Weird Circular #6 March

The March Weird Circular

March 01, 2017

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

Welcome to the Weird Circular

Dear Fellow Writers of the Weird:

How is it already March? Did we do the timewarp again? I hope that 2017 is treating you lovely so far. Lots of good submission opportunities coming up. Are you submitting? Are you writing? Are you finding time for your passions? I hope so. 

A few news items of notes this month - I was nominated for a Rhysling Award (twice!) and I will have a new poem out in Strange Horizons soon. It's been a good writing year so far so I'm taking time to stop and smell the death flowers. Hope you are too. 

- Holly 

March Submission Calls

VONA/Voices Summer 2017 Writers of Color Workshops: Deadline March 17th. Voices of Our Nation hosts week-long workshops at University of Pennsylvania in June and July - variety of genres and extremely talented instructors.

James Jones First Novel Fellowship, Deadline March 15th. The award is intended to honor the spirit of unblinking honesty, determination, and insight into cultural and social issues exemplified by the late James Jones, author of From Here to Eternity and other prose narratives of distinction. Jones himself was the recipient of aid from many supporters as a young writer and his family, friends, and admirers have established this award of $10,000 to continue the tradition in his name. Two runners up awards of $1000 each may be given by the Jones Literary Society. All selections are at the discretion of the judges.

Other Upcoming Submission Windows: 

Need more submission ideas? Check the

newest markets, Aerogramme's

, Duotrope's

, or Literary Mama's

.

YOU SHOULD BE WRITING

Prompt #1: Write a list describing what the word "beauty" means to you. Make that list into a poem or the beginning of a short fiction piece or nonfiction piece. Or, turn it into a lyrical essay and use each item on the list to inspire a scene.Bonus Round: Write a list describing what the word "ugliness" means to you. See if anything you write can fit into the piece from above. 

Prompt #2: From the 3AM Epiphany: Write a fragment of a story about a character in a desperate situation. This person has to tell a story to get out of the desperate situation.Bonus Round: Write a scene from within the story the character was telling, but this time tell it from a different POV, that of a photographer capturing the scene. 

Prompt #3:

 Write a story/poem where the main character's physical aspects are not what they seem to be. 

Bonus Round:

Flip the trope. If the character's physicality would normally be limiting, make it un-limiting. Make it a part of them in some central way, either via their beliefs or strengths. 

Editing tip of the month: Make it your mission to find a good critique partner. Maybe that person is a friend or a colleague. Maybe they're not even a writer (these are often very helpful perspectives) or maybe they are a professional editor. As many times as I've heard a writer say they prefer not to receive critique, I've met them down the road when they find the perfect writing partner and change their tune. Don't be afraid to try different partners out. 

Inspiration from the Ether

☢ Weird Inspiration from the Real World NASA asks Twitter to name those new planets ☢

News From Your Corporeal Host

  • My interview, "The Art of Writing Houston" is at ARTHouston.

  • My poem, "Bird House" is forthcoming from Strange Horizons. 

  • My poems, "Of Whales in Paint and Other Poems" will appear in March at Crab Fat Magazine.

  • My poems, "Lunar Girl Drinks Poetry from the Stars" and "Reflection" is forthcoming from Mithila Review.

  • My poem "The Space Between Us" is forthcoming from Space & Time Magazine.

  • I'm volunteering at Writefest again this year. Come say hi!

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