2015 Poetry and Short Story Competition

Happy Friday creatives! I’m always one for honing your writing & learning skills while following your passions. I love to write and I have no problem writing in several genres. Some genres where my work yielded recognizance and monies over the years included:

Poetry: Winning 2nd & 3rd cash prize and publication in The Illinois Vanderpool Poetry competition.  (defunct)

Mary Ballard Poetry Chapbook Prize:  Placed as Quarter Finalist for 2015 and  on their Quarter-Finalist and Semi-Finalist lists for 2016

Placed in a first Short Story finals list in The McDonald’s Short Story Literary Competition judged by actor Terry Crews.  I went in search of this competition recently to find that sadly its defunct.

Short Story selected and published in The Independent Authors Index. My story is titled Technicolor Love.  Look closely, you’ll see the purple cover:)

 

One of my first personal  short stories  was accepted and published in the book,  When One Door Closes; Reflection for women on life’s turning points. Y’all can check that out on my blog sidebar.

I’ve also entered and won  a cash prize in a best article competition, and in a name that website competition for a women’s organization. I’ve placed in the Women’s Advantage (15 women’s wisdom) Calendar three times where my business quotes were chosen from among 5000 submissions.

My songs entered in the Song of The Year Competition won suggested artist in 2005 and Runner Up in 2012. Over the years, there have been numerous blog guest posts, paid freelance-writing.com articles and feature columns in newspapers and magazines under personal development, health, relationship and celebrity news.

I’m not saying you have to get down like I have in testing the waters of different genres, but my personal advice to writers would be; do not allow your creativity to become staid  and boring. Don’t be that creative in Langston Hughes poem who laments about ” a dream deferred”.

My purpose book for women, Unleash Your Pearls, is finally at the publishers and due for launch sometime in 2016. I’m anxiously waiting to see the cover and to share it with you guys! In the meantime, here’s what I’m working on for submission in my final 2015 competition:

http://thewritepractice.com/members/bw1wc/

 

And

 

2016 Drinking Gourd Poetry Prize Guidelines

5th Annual Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize

DRINKING GOURD CHAPBOOK PRIZE GUIDELINES:
Award
Winner receives $350 prize money, publication by Northwestern University Press in Fall 2016, 15 copies of the book, and a featured reading. Results announced in March 2016.

Judging
Judging will be conducted by a panel of senior minority poets and scholars assembled by the Northwestern University Poetry and Poetics Colloquium.

Eligibility
Poets of color who have not previously published a book-length volume of poetry. Simultaneous submissions to other contests should be noted. Immediate notification upon winning another award is required. Winner must be available for a reading in Chicago in January of 2017.

Deadline
Reading period begins January 15, 2016. Manuscripts must be postmarked by December 31, 2015. To be notified that your manuscript has been received, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard. The winner will be announced on March 15, 2016.

Submission
•    Complete submission form to be included with manuscript packet.
•    Send two copies of a single manuscript.  One manuscript per poet allowed.
•    Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope to receive notification of results.
•    Author’s name should not appear on any pages within the manuscript.
•    Manuscript must be typed single-sided with a minimum font size of 11, paginated and 25-35 pages in length.
•    Manuscript must include a table of contents and list of acknowledgments of previously published poems.
•    Manuscript must be unbound. Use a binder clip—do not staple or fold. Do not include illustrations or images of any kind.
•    Manuscripts not adhering to submission guidelines will be discarded without notice to sender.
•    Due to the volume of submissions, manuscripts will not be returned.
•    Post-submission revisions or corrections are not permitted.

Reading Fee
$15. Enclose check with submission, made payable to Northwestern University.

Direct packet to:
Northwestern University Poetry and Poetics Colloquium
Drinking Gourd Prize Chapbook Series
University Hall, Room 215
1897 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
Attn:  Susannah Young-ah Gottlieb

Great contests right? It’s all gravy 🙂 What’s your final creative contribution for 2015?  Now, don’t keep us in suspense.

Rejection/Reflections

Happy Friday, creatives! I’m curious, how do you handle rejection, criticism and even rude comments about your work? As a recent recipient of two out of three, in recent weeks, I’d say I’m not down for the count and I will continue to soldier on.

Writers and authors know the deal, but in that moment of rejection, we are bruised human beings because those words of rejection sting our creative efforts. We are professionals and know rejections are not personal. Criticisms, on the other hand, can be questionable. Snide comments of your work is best served by ignoring the haters.

In a March interview with author and blogging guru, Joe Bunting over at The Write Practice Blog, I asked, “How do you handle criticism?” His answer was, “I grieve then get back to writing.”

I think that timeless response should serve as a reminder to all of us that it’s the work that matters, so just keep writing to publication. The more we write the better we become in this competitive arena.

As a multi-genre writer, I’ve found some gems in those rejections and have used them along the way to acceptance. Here’s what two editors in different genres had to say about some of my recent works

On a personal story essay:

”As you know, rejections are never easy—for you the writer, or for us, the editors. But as you also know, they are part of what being a writer is about.”

On a Poetry Chapbook Competition:
Although your work did not make the final cut, I want you to know that it was strongly
considered, and that you were a semi-finalist in this year’s contest.

Can you see why writers just keep writing?

How do you handle rejection/criticism/rude comments? Please share!

A Visit With Joe Bunting…

Hello everyone. Thank you for stopping by on this first day of March. I know what you’re thinking-“TGIF!.” Clara54’s guest today is professional writer, author and editor, Joe Bunting. Please join me in welcoming him to the writers forum.

1. Congratulations on your blog The Write Practice being selected as one of the 10 best writing blogs of 2012! What did that feel like?

Thanks Clara. It felt like relief, actually. We won last year, too, and I was so nervous that we wouldn’t this year. Expectations make life so much harder. When you get what you’re expecting, you’re not satisfied. When you don’t, you’re angry and disappointed. It’s better to have low expectations.

2. I’m a subscriber to The Write Practice because it’s a great resource for those of us who love the Story and maybe want to write that great Novel someday. You have said that writing short stories is the best way to began this endeavor. Why is that?

I think the most important thing for a writer to do is start sharing his or her work as soon as possible. To be successful, you need to start making friends and building an audience sooner rather than later. Plus, I think, most of us writers have an innate urge to share our work. It’s scary but it’s thrilling, too, and it motivates us to work harder on the next story.

The problem with novels for the new writer is that they just take so long. They make it so much harder to get your work in front of an audience (even if that audience is just your mom). Stories allow you to audition, bringing a little bit of your best work to the world to see if they want more. Stories are little experiments. Novels are huge projects.

And the reality is that your first “finished” pieces will probably be very bad. I’d rather fail at a dozen short stories than a novel I’ve put three years of my soul into.

3. Can you talk a bit about Story Cartel? I joined the site as an Amazon reviewer and love that I get free books out of it! Is this the only stipulation for joining?

Yep! All of our books are completely free in exchange for your review. We wanted to create a really great resource for readers, almost like a speed dating site for readers and writers to connect. I’ve spent a long time talking just to writers, and I wanted to start connecting with readers. It’s been really fun so far.

4. What makes a great writer?

Sheesh, what a question, Clara! Proust was a great writer but that doesn’t mean I want to read him. I love Dickens but I know so many people who hate him. And a teenager who’s just finished Twilight might say Stephenie Meyer is a great writer, and while I’ve earned the ire of many a writer for sticking up for her, saying she’s “great” might be stretching the language a bit.

Still. I guess I’ll take a shot at it. To be a great writer, I think you have to create interesting characters whom you know completely, to tell a great story, to combine politics, history, religion, and setting without overwhelming that story, and write perfect prose with your own unique flare.

5. How do you handle criticism?

I grieve. Then I get back to writing.

6. You’ve recently introduced HANDS to the reading audience. I’ve read great reviews about this one. Share a few nuggets with us and how we can get a copy for ourselves?

Hands is essentially a story about music, how it connects us to ourselves and to others, even across obstacles like race, age, and death. The story is about Jim, a dying jazz musician who is losing the use of his hands, and a visit he has with one of his former music students, his favorite student, really. During the visit, Jim finds that he can no longer connect—he’s too old and too out of touch—except through the music.

If that sounds interesting, you can get a free preview of the story here:

Free Preview of Hands, a Short Story by Joe Bunting

Thanks for sharing a slice of Joe Bunting life with us!

No, thank you, Clara. You’ve been so great.

Are you guys encouraged to move forward and write that great short story or novel? What burning question would you have asked Joe Bunting?

Revamping My Writer’s Site!

Hello all! I’m not completely back with you guys, but, wanted to share a few nuggets of information about clara54. I’ve decided to revamp the site in regards to content, due in part, to the path my work is headed. I’m no longer going to write about anything other than “writing’ here at clara54. For the most part this will include short stories, literary reviews, interviews and works of other writers…and always great photos from willing participants!

And because clara54 is known as a book review blogger site, I will continue to introduce book reviews and recommendations upon occasion. Today I want to introduce you to the Show Off Anthology; a book of ten short story writers by Joe Bunting from The Write Practice blog.

A short story writer and author, Joe Bunting also teaches the craft to other short story writers, thus, his first collection of these writers. I was given the opportunity, along with other writers, to review this anthology for Amazon.com. You can find those reviews and purchase information for the anthology at the amazon.com kindle site here: http://thewritepractice.com/show-off-pre-order/

These are wonderful & recommended short stories. You’ll be energized to write your masterpiece after reading the Show Off Anthology:) 

“from steps to ladders to bridges, your truth begins with you!” A Life Toward Authenticity- My Authentic Woman Story ebook… also available at amazon .com kindle selection and Barnes & Noble nook selections… 

Great holiday readings!

P.S. Clara54 is open to your writing story and “show off” of your literary gems:)