Down the rabbit hole… and back

I appear to have gone down the rabbit hole for the last couple of weeks from Kellifornia Dreaming. Was I in fact dreaming? Not a whit. I’ve been slammed. The combination of work (nice to know something is keeping me busy), my new Web site (hooray) and the month long Jewish holidays (exhausting but exhilarating) have left me a little off kilter.

Nonetheless, I’m thrilled to say that with the advent of the Jewish New Year, I’m renewed and ready for a great year ahead. Here’s hoping.

First off, I’ve had a fair amount of articles published lately. I don’t even remember writing them. Isn’t that thrilling? All the gain, none of the pain. But, here are a few of my latest missives. I’m so glad that Religion Dispatches published my piece on the Women of the Wall, here. And Blueprint has kept me busy too with my article on The Moishe House LA, an upcoming Sukkot piece with the AJC, and an article on a Matchmaking Conference (hold the Fiddler on the Roof jokes, please).

Please head on over to Scribblers on the Roof – my wonderful new Web site to check out my regular blogs there, along with the latest, greatest postings. In addition, I was interviewed by the super-duper talented Erika Dreifus over at her Blog – My Machberet – all about my inspiration for and running of Scribblers on the Roof. Please read it!

In absolutely bloody wonderful news – the company that paid me ZILCH and sent me into the black hole of debt, finally sent me an email (hey five months late is better than never, right?) telling my I will in fact be paid for my services (sans interest – naturally – ha), the week of October 12. I will be RICH, RICH, RICH!!!! Okay, I’ll be able to make a dent in my credit card debt – which of course would never have occurred had they bothered to pay me on time as promised. Sigh.

So, mea culpa. I will be back regularly from here on out. More interesting things afoot. Watch this space…

Literary submission guidelines: to follow or not?

When you go off to a foreign country to trek the wilds or hike a mountain in some remote, forsaken spot, people often hire a guide. That’s a guide (I believe) as in someone who makes it very clear the path you should take. She doesn’t suggest what might be best. She doesn’t cajole and coax and say “Well, I think it would be advisable if…” No. She knows what she’s talking about, she makes it clear what you should do and you follow. So I think the same should apply with guidelines. And specifically, submission guidelines for oh, let’s say, literary magazines.

So, I say all this apropos of my Web site launching very soon – watch this space. I’m absolutely delighted that submissions are coming in from all over the world and from a variety of people. Out went the emails, yahoo group posts, the blog, the Twitter, the Facebook postings and people have heard and are submitting. Hooray!

I spent a lot of time laying out the clear submission guidelines. Basic guidelines. Only send in a Word Doc. Don’t send in body of email. Double-spaced, 12 point font. Two line bio on a separate page. Thank you to everyone who followed them. But to those who have sent me poems that yell (ie all caps in bold font) in the body of the email, or those who uploaded 25,000 word zip files, or those who decided that despite the fact that the site is for poetry and FICTION only sent me their life stories, their personal musings on everything from thumbs to divorce, I say:

• Did you not read the guidelines?
• Did you think I didn’t mean what I said?
• Could you just not be bothered?
• Did you think you were allowed to be the exception to the rule?
• Do you think guidelines are just a “jumping off” point and that even though your submissions don’t meet some, one, or any of the criteria it doesn’t matter?
• Do you think I wrote these for my own amusement?
• Are you testing me to see if I’m upholding my own standards?

As a writer, you need to do two things: write, and what’s the second one? Oh yes, read. And if you can’t read or follow guidelines, what does that say about you as a writer? If your reading and comprehension skills are sloppy then in all likelihood your writing will be too.

And you’ll probably be the type of tourist who heads out to the Kalahari desert and leaves your guide behind.

Right. I’m done venting. Good night to all.

I look forward to more submissions as per the guidelines!

Does anyone else have this problem? Why oh why don’t people follow the guidelines?

Discovery of a creative writing Yahoo group

Thanks to my dear friend Yael Unterman, I have been introduced to CRWROPPS-B – aka – Creative Writers Opportunities List – a Yahoo Group that “posts calls for submissions and contest information for writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.”

I’m always excited when you can simply head to one place to discover a wealth of opportunities under one banner. While it’s great to be able be spoiled for choice when it comes to writing opportunities available on the Internet, sometimes it’s a relief to not have to trawl for hours and hours, no?

I have sent the Scribblers on the Roof info out into the Internet ether and hopefully the submissions will be coming in thick and fast very soon. Lots of positive feedback, so that’s exciting.

Watch this space…

Drumroll please… new Web site almost ready to launch

Dear All,

I’m excited to say that I’m about to launch my new Web site – Scribblers on the Roof!

Website is www.jscribes.com but you won’t be able to access it just yet.

Send submissions to submissions@jscribes.com or send your thoughts, views, ideas to editor@jscribes.com. Submission details are below – keep reading!

Scribblers on the Roof was born out of a need for a dedicated place for both established and emerging writers of fiction and poetry with Jewish themes to submit their work. While there are some wonderful Jewish publications that have small sections for for creative writing they are few and far between and they are not dedicated solely to the craft of poetry and prose.

There are also many many fine “non-Jewish” literary publications where writers can submit their work. However, sometimes a piece may contain certain references or even words in Hebrew or Yiddish that a non-Jewish audience may simply not understand.

Scribblers on the Roof is also dedicated to allowing Jewish writers to connect with one another, and support and encourage each other in their literary pursuits. We aim to bring together writers of Jewish poetry and fiction from around the globe, showcase their talents, provide resources for their work, as well as host competitions, and challenge writers to delve into their Jewish backgrounds.

Remember, you don’t have to be Jewish to submit, just have stories and poems that have Jewish themes and/or content.

Launch is in September 09. Please submit your work and be part of our official launch!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES!

* Scribblers on the Roof welcomes unsolicited submissions of original fiction and poetry only.
* All submissions must have identifiable Jewish themes or content.
* You may submit previously published work only if you have retained the rights to your piece. Please state where and when the piece was previously published and confirm that you have permission to publish on Scribblers on the Roof.
* Scribblers on the Roof accepts simultaneous submissions
* Fiction submissions may be anywhere from 500-5,000 words.
* Fiction submissions over 1,500 words deemed suitable for publication will be serialized over a period of weeks depending on the length of the story.
* Poetry submissions must be no more than 4 pages.
* Scribblers on the Roof only accepts electronic submissions
* Send submissions to submissions@jscribes.com
* All submissions must be in a Word Doc (.doc), double-spaced and in 12-point font.
* Please include your name, email address and word count, and a short, relevant biography (no more than two lines) on a separate page.
* If your piece is accepted for publication, you will be notified by email.