If You Post Writing Calls, Make Sure They Widely Apply and Aren’t Only for Writers From Tristan da Cunha
If you repost writing calls, please curate before including so they apply to a wide variety of writers
At the beginning of every month there are a slew of articles published with almost identical titles like, “100 Calls for Submissions in November — Paying Markets” or “78 Calls for Submission in November- Free to Submit” etc. I have to confess, I have several complaints about these articles.
First, in many of them, at least half of the calls are due on the first of the month while the article isn’t published until this date or after. Additionally, some writers simply cut and paste information into their article and somehow don’t realize this is plagiarism. My biggest complaint however, is that more often than not, when I look down these lists, I realize that I’m not eligible to submit to even one of the 75 or 100 calls included.
If you want to create such a list, in addition to publishing it in a timely manner AT LEAST two weeks to a month before the first due date, and not copying the information, please curate the entries so that the listings apply to more than 2 writers on Medium. This means find possibilities that don’t limit those who submit to a miniscule area of a specific state, a restricted age group or a cultural or racial makeup that includes100 people worldwide.
I went through and collected the best calls for submissions for the month of December in the hopes that it will help more writers out there than the articles I’ve seen for November. Here are the seven top quality listings I found.
December Calls for Submissions
Use This Line to Start With — All submissions must begin with the line provided. Genre: Esoteric eclogue or aubade poetry only. First line: 0110000010101110101011101. Deadline: December 1, 2021.
Culture Shock — Looking for bizarre and terrifying folklore from other planets. Must have firsthand knowledge of the planet and culture you are writing about. You will be required to show a letter of proof signed by Elon Musk, and a copy of your shuttle ticket. Deadline: December 6, 2021 Please note: Deadline will not be adjusted based on time lapse in outer space or on planet where you are visiting. Make sure to adjust your clock accordingly.
Cottonmouth Bite — Open to Dhivehin writers born in the Maldives who immigrated to New Shoreham, Rhode Island, by way of the Ural Mountains. Genre: Indigenous Long Form Fiction. Deadline: December 8, 2021.
The Poet’s Poet — For poetry chapbooks of exactly 40 pages, consisting of exactly 40 poems, each of which has exactly 40 lines. Each poem must somehow reflect on how great the poet Edmund Spenser was. Deadline: December 5, 2021.
The Red Centre — Looking for alternate history fiction based on the years 1903–1906 in the Australian outback. Australians and New Zealanders or anyone who has ever lived in or visited Australia or New Zealand or anyone who has friends or relatives who have ever lived in or visited Australia or New Zealand may not submit. Deadline: December 12, 2021.
At the Reddy — Poetry, flash fiction, or creative non-fiction based on Helen Reddy’s song, “I am Woman, Hear me Roar.” Open to submissions from men age 35–38. Deadline: December 15, 2021.
Jargonese — Poetry which distinguishes between the meanings for the terms “Shitshow,” “Clusterfuck,” “FUBAR,” and “SNAFU.” Must clearly differentiate between all four terms using dactylic rhyme. Deadline: December 20, 2021.
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