Weird Circular #32 May

This month's Weird Circular is live with submission ideas, prompts, and more!

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Welcome to the Weird Circular

Dear Fellow Weird Writers,

This weekend I got to see some family I hadn't seen in a while and it was nice to reconnect. Sure, it took time away from my writing. But I also sat outside and watched a baby play. So maybe sometimes it's okay to do something else. This month, I hope you get out and enjoy the beautiful weather that's finally here. Your book will thank you for the brain-break!

Your corporeal host,

Holly 

Submission Calls

Upcoming Submission Windows: 

• Nonbinary Review, deadline May 8, Theme: H.G. Wells. Poetry (Max 3 pages, Up to 5 poems), Fiction, CNF (Up to 5k words). Pays .01/word.

• Barrelhouse, deadline May 12. Nonfiction essays on pop culture (Under 10k words). Pays $50. 

• Lambda Litfest 2019, deadline May 15. Accepting proposals for events for LGBTQ+ audiences. See full guidelines on Submittable. 

• Tinderbox Journal, deadline May 15. Hybrid poetry (Up to 6 pages). Pays $15. 

• Spider Road Press Web Flash Fiction Prize, deadline May 17. Flash Fiction (750 words or fewer). Pays $300 + Publication. Fee $10. 

• Gulf Coast, deadline May 31. Theme: Houston. Poetry (Up to 3 pieces), Fiction (Up to 2, max 1200 words), Hybrid work (Up to 10 pages). 

Need more submission ideas? Check the

Grinder's

newest markets,

Aerogramme

, Duotrope's

calendar

,

Entropy Magazine

, or Literary Mama's

Blog

.

YOU SHOULD BE WRITING

Prompt #1:

Write a list of complicated situations that are fraught with emotion. For example: 1. A death in the family 2. A lost child 3. An impending apocalyptic event 4. A police arrest 5. A bar fight. Pick a situation and write a piece that showcases the emotion in that scene. 

Bonus Round:

Pick an emotion that seems opposite to the situation. i.e. Someone in a bar fight who feels calm, someone who is grieving but feels happy. Try to inject that opposite emotion into the story/poem/essay. 

Prompt #2: Let's continue with writing emotions. Create an "emotion map" for your scene/story/poem. Detail each different emotion the character feels in the scene and their motivation for that feeling. Also try to detail what the reader should feel.

Bonus Round: Try to inject different emotions into your piece. If your piece reads like one single emotion, it may be too simple for the reader.

Prompt #3:

Channel the emotion guilt in a piece. Make a list of places, objects, or images that make you think/feel guilt. Include three of them in your piece. 

Bonus Round:

Absolve the guilt at the end of your piece. Try to come up with a happy ending that's satisfying to both you and the reader. This can be harder than it sounds!

Editing tip of the month: Focus on your paragraphs. The visual space on the page should be aesthetically pleasing. Dialogue will move faster for the reader, as well as short sentences. But paragraphs can often tell the reader what is coming and when to slow down. Make each break count.

Inspiration from the Ether

♛ Weird Story of the Month: “Why Aren’t Millennials Continuing Traditional Worship of the Elder Dark?” by Matt Dovey ♛

➳ Craft Article of the Month: Do You Need a Critique? ➳

♫ This month's writing music is from Soundscapes ♫

News From Your Corporeal Host

• I wrote a new post at Medium on Creating a Writer's Mission Statement.

• I'll be at Comicpalooza May 10-12 - Come say Hi!