Writing the Life Poetic

"The Life Poetic iPoem Contest" deadline extended to November 1!

Sage Cohen, author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry (Writer's Digest Books, 2009) invites you to submit up to three poems that express the spirit of "the life poetic" to "The Life Poetic iPoem Contest" by November 1. Sage will be choosing 365 poems for inclusion in an iPhone app that features a poem a day for a year.

Following are the prizes and submission guidelines:

ENTER TO WIN:

First prize (value of more than $295)

• Free tuition in an upcoming Poetry for the People online class with Sage Cohen (non-transferable)

• Signed copies of three books by Sage Cohen: WRITING THE LIFE POETIC: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry, THE PRODUCTIVE WRITER: Tips & Tools for Writing More, Stressing Less and Creating Success, and LIKE THE HEART, THE WORLD poetry collection.

Second prize (value of more than $125)

• A review of your 10-page poetry manuscript + 1/2 hour editorial consult with Sage Cohen

• Signed copies of three books by Sage Cohen: WRITING THE LIFE POETIC: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry, THE PRODUCTIVE WRITER: Tips & Tools for Writing More, Stressing Less and Creating Success, and LIKE THE HEART, THE WORLD poetry collection.

Life Poetic prize (exposure = priceless!)

I will choose 365 winning poems, including first and second prize winners, to be published in the "Life Poetic" iPhone app, which will feature one poem per day and give users a panoramic experience of the "life poetic". Winners will receive one free copy of the "Life Poetic" iPhone app.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Poem specs:

• Please submit up to three unpublished poems.
  
• Each poem should have NO MORE THAN 20 lines.
• Poems should express the poet's interpretation of the theme "The Life Poetic."

Submissions specs:

• Submission should be a single Word doc that includes: cover letter + one poem per page (for a maximum total of four pages).
• Please include your name, email address, phone number and birthday (Month and day) on every poem.
• Cover letter should include one URL you'd like to appear as a bio credit after your name.
• Please name Word doc with your first/last name. For example, mine would be: sagecohen.doc.
• Send submissions to: Sage(at)sagesaidso(dot)com. You will receive confirmation within 48 hours of receipt.
• One submission of up to three poems per poet, please.

Deadlines:

• NEW DEADLINE: Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. PST on November 1, 2010. 
• Winners will be announced by January 1, 2011.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please ask them in the "comments" section here, and I will answer them for everyone. I can't wait to read your poems!

Get your productivity infusion here

Want to be more productive in your writing life -- in just a few minutes? You can learn common mistakes to avoid by checking out this free, online article at Writer's Digest: "Top 10 Pitfalls Writers Should Avoid".

The companion, print piece "10 Ways to Be a Productivity Pro" is featured in the "Big 10" (September) issue of Writer's Digest -- available now in your favorite bookstore. This is a first-of-its-kind issue, with a wide range of satisfying suggestions and insights from bestselling authors such as Jodi Picoult, Sherman Alexie, Natalie Goldberg, Chuck Palahniuk, and many more.

Both articles offer a quick snapshot of the range of tips and tools, strategies and systems that will be offered in my latest book, The Productive Writer, for writers of all genres, forthcoming in December of this year!

To your productivity!

Reading Local is seeking short fiction and nonfiction from Portland writers

Hi, folks! Arthur Smid is helping Reading Local Portland find short stories to publish. He asked that I share this invitation with you -- and I'm doing so because I love Reading Local and appreciate their good work in service to our community. I hope you'll participate! Here is Arthur's note:

By seeking out emerging talent, requesting stories from established writers, and accepting submissions, the online literary journal at Reading Local Portland will create awareness among writers of their contemporaries and build an audience for new work. The goal is to provide an online page of Portland-based literary fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Beginning in September, Reading Local will publish one new story (up to 1,500 words) each week from writers living in the Portland area. We are not able to pay contributors at this time. Authors retain all rights and own their work. Send your story (up to 1,500 words) with a brief bio (and link to your website) to smidarthur(at)gmail(dot)com.

Submit to Poets for Living Waters

Poets for Living Waters is a poetry action in response to the Gulf Oil Disaster of April 20, 2010, one of the most profound man-made ecological catastrophes in history.

The first law of ecology states that everything is connected to everything else. An appreciation of this systemic connectivity suggests a wide range of poetry will offer a meaningful response to the current crisis, including work that harkens back to Hurricane Katrina and the ongoing regional effects.

Please submit 1-3 poems, a short bio, and credits for any previously published submissions to:
poetsforlivingwaters@yahoo.com

Learn more about a call for work for Gulf coast poems.

You're invited to submit to the "The Life Poetic iPoem Contest"!

With the advent of the iPhone, a whole new world of iPoetry is possible. I'm excited to dip my pen into those waters, and I hope you'll join me!

Welcome to the "Life Poetic iPoem Contest"! You are officially invited to submit up to three, unpublished poems that you feel represent the spirit of "the life poetic" for consideration. I'll be choosing my favorite 365 for inclusion in a "Life Poetic" iPhone app that features a poem a day for a year. 

Following are the prizes and submission guidelines:

ENTER TO WIN:

First prize (value of more than $295)

• Free tuition in the September Poetry for the People online class with Sage Cohen (non-transferable)

• Signed copies of three books by Sage Cohen: WRITING THE LIFE POETIC: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry, THE PRODUCTIVE WRITER: Tips & Tools for Writing More, Stressing Less and Creating Success, and LIKE THE HEART, THE WORLD poetry collection.

Second prize (value of more than $125)

• A review of your 10-page poetry manuscript + 1/2 hour editorial consult with Sage Cohen

• Signed copies of three books by Sage Cohen: WRITING THE LIFE POETIC: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry, THE PRODUCTIVE WRITER: Tips & Tools for Writing More, Stressing Less and Creating Success, and LIKE THE HEART, THE WORLD poetry collection.

Life Poetic prize (exposure = priceless!)

I will choose 365 winning poems, including first and second prize winners, to be published in the "Life Poetic" iPhone app, which will feature one poem per day and give users a panoramic experience of the "life poetic". Winners will receive one free copy of the "Life Poetic" iPhone app.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Poem specs:

• Please submit up to three unpublished poems.
  
• Each poem should have NO MORE THAN 20 lines.
• Poems should express the poet's interpretation of the theme "The Life Poetic."

Submissions specs:

• Submission should be a single Word doc that includes: cover letter + one poem per page (for a maximum total of four pages).
• Please include your name, email address, phone number and birthday (Month and day) on every poem.
• Cover letter should include one URL you'd like to appear as a bio credit after your name.
• Please name Word doc with your first/last name. For example, mine would be: sagecohen.doc.
• Send submissions to: Sage(at)sagesaidso(dot)com. You will receive confirmation within 48 hours of receipt.
• One submission per poet, please.

Deadlines:

• NEW DEADLINE: Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. PST on August 8, 2010. 
• Winners will be announced by October 16, 2010.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please ask them in the "comments" section here, and I will answer them for everyone. I can't wait to read your poems!

See you in March!

Move over, melancholy winter gray. The sun is coming out, and so am I. Won't you come on out for some poetry as the lion passes the baton to the lamb?

TUESDAY, MARCH 2 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., PST (and available by streaming any time after)
I will be joining Nyla Alisia to discuss writing the life poetic -- and I'll be leading a free, two-hour workshop! Pull up a chair, bring your notebook, and join us!
The Inkwell, a how-to radio program on blogtalkradio

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 7:00 p.m.
As the featured reader, I'll be reading poetry for an hour! I sure would love to see your smiling face at this one!
Milwaukie Poetry Series
Ledding Library Pond House
2215 SE Harrison –– across the pond from the library -- Milwaukie, Oregon

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Sign up your middle-school writer for a week of writing & literary enrichment during Portland Public’s spring break! I'll be teaching a poetry session and would love to work with your young student!
The Attic: Spring Break Writing Camp for Middle Schoolers
Attic Writers' Workshop
4232 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, Oregon 97215 

SATURDAY, APRIL 17
Manzanita Writers' Series: Two workshops and a reading, all in one, poetry-packed day

Poetry ‘PlayShop’ for Kids: 10:30 am to noon // cost $15
Publishing Your Poetry (all ages): 1:00 pm to 2:30pm // cost  $25
Sage Cohen reading, followed by open mic: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Hoffman Center
594 Laneda Avenue, Manzanita, Oregon

Calling all women writers in PDX: submit to VoiceCatcher!

VoiceCatcher--an annual anthology featuring new and established women writers of diverse perspectives, voices, ages, orientations, and experiences--offers a panoramic view of literary life in the Portland/Vancouver area. We publish both poetry and prose.

The submission window for VoiceCatcher 5 is open from February 1 to March 31, 2010.  For guidelines, please check our website (www.voicecatcher.org). We’d love to hear your voice.

Meet our contributors and editors at one of the upcoming readings:

Thursday, February 18 at 7 pm:

Looking Glass Bookstore

7983 SE 13th Ave

Portland, OR 97202

Thursday, March 4th at 7 pm:

Cover to Cover

1817 Main St.

Vancouver, WA 98660

Saturday, March 27 at 2 pm:

Central Library

801 SW 10th Avenue

Portland, OR 97205

 

Saturday, May 8 at 2:30 pm:

St. John’s Booksellers

8622 North Lombard St.

Portland, OR 97203

 

Discover New Poetry Markets and Get Published: December

By Shawn Sorensen

Hello everyone! The news swirling around (and up) is that more and more people are submitting work. Excellent! Also, more people are getting recognized. Stupendous!

A few acquaintances of mine just won in the prestigious Oregon State Poetry Association Fall 2009 contest (open to writers nationally), which I'll highlight in my next column. Plus, yours truly was published in the summer 2009 edition of Wild Goose Poetry Review (www.wildgoosepoetryreview.com), a publication I had recommended in an earlier column. Add a comment to this article and let us know where you're submitting and/or getting published!

It's heartening to hear about so many people submitting, even though the odds are usually against getting published. Journals, magazines and contests often get inundated with submissions, which is why you should take as a compliment any word you hear back from them.

If you get a standard (or 'form-letter') rejection notice, consider it a positive development in that: one, they're read your work; and two, they're an organized outfit. If you receive a personal rejection note, consider this a very good sign because it’s likely to mean that the editors read your work closely, appreciated something about it and may have even come close to publishing it.

In other words, there are many smaller victories on the road to getting published.

Here are some submission possibilities to explore this time around:

Print Journal: Burnside Review
Portland's own! This unusual print publication (approximately 80 pgs. in a 6” X 6” nicely bound journal) allows the Northwest literary scene to shine brightly. Published work is open in theme and imagery. Some would say the Burnside Review is “edgier than most”, but I would say “more unafraid” -- and responsive to all the work they receive. Their web site -- www.burnsidereview.org -- has sample poems. Burnside Review is published every 9 months and can be found at Powell's bookstore.

Online Journal: Stickman Review
I've been reading Stickman Review for years, admiring the poems that create vivid atmospheres, many with nicely-accomplished metaphor work. Check out their web site, www.stickmanreview.com, for all the details. They publish every few months, are open to new poets, don't mind simultaneous submissions and will pay you if you get published. 

Contest: 2010 Writers-Editors Network 27th Annual International Writing Competition
An annual contest awards three cash prizes and several Honorable Mention certificates. Well-run and open to new and more experienced poets alike. Accepts poetry of any form with an entry fee of $3-$5 per submitted piece. See www.writers-editors.com for more details. Deadline is March 15th, 2010.  

Get submitting and let me know about any victories large or small.

* * * * *
Shawn Sorensen is a published, award-winning poet whose work can be viewed at manequinenvy.com, Winter 2008 edition. His poem called “The Yard” won 1st Place in the Oregon State Poetry Association's spring 2009 contest, New Poets category. Shawn's poetry submission goal is to send something in at least every other week and get published/recognized a few times per year.  He's written dozens of complete book reviews, many of them for poetry titles, on goodreads.com and braves a perilous river crossing to be the Community Relations Manager at Barnes & Noble in the hinterlands of Vancouver, WA. He plans and hosts an every-2nd-Wednesday Poetry Group event that's always at 7 pm, always features the area's best poets and always has a great open mic.

* * * * *

View all "Discover New Poetry Markets and Get Published" columns.

View the entire Writing the Life Poetic zine archive.

Submit your food haiku to a new anthology!

Liz Nakazawa, editor of Deer Drink the Moon: Poems of Oregon, is creating a new anthology of haiku about food and cooking. She invites you to submit your food haiku (strictly 5-7-5) for consideration to: liznakazawa@gmail.com.

Cup of Comfort offers a Webinar about writing winning stories

Want to Write a Winning Cup of Comfort Story? You can participate in the inaugural Cup of Comfort Webinar and learn how!

In this webinar, the publishers of the Cup of Comfort series will guide you through the story creation process so that you'll be able to write a successful story every time! The webinar will cover many topics:

Story Basics: The definition of an inspirational story and a discussion of its structure, voice, point-of-view, and more!

Top Ten Reasons Why Stories Are Rejected: A straightforward discussion of the ten pitfalls you need to avoid!

Deconstruction of Favorite Cup of Comfort Stories: The editors will break down two effective stories and elaborate on what made them that way.

The Submission and Editing Process: The nuts and bolts of how stories get from your computer to our books!

How to Market Your Published Story: Your story is in one of our books. Great! Now how do you get the word out? We'll show you how.

Q&A: An open dialogue where your specific questions can be addressed.

This is a can't-miss event for serious storytellers!

Date: Thursday, April 30th
Time: 1:00 pm EST
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Cost: $49

Click here to register!