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This year, the call for submissions for our 29th edition will open on August 3rd, so be sure to pencil in some writing time this summer!

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Who Should Submit?

Any member of Women Who Write regardless of whether they’ve been published before. Members new to writing and the publishing industry can use this opportunity to familiarize themselves with the submission process and, hopefully, start to build their portfolio of published works. Those who have been published may want to try their hand at a new genre, test the waters for a work-in-progress, or play with a different format.

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What We Look For:

All submissions, prose and poetry, are rated according to industry standards.

Poetry – We look for works that evoke emotions or thought. Does the poem make the reader feel or react? Does it make the reader think about the topic in a different light or from another perspective? Is the poem’s message, or the voice used to convey that message, new or unexpected?

Prose – We look for strong story structure: a definitive arc, believable characters and storyline, and a narrative that, whether plot or character driven, moves along. We also consider the author’s use and craft of language, development of characters, vividness of descriptions.

Of course, the author’s grasp of writing mechanics – spelling, punctuation, syntax, and grammar – is also considered.

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The Submission Process

Guidelines for submission can be found through the link on this page. Essentially, each member may submit up to two prose and two poetry pieces. (Note: If more than one of a writer’s submissions in a given format qualifies for publication, the higher score will be accepted.)

Not sure your work is ready? Ask your critique group or a trusted friend for feedback.

On a final note, proofread, use of the editing feature in your writing app. Your work will look more professional for it!

I invite all of you to take this opportunity to submit a work that best represents you as an author or poet. After all, as one of our past Presidents recently noted, the mission of Women Who Write is to write, share and grow!

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Bernice Bellouny

Goldfinch Editor