Second Issue, September, 2023
THEME: LETTING GO
WOMEN RAISE OUR VOICES: A New Publication for Women Artists & Writers
NOW Open for Submissions!
Women Raise Our Voices is a fresh online quarterly platform written, edited, and illustrated by women. It is a place for women, non-binary, and female-identified creatives to share their writing, art, and photography. Our voices matter! Your voice matters!
We at WOMEN RAISE OUR VOICES were so thrilled to celebrate the first issue of our online publication sent out in June, 2023. The theme was Women and Gardens and the response was amazing, resulting in the various committees having to make some difficult decisions as to whom to publish. Click HERE to read the issue. It couldn’t have happened without all of you out there who received our call for submissions and responded by submitting your engaging and well-written stories, poems and beautiful images. WOMEN have a lot to say and you all said it beautifully and from the many diverse viewpoints that WROVoices is committed to publishing. Thank you!
Marjorie St.Clair, Editor
Who are we? We are a collective of ten women from five states who meet online monthly to support each other’s writing and other forms of creative expression. We recognize the power of a women’s circle to support and provide a safe place for deep listening as we explore authentic expression. Members of this collective choose a quarterly theme, read all submissions, and choose the final pieces to be included based on the published criteria. If your submission is selected, we will invite you to share your website link and promote yourself and your work.
Our Vision: A world that honors women’s voices and respects women’s wisdom. Women Raise Our Voices is committed to publishing women’s writing and art to promote justice, equality, peace, and harmony for everyone.
Letting Go
We are currently accepting submissions for the Autumn Equinox 2023 issue due out on or before September 23, 2023. Our theme is “Letting Go.” To encourage participation there are no submission fees! Copyright will revert to the submitting writer/artist following date of publication. Entries are due by August 15, 2023. Submissions are limited to 50 entries, so don’t delay. The criteria and the submissions form are listed below.
Letting Go: Autumn, when the leaves change color and fall, can signify the process of letting go, a release or an end, but it can also be the beginning of something new, like a birth. Some of the leaves fall, and others linger on, surrendering gradually. What does this natural process inspire in you?
Entry categories:
- Poetry, including haiku
- Short stories/essays
- High resolution photos or art—image should be at least 1200 pixels horizontally.
Keep it short! No more than 500 words, preferably shorter, of beautifully crafted and carefully edited writing.
What are we looking for? For this issue, we are interested in women and their process of letting go.
- What challenges come from letting go?
- What is the sacred work of letting go?
- How does the organic process in nature of surrendering mirror your experiences?
- What reminds you of a freefall and getting up again?
- How has losing your sense of good health and wellbeing affected you?
- How has a recent loss or change affected you?
- What has been your journey with regards to attachment and then letting go?
- How has the pandemic altered your attitude on change and letting go?
- How do aging and maturity affect your life decisions?
- Open your heart and mind to your creative powers in the process of letting go. Write freely of your experiences.
Criteria:
- Tell us your gutsy, honest, brutal, loving truth. The more real and personal, the better.
- Humor is welcome!
- Keep it short. No more than 500 words, preferably shorter.
- Simultaneous submissions okay.
- Previously published work okay.
- Please, no more than 2 entries per person.
- Deadline: August 15, 2023.
Poetry: WROV is accepting poetry on the topic of Letting Go. Haiku is welcome!
Short Stories & Essays: Fiction and nonfiction are welcome, as long as it’s your own voice!
Art and Photography: Send your very own seasonal autumnal entries to us by the deadline in jpeg form.
With Respect: Our world is out of balance these days and kindness is crucial. Please respect your sisters and submit according to the guidelines. Make sure the words or art are your own, original work (not copied, AI-generated). In turn, we will respect you by crediting your work with the name you specify. If you request/authorize publication of additional contact information, links, etc. (as specified in your brief author bio on the submission form), we will include that with the credits. Although we can’t respond to every entry, we will let you know if your work has been selected. Thank you for participating. We value every submission, whether it’s the first time you’ve submitted a poem or you’ve published a dozen books. All are welcome here and we can’t wait to meet you.
Submission Form – click HERE
Future issues & staying in touch: We welcome suggestions for future themes. If you would like to be on an email list to be notified of future opportunities to submit, send your name and email address to: WROVoices@gmail.com. In the subject line, put “Keep me informed.”