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Below are the submission guidelines for our first Literary Review. If you'd like your own copy, try downloading this: -------------->
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Latitudes: Hawaii Writers Guild Online Literary Review
Second Issue Publication Target Date: Winter 2021
Aloha All Members in Good Standing:
We are pleased to announce we are accepting submissions for the Winter 2021 issue of Latitudes: Hawaii Writers Guild Online Literary Review.
Submissions for our Review are open to Guild members only.
Submission Window: October 10 – December 10, 2020.
Target Publication Date: February 2021.
General Guidelines:
We seek your best work for publication in Latitudes: the Hawaii Writers Guild Online Literary Review. Whether fiction, non-fiction (both categories), poetry, or drama, we wish to showcase writing that is compelling and written with distinction, engages the reader from start to finish and evokes a response in the reader.
Writers have individual styles. What is considered interesting, intriguing, compelling and flowing for some, may be too edgy and peculiar for others. The Review’s editors will wrestle with this conundrum and select submissions that rise above arbitrary standards and are considered good and solid examples of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama.
All submissions that are accepted for publication will share common elements of good writing in grammar, punctuation, style, syntax, and flow.
- Hawaii Writers Guild will not accept submissions that include religious or political proselytizing, libelous material, material that infringes on another’s copyright, gratuitous vulgarity, or anything remotely misogynistic, racist, or bigoted. Cursing, within the context of the story line, and within the bounds of the characters and the plot, is acceptable.
- Works-in-Progress must be self-contained chapters or sections within the larger work.
- We are theme and genre neutral—show us your best work regardless of genre or theme.
- Lighter themes and humor welcome.
- Critiques will not be given.
Key elements we will look for, by genre:
Fiction:
- A compelling story with a beginning, middle, and an end that stirs an emotional response in the reader, utilizes imaginative premises, unusual/marginalized characters, and creates high stakes.
- Well-delineated characters and setting.
- Dialogue that sounds real (Grammar rules may take a holiday.)
Tight writing (the most arbitrary element!) should include action verbs and vivid nouns, judicious use of adverbs and adjectives—and a writing style that shows the reader, does not tell her.
- Appropriate handling of point-of-view.
- Good flow and smooth transition between scenes.
- Good grammar (except in dialogue).
- Avoid clichés and trite descriptions.
Non-Fiction (Memoir):
- A compelling event with a beginning, middle, end that the reader understands (relates to) and emotionally impacts the reader.
- Well delineated settings and/or characters driven by life experiences and complex motives.
- Dialogue that sounds real (Grammar may take a holiday).
- Tight writing (the most arbitrary element!) should include action verbs, vivid nouns, limited adverbs and adjectives—with the purpose of showing the reader, not telling her.
- Good flow and smooth transition between scenes / years.
- Good grammar (except in dialogue).
- Avoid clichés and trite descriptions.
Non-Fiction (Essay):
- Clear statement of topic or intent with clear, explicit main ideas or thesis.
- Bravery not required but appreciated—show us the stuff you never thought would be published elsewhere—i.e., be different.
- Information or personal experience / ideas / philosophy that supports the topic logically.
- Tight writing (the most arbitrary element!) should include action verbs, vivid nouns, judicious use of adverbs and adjectives—that shows the reader, does not tell her.
- A conclusion or presentation that follows from the material presented.
Drama (Dramatic Monologues or Ten-Minute Plays only):
Dramatic Monologues:
- Dramatic monologues are a way of expressing the views of one character and offering the audience greater insight into that character’s feelings.
- A dramatic monologue usually occurs when a character is facing an extreme crisis, or a dramatic moment in the plot. A dramatic monologue should add tension, conflict, or emotion to the rest of the play and give the audience new insight into an existing issue or problem.
- A dramatic monologue should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
--A soliloquy is a long speech spoken aloud by a character to him- or herself. (Example: Shakespeare’s “To Be or Not to Be” speech here:)
--A monologue is a long speech spoken aloud by a character to another person or persons. (Example: Shakespeare’s “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” speech here:)
Ten-Minute Plays:
- A ten-minute play lasts no more than ten minutes! Use the word count as a guide but read it out loud to double-check.
- Write a story with an arc, not just a “sketch” with a “punchline.” Technically, a play is described as having a beginning, rising action, a climax, falling action and an ending. A key difference between a “play” and a “sketch” is that a play will include character development. Although plays should have multiple characters, you should develop at least one complex character to create meaningful connection with the audience.
- The thesis of your play should be a question that gets answered by the end of the play. It can be a simple one, such as "What would happen if someone found their true love two months before their death?" to something more ambiguous like "Is loyalty good?"
- The key component in drama is conflict. Introduce it early, ideally within the first page or two. Skip exposition and extraneous details.
- Since these plays are normally read to an audience, there should be a part for a narrator who will describe the setting, characters, and action vividly but briefly. In this format, the narrator replaces stage directions.
- Apart from the addition of a speaking narrator, the only difference from standard play format is that characters’ names should be in all caps at the beginning of a line followed by the dialogue. For example:
ELLEN: Save a part for me.
JOHN: For sure, honey. You’re the real talent in this marriage.
NARRATOR: They kiss.
Poetry:
- Clear speaker’s voice and point of view.
- Language compression skills.
- An array of similes, metaphors, images.
- Rhythm and sound employed.
- Explosive word choices that express passion, emotion, the poetic image.
- Form or structure that fits the poem’s meaning.
- Skillful grammar and word order techniques.
- Compelling ending--leave an impression.
- Scope and significance.
Maximum Length Guidelines for submissions, by genre:
- Fiction and Non-Fiction word count: 2,000 – 4,000 words.
- Flash Fiction: 1 – 2 pages or 500 – 1,000 words, max.
- Dramatic monologue: 500 words max.
- Ten-minute play: 2,000 words max.
- Poetry—NOT limited by number of poems, but submissions are limited to no more than 3 pages per submission.
Submission Process:
- Email your submissions to: Bob Lupo (medic4475@gmail.com), managing editor of the Review, between October 10 and December 10, 2020.
- Place your name and contact information (phone number, current email address), and the title of the piece, its genre and actual word count in the cover email.
- To facilitate blind judging, send your actual submission, without your name or identification, but include the title, genre and word count, as an attachment to your cover email.
- Submissions must follow standard publishing industry formatting: MS Word or equivalent in .doc or .docx format. Pages should be numbered bottom center. Genre and word count, top left. Title of the work centered. 12-pt Times New Roman font. Double-spaced. One-inch margins.
- The managing editor will record your submission and distribute your work, minus any identifying information, to the appropriate editor for review. Editors for the Winter 2021 Issue are: Fiction—Bob Lupo; Non-Fiction—Jada Rufo; Poetry—Tamara Williams; Drama—Jan Asch.
- Submissions will be assessed based on the general guidelines and key elements for genres applicable to your work. After reviewing your work, editors will make recommendations to the entire coordinating committee which will make the final selections of all the pieces to be included in the issue.
- You will be notified by the managing editor if your work is accepted for publication in Latitudes: Hawaii Writers Guild Online Literary Review and a copy of your work, showing any light editing deemed necessary by the editor, will be sent to you. Editing will be limited to grammar, punctuation, style, syntax, and flow.
- Upon such notification, please respond to Bob Lupo: (medic4475@gmail.com) within 14 days, that you agree to our publication of your work.
- Multiple submissions or submissions in more than one genre are acceptable, but please send only one submission per email.
- Previously published pieces may be submitted if the author holds the rights to the piece and if previous publication credits are noted.
- Simultaneous submissions elsewhere are permitted, but if your work is accepted by another publication, please notify Bob Lupo ASAP.
- If you have any questions, please contact Bob Lupo: (medic4475@gmail.com).
