually quiet in line with the prizes ($10/$100) and the prizes are usually equal to or significantly more than you might be paid for a small print publication accepting your work (i.e. only contributor copies, which there is nothing wrong with, but I do like getting paid for my work on occasion). And because they are small(ish) groups, if you are a good writer your odds of being awarded a place is decent as they may only get fifty to a hundred or so entries. Now that said, since they are run by small(ish) groups there isn't as much prestige to putting winning such contest on your writing resume as say winning the Writer's Digest Short Fiction contest. But since they get THOUSANDS of entries, I think it balances out.

I also want to share with you this link that has some very good information about what to look out for when considering offering your writing to a contest - http://www.sfwa.org/Beware/contests.html

The California Writers Club is 100 years old this year (I have been a member of the Inland Empire Branch for 9 years) and was founded by Jack London, George Sterling , John Muir, Joaquin Miller, and the first California poet laureate, Ina Coolbrith, and Herman Whitaker, among other writers of the time.

The Sacramento Branch has a contest running right now that I would love to see you win. Below are all the details.

______________________________________

California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch
2009 Flash Fiction Contest
Deadline: March 31, 2009

Open to All Writers.
Membership in the California Writers Club is not required.

Theme: Open

Prizes: $100 first place, $50 second place and $25 third place

Word Count: 500 words maximum

Entry Format: Submit three copies. All entries must be typed, double spaced using black 12-point Times New Roman font on one side of 8-½" x 11" white paper. For additional pages, put title on upper left hand corner and page number on upper right hand corner.

Cover Page: Type the title of your story, your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and word count. Include separate cover page for each entry and paperclip to entry.

Entry Fee: $10 for each submission. Enclose a check made payable to CWC, Sacramento Branch.

Deadline: Must be postmarked by March 31, 2009.

Winners: Winners will be announced in the June 2009 branch newsletter and honored at the June 20, 2009, Sacramento Branch meeting, 11:00 a.m. at Luau Garden Chinese Buffet, 1890 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA. Winners need not be present to receive their prizes. Winning entries will be published in the branch newsletter, write on!

Entries must be unpublished. Entries will not be returned and authors retain all rights.

Submit to:
Evelyn Luscher
CWC, Sacramento Branch Writing Contest
P.O. Box 1157
Citrus Heights, CA 95611-1157

For more information:
Contact Contest Chair Evelyn Luscher at eluscher@sbcglobal.net

The Antioch Review

2009-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

"The Antioch Review, founded in 1941, is one of the oldest, continuously publishing literary magazines in America. We publish fiction, essays, and poetry from both emerging as well as established authors. Authors published in our pages are consistently included in Best American anthologies and Pushcart Prizes."

They accept articles, poetry and short stories and have very specific guidelines here on their submissions page - http://review.antioch.edu/wg.html

Contest - Phoebe

2009-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Winter Fiction Contest
Deadline - February, 28th 2009

Phoebe sponsors an annual Fiction Contest. The author of the winning story for the winter contest will receive $1,000 and publication in the Fall issue of Phoebe.

Contest entries should include one story, not to exceed 7,500 words. Novel excerpts and non-fiction will not knowingly be considered. All entries should include a cover letter with your name, address, the title of the story to be considered, and a brief biography. Your name and address should not appear anywhere on the story.

Please enclose the $15 entry fee (check or money order payable to Phoebe/GMU), and a SASE for contest results. Manuscripts will not be returned. All writers submitting to the contest will receive a copy of the Fall 2009 issue.

All contest entries must be postmarked by February 28th. Mail Entries to:

Phoebe Winter Fiction Contest
Phoebe MSN 2D6
George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030

The Phoebe Winter Fiction Contest affords Phoebe the opportunity to read a diverse selection of stories from which the journal has each year selected pieces for publication. The editors of Phoebe thank you for your interest and look forward to reading your work.

I like that you get a copy of the journal for your entry fee. That is always nice.

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Phoebe also takes regular submissions...

Phoebe seeks to publish quality writing. Do not send formulaic writing, romance fiction, or greeting-card poetry. We do not consider previously published work. We encourage writers to read our Mission Statement and to order back issues to familiarize themselves with what we will publish.

Visit their site for complete guidelines - http://phoebejournal.com/

Online Writing Class

2009-02-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

Online Class with Mike Foley

No matter how perfect your story’s plot, there are still two elements that will make or break your fiction—characters and dialogue. Beginning Monday, February 16, Mike Foley will offer a brand new online class, Dynamic Characters and Dialogue. The six-week course will focus on improving characters and the way they speak, making your fiction more compelling and marketable. Lessons include:

*** Lingering Fear: When Pain Affects the Present Moment
*** Story Momentum: Keeping Emotion in Dialogue
*** Using the Body: How Movement Helps Readers Decide
*** Hints at the Visual: How to Describe in Dialogue
*** A Character’s First Moment: Revealing Love
*** The Spoken Noose: Making Dialogue Edgy

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
1. A lesson will be emailed every Monday and will include an assigned exercise.
2. Students will read or download the lesson at their convenience.
3. Students will complete the weekly writing exercise and return it to Mike Foley via email (all exercises due the following Monday). Students will receive a weekly letter from Mike, discussing the exercise and offering suggestions on their work.
4. Students will have the opportunity to read the weekly exercises to see how their classmates handled the assignments.
5. Every week, Mike will email additional writing tips to supplement the course material.
6. As part of the course, students will receive a free critique of a writing project. This can be the story created in class or another story/novel chapter. Project length will be 6-12 double-spaced pages. All projects will be evaluated and returned.

The class will begin (first lesson sent) on Monday, February 16. FEE FOR THE SIX-WEEK COURSE--$199. You may pay by check or credit card (Visa/MC accepted through PayPal). For more information or to register, please contact Mike Foley by email: mike@writers-review.com

Mike Foley is the editor of Dream Merchant Magazine and also teaches fiction and nonfiction writing in the extension program at University of California-Riverside.

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I have taken online classes with Mike Foley and found them to be phenomenal. His lesson are always well thought out and the feedback is always helpful. If you decide to spend a bit of time with this exceptional writing teacher and mentor do let him know Laura Jayne sent you.

Cave Wall

2009-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Cave Wall, published twice a year, is a national literary magazine dedicated to publishing the best in contemporary poetry. We are interested in poems of any length and style from both established and emerging poets. Each issue includes black & white art, as well.

Cave Wall reads unsolicited poetry submissions twice a year.Our next open reading period will be February 1 - March 15, 2009 (postmark deadlines). We do not accept email submissions.

Payment is two contributor copies.

Visit their site for complete guidelines and samples of previously published work - http://www.cavewallpress.com/submit.html - note their short submission window and offer accordingly.

Glimmer Train

2009-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Glimmer Train welcomes the work of established and upcoming writers.

We especially appreciate stories that are both well written and emotionally engaging. Please let us read yours! If it is chosen for publication in Glimmer Train Stories, you will be paid upon acceptance. Your story will be prepared with care, and presented in a handsome, highly regarded literary journal to readers all over this continent and every other continent, for that matter, except Antarctica. If you've seen Glimmer Train Stories, you know that we go to some lengths to honor our contributors and their writing.(Update: We are amazed and happy to report that, according to Alisa A. Gaston-Linn of the United States Antarctic Program, Glimmer Train has made it to the Antarctic. We'd never have guessed. Thank you, Alisa!)

Glimmer Train also holds monthly competitions as well as accepting standard submission. Visit their website for complete guidelines, sample issues, competition themes and to submit (they prefer online submissions). http://www.glimmertrain.com/writguid1.html

Ploughshares

2009-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ploughshares has wonderful short stories.

Needs: We seek work of the highest literary quality, but otherwise do not have any specific guidelines for style or subject matter. We no longer arrange issues with thematic topics. On occasion, we do publish issues that feature emerging writers; always look at our website before submitting for announcements. Although we look primarily for short stories, we occasionally publish personal essays/memoirs. Novel excerpts are acceptable if self-contained.

Visit their website - pshare.com - for complete submission guidelines and sample issues.

Friday Submission Challenge

2009-01-30T12:03:00.000-08:00

The first post here at Places to Publish was a Poetry magazine called Rattle.

Your Friday Submission Challenge....

Review Rattle's poetry guidelines.
Submit at least two poems and have them mailed by tomorrow Saturday if you have two you have previously written that you want to offer.
If you decide to write two new poems for this challenge you have until Thursday to have them written, edited and out in the mail.
Comment here when you have completed this challenge.

Rattle Magazine

2009-01-30T11:48:00.000-08:00

Submission Guidelines
RATTLE publishes poetry, translations, reviews, essays, and interviews.

Submissions open year-round.

RATTLE does not accept work previously published in magazines, journals, anthologies or zines, in print or online.
Simultaneous submissions are encouraged, but you must notify us immediately if the work is accepted elsewhere.

Visit their website at - rattle.com - for complete guidelines and writing samples.