Your true stories may be in demand by Chicken Soul For the Soul.
Even if you've never been published before, submit a story. According to Ken & Dahlynn McKowen, co-authors of four Chicken Soup For the Soul books, including Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneur’s Soul, “approximately 40% of the stories accepted by Chicken Soup are from unpublished writers.”
If your story is accepted you'll be paid $200, plus 10 copies of the book you're in.
Here are some STORY WRITING TIPS to help you get started, from Chicken Soup for the Soul's own Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Amy Newmark.
I recently had the privilege of being interviewed by Amy for her Chicken Soup for the Soul daily podcast and we talked about the transformative power of both writing and reading these stories:
These are the topics Chicken Soup for the Soul is currently accepting stories for (from their Possible Book Topics page) arranged by submission deadline date:
* Tough Times
The world has been going through an upheaval unlike anything we have experienced in our lifetimes. Because of the pandemic, our way of life has completely changed. Things we used to take for granted are no longer available to us. We have had to overcome obstacles and adversities we never dreamed of having to do. Many people have lost their lives, their jobs, their homes, or at least are having to make drastic changes and cutbacks.
Tough times won’t last but tough people will. We are looking for stories about how you have been affected and how you and your loved ones are handling the changes in your life. We’re looking for the ups and downs, so share the tough times but also the silver linings, the unexpected blessings, and resilience and gratitude that you have discovered in yourself and the people close to you.
We’re also looking for stories about tough times unrelated to the pandemic. Are you going through other challenges that have nothing to do with the pandemic, such as health crises, loss of loved ones, personal challenges, family issues, job loss and economic upheaval? When we published a book in 2009 called Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People we ended up with about half the stories being directly related to the impact of the recession that was occurring at that time. The other stories were about tough times in general. It was a great mix of advice and comfort for our readers.
Here are some general ideas for story topics but we know you can think of many more:
• Dealing with Covid-19
• Economic troubles/loss of a business or a job
• Death, grieving and healing
• Chronic disease and serious illnesses
• Accepting the new norms and living with them
• Stay-at-home self-quarantine changes to the usual routine
• Zoom schooling and home-schooling challenges and perks
• Finding pleasures in simple things
• The value of family and friends
• The silver linings during tough times
• The power of positive thinking
• Changes in vacation and travel plans
• Taking and making time for the simpler things
• Working from home instead of going to the office
• Counting your blessings
• Returning to old values and pastimes
• How did your children or grandchildren change and grow as a result of this?
• What lessons from the pandemic can you apply to other parts of your life?
• What other issues were you dealing with at the same time as the pandemic and did that give you perspective?
• Did you improve as a person? How and why?
• Did you have family issues with some people wanting to practice social distancing and others not? How did you handle that?
• Celebrating milestone events such as birthdays, weddings and graduations during the pandemic
Please do not submit stories that argue against good health practices, social distancing, and wearing masks. Those will be deleted.
We plan to publish this book in 2021. The deadline for story and poem submission is OCTOBER 31, 2020.
* Cats
Our cat titles are so very popular, and you have so many great stories to share with us, that we do a new cat title every eighteen months or so. Here is another chance for you to share a story or two about that member of your family who just happens to walk on four feet for our 2021 book!
We are looking for first-person true stories and poems up to 1,200 words. Tell us about your cat. Tell us how he made you smile. How she "rescued" you after you "rescued" her. How she brought your family closer together, helped you find love, inspired you to change something in your human life. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both. We can’t wait to read all the heartwarming, inspirational, and hysterical stories you have about your cats!
***Please note: If you submitted a story or poem for a previous Chicken Soup for the Soul cat book and it was not published, here's your chance to submit it again to be considered for this new book. If you submitted a story that was published in a previous cat book, please do not submit it.
The deadline for story and poem submission is November 30, 2020.
* Angels
Angels and miracles are all around us if we keep our eyes open. Have you experienced a divine intervention, answered prayer, or other miraculous occurrence courtesy of someone you think just might have been an angel. Do you have a guardian angel who seems to swoop in and help you when you need it?
We are looking for true personal stories about how an angel has touched your life – stories of true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels. We’re looking for amazing stories that will make people say “wow” or give our readers chills. Have you experienced something otherworldly or celestial? Or had a personal experience with an angel or divine being? How did your angel manifest himself or herself to you? Were you the only person who saw your angel? How did your angel protect or guide you?
We are looking for stories, and poems that tell a story, from writers of all faiths. This includes writers who do not follow a particular religion. This book is by and for everyone.
Please note that we are not looking for stories about people who are “angels” because they do nice things, and also please do not submit eulogies about a loved one who has died and is now an “angel.”
Here are some possible topics to help you remember your own great angel story:
• Angel visitations
• Angel protection
• Guardian angels
• Messages from an angel
• Prayers answered by an angel
• Receiving support from angels or spirits
• Angel intervention
• Receiving guidance or lessons from angels
• Interactions with angels
• Receiving news or warnings from angels
• Mysterious helpers
• Unexplained healing
• Rescue from accidents or disasters
• Being saved from death
• Voices that spoke to you and helped you
• Love that doesn’t die
• Mysterious visitors
• Restoring faith because of an angel
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
1. If you submitted a story or poem to a previous Chicken Soup for the Soul title about angels and it was not published, please feel free to submit it again if you think it's a terrific story.
2. Do not submit a story or poem that Chicken Soup for the Soul already published, even if it was published in a book about a different topic.
3. If you submitted an angel story or poem to the Miracles & Divine Intervention title, there's no need to submit it again. It will be considered for this title, too.
The deadline for submissions is DECEMBER 15, 2020.
* Eldercare
Eldercare on an ongoing basis is a very difficult task, whether the care is in your home, the person’s home, or an outside facility. Eldercare requires the caregiver to be patient, kind, compassionate and giving. And having a little humor doesn’t hurt! Are you providing eldercare for a spouse, partner, or sibling due to dementia, chronic illness, permanent physical or mental disabilities, or just plain old age? Did you move in with an older family member to care for him or her? Are you part of the “sandwich” generation—caring for a parent and a child at the same time?
Think of this book as a portable support group to help others. Everyone needs support, and sometimes we feel so alone when we’re caring for elderly family members who are living a new normal. We are looking for true stories that show our readers how lives and relationships change when eldercare becomes necessary. They will provide practical advice, encouragement, insight and support.
By the way, we are in awe of professional caregivers, but we are only seeking stories from family members providing eldercare for this particular book.
Here are some suggested topics, but we know you can think of many more:
• Accepting the new reality
• Recognizing when eldercare is necessary
• Convincing the person that he or she needs help
• Moving day
• Cleaning out the old residence
• Meeting the challenges of everyday life
• Making important decisions
• Finding the blessings and gratitude in eldercare
• Dealing with the physical changes
• Dealing with the rollercoaster ride of emotions
• Reactions from the outside world
• Reacting to personality changes
• Asking others for help
• Coping with the stress
• Taking care of yourself, too, and your marriage and other relationships
• The lighter side – and there will be some funny moments!
The deadline for story and poem submissions is JANUARY 30, 2021.
* Counting Your Blessings
Gratitude is one of the keys to happiness. Even during the toughest times, if we can find our gratitude and count our blessings we feel better. Back in 2009, when we were going through a deep recession, we received thousands of stories from people who were still counting their blessings and finding their joy. Those stories became the bestselling book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings.
With today’s worries about contracting disease, joblessness, and rampant divisiveness we thought it was time to revisit this topic. We’re not sure of the title for our next book about counting your blessings, but we’re sure a new collection of stories is appropriate for 2021.
Please share your stories about handling challenges in your life, finding the silver linings, and counting your blessings, whether the challenges you are facing are COVID-19 related or other kinds.
Stories can be serious or funny, but definitely should be inspirational and heartwarming. Attitude adjustments, finding contentment and gratitude, a new way of handling your daily life, and other great ideas to inspire readers to find their own paths to happiness and to remember to count their blessings every day are what we are looking for.
Here are a few suggested topics:
• How do you count your blessings?
• How do you express your gratitude for your blessings?
• How does doing good for others become a blessing in your own life?
• What made you realize that your life is good and that you are grateful?
• Silver linings in the midst of challenging events
• Turning lemons into lemonade
• How do you spread the message of gratitude to your family and friends?
• The joy of simple pleasures
• The unexpected benefits of health challenges or other life changes
• Triumph over tragedy
• Managing financial problems
• Turning negative into positive and the lessons learned from the change
• Adjusting your attitude and seeing aspects of your life in a new way
• Learning to be grateful
• Experiencing contentment with things just the way they are
• Handling economic challenges
• Handling health challenges
• Handling the challenge of grieving
• Family challenges including divorce, death, substance abuse, mental illness, eldercare, disabilities
• Affirmations
• Gratitude journals and other methods for training your brain to be grateful
• Going back to basics, enjoying the simple things
• Downsizing and rightsizing; cleaning out all the stuff and donating it
• Volunteering and charity work; donations
• Approaching each day with a positive attitude
• What worked for you to turn around your attitude or that of your loved ones
The deadline for submissions is FEBRUARY 28, 2021.
Hooked on Hockey
If you love hockey, if you play hockey, if you are a hockey fan, we are looking for stories from you! We are looking for stories for this book written by and for hockey fans and families. The book will include stories from everyday hockey players and fans like you, as well as revealing personal stories from some of your favorite NHLers and hockey insiders. The deadline for story and poems submissions is January 30, 2012.
