Originality in Writing

 

Editors say they are looking for an original story. Most stories are built on universal themes (friendship, loss, anger, etc.) and plot structures with a typical beginning, middle, and ending. Characters face challenges and overcome obstacles. So what’s new!

 

Manuscripts can and should be creative, but probably will never be totally original. The idea is to make your work stand out from thousands of other books on the subject. One way to foster originality is to rely on your own individuality. Think back to your childhood. Remember your thoughts and feelings and how your imagination soared. Every person has a perspective molded by the world in which they live.

Some stories lend an air of originality and some seem little more than a stale retelling. To make a story feel fresh with an element of originality, write your first instinct for action or dialog in a scene; then question everything about what you have written. What if the character did the opposite of what you wrote? Would the scene still make sense and would it bring some originality to the scene?

Surprise the reader. The unexpected builds reader interest in the scene and creates your own individual style. Therein lies the core of originality.

Some things never change: We want the good guys and gals to win and the bad ones to lose. We are happy with a satisfying ending. But in getting to the ending, we need to push our imaginations out of the comfort zones to create opportunities to lead the reader on a new and surprising journey.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Cuckoo Review. Please ensure that you submit your writing in the correct form. It saves us a lot of hassle and means we’ll be able to get your work on the site quicker.

WORD COUNT
The word limit for all pieces is 500 words. If you’re writing a feature article then the word limit will be set when the piece is assigned.

All submissions should be emailed to contactcuckooreview@gmail.com as an attachment (.doc). Please ensure that all reviews include YOUR NAME and:

BOOK REVIEW
*Title of book
*Author
*Publisher
*Date of publication (if not already published)
*Link to author website

Submissions guidelines at http://review.cuckoowriters.com/what-is-cuckoo-review/submission-guidelines/

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

The Best Advice I Ever Heard. Chicken Soup for the Soul. Have you ever watched a movie or read an article that really had an impact on you that you haven’t been able to forget? Do you have a friend or family member who gave you some advice that you didn’t necessarily want to hear but really needed to hear that stuck with you and directed you to make positive changes in your life?

We are looking for stories that contain a great piece of advice that you were given or advice that you gave to someone else. Whether the advice is about a little thing that improve your everyday life, or major epiphanies that can change a life completely, we want to hear about them and how they made a difference.

Deadline: February 28, 2018

Submissions guidelines at http://original.chickensoup.com/form.asp?cid=possible_books

Thank you!

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.

To comment or check out my blog:  www.nancykellyallen.com

 

First Draft/Calls for Submissions

Staring at a blank page or bare computer screen can be a scary endeavor for any writer. But it can also be exciting. After all, you’re starting a new adventure called a first draft. The mind set plays a crucial role. Sometimes, we’re afraid we can’t get the story to unfold in a logical, engaging manner. At this point, don't worried since you can’t get it wrong. The first draft is SUPPOSED to be chocked full of mistakes. This won’t be your best writing but it will be a start in developing the idea.

The first draft is the place to let creative juices flow. “Get it down; then get it good” is an expression some authors use. Experiment with the plot and dialog. Mistakes, and lots of them, will pile up. Our words are not chisled in stone. If they were, corrections would be difficult if not impossible. But since we can erase or delete mistakes, no risks are involved. The most important aspect of a first draft is to simply get the story told. Turn off your internal editor. Metaphors? Descriptive language? Sensory images? If you don’t write any, that’s okay too. Those can come later with revisions that add sparkle to the story.

A writing associate gave me this sage advice: The first draft is the starting point, not the finish line.

Call for submissions for young writers:
Stone Soup, the magazine by young writers and artists
CURRENT NEEDS: "Send us stories and poems about the things
you feel most strongly about! Whether your work is about
imaginary situations or real ones, use your own experiences
and observations to give your work depth and a sense of
reality." Pays $40.

Call for submissions for adult writers:
Birds and Blooms
Do you have a funny birding or gardening story to share from your backyard? We want to hear it! Send us your best “backyard blunder,” and the winning story will receive $500.
To enter, email your true story to contests@birdsandblooms.com. Please put “backyard blunder contest” in the subject line. All Entries must include your full name, address, city, state, zip, telephone number and email address (if you have one), in addition to your essay which may not exceed 400 words.
The winner of the Contest will be determined by judging all the entrants’ submissions based on the follow criteria: originality 20%, quality 60% and personality 20%.
DEADLINE: March 15, 2012.
Details at http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Contests/Backyard-Blunder-Contest

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/