Call For Submissions--Grandparent Stories

        

Most of my readers know that I'm a great proponent of submitting to the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies. I've been fortunate to have had 21 of my submissions accepted by them. There were many others that did not make it but that's to be expected in our writing world.

One of the reasons I like submitting to this publisher is that they spell out what they are looking for clearly and concisely. If you pay attention to what it is they are seeking and also read their general guidelines, you raise your chances of being accepted. Competition here is stiff, no doubt about that, but do not let that keep you from writing a story and submitting it. 

Right now, they are looking for stories for several upcoming books but I'm featuring just one of them today.  It's the one on Grandparents. Everyone is either a grandchild or a grandparent so you all have stories to tell. 

The publishers don't just give you a broad topic and leave it to your imagination. Instead, they give explicit guidance which can help inspire you or bring back a memory. The section below in blue is what you'll find on the Possible Book Topics page.

Grandparents 

The moment a grandchild is born, grandparents are born too. And what an amazing moment that is – to see your child hold his or her child. Your grandchild! Finally, your children get to experience all of the things you experienced – both the good and the bad – while raising them! Everyone has a great story about the unconditional love and that special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren.

We are looking for heartwarming, insightful and humorous true stories celebrating that unique relationship of grandparent and grandchild. Share your special moments with us: the laughter, the tears, the support and the encouragement. These stories can be written by grandmothers and grandfathers about being a grandparent, and by grandchildren about their grandmothers and grandfathers. Stories about step-grandparents and honorary grandparents are welcomed also.

Here are some suggested topics, but we know you can think of many more:

• The joys of becoming a grandparent
• Love across the generations  
• Continuing legacies and traditions 
• The wisdom of grandparents 
• What I learned from my grandchildren 
• What I learned from my grandparents 
• The challenges of being a grandparent 
• The challenges of being a grandchild 
• Funny stories – we love funny stories! 
• Grandchildren teaching technology to grandparents 
• Grandparents and grandchildren traveling together 
• Watching your child become a parent 
• Watching your child who is now a parent realize what you did for him or her! 
• Blended families, step-grandparenting, and other variations

The deadline date for story and poems submissions is AUGUST 31, 2018.

Read through the suggestions given here more than once. Check the deadline date. Sooner is always better than later. The editors often choose the stories they like best from the early submissions and don't have as much space to fill when those close-to-deadline ones arrive. 

Pay close attention to the guidelines page. They are not looking for a biography of your grandfather. They are not looking for a general tribute to Grandma. They are not hoping for an essay on being a grandparent. No. They want a story that fits the topic--a story with a beginning, a middle and an ending. The story should illustrate one of the topics in the list above.