Many of you are celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends. Some of you are not. Some of you have a quirky derivation of Thanksgiving like I do, where we celebrate Thanksgiving on College Football Rivalry Day (Saturday - tomorrow), because we're most likely to get more family around and still allow them to have a Thanksgiving with their spouse's families.

 

I give thanks for the usual things: health, happiness, creature comforts for me and mine. But there's one thing I give thanks for that might be a bit unusual . . . the gift of persistence.

 

I've always been competitive, more so in my younger days, but I've learned as I've aged and turned wiser that it's not how hard you try against other people that makes you a success. It's how you rate against yourself.

You are your own worst enemy and your biggest cheerleader. You are the person who decides whether you quit or keep rocking. Persistence is indeed a talent and a gift, and it's that persistence to become a better person and better writer that leads to success . . . as you define it.

 

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." – Calvin Coolidge

 

There are days I want to give up. When a publisher disappoints. When my writing hasn't sold. When technology seems to make writing more of a computer task than a creative one. When people I hope like the book don't, or worse, don't read it at all. But it's persistence that allows me to continue. I don't know where it comes from other than some higher power than me, but I'm grateful for it. It keeps me motivated . . . keeps me sane.
 

"I believe that you either love the work or the rewards. Life is a lot easier if you love the work."

~Jane Smiley

Chicken Soup for the Soul Recipe for Success

By Linda O’Connell

Whether you consider yourself a detail-oriented plotter, or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer, you have
developed strategies that work for you. Some writers can toss a few words together and write a great story with little effort, but many of us need a formula.

I have been published in 23 Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Each true story had universal appeal, a beginning, a middle, and an end. My stories had unique angles whether via the message, writing style, or level of adventure.

A Chicken Soup for the Soul story reads like you're speaking to a friend, but writing one is not as simple as 
sitting in your best friend's living room, sharing a life event. You must follow a basic "recipe" and then season it your way.

Imagine this scenario: You've just discovered a recipe on line for the perfect chocolate cake. You would like to win the blue ribbon in a baking contest. You gather necessary tools and ingredients, mix, bake, and create what you hope will be a prize winner. You discover that half the entrants have also found the same recipe and baked the same cake. Lined up on a countertop, they all resemble one another. Exactly what is it about your masterpiece that makes it unique? Is it how you decorate it? The elegant presentation? What is your attention-grabber? What leaves a delightful lingering taste for more?

Chicken Soup for the Soul receives more than 1,000 submissions for each book title. Editors whittle selections down to 200, then select 101 stories for publication. Selected submissions go through several editorial rounds and are read by several editors. Writers whose stories are selected sign two contracts: a preliminary contract where your story made first round selection, and later the your-story-made-it final contract. It can take a few months, up to a year or longer before you see your story in print. You can't rush the process. Developing a successful "Chicken Soup" story takes time, too.

•    Choose the preparation technique that works best for you. Do you free-write and then edit, or edit as you
go? Always, before hitting the SEND button, edit one last time.

•    Every cook adds her own touch, something special which distinguishes her product from the rest. Season
carefully. Adding a shot of bourbon (expletives) or a dash of cayenne pepper (wisecracks) to a Chicken Soup story won't necessarily spice it up. Use metaphor, analogy, and/or humor. Add sensory details to make your reader see and feel. Inspire. Aim for the goose bumps.

•    Your title must have immediate appeal. Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Tingle, which recipe heading is more creative and interesting?

•    Even if it's good, your story may not be chosen. Sometimes editors receive too many of the same type of story submissions, so not all of them can be chosen regardless how many of them are good. Rejection has little to do with you and your product, and more to do with editorial needs. Unfortunately, Chicken Soup for the Soul does not send rejection letters, but they do keep stories on file for consideration for other upcoming books.

•    The last morsel of your finished product should be as tasty as the first bite. Your story ending should be as delectable as your opening. Leave the reader with a relatable memory, a powerful, inspirational, take-away message in no more than 1,200 words. 

Many writers think there’s a certain magic to landing a Chicken Soup contract. Others liken selection to the lottery. In reality, it’s common sense and a splash of whimsy.

BIO: Linda O'Connell, an award-winning, multi-published writer and seasoned preschool teacher from St. Louis, MO blogs at http://lindaoconnell.blogspot.com

KENNETH AND GERALDINE GELL POETRY PRIZE
http://www.wab.org/gell-poetry-prize/
$25 ENTRY FEE.
The Kenneth and Geraldine Gell Poetry Prize is awarded annually by Writers & Books for an outstanding unpublished book-length collection of poetry. The poet will receive an honorarium of $1,000, publication of the collection (in paperback, in the fall following the award, with Big Pencil Press), and a one-week fellowship at the Gell Center of the Finger Lakes. Open to poets who are citizens or legal residents of the United States, who are at least 18 years of age. Deadline December 31, 2015. 



YEMASSEE WRITING PRIZES
http://yemasseejournal.com/post/132369665922/2016-yemassee-writing-prizes
$10-$15 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline January 15, 2016. The 2016 Yemassee Fiction Contest will be judged by Claire Vaye Watkins (Battleborn, Gold Fame Citrus). $1,000 prize. The 2016 Yemassee Poetry Contest will be judged by Catie Rosemurgy (The Stranger Manual). $1,000 prize. The 2016 Yemassee Nonfiction Contest will be judged by Matthew Gavin Frank (Preparing the Ghost, The Mad Feast). $500 prize.



LITERAL LITERARY POSTCARD STORY CONTEST
http://www.geist.com/contests/postcard-contest/
$15 ENTRY FEE.
Send us a story and a postcard — the relationship can be as strong or as tangential as you like, so long as there is a clear connection between the story and the image. The story can be fiction or nonfiction; maximum length is 500 words. First Prize: $500. Second Prize: $250. Third Prize: $150. All winning entries will be published in Geist and on geist.com



THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS POETRY CHAPBOOK CONTEST
http://centerforbookarts.org/opportunities/for-writers/
$25 ENTRY FEE.
Deadline December 16, 2015. The selected manuscript will be determined in the spring of 2016 and will be awarded with the publication of a beautifully designed, letterpress-printed, limited-edition chapbook printed and bound by artists at the Center for Book Arts. The edition is limited to 100 signed and numbered copies, ten of which are reserved for the author and the remainder of which will be offered for sale through the Center. The selected poet will also receive a cash award of $500, and a $500 honorarium for a reading, to be held at the Center in the fall of 2016, as well as an exclusive opportunity to stay at the Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York as one of their Winter Shakers.

ROBERT EBERT FELLOWSHIP
http://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/attention-aspiring-film-critics-heres-your-opportunity-to-go-to-sundance-in-2016
RogerEbert.com and Indiewire are partnering for the third edition of the Roger Ebert Fellowship for Film
Criticism, for which four aspiring critics will be selected from North America to attend and cover the 2016
Sundance Film Festival. While there is no specific age limit on applications, the ideal candidates have completed at least two years of college or should be no more than three years out of college. Applicants should demonstrate a genuine interest in film criticism and journalism as a career goal. We want to be able to assess your enthusiasm for this opportunity as well as your writing competence and the strength of your voice. Deadline December 4, 2015. 



ON SCREEN/IN PERSON
http://www.midatlanticarts.org/grants-programs/grants-for-artists/#on-screen-in-person
On Screen/In Person tours new independent American films and their respective filmmakers to communities across the mid-Atlantic region. Six films and their creators are selected for touring annually. Each tour engagement includes a public screening, a pre- or post-screening discussion with the visiting filmmaker, and a community activity with the filmmaker that provides greater appreciation for their work and the art of film. 



MID-ATLANTIC ARTS FOUNDATION STATE FELLOWSHIPS - DE, MD, NJ
http://www.midatlanticarts.org/grants-programs/grants-for-artists/#state-fellowships
Administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, state fellowship programs provide funding for individual artists
residing in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey to encourage and sustain these artists’ pursuit of artistic
excellence. Through these three programs, more than 1,000 applications are received, supporting over $500,000 in awards annually.



MID-ATLANTIC CREATIVE FELLOWSHIPS - DE, MD, NY, WV, DC, NJ, PA, VA
http://www.midatlanticarts.org/creative-fellowships-2/
Creative Fellowships support residencies for writers, composers, and visual artists at the Millay Colony for the Arts and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. These residencies provide mid-Atlantic based artists the opportunity to work uninterrupted, nurturing both the participating artists and the creative vibrancy of the
region. Residencies for up to two artists who reside in each mid-Atlantic state are sponsored annually,  including a travel subsidy. Deadlines occur throughout the year and artists must apply directly to the appropriate residency as outlined on the guidelines.

AIRSTORY REVIVEW
http://www.airstory.co/writing-for-airstory/
Submit your strong, detailed pitch, which should include a link to your proposed post outline (preferably in
Airstory but alternatively in a Google doc), by emailing Joanna, co-founder of Airstory and editor of The
Airstory Review. We are accepting pitches for thoughtful, thought-provoking, well-researched and -supported
articles of at least 2,000 words on the following subjects: Non-fiction writing of any length, Fiction writing of
any length, The life of the writer, Writing communities, Blogging and content marketing, Intersections of writing worlds or writing with other worlds, Experimental writing, Trends in writing, reading, literature and literary scholarship, Politics and writing, Gender and writing, LGBTQ writing. We value creative thought leadership and, as such, are not opposed to publishing fiction, although we will give preference to non-fiction. Note that we are not accepting poetry, screenplays, opinion or editorial pieces. Pays $400.



AUTHORS PUBLISH
http://www.authorspublish.com/call-for-submissions-how-i-got-my-book-published/
We are currently seeking submissions of essays on the topic “How I Got My Book Published.” We want personal, practical stories about about how a writer got their book published with a traditional publisher. Or, how you sold a significant amount of books as a self published author (We would need to know the exact numbers). We are seeking essays on a variety of types of books – fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, literary, academic, genre, etc. We will pay 10 cents a word for these essays, with a maximum of $65. Essays should not exceed 1,500 words. We are open to reprints, but payment will be half. Deadline December 14, 2015. 



INCOME DIARY
http://www.incomediary.com/write-for-incomediary
If you are an expert at anything to do with: Creating awesome websites, driving traffic, social media or making money online, we would love to pay you to write for us. Pays $50 to $200.



MODERN FARMER
http://modernfarmer.com/submissions/
We’re always looking for dynamic, global, surprising journalism about the people, policy, plants, animals and
technology of agriculture. Pays up to $150.

DAW
http://www.penguin.com/meet/publishers/daw/
DAW accepts unsolicited submissions of science fiction and fantasy novels. We do not publish short stories, short story collections, novellas, or poetry. The average length of the novels we publish varies, but is almost never fewer than 80,000 words.



EDGE
http://www.edgewebsite.com/authors.html
We are currently seeking high-quality novel-length science fiction and fantasy submissions of all types. We are not interested in young adult, horror, erotica, religious fiction, short stories, dark/gruesome fantasy, or
poetry. Manuscripts should be written in good taste and be aimed at an older (aged 20 and up), well-read, mature audience. We prefer novels of between 75,000 and 100,000 words, although we occasionally accept longer works. We work with new and established authors.



BRASH BOOKS
http://www.brash-books.com/
We publish the best crime novels in existence. A brash claim? You bet it is. But our award-winning, critically
acclaimed authors prove it with each and every one of their amazing books. We’ve got it all: psychological
thrillers, murder mysteries, international espionage, and police procedurals from established masters of the
craft – as well as premiere books from new voices who are sure to become crime fiction stars.



FELONY & MAYHEM
http://felonyandmayhem.com/committing-your-own-mayhem/
At present, we publish only mystery fiction. There may come a time when we will publish other genres, but we do not currently have any plans to do so. Additionally, we are not equipped to publish novellas or short stories; our minimum length is about 75,000 words.

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