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NEWS
 CNF #39 is shaping up to be a tasty
summer blend of new and old--with debuts from fresh voices and a look back
on some of the genre's classics.
In
addition to a special 30th anniversary tribute to Norman Mailer's The
Executioner's Song, CNF #39 will include an inside look into Gay Talese's writing process. The issue will also
feature new writing from Phillip Lopate, Heidi Julavits, Robin Hemley, and a number of
up-and-coming writers (including the winners of the CNF MFA Program Off and the
Norman Mailer College Nonfiction Writing Contest), plus blogs and tweets, and
much more.
But enough about us.
What do you think about us? We'd like to hear your thoughts about #38 for a
new Letters to the Editor page. Please email responses
to information[at]creativenonfiction.org with the subject line "Letter to the Editor."
Also
in the past month, we've spent a lot of time online. And gather 'round
folks, 'cause the results are in. Yes, we've read all 800 of your blog
nominations and whittled the list down to 20 finalists. The blogs are
posted below--you'll have to stay tuned to see which specific posts made the
cut! The winning post will be revealed when #39 hits the newsstands in
August.
And
the finalists are...
American Stories NOW Angie Muresan Charlie's Chatter First Person From SoHo to Silo Here and Far
Incidents and Accidents
Life in a Northern Town
Life Under A Rock
NGM Blog Central
Perceptive Travel
ResidentAlien
Sean Blog
She Sells Seashells
Somnambulist Zine
Terribleminds
The Silhouette
The Ugly Truth ZYZZYVASPEAKS
We've
also chosen the 10 best of the best cnftweets to be included in #39. Get in on the
action at the CNF Daily Twitter Contest
for the chance to have 130 characters of your work published in a future issue of
the magazine. (See below for a few of our favorites from this month.)
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ATTN: CNF MFA PROGRAMS
This fall, thanks to a grant from the BNY Mellon Audience Development Fund, CNF is reaching out to creative nonfiction MFA students and programs across the country. We're able to offer:
1. A complimentary four-issue subscription for the department.
2. Subsidized CNF subscriptions for MFA students.
3. Complimentary copies of our Issue #39 for use in graduate-level classes, and the opportunity to bring a CNF editor into the classroom (via conference call, Skype, or in person, depending where you are) for a
discussion of the issue.
We are currently reaching
out to nonfiction MFA program administrators. If you teach or are a student in a program and would like more information, please email us.
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DISTRACTIONS: WHAT WE READ WHEN WE SHOULD BE WORKING.
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SUBMISSIONS CALLS Update:
Thank you to all those who submitted for "Pushing the
Boundaries." We received nearly 100 promising pieces and are making
our way through them now. Also, please note that we will announce
finalists for the "Animals" contest by August 16, 2010.
We are
seeking ILLUSTRATORS for an "Animals" themed issue.
Creative Nonfiction is
currently seeking medical/biological illustrators for #40: Animals. This is an
excellent opportunity for illustrators (student or professional) to have their
work prominently featured in a literary magazine with an international audience
and a circulation of over 7,000.
Artists will work
closely with editors and designers and receive a modest honorarium. Creative
Nonfiction is seeking all types and interpretations of animal illustration in
the field of medical and biological illustration.
Interested artists
should email three low-resolution jpeg samples of their best work
to information[at]creativenonfiction.org no later than July 15th. Artists will be chosen
by August 1st, with work taking place between early August and the middle of
October.
GENERAL We are
always on the lookout for true stories, well-told, about any subject.
For complete guidelines and to view guidelines for other upcoming CNF issues
and contests please visit us online. |
BOOK OF THE MONTH
 Keep It Real:
Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction (W.W. Norton)
Don't let your writing get rusty just because the weather's warm. Use this creative nonfiction guide to school yourself this summer.
This handy how-to book begins by defining creative nonfiction. Then it explores the flexibility of the form--the liberties and the boundaries that allow writers to be as truthful, factual, and artful as possible. A succinct but rich compendium of ideas, terms, and techniques, Keep It Real will clarify the ins and outs of writing creative nonfiction. Starting with the acknowledgment of sources, then running through fact-checking, metaphor, and navel gazing, and ending with writers' responsibilities to their subjects, this book provides all the information writers need to write with verve while remaining true to their story.
This month we're offering the hardcover edition for the paperback price of $15.95 (reduced from $22.95). Invest now to get the best price on a guide you'll come back to again and again.
Keep It Real is available in our online store.
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cnftweets
 FYI--the CNF Daily Twitter Contest is another
way to get your work into CNF. We've just chosen the 10 winners who will appear in #39,
and are on the lookout for the next best tweets for future issues.
Still not sure what
we're looking for? Here are a few recent winners, to serve as examples and
inspiration:
May
18
inthemilk The day they brought
the baby home, a mountain exploded two states away. Ash fell like snow, and we
wore her diapers on our faces. #cnftweet
May
20
pattywetli Police tape lines the
riverbank. Choppers buzz overhead. The boy's still missing, in the water since
Sunday. Lost, even if found. #cnftweet
May
24
dkkinsf He chants, his wheel
spins, prayer rises on a belch of bus exhaust. In Tibet he blessed pristine
peaks. This street needs it too. #cnftweet
June
7
Gruntleme In Baghdad poets become soldiers who armor down bumpy streets. Gripping
pencils against what might be bombs, their hearts explode. #cnftweet
All of the past winners are available on our profile page under the "Favorites" tab.
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CNF's No-Residency Mentoring Program
Flexible schedule. One-on-one interaction. Customized courses.
Here at Creative Nonfiction, we understand that not everyone wants or needs a degree to become a better writer. We also understand that in economic times such as these, there aren't a lot of people with the funds to invest in a two to three year MFA program or even a summer conference.
CNF's mentoring programs offer writers of all levels one-on-one access to accomplished mentors (who, by the way, aren't just great writers, but experienced teachers and editors, too).
So this year, save the money you'd be spending on travel, lodging, and tuition and get the personalized attention you want and deserve.
Work with the experts, and make an investment in your writing career now!
For more information, click here or email the mentoring director, Stephen Knezovich at knezovich@creativenonfiction.org.
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Educator's Discount
Not only is Creative Nonfiction a great classroom resource for teachers, but it's affordable, too. CNF offers a 20% discount on all classroom orders of 10 or more copies of the journal.
For more information or for recommended issues, visit our Educational Programs page.
To take advantage of this offer and order CNF for your students, please contact us (or have your bookstore contact us) by phone at 412.688.0304 or email at information@creativenonfiction.org.
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