You Can Write For Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup for the Soul sent out a call for submissions for a new anthology recently. This book is called Curvy and Confident. Nice title--that was my first thought. Women who don't have the much-desired perfect figure--maybe a size 8--can go through a gamut of emotions. They can be defensive, depressed or delighted with their own image.

This book will speak to the joys and sorrows of being more curvy than you might like. Body image is a hot topic in today's world among teens and adult women. Even tweens and younger are concerned with body image far more than ever before. I would hope that the stories in this book will all be confidence builders.

Here's your chance to tell a story to help others who may not have the perfect body and maybe increase your own confidence level at the same time. We are all unique individuals and don't look at at topic with the same perspective. So many things come into play--the way our mothers raised us, the experiences we had at school and as we moved into the working world or marriage and motherhood.

One thing I'd like to stress is that you do not have to be a professional writer to get a story accepted in the Chicken Soup anthologies. Everyday people have stories to tell and can write of their life experiences. If they need editing, CS editors will help.

Another important item is to read the guidelines carefully. If you've never submitted to this anthology series, read and study--see that word, it's study--those guidelines. They are given to you for a purpose. Every story needs to fit those guidelines, all of them, not just a few.

If you want to read more about what the editors are seeking for this book and a list of others in the works, check here.

Send stories for these other books, too:

• Angels and Miracles
• Best Mom Ever
• Blended Families
• College Student Stories (written by college students)
• Dreams and Synchronicities
• Parent to Parent
• Stories About Cats
• Stories About Dogs
• Stories About Teachers and Teaching
• The Joy of Christmas
• Spirit of Canada

Will professional writers have a better chance at being accepted? The simple answer is probably a Yes. The reason is that a professional writer knows how to follow guidelines, how to include emotion, sensory details and active verbs. She/he knows how to open with an interesting hook, how to build tension and how to bring the story to a satisfying ending. If you aim at those things and have a good story to tell, even though you are not a professional writer, you have a very good chance of being accepted. As mentioned earlier in this post, if your story is a good one but not perfectly written, CS editors are willing to help make it fit their guidelines.