This is a line from Old-War Dreams by Walt Whitman, one of my favorite poems, on one of my favorite themes. Poetry on the theme of war is so prevalent that it’s almost become a cliché, propped between twin stereotypes of the stirring-to-war, patriotic poem, and the impassioned protest piece. Between those two ideas stretch miles of intricate details waiting to be told by a million different voices – voices of soldiers’ on the battlefield, of loved ones left behind, of those who watched from the sidelines or simply feel like they did. Like most of the big themes that surface again and again in poetry – such as love, loss, or nature - it is an idea simultaneously too large to truly to capture, and too intricately woven into our lives to ignore.
If you’ve penned a poem of your own on this important topic, and are looking for its home, the War Poetry Contest is accepting submissions until May 31st! Conducted by Winning Writers, the writers’ resource site that publishes the Poetry Contest Insider, the contest accepts submissions of unpublished poetry (any style) on the topic of war. First prize is $2000 and publication on Winning Writers, which boasts over one million page views a year. Submission guidelines are available here.
Before you submit, also be sure to check out the Advice from the Judge. In fact, I recommend checking out the advice even if you don’t plan on submitting, as it includes some handy rules of thumb for poetry submissions, great recommendations for further reading from “war poets,” and a list of clichéd phrases and images to avoid in war poetry. (Because just because the theme isn’t cliché, doesn’t mean the language automatically won’t be.)
Sifting through contests can be daunting, and while there are great tools out there to help, sometimes you just want a place to start. If you’re new to the world of contests and publication, Glimmer Train may be offering you exactly that. Glimmer Train presents a monthly contest with various themes, and this May, they are focusing on the new authors.
The Short Story Award for New Writers is open to any fiction writer whose work has not appeared in a print publication with a circulation of over 5000. First prize is $1200 and publication, as well as 20 copies of the mag to pass out to your friends or just carry around with a huge sense of pride. Submissions open today, May 1st, and close on May 31st, with winners announced July 31st. Glimmer Train accepts works of fiction on all themes, but does not accept novels, poetry or writing for children. For this contest, the limit is 12,000 words, with all shorter lengths accepted as well.
May 31st too soon? There are several other contests coming up this summer, including a second New Writers Award this August.
Glimmer Train also utilizes a user-friendly, paper-less submission process (though they will accept paper in a pinch) – it requires free registration, which you can start here.
“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” ~Virginia Woolf
This quote is, of course, the titular line of one of Virginia Woolf’s most influential works, A Room of One’s Own. The notion of “a room of one’s own” has become a well-known cliché that refers to the universal need for personal space in which to escape and express ourselves, but those familiar with the piece will recall that the original meaning of the phrase was literal. Woolf argued, among other things, that women had been given little opportunity to flourish as writers, having been denied the same freedom, space and independence she saw male writers receive as a matter of course. She saw these elements as necessary, if women and men were ever to receive equal respect and voice as writers in society.
A Room of Her Own is a non-profit organization that seeks to support Woolf’s vision through changing “the lives of creative women by rewarding and showcasing their important voices to our own community as well as the marketplace.” They are committed to “bridging the gap between a woman’s economic reality and her artistic creation” via financial programs such as scholarships and awards, as well as by providing retreats, conferences and other resources for female writers, as well as by sponsoring women’s literary events. Their website states that, to date, they have raised over half a million dollars in support of creative women.
Among other things, the AROHO is currently hosting the To the Lighthouse Poetry Publication contest. The award will be given for the best unpublished poetry collection of 48 to 96 pages, with a prize of $1000 and publication by Red Hen Press. The deadline is August 31, 2010. Please visit the website for more information about submitting.
Don’t forget to check out the other events and resources hosted by the AROHO’s website!
Feeling competitive?
Poets&Writers Magazine recently published a list of not ten, not twenty, but forty-five writing contests whose deadlines fall between February 15 and March 15 of this year. Entries include many competitions sponsored by literary magazines and journals, as well as grants and other awards, for a range of genres and styles. And if the idea of wading through forty-five possible contests takes you from feeling competitive to just feeling overwhelmed - don’t worry! Poets&Writers has organized the information into a handy submission calendar, with easy links to all of the specific submission and contact information you need.
Good luck!
The Poets&Writers Submission Calendar for February 2010.
The accomplishments of our Storystudio writers and staff are coming in fast and furious. The latest kudos goes to Lisa Katzenberger who had a short story included in the recently released 2009 Genre Wars Anthology. The book comes from the minds of three writers who run The Literary Lab website and decided to put their money where their mouths are. (Actually, the money from books sales are being donated.)
Lisa’s piece is in the “Literary” section and is titled, In Amsterdam. I haven’t yet had the pleasure of seeing it but she better be bringing in a copy for us to hang on the wall! In case you’re wondering, Lisa’s been in the Advanced Writers Workshop on and off for a couple years (currently on) and has also taken the Freelance Magazine Writing class. She is the studio’s Events Coordinator where she puts together member events, pubnights, readings, and crazy write-a-thons.
Congratulations Lisa!
If you’re a StoryStudio writer and have some exciting news, . We love to brag.
