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NEWS and EVENTS
There are just 10 days remaining to submit for Creative Nonfiction's True Crime contest! Identity theft, embezzlement, jaywalking or murder--if it's against the law and someone (maybe even you!) did it anyway, we want to know. CNF editors will award $1,000 for Best Essay.
The best way to know what we're looking for is to read what we've already published. And what timing! Our summer issue is reaching subscribers now, and it's packed with prize-winning work.
Want a copy? Become a subscriber or order a single issue today.
#42 features winning essays from CNF and Salt's "The Night" contest, CNF's MFA Program-Off and the  Norman Mailer College Writing contest. Plus, Phillip Lopate and Lee Gutkind grapple with the implications of facts; Pulitzer Prize-winner Ira Berkow finds inspiration in the art world; Paul West enters the mind of Nazi turncoat Hermann Fegelein in a new Pushing the Boundaries selection; Susan Orlean talks about teaching young writers; and more.
The issue also includes original illustrations by Pittsburgh-based artist Seth Clark and is our first-ever to be printed in full color.
A big thanks to everyone who came out for the issue launch party earlier this month! Click here for photos of the event, as well as a snapshot of our billboard, featuring the first line from Bud Shaw's winning essay from "The Night."
If you missed us, no worries: We'll be tabling next month at Pittsburgh's third annual Small Press Festival, October 8, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. We promise to have back issues, books, and some brand new merch in tow.
In other news, the advertising deadline for our fall issue is September 30--and there are still a few spaces left! Advertising in CNF is an affordable way to reach a targeted audience of nonfiction readers and writers nationwide, and abroad! For more information, visit our website or email us at information[at]creativenonfiction.org.
We'd also like to welcome Ginny Levy and Elizabeth Weisel, two new editorial assistants joining the CNF staff this fall.
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Submission Deadlines
| Sept. 30, 2011
TRUE CRIME
Nov. 30, 2011
BECOMING A NURSE |
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Events
| Oct. 8, 2011
SPF Pittsburgh 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
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Support CNF
| | Become a Founding Friend today. |
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DISTRACTIONS:
WHAT WE READ WHEN WE SHOULD BE WORKING
THE NUMBERS: Scott Kenemore writes a below-the-belt critique of the Poets & Writers 2012 MFA rankings, which reduces Columbia, his alma mater, to number 47. In seven snarky points, Roxane Gay summarizes Kenemore's logic; Laura Eve Engel explains why rankings don't matter; and D.W. Fenza explains why AWP doesn't make a list in the first place. THE FACTS: The New York Times reports on software that can turn data into news stories within seconds and wonders whether the intelligence will assist journalists, or replace them. THE STORY: American Magazine publishes an excerpt from Heather McDonald's prize-winning food essay, "How to Fix Everything," published in CNF #41. Plus, Roy Peter Clark interviews CNF Editorial Advisory Board member Diane Ackerman about her standards for nonfiction, her recent book and how she writes. |
 SUBMISSION CALLS
TRUE CRIME Postmark Deadline: September 30, 2011 For an upcoming issue, Creative Nonfiction is seeking new essays about true crimes--detailed reports of premeditation, follow-through and aftermath, whether gleaned from police blotters or the news, passed down as small-town legend or family lore, or committed in cold blood. We want true stories of petty theft, identity theft, embezzlement or first-degree murder; of jaywalking, selling (or maybe buying) weed or assault; of crimes and punishments and unsolved mysteries. Think "The Devil in the White City" (Larson), "In Cold Blood" (Capote) and "Iphigenia in Forest Hills" (Malcolm); or "Half a Life" (Strauss), "Lucky" (Sebold) and "The Night of the Gun" (Carr). If it's against the law and someone--maybe even you!--did it anyway, we want to know all about it. Creative Nonfiction editors will award $1,000 for Best Essay. Essays must be unpublished, 4,000 words maximum, postmarked by September 30, 2011, and clearly marked "True Crime" on both the essay and the outside of the envelope. View our complete submission guidelines here. BOOK PROJECT: BECOMING A NURSE Postmark Deadline: November 30, 2011 Creative Nonfiction is seeking essays by and about nurses for a new book, "Becoming a Nurse: Real Stories of Nurses, Their Lives, and Their Patients." "Becoming a Nurse" will present readers with the world of medicine from the perspective of nurses in hospitals, in-home care programs, long-term care facilities, hospices, and the armed forces as they tell stories that recall and recreate the most salient moments of their careers. We are looking for writers who can write dramatically and vividly about the profession. Essays can range from 2,500-5,000 words but should be written in a narrative form, with scenes, description, vivid characters and a distinctive voice. GENERAL Accepted Year-Round We are always on the lookout for true stories, well told, about any subject. We also accept queries for columns and articles about specific topics. For complete guidelines and to view upcoming CNF issues and contests, please visit us online. |
| NEW THIS MONTH
CNF Recycled-Cotton Tote $25
Like creative nonfiction itself, this roomy tote is a happy blend of style and substance.
It's made of sturdy, 85% recycled cotton and has generous 25" handles. There's a zipper to keep your books and papers (or whatever else you're carrying) safe inside and a pen loop, which--in our humble opinion--works equally well for keys.
This bag looks great, too, with the CNF logo and "True stories, well told" tagline and Pittsburgh artist Seth Clark's "papers" illustration from Issue #42.
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| cnftweets
The CNF Daily Twitter Contest is one more way to get your work into CNF. Check out the 10 best tweets in #42 and participate daily for the chance to be published in an upcoming issue.
Still not sure what we're looking for? Here are a few recent winners, to serve as examples and inspiration:
AUGUST 25
gruntleme Visited by a black and white beetle the size of a grain of pearl sugar, I am suddenly a landscape--searched for signs of grass. #cnftweet
AUGUST 23
kmwalsh On certain days train chat crops up in shibboleths. "How many flights did you have to walk?" "26." "40." "78." "And on 9/11?" #cnftweet
AUGUST 18
talentdmrripley A door jam in a former life, the wall received the blaze like it was royalty, and Tedd's room was holding a waltz. #cnftweet
AUGUST 3
PennyJars You can never go home again, but you can return to an addition, new carpets, a bay window with hydrangea. #cnftweet
All of the past winners are available on our profile page under the "Favorites" tab.
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NO-RESIDENCY MENTORING PROGRAM
Flexible schedule. One-on-one interaction. Customized courses. 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. One-on-one manuscript reviews start at $275--just 4 cents a word! Work with experts, and make an investment in your writing career now. For more information, click here or email the mentoring director, Stephen Knezovich, at knezovich[at]creativenonfiction.org. |
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