NOTE TO PROSPECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS: Please be sure to follow the submission guidelines in the PDF below. Thank you!
In April 2012 I took my seat in the circle at Pat Schneider’s Amherst, Massachusetts, farmhouse and learned how to lead writing workshops using the method she developed, the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method. It was one of the most transformational weeks of my life, and it changed the trajectory of my career.
Since then, I’ve enjoyed more than 11 years of searching for good writing prompts, finding strong poems for “on chairs,” and building a beloved writing community through workshops and retreats. Most of all, I’ve heard wondrous stories that have moved me to tears, inspired me, filled me with awe, and made me laugh out loud. I tend to agree with the author Philip Pullman, who said, “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”
Now I am inviting you to share your stories with a wider audience! In April 2024 I will publish a Market Street Writers anthology to celebrate a dozen years of stories. I’ve been inspired by other anthologies I’ve seen, especially by my AWA colleague Amy Lyles Wilson’s Pilgrim Writers anthology (you can find it here). I am excited to undertake this project for the Market Street Writers community!
Q&A
Who is eligible to submit to the anthology?
If you have ever written with me or a guest instructor in a workshop, class, special event, or retreat, you are eligible.
When is the writing due?
The deadline for submissions will be October 15, but earlier submissions are appreciated. See Submission Guidelines below for more information.
Will my writing be automatically accepted?
Yes, but with a caveat! Unlike the little anthologies I have created after retreats or workshop series, this anthology will be professionally edited (by me), designed, and published. So I invite you to revise your work to the best of your ability before submitting it. There may be editing that occurs after your submission, but we will be in communication about it.
May I submit multiple pieces?
Yes, you may submit up to three pieces in any genre, with the understanding that only one may be published. It will depend on the number of contributors.
Does the writing have to come from one of your workshops?
No, although that would be wonderful! If you do submit something you wrote in a workshop and you remember the writing prompt it came from, please include it. I hope to share a list of prompts used in the back of the anthology.
May I submit something that’s already been published?
Yes, if you own the copyright. If it’s been published elsewhere, please provide the publication information with your submission.
Will I be paid for my work?
Contributors will receive one copy of the anthology. Since I am funding the design and publication of the anthology myself, that will be the extent of what I can afford! You will be able to order more copies online. I will also arrange both local and Zoom readings.
If you have more questions, please email me at lisa@marketstreetwriters.com. I look forward to reading your stories!