WRITERS!
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
YYC POP: Portraits of People
Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary People
Ordinary Stories of Extraordinary People
Project Leader, Calgary Poet Laureate
Sheri-D Wilson, D. Litt
What is it?:
This is a call to the whole community, the entire city and the world!
You are invited to write a portrait
in the form of a poem, prose poem, or snapshot/ flash fiction —
about someone you know (not about yourself)
that lives and works in Calgary.
Please press submit
and follow the instructions.
Deadline: November 30, 2019
About your piece:
A city is characterized by its people, and as Calgary transforms, we are asking you to look into who we are today—What is our identity? What do we look like? Think of your submission as a piece of the larger picture, which represents the new Calgary—
Your portrait may be about a person you know, or you may choose to write about a historical figure whose contribution or story, remains relevant to this day. The person you choose to write about should keenly represent the spirit and identity of Calgary now. The person you write about CANNOT be (named proper) in your work.
Who are we? What is our identity as a city? Who are the people that live here? What are their stories?
This Call is Open to All People who currently live in Calgary, or the Greater Calgary area. Everyone is invited to participate. If you are an X-Pat of Calgary, you are also welcome.
Learn about the city by the poetic portraits of the people!
Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary People
Ordinary Stories of Extraordinary People
Submission Guidelines:
- Poetry/ prose poem/ snapshot/ flash fiction
- Must be previously unpublished work—typed, single spaced
- Not more than 50 lines/ poem
- Must be submitted in .doc and pdf
- One submission / applicant
- Submissions must include:
writer’s name, phone number, email address and mailing address on each page - the writer’s biography (max 3 sentences, or approx. 50 words)
At the end of April (National Poetry Month) we will launch a celebration at four public readings. At the Central Library, the YMCA Seton location and two other venues. It will be a city-wide celebration!
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Are you also looking for visual artists?
Yes i am
Please email me… [email protected]
Hi Sheri-D:
POP is a great idea! I am contemplating helping a senior I know to write/contribute an entry about a Calgary-builder, so a historical person, but whose work continues to greatly benefit Calgarians today. I read the rules, and am perplexed about what this line means:
“The person you write about CANNOT be (named proper) in your work”.
I do not understand what this sentence means and would appreciate if you could clarify it. Thanks!
Lynn
Hello Lynn~
Please send in your piece and we will work everything else out in the editing stage… if your piece is selected…
XO Sheri-D
Hi Sheri-D,
I submitted a poem last night, should I have received an acknowledgment? Janey
Hi Janey,
You should have seen a confirmation note after you submitted on the website.
I can confirm that it was received.
Thanks Andrew. I didn’t see the confirmation note, but that might be my oversight. Janey
I submitted the same poem twice. Please disregard my first submission, as it was lacking the required phone number and addresses. My apologies!
I have a serious intention to submit a portrait of a woman of history, whom I have long admired and who has had an important place in Calgary’s history. Research is done, but the writing is not quite ready. Is there any possibility of having my piece accepted in a couple days?
Hi Louise,
Please contact Sheri-D directly at [email protected].
Fortunately, this is run by a poet and poets believe in “extended time”.