Call for Submissions: Mid-American Review

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An update from the Editor-in-Chief....

Hello!

It's me, Karen Craigo, editor-in-chief of Mid-American Review, just checking in to say hello and to bring you up to speed on our latest news and information.

We had a lively year at MAR, and my staff and I are relieved that summer has finally found us. Unlike many magazines, we actually read work all through the summer, and in fact this is probably our most productive time. So of course it's also a perfect time to reconnect with you.

I've organized our announcements with headings that may make this rather chatty newsletter easier for you to navigate. Below you will find calls for submissions, contest information, and information on various ways that you can get involved in our efforts.

As a reminder, I write to you only twice each year, but you are more than welcome to drop me an e-mail and let me know if you would like a break from future installments.

So ... here goes!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

As I mentioned earlier, we do read work all through the year, and in general we're actually faster in the summer. So feel free to send your poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations, and reviews to the following address:

Mid-American Review

Department of English

Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green OH 43403

Unfortunately, we do not yet accept electronic submissions except in very rare cases for people with special circumstances. We expect to change that and open up electronic submissions to all in the future. Hopefully I'll be able to make that announcement in my fall newsletter.

CHANGES IN CREATIVE NONFICTION

It is with sadness that we say goodbye to our Creative Nonfiction Editor, Karen Babine, who served us in so many ways over the last several years. I will now be taking over the reins at the Creative Nonfiction desk, and I look forward to reading your submissions. Karen will be missed, but I will continue to see to it that your submissions are handled with the utmost care. I particularly welcome lyric essays that push the form in interesting directions, but I welcome most approaches, including the memoir.

OPENINGS REMAIN IN ONLINE WORKSHOP

We look forward to hosting our second online workshop next week, and a few openings remain in each of the workshops -- poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The eight-week session costs $295, which may be paid in installments or by credit card. If you have any interest in participating in our workshops -- basically traditional workshops with an added publishing focus -- please contact my fellow editor, Michael Czyzniejewski, without delay. His address is mikeczy@bgsu.edu.

A full description of our online workshop appears on our website, www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview. Be advised that work submitted for our workshop will NOT be considered for regular publication in MAR (although you would be welcome to submit future work upon completion of the workshop).

FINELINE DEADLINE APPROACHES

This will be your only reminder of the Fineline Competition for works of prose that are 500 words long or less, so if you're interested in entering, I would encourage you not to wait for the usual extended deadline notification. (I try to stick to my policy of sending only two newsletters per year, and so far I've been successful at that.) Our deadline is later this year than in previous years, but it is firm: Submissions to the Fineline Competition must be postmarked by June 1.

As usual, there is a $10 entry fee, which typically entitles entrants to send up to three prose poems, short-short stories, or micro essays. Our judge for the 2008 competition is Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of two poetry collections, Miracle Fruit and At the Drive-in Volcano. Writers who have a close personal or professional relationship with the editors of MAR or the judge are not eligible to submit their work. You will find complete information about the Fineline contest on our website: www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview.

As a Friend of MAR (our name for newsletter recipients), you ought to be entitled to some perks, right? So be sure to indicate in your cover letter that you are a Friend of MAR, and we'll be happy to read FOUR entries, rather than three, for the $10 fee.

Please address Fineline submissions as follows:

Fineline Competition

Attn.: Friend of MAR

Mid-American Review

Department of English

Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green OH 43403

WINTER WHEAT PRESENTERS SOUGHT

We are already planning for the next installment of Winter Wheat: The Mid-American Review Festival of Writing, to be held Nov. 13-16 on the campus of BGSU. Are you interested in serving as a presenter? We offer 75-minute sessions on various writing topics, and we depend upon our presenters to keep our offerings fresh and interesting. The ideal session includes a brief presentation on some specific area of writing, followed by exercises and discussion or sharing time. Some of my favorite topics from past festivals include Writing About Food, Journaling for Writers, Using Form to Revitalize Poems, Narration in Fiction, Travel Writing, and the ever-popular Writing About Sex. The sky really is the limit. Use our online form to propose a session of your own; it's located at www.bgsu.edu/midamericanreview (follow the Winter Wheat link at left).

We regret that we cannot pay session presenters.

WINTER WHEAT SYMPOSIUM

In addition to workshops, we also hold a symposium each year, and this year's symposium is all about poetry. If you would like to present a paper on a poetry topic, such as an issue or idea within the areas of form, voice, or imagery, please write to symposium coordinator David Williams (daviddw@bgsu.edu) for more information.

HELP IS AVAILABLE

Do you need to track down our response to your submission, or are you missing an issue from your subscription? Please write to me -- but put the word "QUERY" (and only that word) in the subject line so that I'll be sure to get back to you right away.

If you wish to unsubscribe to the newsletter, please reply with the word "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line. (I'm not a machine, but this type of label helps me to keep my brain on straight!)

HAPPY READING AND WRITING!

I hope your summer is wonderful, and that you find plenty of time for the written word. And finally, thanks so much for your time and attention. My staff and I truly value your support.

Best,

Karen Craigo

Editor-in-Chief