Submissions open until September 1, 2021
As humans we are met with a string of information about what parenthood is, what it’s supposed to be and how it could be. The general consensus is that parenthood is for everyone, and to be enjoyed by everyone. If you don’t want to, or cannot, be a parent there may be something wrong with you.
Some of us spend years reading books, going to therapy, counselling, or not feeling comfortable that our own ideas and experiences of parenthood may not fit what is deemed to be ‘NORMAL’.
But what is normal? Surely our own experiences and ideas, however different they are from the status quo, are normal. There’s more than one path to take and experience when it comes down to parenthood....
Popular wisdom states that when you reach a certain age, you should become a parent, and be happy about it. You should have close, loving and healthy relationships with your parents. And there is a very specific image of what a family should look like.
But we know that this is a pile of shit.
Some people dream of nothing but to be a parent, others would prefer to be set on fire and be BBQ’d in the town square. Some have generational trauma to heal, others find that they get lost in the process. Some enter parenthood blindly, others have their eyes wide open, and yet face innumerable difficulties.
Parenthood is so much more than the 2.5 kids and the white picket fence. What the books tell us and what the media presents is a series of false aspirations that do not match what people are actually living through, experiences had.
It includes so many things, such as:
Anxiety/Mental Health
LGBTQ Relationships
Single Parenting
Miscarriages/Loss of Children
Generational Trauma
Abuse
Love it/Hate it
Neurodiverse experiences
Disabilities
Choices
Fostering/Adoption
Religious/Cultural Differences/Ideas
Here’s where you come in...
We are looking for 20-25 writers who would like to write personal stories or essays for an anthology together about their experiences, views and ideas of parenthood, the choice to be, or not to be parents. It is absolutely ok to use a pen name for this project. We appreciate that the nature of these essays may call for a bit of anonymity; you may not need the folks at work, the local playgroup or coffee house knowing the intimate details of your lived experiences.
If you are from a marginalised group or background, we encourage you to let us know, even if it isn’t specifically stated in your submission. We want to work to ensure that we represent a diverse and inclusive group of voices in our anthology.
Submissions are welcomed internationally.
No judgement will be made on any of the pieces submitted and of course, confidentiality will be respected. Anyone who wishes to work on this project, must respect the views and ideas of others also on this project.
Submissions are for real, personal experiences: your own journey and choices around parenthood, your history or your current attitude towards this topic. We want to hear your voice, as does the reader. These are real experiences with real people behind them, so style is important.
We will not be accepting any poetry, fiction, or other forms of writing except personal essays for this anthology.
Submissions are open from June, 16th 2021 and will close September, 1st 2021. Authors will be notified whether their piece has been chosen within 30 days from the deadline. As authors, we expect the submissions to be edited for content, style and grammar before submission. We will not accept pieces that require lengthy developmental editing. However, chosen pieces will be subject to a second round of copy-editing for length and clarity for publication.
Please send your submissions to:
keepingitunderwrapsbook@gmail.com
- Your name and submission title should be in the subject line of the email.
- A one-paragraph summary in the body of your email will help us ensure we cover a wide range of topics and themes.
- If using, please state your pen name.
- Word (.doc or .docx) or Google Docs format; New Times Roman, Arial or Helvetica. 12-point font.
- Work must be previously unpublished, in print or online.
- All submissions must be in English.
- Published and unpublished authors will be considered.
- Submission Word Count: 1000 - 5000 words
- Keeping It Under Wraps: Parenthood will be published in early 2022.
If your piece is accepted into the anthology, you will be notified in writing and a contract will need to be signed allowing us the right to print and distribute your work.
The authors published in this anthology will each receive 50chf* for their work and a copy of the book once it is in print.
* If you are sending a submission from overseas and are successful in being included in the anthology, the fee will be paid in your local currency. The total amount paid will be dependent on the exchange rate at the time.
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