Yellow Arrow Publishing Blog
Why Fundraising Matters and Why I’m Glad to be a Part of It!
By Emily Ross
When I joined the board at Yellow Arrow I already knew how transformative their work was for women-identifying writers. I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved and hearing from our writers and program participants about how unique and community-minded Yellow Arrow is. And Yellow Arrow does it all! From publications to workshops to the writers-in-residence program, and community partnerships, I’m always amazed by how wide-reaching and deep-meaning Yellow Arrow’s programs are.
But as powerful as the programs are, they do not run on passion alone. It takes staff, web hosting, author stipends, workshop instructors, and marketing costs, among many other things to make this work possible. Fundraising is how we make it happen. Unlike a for-profit business, any revenue we generate, from chapbook sales or workshop fees, must go back to serving our mission. This leaves a gap between our generated revenue and the costs associated with our programs. Donations, grants, and sponsorships are how we close that gap and allow Yellow Arrow to stay sustainable and grow.
I see both the fundraiser and fund-giving side of this equation every day. As a grantmaking professional, I talk with prospective grant applicants, read applications, and coach organizations to become better grant writers. At Yellow Arrow, I help write and submit grants for our programs. This perspective has taught me how vital it is for nonprofits to diversify their funding, communicate their impact clearly, and build relationships with funders who share our values.
Fundraising is more than just the money. It’s about building a community around a mission, creating opportunities for people to invest in something they care about, and amplifying voices who might otherwise go unheard. When a donor, foundation, or workshop participant supports Yellow Arrow, they’re not just keeping our lights on, but helping us provide free or sliding-scale submission fees for first-time writers, expand our residencies, and partner with other local arts organizations to reach new audiences.
Serving on the board at Yellow Arrow has shown me that every dollar fundraised, every grant, every donation, every membership translates directly into more space for women’s stories in the literary world. I’m passionate about fundraising and grateful to the Yellow Arrow community that makes it possible! Together, we’re not just publishing; we’re creating a more inclusive, empathetic, and vibrant literary community in Baltimore and beyond.
Join our 10-year anniversary campaign now as a donor to help us keep writing change into the world together. What we can do in the next 10 years is BOUNDLESS—but it starts with you.
Ready to write our change into the world? DONATE TODAY.
Emily Ross (she/her) is an arts and humanities professional with expertise in museum education, social work, and grantmaking. Working at the intersection of culture and human services she champions collaboration and community voices in her career. She holds a BA in art history from the University of Virginia and an MSW from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She currently works as the program officer for grants at Maryland Humanities. Based in Baltimore, she enjoys trips to the Renaissance Fair, New England beaches, and art museums.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook and Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
I Can Only Write for Course Credit (Finding Motivation Amid College Burnout)
By Kristen Caruso, written August 2025
I don’t think I’ve ever said that to anyone, including myself, before now, but it’s true. It’s been almost one year since the last writing course I’ve taken, and apart from the occasional scribble in my notebook, it’s also been one year since I’ve truly written anything. Now, coming up on the first semester of my junior year, and taking an advanced fiction writing course, I questioned myself: will I even be able to write for that?
Before this summer began, I envisioned myself spending hours with a notebook or Word document, inspired by the possibility of the next three months without a lecture to attend or paper to write. Then there I was, with just a few weeks before school started, and the only thing I’d written was my first blog post for Yellow Arrow. Which I was happy to do—but it was also an internship-related task. And I couldn’t remember the last time I sat down to write without having to.
Clearly I needed to be motivated, but not for an end goal. With this in mind, and inspired by Yellow Arrow’s Invitation to Write course, I decided that what I needed was structure: a writing routine. Each week, I set aside just 30 minutes a day, logging that time on my intern timesheet as blog 2 work, to write. A flexible, attainable amount of time I could weave between all my work and going to the beach.
As I was scrolling through different writing routines and challenges, I realized that I had to make one that was more customized to what I need—fitting for a burnt-out college student forcing herself back in, and with only a few weeks left of the summer. Here’s what I came up with:
Week One - Writing Prompts and Challenges (Any Genre)
Each day, I spent the whole 30 minutes responding to a writing prompt or challenge from a list I made ahead of time. For this week, there were a couple of rules I set for myself. Firstly, I couldn’t stop writing for more than a few seconds at a time. And I couldn’t go back and edit or expand upon something I’ve written previously. Only moving forward.
Week Two - Focus on Fiction
Although I let myself play around with different genres and styles in the first week, I knew I had to force myself to practice fiction writing to prepare for my upcoming course. It’s (fairly) easy for me to start writing poetry or poetic prose, but fiction feels more definite. I needed this push to get me into the right head space.
Week Three - Expansion
To me, an important part of fiction writing, especially when the professor has a minimum word count, is being able to expand on an idea or starting point. I needed to not just get in the mood to write prose, but practice fleshing out a whole story. For this week, I chose one of my drafts from the week before to expand on. It didn’t need to be complete by the end, just longer and more complex than how it started.
After crafting my new writing routine, the only thing I could do was start—and hope I was up for the challenge.
WEEK ONE
The first week had some trial and error. At first, I wasn’t sure what time of day I would prefer to write at. I thought I’d be pretty flexible, being able to easily slip in and out of the writing mindset at any time as long as I had it set aside in my Google calendar. This was not the case. I realized within the first few days that I wrote more and felt more confident when I wrote in the morning. Freshly made iced coffee and a whole day in front of me, I was able to let myself get lost in the prompts.
WEEK TWO
Focusing just on fiction was harder than I thought it would be. I kept using the list of prompts each day, but now with the prose lens, I found it tricky to find inspiration for stories rather than personal pieces of poetry. That’s when I had to tweak my routine just a bit. Before jumping right into writing, I let myself do something inspiring for at least ten minutes. This varied from reading a chapter of a current read to scrolling on Pinterest to rereading older pieces I’ve written. It wasn’t until I was in the right headspace that I could begin.
WEEK THREE
The last week of this challenge was my favorite. Once I smoothed out some kinks and problem-solved to get motivated in the first two weeks, I was glad to expand on something I wrote on earlier. I picked a work-in-progress that I was most excited about and had lots of ideas for already. This is also a week where I was allowed to revise and edit. This challenge wasn’t about hitting a word count goal for me—just finding motivation and inspiration for writing again, which I really felt at the end.
Challenging myself to write every day forced me to not just write, but also pay attention to my writing needs, and learn how best to create a writing routine that fits them. I feel much more confident in my ability to get started writing, and more in-tune to who I am as a writer. My brain feels warmed up. If you want to start a writing routine for yourself, I suggest doing a trial period. Try different times of the day, before and after work, in different locations, with or without having just eaten. I tried this in the summer, but I also imagine that the different seasons may play a huge role as the weather and schedules change. I didn’t realize before I started this challenge how impactful these factors were in how I felt during and after writing. This probably isn’t true for everyone but listening to what makes you perform at your most comfortable and confident level goes a long way in creative spaces. While I tried this over the summer, without classes or being on campus, I knew a writing routine for the school year would look drastically different. But now I know how to approach it in a way that works best for me and my writing, and I’m ready to take on the semester.
Kristen Caruso (she/her) is a junior at the University of Rochester but calls New Jersey home. As a double major in English and business with a minor in French, she hopes to combine her areas of study in a publishing career. Kristen’s interest in publishing began as the editor-in-chief of her high school’s yearbook organization and continues to thrive on the editorial board of her university’s art and literature journal. She enjoys coffee, the color green, poetry, nonfiction about trees, the ocean, Rochester snow, New Jersey pizza, music that’s somewhat bad, and lists that are too long. Find her on Instagram @kris10caruso.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
The 5am Writers Club
Photo M. Revenaugh
By Mickey Revenaugh, written September 2025
Every morning, seven days a week, 365 days a year, you will find me upright before sunrise, coffee in hand and laptop open. I post a proof of life on all the socials, then dig into whatever project is most bedeviling me at the moment. Some days the words rattle out like marbles from a tipped tin, other days are type-two-delete-one. But by the time the rest of the world wakes up, I’ve staked my claim. I am a writer because I belong to the 5am Writers Club.
That might sound backward. Don’t you have to be a writer first, before you get to join any club with “writers” in its name?
I’m here to argue the opposite. Hear me out.
Most of the identities I hold proudly are self-ascribed. While there’s objective evidence that I get all raucous over the lives of women, and that I prefer sidewalks to dirt, and that I get hooked on things that might kill me, no one else bestowed on me the title of feminist city slicker in recovery. That was all my doing.
Same thing with being a writer.
Of course, as the kids say, you have to put in the work.
Me, I figure I’ve composed millions of words over my long lifetime. There were the middle school crush and apocalypse poems, a few dozen of which I remember assembling into a manuscript and sending off to a New York City publisher by mail, with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, just like my writer father did; just like him, I welcomed my book back a month later with a nice noncommittal note to keep at it. I wrote multiple stories per issue for the high school newspaper I edited, and the upstate alternative newspaper I edited, and the collection of teacher magazines I edited. I produced a constant flow of “no more than 20 pages” pieces for writers group workshop critique and then 20 times that for my MFA thesis. I’ve had some stuff published along the way and lots of stuff not. Right now, I’m in the final editing stages for a nonfiction book, one that takes me back to my journalism roots but also lets me put a creative riff on things like the hairstyles at a homeschool conference and the crackle of tweens putting on a 12-kid prom.
I’ve put in the words.
But it’s the 5am club that has me waking up every day thinking I am a writer.
Most folks who do this predawn writing routine do so because they have day jobs, or kids and day jobs, or cats and kids and day jobs: you write before the alarm rings for your other obligations (though the cats apparently serve as their own furry clocks). But I didn’t join the 5am writers club until the day after I retired from my day job, which did get me in the habit of wee-hours working by giving me a U.K.-based team and boss to manage. Petless and childfree, I shot awake on that dark December morning in 2022, tiptoed into my newly liberated home office, and typed in the hashtag that I’d heard about from grad school compatriots and writing group friends.
#5amwritersclub
This was on Twitter back when Twitter was still called Twitter and was only 90% hellscape. What came up on my screen when I searched on the hashtag was evidence of globally distributed secret cells of creatives sheltering in place, sending bite-sized dispatches into the darkness. Poets and romance novelists and sci-fi writers and memorists, lit fic purists and multigenre maximalists, the semifamous and the not-yet-published, all raising a hand to say, “I’m here.” Some would add #amwriting, others would fret about feeling blocked. Some were there to celebrate the #writingcommunity and others indulged in #shamelessselfpromotion. The variety was astounding, clamorous yet soundless beyond the wave of my own breathing, like dancing in the middle of a silent rave where everyone’s wearing message tees.
I lurked for a bit, trying to intuit the rules. What soon became clear is that the only rule of #5amwritersclub is that, other than no trolling (everyone is very, very kind), there are no rules.
You post your thing, you add your hashtag, you heart some stuff, and you get on with it.
Most importantly, no one questioned my right to be in the club. It was all just thumbs-up and the occasional personal “Hello” after a few weeks. (And a little barrage of DMs from people wanting to help with marketing or sell me crypto, but I ignored those.)
I soon developed my own signature kind of post: a photo of some odd thing I saw in my wanderings around Brooklyn and elsewhere—a “random click”—posted as a writing self-prompt. For each picture, I would write a few hundred words, just locally on my laptop, not for sharing quite yet. (Others were more forthcoming, including someone writing a memoir in daily tweets, all lowercase with lots of ellipses, and the poet who posted a new haiku every day. I could only dream of being that bold, or that productive.)
Over that first year of 5ams, I put together a whole novella in flash—who knew there was such a thing?—with a photo and a chunk of text on each page, telling the warped story of a young art school dropout squatting in an abandoned cement factory in the Hudson Valley. She appeared to me before daybreak every morning, and I channeled her. Someday she may see print.
Along the way I “met” writers from all over the world: because it’s always 5am somewhere, their posts might come in hours before mine or hours afterward, but we were all in the same club. Some folks gathered for a virtual donut party on Fridays while others just raised their tea mugs in virtual toasts. There were many self-made cover reveals and pictures from book fairs and laments about manuscripts started but never finished. Some people disappeared for social media fasts while others went from posting monthly to popping up hourly. A stalwart speculative fiction writer from Florida wrote one morning about the scream of an oncoming hurricane—and then fell silent for a week. We all barraged him with relieved greetings when he returned, hawking his dystopian dolphin tales from another, drier location.
Around the 18-month mark, I discovered that my next-door neighbor, a much-published writer of edgy fiction, was hosting the occasional two-week sprint she called the Ungodly Hour Writing Club. Each weekday morning for a fortnight, you’d log into Zoom at 5:30 a.m. with camera and mic off and just write together in companionable silent witness. Sara would occasionally post an inspirational quote in the chat, and some try-hards like me would wish everyone a good day at 6:30 a.m. sign-off time, but that was it. Your Zoom profile pic, name, and pronouns were your living hashtag. Another Ungodly sprint is starting this week as I write this. I’ll check in with my 5am compatriots on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads (but not Twitter/X, not anymore), then roll right into Zoom. Sara’s keeping sessions open till 7:00 a.m. this time. We’re all very grateful.
Since mid 2024, my predawn writing sessions have been focused on this real-life book I’m writing about various forms of unconventional education American families have been flocking to since the pandemic: multiple flavors of homeschooling, microschools, roadschooling, virtual schooling, and the like. I have an agent and an editor and a university press publisher, and deadlines both self-imposed and official. I’ve been using my photo prompts as “WIP warmups” to ease into the vast wordy morasse of my manuscript. I do work on this project at all hours of the day and night, but predawn sets the tone. I’m finally heading into what I hope will be final revisions before the beast goes into production and then emerges in print in 2026.
I’m looking forward to seeing what emerges from the darkness then at the #5amwritersclub.
Mickey Revenaugh (she/her) is a nonfiction/fiction writer who is also cofounder of Connections Academy, a global network of virtual K–12 schools. Her various obsessions meld in School’s Out, forthcoming in 2026 from Johns Hopkins University Press. Mickey’s shorter work has appeared in Vice, Catapult, Chautauqua, and many others. She holds an MFA from Bennington College, an MBA from New York University, and a BA in American studies from Yale University, but she may be proudest of serving as board president for Yellow Arrow Publishing. You can find her at @mickeyrevenaugh on social media or mickeyrevenaugh.com on the web.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Spotlighting midnight & indigo
By Kristen Caruso, written June 2025
“For Black women who write and the readers who’ve been waiting for our words.”
As explained on their website, midnight & indigo began years ago, on a Christmas morning with a typewriter wrapped up in a bow and 10-year-old Ianna A. Small, the founder and editor-in-chief of the press. That typewriter, combined with Small’s immense love for reading and writing, would inspire her to search for books with characters that look like her, and eventually write them herself: “Something magical happens in the pages of a book, when you see yourself reflected in the characters you love,” Small says. “Or the first time you see your own words staring back at you from a previously blank page.”
Ianna A. Small is the magic behind midnight & indigo Publishing and midnight & indigo, a cozy corner of the literary world where Black women writers’ stories come alive. By day, she’s orchestrating a symphony of words as editor-in-chief and cheering on the next wave of storytellers through midnight & indigo’s writing program. By night, you might catch her lost in a Black or South Asian novel, yelling at a twist in a Korean horror movie, or perfecting her roti-making skills. She binges Insecure, The Golden Girls, and cultural food documentaries like it’s a competitive sport, and dreams of one day running midnight & indigo from a lounge chair overlooking the archipelagos of her happy place: Greece. A proud Syracuse University alumna, Small is a member of ACES: The Society for Editing and the Editorial Freelancers Association.
Founded in 2018, now having published over 400 Black women writers in print and ebook journals, online essays, and special speculative fiction anthologies, midnight & indigo has become a powerhouse in amplifying the voices of Black women all over the world highlighting their contributions to the literary landscape. For Small, midnight & indigo is more than just a job, it’s her purpose and passion, and she’s proud to say that the press is not backed by any corporate investors or huge budgets, just the talent and hard work of their team.
As for publications, midnight & indigo publishes a triannual journal, available in print or as an ebook. The journal focuses on short stories, essays, and speculative fiction. Each issue publishes anywhere between eight and 22 works and writers, with beautifully photographed and designed covers. Their online journal is updated all year round on a rolling basis.
Their current issue, The Music Issue (Issue 13), combines the intricately linked relationships between writing and music, exploring the generational, powerful, deep, and often complex connection Black women have to different genres. From church hymns to K-Pop to Nat King Cole to ‘90s CD booklets, the inaugural music issue highlights 12 writers through essays and short stories.
On their website, midnight & indigo also posts glimpses of the content of their journals as essays and blog posts, such as “What Writing a Romance Novel Out of Spite Taught Me About the Fictional Man” by Desiree Winns. A cleverly honest and much needed essay, Winns describes how her frustrations with the lack of Black woman leads in romance novels—and men’s dismissal of romancing Black women in real life—drove her to write one of her own.
Another featured piece is “Candles in the Window: A Generational Blessing of Hospitality” by Lex Dunbar, a personal work of how always being welcomed home by their great-grandmother and her hospitality being passed down to them, Dunbar found a home in their queerness and trans identity. These beautiful essays show just a glimpse of the talent and powerful voices that exist in the rest of the midnight & indigo publications.
Apart from publications and literary journals, midnight & indigo also offer opportunities for Black women to learn about different aspects and genres of the craft. In 2022, midnight & indigo launched its Writing Program for Black Women Writers. Here, Black women can participate in a variety of online, virtual workshops and seminars taught by authors, creatives, and writing professionals, all created specifically for Black women. The classes are tagged with different topics: craft, fiction, nonfiction, and editing, with course options of length ranging from one day to four weeks. Some of the upcoming workshops and courses this fall include “Exploring Memoir: Personal Story & Power for Creative Nonfiction Writers” with Dhayana Alejandrina, “Decolonizing Our Writing Voice” with Dr. Kiara Lee, and “Polish and Pitch: A Black Woman Writer’s Guide to Self-Editing and Querying” with Catherine Mwitta. Since its launch only three years ago, more than 600 writers have participated in the online writing program.
Another service offered by midnight & indigo is Developmental Editing & Story Coaching, with Small herself being the editor. Patrons have the option to choose between a shorter (under 7,000 words) and longer (under 90,000 words) piece of work to be reviewed, receiving an analysis of many story elements including pacing and flow, character, and style and voice, as well as a one-hour, face to face feedback session. The goal of these editing sessions is to strengthen manuscripts and take them to the next level. Developmental editing is not the same as copy editing—it will focus on the big picture, structural feedback and issues of a manuscript.
midnight & indigo is not only an organization that publishes and broadens the reach of Black women writers’ voices and stories, but they also encourage, inspire, and guide new and upcoming writers to do the same. “Black women have always written—across kitchen tables, in the margins of time, through memory, imagination, and truth,” their website states. “midnight & indigo was founded to hold that work and honor the writers behind it.”
If you or anyone you know is a Black woman looking to be published, midnight & indigo’s upcoming deadlines are August 31, 2025, for speculative fiction, and September 30, 2025, for short stories and creative nonfiction. Spread the word and keep an eye on midnightandindigo.com/write-for-us for more information and new calls for submissions!
To find out more about midnight & indigo or support them, you can follow their Instagram @midnightandindigo and Facebook @midnightandindigo or sign up for their newsletter here.
“midnight & indigo is a literary journal and publishing company dedicated to celebrating and nurturing the voices of Black women writers worldwide.” (All quotes and Small’s bio came from midnight & indigo’s website, midnightandindigo.com.)
Kristen Caruso (she/her) is a junior at the University of Rochester but calls New Jersey home. As a double major in English and business with a minor in French, she hopes to combine her areas of study in a publishing career. Kristen’s interest in publishing began as the editor-in-chief of her high school’s yearbook organization and continues to thrive on the editorial board of her university’s art and literature journal. She enjoys coffee, the color green, poetry, nonfiction about trees, the ocean, Rochester snow, New Jersey pizza, music that’s somewhat bad, and lists that are too long. Find her on Instagram @kris10caruso.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Worldbuilding Tips and Tricks: Making Your Setting Feel Real
By Jacqueline Goldman, written March 2025
Worldbuilding is an essential part of storytelling, shaping the way readers experience a fictional world. A strong setting enhances immersion, deepens character interactions, and adds layers of meaning to the narrative. Whether you’re creating a world for a novel, a screenplay, or a creative project, thoughtful worldbuilding makes the difference between a forgettable backdrop and a vibrant, living world that captivates audiences.
Worldbuilding is one of the most exciting yet daunting aspects of storytelling, whether you’re writing a novel, designing a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, or developing a setting for a creative project. A well-built world immerses readers, players, or audiences in a setting that feels lived-in, consistent, and full of possibilities. But how do you craft a world that feels real? Here are some key tips and tricks to bring your setting to life.
1. Start with the Big Picture
Before diving into the fine details, establish the broader framework of your world. Ask yourself fundamental questions:
What is the genre and tone of your world? High fantasy, grimdark, post-apocalyptic, steampunk?
What is the level of technology and magic?
Is it a single continent, a massive archipelago, or an entire universe?
How do people in this world survive? What are their sources of food, water, and shelter?
What are the major conflicts or struggles that shape the world’s current state?
Answering these macrolevel questions will help set the foundation for everything else.
2. History Shapes the Present
A world without history is a flat world. Consider major events that have shaped its present state:
Wars, revolutions, and conflicts
Natural disasters and their impact
The rise and fall of civilizations
The evolution of magic, technology, or religion
You don’t need to write a full history textbook, but having a rough timeline of key events will add depth to your world.
3. Culture is More Than Aesthetic
Culture isn’t just about architecture and clothing—it influences everything, from language and customs to politics and religion. Consider:
How do different regions or races interact?
What are their traditions, celebrations, and taboos?
What are the major religions and belief systems?
How do people express themselves through art, music, or literature?
Try to think beyond stereotypes—cultures should feel nuanced, with internal conflicts and unique customs.
4. Economy and Trade Matter
A setting feels more real when it has a functioning economy. Consider:
What is the primary currency?
What are the major exports and imports?
How do people make a living?
Are there economic disparities between regions?
Economic factors shape the interactions between different regions and influence political relationships, creating opportunities for conflict or cooperation. Whether it’s bustling trade cities, agricultural hubs, or isolated villages, these economic structures determine the wealth and power dynamics within a society.
5. Geography Influences Everything
Where people live affect their culture, economy, and daily life. Think about:
Climate and weather patterns
Major landmarks (rivers, mountains, deserts, forests)
Natural resources and their scarcity
How geography affects warfare, trade, and expansion
A world with vast deserts will have different survival tactics and trade routes than one dominated by ice and tundra.
6. Language and Naming Conventions
Names carry weight, and consistent linguistic rules make a world feel organic. Think about:
Naming conventions for cities, regions, and people
How different cultures speak and communicate
Slang, idioms, or dialects
Multiple languages (do they evolve over time?)
Avoid using real-world names unless you have a reason; unique, internally consistent names strengthen immersion.
7. Magic and Technology Need Rules
If your world has magic or advanced technology, establish clear rules:
Who can use magic or access technology?
Are there limits? What are the costs?
How does it impact daily life?
Are there laws or organizations that regulate it?
A well-thought-out system prevents plot holes and keeps the world believable.
8. Politics and Power Structures
Governments, factions, and leaders shape your world’s conflicts and alliances:
What type of governance exists? Monarchies, republics, theocracies?
Who holds power and how is it maintained?
Are there secret societies, rebel groups, or criminal organizations?
How do different factions interact?
Political intrigue can add rich storytelling elements and logical motivations for characters.
9. Daily Life and Small Details
Big picture worldbuilding is important, but the small details make it feel lived-in:
What do people eat?
How do they celebrate milestones like birth, marriage, and death?
What are common superstitions?
What games do children play?
A bustling marketplace, a folk song sung at a tavern, or a regional dish can make your world feel authentic and tangible in a way that grand landscapes or epic quests cannot. These everyday moments ground the setting in a reality that feels familiar, even if it's entirely fantastical.
10. Balance Planning and Organic Growth
While it’s important to establish key details of your world, leave room for discovery and flexibility. A rigidly planned setting can feel artificial, while one that evolves naturally can surprise both the creator and the audience. Consider:
Which aspects of your world must remain fixed?
Where can you allow room for development as the story unfolds?
How can you incorporate new ideas without breaking established lore?
Are you allowing characters and events to shape the world naturally?
Sometimes, the most interesting elements emerge during storytelling itself, allowing your world to grow in unexpected but logical ways.
Final Thoughts
Worldbuilding can be a long and sometimes overwhelming process, but it’s also one of the most rewarding aspects of creative storytelling. Remember that not every detail needs to be planned from the start—sometimes, the best elements of a world develop as the story unfolds. Keep notes, stay flexible, and allow your world to breathe and evolve over time.
Worldbuilding is an art, and no world is ever truly finished. The best settings feel like they existed long before the story started and will continue to evolve after it ends. Whether you’re designing for a novel, a game, or just for fun, these tips will help you craft a setting that feels deep, immersive, and full of possibilities.
So go forth and build—but don’t forget to leave a little magic behind the curtain!
Jacqueline Goldman (she/her) is an aspiring publishing professional and junior at Loyola University Maryland pursuing a degree in communication and media with a specialization in journalism and a minor in writing and business journalism. With experience as managing editor-in-chief for The Greyhound, nonfiction editor at Corridors Literary Magazine, and acquisitions editor at Apprentice House Press, she enjoys shaping compelling narratives and pushing the envelope.
*****
Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Writer’s Block: Wanting to Write But Having Nothing to Say
By Jacqueline Goldman, written February 2025
There’s nothing quite as frustrating as staring at a blank page, fingers hovering over the keyboard, mind utterly empty. You want to write. You sit down to do it. But somehow, nothing comes. Your brain, so full of thoughts just moments ago, has hit an inexplicable wall. It’s frustrating, disheartening, and, if you’re working on a deadline, downright stressful.
Here’s the thing—this happens to every writer. You’re not alone, and you’re certainly not any less of a writer because of it. Even the most seasoned authors, those who have written bestsellers or won literary awards, experience this exact struggle. So, what can you do?
Writer’s block isn’t just about being out of ideas. Sometimes, it’s having too many scattered thoughts that refuse to take shape. Other times, it’s feeling like every idea you have is uninspired or not worth writing about. The irony, of course, is that the best way to overcome writer’s block is to write about it.
That’s exactly what I do. When I feel stuck, I write about being stuck. And in doing so, I inevitably find my way out.
It sounds counterintuitive, but if you don’t know what to say, then say exactly that. Describe the frustration, the blinking cursor, the way your mind feels like a snow globe that refuses to settle. Sometimes, the act of acknowledging the block is enough to loosen its grip. Other times, it’s just the beginning of a longer battle, one that requires patience and a willingness to push forward despite the discomfort.
Next, set small, achievable goals. Instead of pressuring yourself to produce a masterpiece, commit to just writing a sentence. Then another. Give yourself permission to write terribly—because bad words on a page are still words, and they can always be revised later.
If you’re stuck, don’t start with your main project. Instead, try a creative warm up. Freewrite for five minutes about anything, use a writing prompt, or describe a mundane object in extreme detail. Engaging with words in a low-pressure way can help ease you into a more productive mindset. I often find myself writing short poems to begin. These exercises may seem trivial, but they act as mental stretches, preparing your brain for deeper creative work.
Another trick? Change your scenery. Step away from your desk, go for a walk, people watch at a café or switch to pen and paper. A shift in surroundings can do wonders for shaking loose new ideas.
Just this afternoon, when I did this, I found a little nook in the Humanities Department at my school. It looked like something straight out of Harry Potter’s world, and that alone was enough to inspire a new piece of writing. Inspiration often hides in unexpected places—you just have to give yourself the chance to find it.
Speaking of books, read something that inspires you. Sometimes, the best way to get words flowing is to consume good writing. Whether it’s poetry, essays, or even an old piece of your own that you’re proud of, seeing the rhythm of language on the page can help reignite your creative instincts. Reading reminds you why you love words in the first place and can rekindle that spark of motivation.
If writer’s block persists, try writing in a distraction-free environment. In today’s world, distractions are everywhere. Social media, emails, and the endless stream of notifications can make it difficult to focus. Use apps that block notifications, set a timer for focused writing, or go old school with a notebook and pen.
And if that doesn’t work? Step away. If the words refuse to come, let them be. Give yourself permission to do something completely different. Cook a meal, take a shower, doodle in a notebook. Sometimes, the best ideas arrive when you’re not searching for them.
I’ve found that movement often helps. A simple walk outside can do wonders, but if you want to shake things up, try a new form of exercise—I commit to spin classes twice a week and sometimes they’ll have unique and creative themes that get me energized, shaking loose whatever thoughts were stuck in my subconscious.
Another approach is to write from a different perspective. If you feel blocked writing in the first person, try the third. If you’re stuck in prose, switch to poetry. If words aren’t working at all, draw. Creativity is fluid, and sometimes, taking a detour helps you return with fresh eyes.
Think about your favorite writers; chances are, they’ve struggled with this, too. Read their interviews, their essays on writing. Many authors openly discuss their battles with writer’s block and their personal tricks to overcome it. Sometimes, just knowing that even the greats wrestle with the blank page can be comforting.
Try embracing the block instead of fighting it. What if, instead of seeing it as an obstacle, you viewed it as a sign that something inside you needs more time to develop? Not every moment has to be productive. Some of the best writing happens after periods of silence.
Alternatively, when you feel the pressure to create, try to start and explore things from a different point of view. You can avoid the trap of rationalization and instead, find yourself accidentally creating something of value.
Writing is an act of discovery. If you sit down expecting brilliance, you’re setting yourself up for frustration. Instead, treat it as an experiment. What happens if you write without thinking? Without worrying? What if you just let the words lead you?
Once you start, momentum takes over. One sentence leads to another. One thought sparks the next. And before you know it, you’re no longer stuck. You’re writing.
You can do anything for five minutes, right? Well, typing with writer’s block is an uncomfortable feeling—like putting in your eye contacts in the morning. But once you’ve fought through the awkward stage, you can finally see clearly.
Above all when you have writer’s block, be kind to yourself. Writing isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up. Some days will be harder than others, but if you keep putting words down, even when they feel clumsy or pointless, you’ll break through the block. And before you know it, you’ll be writing again.
Jacqueline Goldman (she/her) is an aspiring publishing professional and junior at Loyola University Maryland pursuing a degree in communication and media with a specialization in journalism and a minor in writing and business journalism. With experience as managing editor-in-chief for The Greyhound, nonfiction editor at Corridors Literary Magazine, and acquisitions editor at Apprentice House Press, she enjoys shaping compelling narratives and pushing the envelope.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Best Places to Write and Read in the Baltimore Area
By Gabby Granillo, written March 2025
Baltimore, as I have come to know it, is nothing short of lively, eclectic, and cozy. Reading and writing are two of my favorite things to do and when I have the time, these are my favorite local cafés and small businesses I like to support. Having a safe space to read comfortably, write your next novel, or plan some prose for your next reading is important!
Good Neighbor
Right off the bat, the name is quite fitting. Good Neighbor is a hole in the wall that is bright with large bay windows and found in Hampden, Baltimore. It is typically not loud in noise level, aside from your expected chatter between barista and customer. The seats are very comfy, but everything is first come, first serve. This location is good for both reading and writing, however if you are an individual who needs silence to focus, this is not the place for you. Desperate to try it out anyway? Invest in noise canceling headphones and you’ll be set for hours. If you are not looking to get takeout or order a coffee on the go, I recommend getting there shortly after opening and parking yourself in a chair to read and write. Make a day out of it!
When the weather obliges, Good Neighbor has outdoor seating to accommodate more guests, however, the patio is closed late fall to early spring. Another incentive to visit Good Neighbor is their newly established shoppable hotel, called guesthouse, designed for staycations, rejuvenations, and creative writing retreats. They offer weekday discounts, free daily coffee for specific bookings, and gift cards!
Hours of Operation:
Monday–Wednesday | 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Thursday–Friday | 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday | 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Location: 3827 Falls Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21211
Artifact Coffee
A unique artifact indeed! This is one of Baltimore’s best hidden gems. Free Wi-Fi, seasonal menus, handcrafted beverages, and plenty of seating: this has to be your next stop! The rustic and warm environment inside makes this a perfect place for writing inspiration, while the outdoor seating is great for catching rays with your favorite book. The noise level varies depending on the time of day and whether it’s a weekend. Many locals visit Artifact to grab a coffee and stay for the ambiance.
While Artifact is popular, you will never feel out of place in this coffee shop; friendly staff, intimate lighting, and comfortable seating make this an unparalleled experience. Its sister restaurant, Woodberry Kitchen, would also be a perfect place to host a poetry reading or book launch: they have extensive seating, a large cocktail and refreshment menu, with devoted staff and chefs to make your experience unforgettable.
Hours of Operation:
Monday–Friday | 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday | 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Location: 1500 Union Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21211
Bird in Hand
Bird in Hand is one of Yellow Arrow’s favorite partners to work with; the absolute best place to host a poetry reading, journal about your day, catch up with a fellow author, or write poetry independently. Located on the outskirts of Johns Hopkins University, it is a hub for writers, coffee lovers, and busy students. Bird in Hand doubles as a bookstore with walls lined with novels, ensuring visitors feel immersed and cozy. They have ample seating both inside and outdoors on their elevated patio.
The menu at Bird in Hand is what draws in many visitors as well! Between serving locally crafted coffee, a tea bar, and specialty spirits, they have everything. They offer breakfast meals, sandwiches, salads, and a snack for everyone. The noise level is not excessive, but far from silent. Being a busy spot, I would recommend cozying up in the corner to read or write alone but sitting at any table when working on group projects or meeting a friend.
Hours of Operation:
Sunday–Tuesday | 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Wednesday–Saturday | 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Location: 11 E 33rd Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
Pitango Bakery & Cafe Fells Point
A favorite of mine is Pitango Bakery & Cafe in Fells Point. Situated right on the water with lots of sunlight and extensive indoor and outdoor seating make this café paramount. This place is fitting for individuals who like to write and read at all hours of the day. With long hours every day of the week, a central location to shops, restaurants, and good views, Pitango is perfect.
Their menu caters to focusing on honest ingredients, inspired by authentic Italian cuisine, paralleling their attention to detail at Pitango Gelato, their sister shop.
Pitango Bakery’s vibe is light, fresh, and comfortable. You will not have trouble finding a seat with ample room, as Pitango caters to all kinds of customers: families, locals, and tourists, and it’s the perfect date location!
Hours of Operation:
Sunday–Tuesday | 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Wednesday–Saturday | 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Location: 903 S Ann Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21231
pitangogelato.com/location/pitango-bakery-cafe
Enoch Pratt Library
A must for any Baltimore resident, Enoch Pratt Library is a free, intellectually stimulating, and comfortable environment to write your next novel or poetry composition. The silence this spot has to offer is important and one of its best features as a reading and writing spot. They offer an online catalogue to conduct research, spark your imagination, and access audiobooks!
With long hours and hundreds of seats, make sure to take advantage of this wonderful resource: free Wi-Fi, job and career assistance, photocopier and printing services, computers for public use, and ADA/handicap accessible.
Hours of Operation:
Monday–Thursday | 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Friday–Saturday | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: Central Library 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
prattlibrary.org/locations/central
The Bun Shop
The Bun Shop is a must-visit café in Mount Vernon, with late-night hours and an extensive selection of snacking buns. This is one of Baltimore’s most unique spots, praised by customers as cozy, inclusive, and friendly. The Bun Shop is great for reading and writing, with an ambiance that will most definitely inspire your latest works. With jazz playing on the overhead speakers, and plenty of outlets, this café creates community and inspires creativity. They have free Wi-Fi, vegan food options, and plentiful seating.
Catch up with friends, grab a bite to eat, or camp out at a table finishing your writing drafts! With seating indoors and a patio outside, take advantage of this adorable Baltimore café.
Hours of Operation:
Sunday–Saturday | 8:00 a.m.–3:00 a.m.
Location: 239 W Read Street, Baltimore, Maryland 212101
If you’re looking for more places to check out, check out Siobhan McKenna’s blog from a few years ago: https://www.yellowarrowpublishing.com/news/inspiring-locations-to-write-baltimore-mckenna. Where do you choose to write in Baltimore?
Gabrielle Granillo is studying English and writing at Loyola University Maryland, minoring in environmental science and art. Raised in Arizona, with much of her family still on the west coast, she now lives in central Massachusetts, her home for the past 12 years. She aims to live in northern Europe after graduation and receive a master’s degree in photojournalism. Gabby spends her days reading Irish novels, practicing street photography, and trying out new recipes. Her three favorite things are hot tea, antiquing, and road trips. She looks forward to making valuable contributions to the Yellow Arrow team, as a woman-identifying writer herself, looking to explore further editorial practices and enhance her voice using inspiration of her fellow staff members.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
You published a book… What’s next?
By Ashley Elizabeth, written January 2025
You’ve done it.
From drafting your manuscript to editing, to editing again, to putting it away, then editing again, through submissions and rejections, then finally: that acceptance email comes. You’ve gone through the secrecy stage (or at least I did) until the press announces its next selections. Then you’re thrust back into editing. At least this time the next thing to do is cover design, interior layout, exterior layout, asking for blurbs, etc.—but you get it. The list goes on and on as to all the work required for your book to exist in your readers’ hands.
So, what do you do when the book is actually out?
The truth is what comes next is a personal decision, but one that should align with what you want of the manuscript. This is much easier than it sounds.
By the end of 2023, I knew that I would have two collections coming out in 2024: my debut full-length collection, A Family Thing, and my third chapbook, CHARM(ed). That said, I already knew I had a daunting task ahead of me since these two collections were vastly different thematically, and I felt like there was no connecting thread to market them together. I also wanted better for these two collections than what my first two collections garnered, so I knew I had to get to planning early, but what did “wanting better” mean?
It took a while for me to answer that specific question, but in the end, I came up with three wants: more visibility, more celebrations, and more spaces to share my work. I applied for various places to assist in widening my reach outside of Twitter/X, but to no avail, so I got even busier reaching out to venues I had read at previously and even being brave and contacting new ones to book readings or see how I could get involved. While some places said they had no openings for the year, they put me on their list for 2025, and I was grateful.
Alone, this one act combined more visibility and more spaces to share. While yes, this was a want of mine, it also was frightening for someone with social anxiety, but let’s consider this a challenge in the right direction.
Being a poet with these incredibly high expectations of myself, adding that to being a middle school educator comes with its own set of goals, challenges, and expectations. While managing the balance between edits of two different manuscripts in addition to my full-time job and other life events like one of my students stealing my car, I was continuing to submit work outside of these manuscripts and then the unthinkable happened: another chapbook of mine, red line, was accepted for publication—also in 2024.
A Family Thing was due to come out in August, and CHARM(ed) in November, so for red line to be slated for October rose internal panic because it meant that much more work had to be done. It also meant when I book events in the city talking about my experiences as an educator, I have to watch how I approach what I say, which is not so fun (red line covers part of my life as an educator after losing two of my students, my lens as a Black educator in a formerly white-led school, our lockdown situation, and my unconventional ways in the classroom).
But I don’t shy away from challenges: I embrace them.
For people with day jobs, writing by itself can feel like something you don’t have enough time for, let alone all these other moving parts. I would have loved to go coast to coast spreading my voice, but my reality isn’t set up that way as someone with such a demanding career and family life.
There have been times along my publishing journey this year that have veered me into the lane of giving up one, the other, or both, but that wouldn’t have been fair to my readers or my students, those who I continue to work for every day. It also wouldn’t have been fair to me. Since I was younger, I dreamt of becoming an author. Writing, especially writing my subject matter, is good work. Messy work at times, but good, important work.
So, after the collections came out and I spoke at all the planned readings and other engagements I had except for one due to illness, what was there to do?
I didn’t have to wait long to find my answer: After A Family Thing released, school was quickly starting and my car got stolen again, so I had life issues to worry about. After red line released, I picked up a terrible illness from school and was sick for several weeks where I was mainly focused on my health, which then also ran into the release of CHARM(ed) where I was starting to feel better but then ran into issues at school.
I haven’t touched much on the celebrations behind these publications because I consider each time I get to read from them to be a celebration of sorts, especially when I consider the themes within each manuscript. I made it through everything A Family Thing talks about, which is a celebration. Putting a good word into the atmosphere about Baltimore in CHARM(ed) is a celebration when people do nothing but try to destroy it (though I did treat myself to a chicken box and half-and-half both when I got the acceptance and when it was released). Uplifting my deceased scholars that I discuss in red line will also always be an honor and celebration as to know them, to say their names is a privilege.
Now if you asked me, “What do I recommend doing after publishing a book?” I could say take yourself on a solo date, eat a piece or two or five of your favorite cake, rest, dance in your underwear, call your sister and yap for two hours about everything and nothing, order your favorite takeout, marathon your favorite shows that you’ve seen maybe one too many times.
What I’m going to say is: Give yourself credit. You have created something no one in this world has. You have used your voice to speak up and out about something you believe in and that is probably the greatest, bravest thing you could ever do.
In short, what comes next is up to you. There is no right or wrong to your next steps, or any mandated steps for that matter, but whatever you decide to do, enjoy the journey. You’ve earned it, however “it” looks for you.
Ashley Elizabeth (she/her) is a winner of the 2024 Garden Party Collective Chapbook Contest. She is a Pushcart-nominated writer and teacher whose work has appeared in SWWIM, Voicemail Poems, Rigorous, and Sage Cigarettes, among others. Ashley is the author of A Family Thing (Redacted Books/ELJ Editions, 2024) and chapbooks red line (Garden Party Collective, 2024), CHARM(ed) (fifth wheel press, 2024), black has every right to be angry (Alternating Current, 2023), and you were supposed to be a friend (Nightingale & Sparrow, 2020). When she isn't teaching, reading, or writing, Ashley works as chapbook editor at Sundress Publications. She lives on the original land of the Piscataway (Baltimore, Maryland) with her partner and their cats.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Poetry as it is, as I love it
By Elizabeth Ottenritter, written November 2024
“If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me,
I know that is poetry.”
– Emily Dickinson
They say poetry is the only form of literary art that is for no one but the poet themself. This undeniable notion is what had drawn me to poetry in late high school. At first, I thought that poetry always had to rhyme, skipping stanzas to accomplish a consistent sound above all else. I would open my notes app and type something candid, and vaguely lyrical. My first poem was written on March 8, 2020, ironically titled “Thanksgiving.” I won’t expose my young self just yet, but the content was centered around my first love, who I never dated. The repetitiveness of this in my mind was surprisingly easy to put into words. Then, I was slowly able to move into free-verse after discovering poetry doesn’t owe a rhyme—it doesn’t owe anything at all.
I didn’t tell anyone about my sudden interest in the genre nor did I show anyone what I had been writing in fear it would go misunderstood. At the time, I had been trudging through a brutal senior year of high school that had been entirely online due to COVID. I often felt lonely, confused, and undeserving, which reflected in the subjects I’d write about as a subconscious form of consolation. In no way does poetry always come from such circumstances. Some of my favorite poems are about very pleasant things. I found comfort in writing my feelings, which allowed me to better understand myself in return.
I was admitted to Loyola University Maryland that spring and chose to major in writing. While the writing major is an uncommon track at most universities, I felt a sudden surge of confidence during my first semester of college. Writing had been the only thing I never minded looking at or putting time into. In December of that year, I saw that our literary art magazine at Loyola, Corridors, was accepting submissions for their spring issue. I nervously submitted two poems, thinking neither would be taken to publication, but I had nothing to lose anyway. That March, I received an email that changed my life, reading Congratulations! and We would like to accept “Dear Sun” and “No Nutrition.” I waited until I got to hold the publication in my hands and saw my printed work. I even read my poem “Dear Sun” at the release party, my shyness slowly dissipating for good. I was finally in the right place.
Three years later, I am still in love with poetry and language. I am enamored with those who have the talent to create, what I like to call “portrait poems” with words that depict how something appears visually. A good example of this would come from poet Jane Hirschfield and her book The October Palace. Hirschfield’s language is transparent as though you were looking at the hidden wonders of the world through clear glass. Her poetry is a homage to what is around her; there is a physicality to everything she writes. I enjoy Hirschfield’s poem “Page” for how particular and hard-hitting the lines are:
It waits for the old
to grow young, fed and unfearful,
for freighters to carry their hold-held oil
back into unfractured ground,
for fires to return
their shoeboxes of photos and risen homes
Poems such as these are easy to be inspired by and difficult to write. I admire U.S. poet laureate Ada Limón for this reason. Her ability to bend structure to her will is compelling, as is her way of redefining what poetry may look like within her forms. Limón’s poems “Calling Things What They Are” and “The Hurting Kind” are especially reflective of this.
Often, the poetry and art that I respond to is more self-centered. I am drawn to confessional, personal anecdotes that aim to say something larger than the work itself. I like poems about specific experiences—but ones that speak to universal experiences simultaneously.
The first poem I ever loved was “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe. I remember sitting in my middle school English class, holding back tears over the final line: “In her tomb by the sounding sea.” I didn’t understand why the words had upset me so viscerally. It might have been the building repetition of “Annabel Lee,” the closeness you feel to her through the eyes of Poe, how you never get to know her outside of him, her sudden untimely death and the terrifying notion that love lasts forever. All these concepts, new to me at the time, were the foundation for my interest in writing the human experience. While not everyone has buried a lover in a sepulchre by the sea, most can relate to losing someone they love. A poem has this remarkable ability, one that allows you to see what is already there, as well as the invisible strings that bind us together.
A song has a similar effect. Poetry and music are intertwined for me—much of my poetry has been inspired by music. I am not musically inclined, and I am aware that songwriting has a different intention than poetry, as it is written to accompany music for wide audiences. Even still, many of my favorite recording artists are beautiful writers who are also gifted with the talent for music. For some of my most listened-to songs, I could read the lyrics as a poem itself. Take, for instance, the song “Chelsea” by Phoebe Bridgers.
You are somebody’s baby
Some mother held you near
No, it’s not important
They’re just pretty words, my dear
There is no distraction
That can make me disappear
No, there’s nothin’ that won’t remind you
I will always be right here
When it comes to discovering new and old poetry, I am a big fan of the classic Poetry Foundation website. They post a poem of the day, often coinciding with holidays, historical events, and poets’ anniversaries. Often, I will get distracted on my laptop and find myself lost in a collection of poems on various subjects, like autumn or love. The New Yorker has an excellent fiction and poetry collection as well, which is always changing to highlight a wide range of voices.
As much as poetry is for the writer, it is meant to be shared. I have found both clarity and inspiration while workshopping my own poetry, as well as the poems of others. Art has always been a source of bonding. When something is close to your heart, there is a tendency to hide it within yourself. A poem, piece of prose, or even a song can challenge this notion, as our words live well beyond us. My grandmother passed away this summer, and while we remember her for so many things, she had signs hanging in her house that were so her. One read, “I was so far behind I thought I was first.” We smile when we remember those words and how they have touched us, and that is poetry to me.
Elizabeth Ottenritter (she/her) is a senior at Loyola University Maryland, where she studies writing. She is passionate about reading, crafting poetry, contributing to Loyola’s literary art magazine, Corridors, and traveling worldwide. Upon graduation, Elizabeth hopes to continue her love of learning and language in a graduate program.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
The Power of Being Heard: A Voice for Women with Traumatic Pasts
By Julie Alden Cullinane, written November 2024
The ability to have one’s voice heard is more than just a privilege; it is an act of defiance, survival, and healing, especially for women who have endured trauma. As the author of Ghosts Only I Can See (2024), I have found that sharing my story not only liberates me but also empowers others. My mission is to be a voice for women with traumatic pasts, especially those who have survived childhood trauma. Through writing and witnessing, I aim to dismantle the silence that often surrounds these experiences, challenging the gaslighting and denial that frequently accompany them. Amplifying voices is not just a personal endeavor—it is a collective call for change and validation.
The Healing Power of Storytelling
Trauma silences. It isolates and convinces survivors that their experiences are invalid or insignificant. Growing up with unresolved pain, many women internalize the belief that their voices do not matter. Sharing my story in Ghosts Only I Can See was not simply about revisiting the past; it was about reclaiming my narrative and affirming my worth. Writing creates space for healing—it allows us to process, understand, and contextualize our pain.
For women with traumatic childhoods, storytelling offers the opportunity to name what was once unnameable. When we write our stories, we confront the ghosts that haunt us, giving them shape and, ultimately, taking away their power to control us. Writing is both catharsis and resistance—a way of saying, “I was here, and my experience matters.”
Combating Gaslighting and Denial
A pervasive challenge for trauma survivors is the denial or minimization of their experiences, often perpetuated by those closest to them or society at large. Gaslighting, the deliberate manipulation to make someone doubt their reality, is particularly harmful. It leaves survivors questioning their memories, their feelings, and even their sanity. For women, whose voices are historically undervalued, this form of invalidation is especially insidious.
By amplifying my voice and encouraging others to do the same, I aim to dismantle this dynamic. When women share their stories, they assert their reality in the face of doubt. They become witnesses—not only to their pain but also to their strength. Writing, in this sense, is an act of validation and defiance. It is a declaration that our stories are not only real but also worth hearing.
Being a Witness for Others
Beyond sharing my own story, I feel a profound responsibility to be a witness for other women. Trauma often leaves survivors feeling invisible. By acknowledging and amplifying their voices, we create a space where they feel seen and heard. This role is both humbling and transformative. To witness another’s pain is to affirm their humanity, to stand in solidarity with their struggles, and to remind them they are not alone.
Women with traumatic pasts often carry immense guilt, shame, and isolation. When we share and bear witness, we disrupt these cycles. We create communities of understanding and support, where vulnerability is met with compassion rather than judgment. I want to be the voice that says, “I believe you,” and to inspire others to say the same.
Empowering Women to Write Their Stories
Writing is an accessible and transformative tool for self-expression and advocacy. Encouraging women to write their stories is central to my mission. Each story, no matter how small or large it may seem, holds the potential to inspire, educate, and heal. When women write, they reclaim their agency. They transform from passive victims of circumstance to active narrators of their lives.
Writing also ensures that our stories endure. It creates a record, a testament to our resilience. In a world where women’s experiences are often dismissed or erased, writing is an act of preservation and legacy. I want every woman to know that her voice matters, that her story is worth telling, and that she has the power to change the narrative—not just for herself but for others who follow.
Amplifying Voices for Systemic Change
While individual healing is essential, the amplification of women’s voices has broader implications. Systemic change begins with awareness, and awareness grows when diverse, authentic voices are heard. By sharing our stories, we challenge societal norms that perpetuate silence and stigma around trauma. We shift the cultural conversation from one of shame and secrecy to one of empowerment and understanding.
For women who have endured traumatic childhoods, this shift is especially vital. Childhood trauma shapes the way we view ourselves and the world. By addressing these issues publicly, we advocate for better resources, policies, and support systems for survivors. Amplifying our voices is not just about personal validation—it is about creating a world where future generations are better equipped to confront and overcome trauma.
The Ripple Effect of Sharing
When one woman shares her story, it creates a ripple effect. Her courage inspires others to speak out, creating a chain reaction of honesty and empowerment. As the author of Ghosts Only I Can See, I have witnessed this phenomenon firsthand. Readers have reached out to share how my words resonated with their own experiences, how my story gave them the courage to confront their past or to begin writing their own.
This ripple effect is why amplification matters. It is not about a single voice but about a collective chorus. Each story adds depth and nuance to the larger narrative of women’s resilience and strength. Together, our voices become impossible to ignore.
Moving Forward: A Call to Action
The work of amplifying voices is never finished. It requires continual effort, vulnerability, and courage. For me, this means continuing to write, to speak, and to advocate. It means creating spaces where women feel safe to share their truths and ensuring those spaces are inclusive and supportive.
I call on other women to join me in this mission. Whether through writing, speaking, or simply listening, we all have a role to play in amplifying voices. Together, we can challenge the silence that surrounds trauma, confront the forces that perpetuate it, and build a world where every woman feels seen, heard, and valued.
Having my voice heard and amplified is not just important to me—it is essential. It is a way to heal, to resist, and to inspire. As the author of Ghosts Only I Can See, I am committed to being a voice for women who have endured trauma, particularly those with painful childhoods. I want to be a witness, to combat gaslighting and denial, and to empower women to write their stories. Amplifying our voices is how we reclaim our power, transform our pain into purpose, and create a more just and compassionate world. Together, we can ensure that no woman ever feels silenced or invisible again.
Julie Alden Cullinane is a Boston-based writer. She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English, and her writing credits include poetry and short stories published in numerous literary magazines. Her common themes include womanhood, motherhood, and wonders of being human. In addition to her writing, Julie works as the vice president of human resources for a large behavioral health hospital, a role that offers her a rich perspective on the human experience, which she incorporates into her writing. She enjoys reading and writing in her free time and has a dedicated following on social media, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads, and Instagram. She also maintains an author’s website at julie.wildinkpages.com/poetry to engage with her readers.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Why I Love Poetry
By Caroline Kunz, written August 2024
In the words of Robert Frost, “Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” A simple, yet meaningful phrase that largely sums up why I love poetry. Writing poetry allows one the space to grapple with and sort out their most complicated emotions and experiences. Reading poetry allows one the ability to find names for the feelings they once found too difficult to identify. In my experience, poetry brings with it the greatest sense of comfort and relief, no matter how one engages with it.
My sentiments toward poetry haven’t always been so fond. Growing up, I couldn’t stand it. English class was always my favorite—I loved sinking my teeth into books that made me think, like The Giver and To Kill a Mockingbird, and I aced every quiz on figurative language and literary terminology. However, something about the yearly poetry unit left me less than enthused. I thought that poetry’s primary purpose was to remain mysterious and inaccessible, hiding some deeper message that only those well-versed in literature could decode. I believed that all poems needed to sound like a nursery rhyme—the more elaborate the rhyme scheme, the better. Squinting at the board in the front of the room, I tried to piece together what Edgar Allen Poe’s Raven meant when it squawked, “Nevermore,” wondering what was so important about the repetitive word, anyway. I took a stab at analyzing “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Caroll but felt as though I was reading another language. Were “brillig” and “slithy” even real words?
It wasn’t until I studied poetry in my junior year of high school that my opinions started to shift. It’s true that one teacher can completely change a mindset, proving all preconceived notions about a subject to be false. On the first day of the unit, my English teacher had our class open our American Literature Anthologies to a piece called “Desert Places” by Robert Frost. My only experience with Frost at that point had been reading “Nothing Gold Can Stay” in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. All I remembered was how confused the short poem had made me feel. I didn’t expect to enjoy this next one, either. Nonetheless, we read.
“What do the images in this poem have in common?” My teacher asked. Everything is desolate and blank, I thought. “Beyond nature and the outdoors, what do these images make you think of?” Loneliness, isolation, melancholy. Maybe it was the step-by-step analysis that my teacher walked us through. Or maybe, it was the fact that at that point in my life, I’d learned the stresses of balancing school with a part-time job and extracurriculars, friendship drama, keeping a strong GPA, and applying to colleges. I’d experienced the nostalgia of growing older (perhaps, Frost was right, after all, when he concluded that “nothing gold can stay”), the sadness of losing a grandparent and an aunt, the uncomfortable presence of change. Maybe it was because I’d shared in these human experiences that I was able to put aside the rhyme scheme and see the poem for what it was: a testimony to the feelings of loneliness and uncertainty that all of us have experienced. An ode to the notion that, at times, we’ve all felt as though we’re wandering a barren path, isolated and alone in our fears that we’ll never find our way through the uncharted territory. It was beautiful. I felt a strange sense of comfort in reading these words—I didn’t know that poetry could be emotional and relatable, allowing readers to see their feelings represented and validated in such short stanzas. I copied the poem down into my notebook so I wouldn’t forget it.
From that point on, I became eager to find poems like “Desert Places”—poems that I could read and digest and apply so easily to my own life. I inhaled the works of Emily Dickinson and Wendy Cope, Oscar Wilde and Ralph Waldo Emerson. I was fascinated by the fact that older poems such as these could still hold so much weight, still resonate so deeply with readers of any age. Before I knew it, my bookshelf was overtaken by a collection of little poetry books.
It’s no surprise that once the poetry bug bit, I decided to study English and writing at college. At present, I’ve completed three years, and I can say with confidence that the poetry classes I take are my favorite. I love the poems that my professor brings for us to read each week—Elizabeth Bishop, Louise Glück, Robert Lowell. I love getting to explore new genres, forms, styles, and narrative voices. I love getting to know my classmates and their opinions so well as we bounce ideas across our classroom’s round conference table. I love our in-class workshops; before every Thursday, we each write a poem to be brought in and edited, questioned, admired, and reworked by our professor at the front of the room.
“No, you can’t use that cliche.”
“I admire the risks you took with this one.”
“Why don’t we just get rid of the first three stanzas?”
“The heart of the poem is really here, in the last two.”
I love the conversation that I have with her red pen as I make my edits the day after a workshop. It’s fascinating to create my own work, seeing which topics I gravitate toward and which I shy away from. While the essays and analyses that I’m assigned in my English classes often prove to be stressors, these poems that I have due each Thursday act as a release, both creatively and emotionally. And, in turn, I’ve found that crafting so many poems has helped to strengthen my writing in every other academic area—it’s helped me to find a sense of conciseness, a greater awareness of pace and phrasing.
Last spring, during the final week of my “Poetic Influence” class, my professor could see the weariness in our eyes. Our once lively class discussions had turned sullen and sparse. We begged for extensions and handed in late assignments left and right, which she usually had no tolerance for. With mere days before final exams began, we were giving her all that we had. “I thought today I’d bring in one of my favorites by Ellen Bass called, ‘The Thing Is,’” she said. “You all could clearly use it.”
In that moment, these words were exactly what I needed to hear. The stress and anxiety brought on by the upcoming exams, the 12-page paper I had due that night, my yearly end-of-semester mystery illness, the bittersweetness of saying goodbye to my friends for the summer, the fact that I hadn’t even begun to pack up my apartment for move-out . . . all seemed to melt away. Bass reminded me that pain, fear, and grief are all inevitable. Suddenly, my problems seemed to become a lot smaller, and I knew that, while I didn’t love life in this particular moment, I would soon “hold it like a face” and appreciate it once again.
So, if you ask me why I love poetry, the answer is simple. Poetry allows us to feel less alone. Poems are like companions. Little reminders that we can stick in our back pocket, taking them out and consulting their advice when we need it most. Poetry grows up with us; “Desert Places” is still with me, in that old notebook from junior year, and in the Frost books that I keep on my shelf. Poetry is more than mere pretty words strung together to sound like an ode or a fairy tale. Poetry is complex, emotive, withstanding. Poetry is universal.
Caroline Kunz (she/her) is a rising senior at Loyola University Maryland, where she studies English and writing on a pre-MAT track. She enjoys traveling, scouting out new coffee shops, and of course, reading and writing. As an aspiring educator, she hopes to share her love of the written word with future generations of students. Her current favorite authors include Taylor Jenkins Reid and Celeste Ng.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Reaching New Orbits with Feminist Speculative Writing by Angela Acosta
By Angela Acosta, written September 2024
The worlds of feminist speculative fiction and poetry are vast. They are filled with spacefaring humans creating homes on new planets, Earth dwellers seeking respite from the sun, ferocious river-born monsters, and high fantasy cities full of spells and runes. You may have read stories by Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, or CJ Cherryh that made you rethink what you thought you knew about science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Works by these writers offer alternate histories, examine human nature alongside aliens, and ask their readers tough questions. Feminist speculative fiction decenters whiteness and dismantles colonialism. It walks away from the Omelas to envision more just queer, trans, crip, Black, Indigenous, Latine, and Asian futures.
When I joined the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA) in early 2022, I was in awe of the ecosystem of speculative poets, journals, and presses that awaited me. Since then, I have published my work in over 30 speculative literary magazines and worked with small presses to publish two Elgin nominated collections, Summoning Space Travelers (Hiraeth Publishing, 2022) and A Belief in Cosmic Dailiness (Red Ogre Review, 2023). Before then, I had only published a handful of nongenre poems and often got lost in the maze of poetry contests, vanity publishers, and beautiful literary magazines for which my work was simply not a good fit. I had read plenty of science fiction novels, YA dystopias, and literary classics, but I had yet to experience SciFaiku, experimental work, and narrative speculative poems.
I got my start as a speculative poet publishing “The Optics of Space Travel” in Eye to the Telescope. This piece, like much of my speculative writing, grapples with questions of cultural erasure, multilingualism, and family legacies:
My eyes are the bridge between worlds and generations,
when languages and cultures have been assimilated out of me.
I can still see the road ahead, of stories yet to be told,
onward towards Mars and the deceleration of the universe.
Feminist speculative literature is multilingual and multicultural, held steady with the promise that the cultures and languages of Earth will be spoken and celebrated in the future. As a child, I yearned to speak Spanish and to know the recipes and cultural traditions of my Mexican ancestors. Though I didn’t learn Spanish from my family, the language in all its linguistic diversity has become a part of who I am. I have grown from this cosmovisión, a worldview amplified by the many cultures where Spanish and indigenous languages of the Américas are spoken. The literature of Abya Yala, a Kuna word for the misnomer that is Latin America, is full of myths like El Dorado and La Malinche, fantastic journeys and lost homelands, and the recuperation of indigenous cultures and voices. For those who speak Spanish, I recommend Rodrigo Bastidas Pérez’s anthology El tercer mundo después del sol, a collection of stories from across Abya Yala that bring together techno futurism, folklore, horror, and many other speculative subgenres.
My science fiction poetry seeks to envision Latine characters thriving in worlds beyond Earth. I write in English and Spanish about a city built over the Chicxulub crater in “Paradise of the Abyss,” cook tamales with Martian cheese in “Tamales on Mars,” find a new home for the delightfully resilient axolotl in “Rewilding the Axolotl” (Star*Line vol. 47, no. 2), and celebrate a quinceañera (15th birthday celebration) en route to a new galaxy in “Andromeda’s First Quinceañera” (Space and Time issue 142). My bilingual collection A Belief in Cosmic Dailiness contains poems that envision the dailiness of human emotions and experiences in settings beyond Earth, from parties onboard a spaceship to creatures gathered around a campfire listening to filk music (sci-fi folk music). I wrote the collection to capture the wonder and possibility of Latine futures, even when our names and histories cannot be found on star charts.
Recent fiction by Valerie Valdes and Becky Chambers has shown me that space can be for every human and alien species. Their books depict a future where people of all backgrounds and abilities can make their way to crowded space stations and settle on exoplanets without destroying the local flora and fauna. Theirs is a future of accessibility and acceptance of ourselves and our pasts, a place full of found families, multispecies communities, and heartfelt laughter.
For those entering the world of speculative fiction, there are many journals accepting feminist work. The Sprawl Mag, edited by Mahaila Smith and Libby Graham, is a feminist speculative journal “focused on publishing perspectives that have historically been left out of canonical sci-fi and fantasy.” Radon Journal publishes antifascist and anarchist poetry and prose, including science fiction, transhumanism, and dystopia. Most importantly, these journals offer excellent feedback and support their contributors. Other venues for speculative work that I enjoy reading and writing for are Solarpunk Magazine, Heartlines Spec, If There’s Anyone Left, Utopia Science Fiction, and Shoreline of Infinity. Speculative writers of color should consider submitting to FIYAH (Black writers of the African diaspora) and Anathema (on hiatus, planning to return in 2025). For those with poetry manuscripts ready for submission, Interstellar Flight Press is a mainstay of the genre, Aqueduct Press publishes feminist science fiction, Prismatica is for LGBTQ+ writers, and I have personally enjoyed working with the editorial team at Red Ogre Review.
When I first watched the Diné science fiction short film “Sixth World,” written and directed by Nanobah Becker, I was excited to see Diné astronauts tackling the challenges of a mission to Mars. These feminist, anticolonial futures are not without the conflicts of present-day society but offer new perspectives on age-old challenges. Feminist speculative futures are not necessarily utopian, nor do they portray an amalgamation of existing human cultures. They are as specific to the cultures and peoples they depict as they are vast, always venturing for the journey through space and time to be inclusive and accessible.
Angela Acosta, PhD (she/her), is a bilingual Mexican American poet and Assistant Professor of Spanish at the University of South Carolina. She is a 2022 Dream Foundry Contest for Emerging Writers finalist, 2022 Somos en Escrito Extra-Fiction Contest honorable mention, and Utopia Award nominee. Her Rhysling nominated poetry has appeared in Heartlines Spec, Shoreline of Infinity, Apparition Lit, Radon Journal, and Space & Time. She is author of the Elgin nominated poetry collections Summoning Space Travelers (Hiraeth Publishing, 2022) and A Belief in Cosmic Dailiness (Red Ogre Review, 2023).
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Ecopoetry: The Web That Connects
By Laurel Maxwell, written December 2024
As humans we are part of an interconnected web just like the mycelium that snake underneath the soil. As writers we have found ways to write about this connection we feel to the earth, what makes us pause in delight. We know how to select the right words to write about a bee tumbling inside the lip of a poppy. Writing about nature has gone by different names over the course of history. Today we know it as ecopoetry, or ecopoetics. This form of poetry focuses on how humans interact with the world around them, the observations they make, and the natural world itself. It runs deeper than personifying a tree, it is seeing that tree surrounded by forest and wondering what the forest will look like in 10 or 20 years. Ecopoetry works as a way to understand and untangle our thoughts on how humans can harm something beautiful while simultaneously striving to protect it. It can also serve as a call to action to protect all that is already disappearing.
One of the first poems I fell in love with was Mary Oliver’s Spring Day. The iconic line “what will you do with your one wild and precious life” set something free in my soul. Since reading those words I have slowly gravitated toward poets who use nature to make sense of the world. Over time I found myself writing in the same vein. It wasn’t an intentional change, there was suddenly more to write about as climate catastrophe became front and center in my personal life. Months of extreme smoke kept me indoors during summer, and flooding disrupted daily life in the winter. But ecopoetry can also be a love poem. Writing about the way a hummingbird dips into a flower or a honeysuckle vine tangles in a chain-link fence. How nature is resilient in the face of its own destruction in the way humans are not. Years after a massive fire swept through a state park I returned to visit with my mom and husband. Yes, tree bark was blackened, but there were also tufts of green sprouting above our heads.
Ecopoetry isn’t a new form of poetry, think of those early contemporaries Henry David Thoreau and Walden. It does seem ecopoetry has taken on a sudden sense of urgency as the world tips and spins with an increase in natural disasters. It has heightened our awareness of being on this marble in the universe. In my quest to learn more I searched in the scraps of time before dinner, in a few silent morning moments for poets who were writing now. Isabella Zapatas’ Una Ballena es Un Pais (A Whale is a Country) showed me it was possible to write about ecological concerns in a way free of scientific jargon. I loved the creativity she used to discuss animals in their habitats and her perspective on the way humans interact with them. Wound Is the Origin of Wonder by Maya C. Popa was the second book that shook me awake to what writing to the natural world could look like. What made her work different was that she wrote from the lens of loss, to an environment that is all too quickly disappearing. Mary Oliver is the queen of writing toward what is outside our window from geese to grasshoppers. Maria Popava writes at the intersection of science, the environment and wonder. Rebecca Elson used her background in astronomy to write clearly crafted scientific prose while boldly coming to terms with her diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Responsibility to Awe. Newer publications that give a nod toward women writers and the environment are Poetry in the Natural World edited by Ada Limon and Leaning Towards the Light, an anthology of poems geared toward gardeners. All these writers are playful and serious while grasping the fragility of humanity.
I didn’t see the turn in my own work toward ecopoetry until I submitted a series of poems for critique. The reader pointed out how often I returned to interweaving actions between humans and the environment. Within this larger theme I was also seeking to gather a sense of self. He gratefully pointed me toward writers who “document human interaction with the landscape.” I began to become aware of the poems I was drawn toward and found they all touched on nature with a hint of science to provide a sense of grounding. “Write about your obsessions,” Ellen Bass said in a workshop. I’m obsessed with this earth, its changing, and my place in it, the harm humans have caused. How destruction brings about beauty. And this is the root of ecopoetry: work that focuses on the natural world and how humans interact with the spaces they inhibit.
As writers we are often keen observers of the world. We don’t have the luxury of being Walden and spending years at a pond, but we can look outside the front door, at the spider web stranded between two porch beams, a flower sprouting in an unexpected location. This sense of observation lends itself to ecopoetry which places nature at the center rather than humanity. This written word helps to weave our existence within that of the natural world. How many times have I written about the waves in some sense? Their meditative fall and retreat? Or that waves always return to where they started. Smoothing eons of mountains to sand. One of the things I love about ecopoetry is that it can bring our world into focus with something as small as an ant; does the ant know the size of the leaf it carries across the foundation of the world? Or as large as the cosmos.
If you are interested in submitting, there are a variety of publications that are looking for pieces which focus on the natural world. These include Fly Away Literary Journal, Kelp, Tiny Seed, Canary, and Ecotone, among others. The website Poets for Science explores the connection between science and poetry. This well-curated site has ways to advocate for the environment as well as opportunities to share your own work.
In this world of uncertainty I know that I can write what I see as I walk to the store, as I move between classes where I teach. I have my favorite tree whose leaves alert me to the season’s changing well before the air cools. For me, when I write about the environment it helps to keep me rooted. It also helps me pay attention, which in turn provides me with more to sift through as I put words on the page. I hope that you, too, can find joy in the small moments of the natural world to keep yourself moving forever forward.
“What Needs Care”
By Laurel Maxwell
This warming cracked, catastrophically changed planet.
Even though it may be too late to reverse course.
Except right now there is a squirrel with a yellow nut in its jaws skimmering across the patio.
Buttercup blooms on the yarrow plant daring the sun to emerge.
On Thursday I swam out in the ocean.
Investigated a log surfing the currents.
Head in the murky wet I didn’t notice the seal patrolling close to shore.
Today Ruth brought a bounty of pears from her garden.
We handled them like treasures.
The once burned landscape is beginning to care for itself.
Regrowth slow, but there all the same.
The birds which are inhabiting the charred branches, hip high weeds marking the trail.
People tentatively stepping into a brighter landscape than the one they knew.
Who will care for the coral bleached of their colors?
The rising tide battering roads.
Floods that disappear whole towns.
Seeds whose DNA have been so altered whole plant species are disappearing.
What needs care are these bodies we forget
as we hurtle through time.
Their age insignificant as space dust on this
billion-year-old planet.
If interested in learning more about ecopoetry or writing your own, check out Writing Ecopoetry with Joanne Durham, which starts on March 5. In this workshop, participants will read and discuss poetry that spans a wide range of relationships between people and the rest of the natural world from anthologies such as Poet Laureate Ada Limon’s 2024 You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, Camille Dungy’s Black Nature, and Bradfield, Furhman & Sheffield’s Cascadia Field Guide. Learn more about the class at yellowarrowpublishing.com/workshop-sign-up/p/writingecopoetry2025.
Laurel Maxwell is a poet from Santa Cruz, California, whose work is inspired by life’s mundane and the natural world. Her work has appeared at baseballballard.com, coffecontrails, phren-z, Verse-Virtual, Tulip Tree Review, and Yellow Arrow Vignette SPARK. Her creative fiction was a finalist for Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest. Her piece “A Still Life” was nominated for Best of the Net by Yellow Arrow Publishing. She has a chapbook forthcoming from Finishing Line Press in 2025. When not writing, Laurel enjoys putting her feet in the sand, reading, traveling, and trying not to make too much of a mess baking in a too small kitchen. She works in education. You can find her at lgtanza.wixsite.com/writer or on social media @lomaxwell22.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Writing Process Notes: How Not to Dread Revision
By Isabel Cristina Legarda, written October 2024
I often get a little flutter in my belly when I turn on my laptop to open a work in progress. Revision can be exciting, but also dreadful. I totally get the well-known quip (often attributed, probably erroneously, to Dorothy Parker), “I hate writing. I love having written.” It’s a joke, of course. I love writing. What I actually dislike is feeling unable to translate what’s in my mind faithfully onto the page. The many stops and starts of finding the right words, the right structure, or the right direction fill me with anxiety. I’ve put my forehead on a desk surface many times and whined, “C’mon, you can do it. Keep going.”
Shirley Jackson claimed she wrote her masterpiece “The Lottery” in one sitting. Her essay about the process, “Biography of a Story,” used to fill me with envy. It describes what I (and I suspect many others as well) fantasize about when envisioning the ideal writing process: sitting in front of a blank page, a lone figure is struck by a compelling idea which then gives rise to streams of just the right words, all written in one great, almost unstoppable torrent, bringing the mental vision to perfect fruition. Inspiration with a captial “I” makes the words flow as if beckoned by some unseen power, and the author sits there writing or typing furiously, barely able to keep up. Jackson’s first version of “The Lottery” may have flowed out with the kind of unusual ease writers dream of experiencing, but in reality, writing it still involved drafts, feedback, and revision, as the process does for most writers.
Though this much-desired writing flow does happen once in a while, I think it’s rare—certainly for me. I might be an especially slow writer. I dread what I’ll euphemistically call the shoddy first draft; I wince at how inadequate it looks and sounds, how embarrassing it is in the ways it misses the mark. I procrastinate to avoid reopening it and seeing all its blotches, blemishes, and giant pores.
The truth, however, is that revision is the heart of the writing process. It’s the space in which the chiseling and shaping of a block of words can set free the hidden, essential work (to borrow from Michelangelo). Craft takes good writing and turns it into art. Although the creative process can be mysterious and elusive, craft is technical enough to lend itself to a methodical approach.
When I’m revising a piece, any piece, I comb through it line by line and ask myself the same six questions:
1. Do I encounter glitches reading it out loud? (e.g., stumbling, awkward pauses, unpleasant sounds, and bad rhythm)
2. Do I need this word (or phrase)? (I’ll question articles and weak verbs like “to be,” adverbs, adjectives, and redundancies.)
3. Can I replace groups of words with fewer words or one word?
4. Is each word the best word?
5. Is the piece “saying” what I want it to? (What do I want it to say?) Can I apply Flannery O’Connor’s well-known quote about stories to it, i.e. is it “a way to say something that can’t be said any other way, and it takes every word in the [piece] to say what the meaning is?”
6. Does the piece contain a DYBI moment? (DYBI = draw-your-breath-in. Often in the form of a fresh image, insight, use of language, or surprising way of seeing something. Examples from the poetry world include “How to Prepare Your Husband for Dinner” by Rachelle Cruz, “Cult of the Deer Goddess” by Caylin Capra-Thomas, and “Epithalamion for the Long Dead” by Danielle Sellers.)
I take heart that even the greatest writers of the past have wrestled, Jacob-like, with the Angel of Revision, like Victor Hugo and Emily Dickinson, whose home in Amherst contains a large interactive display of lines from “A Chilly Peace infests the Grass” for which she trialed different words to see if they would work.
Interactive display at the Emily Dickinson Museum, Amherst, Massachusetts; photo by author
Facsimile of a page from Volume III, Book 1 of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, displayed at an exhibit of his drawings, Maison Hugo, Paris; photo by author
I enjoy catching glimpses of a writer’s process. Images of manuscript pages, with the authors’ crossings-out and scribblings, and literary journals like The Account, where writers explain the backstories of their works, and Underbelly, in which first and final drafts of each work are printed side by side, inspire me and fill me with curiosity and wonder. There’s a kind of flow evidenced in these too—the unfolding of increasing clarity as writers draw ever-closer to the voice and words they want. When I look at the opening lines of my own poem “Boondocks,” published in Beyond the Galleons (2024), in their very first and last iterations, I am startled by how different the two are, yet pleased that the soul of the poem inhabits both:
“Boondocks” ~ opening lines as published
I.
We hear the word and think
uncouth, naive, unsophisticated,
ramshackle huts off the grid,
prints of bare feet pressed
to dirt roads, scattered
corn husks, the smell
of burning wood, skin
prickling against the elements –
where a bad fall can mean
the end of life.
“Boondocks” ~ first draft of opening lines
If you’re from the boondocks
you might be stereotyped as uncouth,
naïve, unsophisticated, a fish
out of water in the civilized world.
We joke about the boonies –
how remote they are, how nothing
of any use can be found for miles,
just corn husks and the smell of wood
burning, ramshackle huts off the grid
along dirt roads carrying the prints
of the bare feet of unwashed, unschooled
children and the men who sired them,
who gather and cut firewood by hand.
Having crafted a piece for hours, days, or weeks, set it aside, revisited it, agonized, had the occasional break-through, and done as much as we think we can do, how do we know when a piece is “finished?” I don’t think we can ever be totally sure. Even the best writing samples could probably be tweaked or rewritten in a hundred more ways. I’ve had the experience of multiple voices offering feedback that led me to rework a piece many times, only to realize after some time away from the piece that my gut was still telling me the original “said it best” and later to have that very original accepted for publication. I’ve often wondered what would happen if I took a lesser-known work by a literary giant like John Donne or Virginia Woolf and distributed the piece without identification to a group of writers to workshop. I have no doubt there would be lots of eager critiquing. Someone always has a suggestion for even the greatest pieces of writing. At the same time, truly helpful feedback, from readers who understand and support the author’s vision, can elevate a work from good to great.
Flannery O’Connor wrote in The Habit of Being, “I am amenable to criticism but only within the sphere of what I am trying to do; I will not be persuaded to do otherwise.” I admire her strong faith in her own voice and work and strive to trust my own intention and vision for each piece that I write. In the end there’s nothing like applying a revision to a poem or short story, reading it to yourself, and exclaiming, “Yes!” in your heart. That feeling might even surpass the pleasure of writing that flows effortlessly onto the page by some “miracle” of Inspiration. With this in mind, I try to embrace revision. It is, after all, what makes us true writers, aspiring masters of our craft.
Isabel Cristina Legarda was born in the Philippines and spent her early childhood there before moving to Bethesda, Maryland. She holds degrees in literature and bioethics and is currently a practicing physician in Boston, Massachusetts. She enjoys writing about women’s lived experience, cultural issues, and finding grace in a challenging world. Her work has appeared in America Magazine, Cleaver, The Dewdrop, The Lowestoft Chronicle, Ruminate, Sky Island Review, Smartish Pace, Qu, West Trestle Review, and others. Find Isabel on Instagram and Twitter @poetintheOR.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Down to Every Word: A Conversation Across Genres with Jennifer Martinelli Eyre
For Jennifer Martinelli Eyre, life comes with many hats. She is a wife, a mother, an employee, a daughter, a sister, a niece, and a writer, residing in Harford County, Maryland. At the end of a long day, you might find her tucked away in a home office, scribbling her next work on a vibrant pink chair. Jennifer’s poem, “If Barbie Were My Daughter,” was featured in Yellow Arrow Journal ELEVATE (Vol. IX, No. 1). You can also find her poem, “Better” in Yellow Arrow Vignette AMPLIFY.
Elizabeth Ottenritter, Yellow Arrow Publishing’s fall 2024 publications intern, and Jennifer engaged in a conversation through email where they discussed the craft of free-verse poetry and writing realities across genres.
You have resided in Maryland your entire life—do you have any early memories rooted in Baltimore that may have influenced your interest in writing?
I have been a fan of musical theater since early childhood. I was, and continue to be, drawn to the power of lyrics and the stories they tell. Seeing as though I cannot sing or dance, my admiration for the performing arts often took place in the seat of many Baltimore theaters such as the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre, Lyric Baltimore, and Hippodrome Theatre. I have countless memories of sitting on the velvet edge of my seat, mesmerized by the words being sung from the stage. Having access to these performances fueled my love for words and played a large role in my obsession with storytelling.
How would you describe the writing scene in Baltimore? Have you found a network of fellow artists?
I am just beginning to dip my toe into the Baltimore writing scene. Through social media, I have discovered local treasures such as the Ivy Bookstore, and I’ve long admired the city’s devotion to independent booksellers. I recently attended my first Baltimore Book Festival and was overwhelmingly inspired by the city’s love and support of the literary arts. The amount of joy and inspiration in the air was infectious, and I honestly didn’t want the day to end.
Prior to Covid, I joined the local Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) chapter where I connected with fellow Maryland writers all in various points of their writing careers. The resources and comradery were unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I’m proud to say I’ve made some lifelong friends through the SCBWI. I highly recommend seeking out the SCBWI if you write (or illustrate) for children and young adults.
I would love to hear about your MFA experience and how writing for children/young adults has influenced your approach to writing.
Writing for children and young adults has taught me the importance of unique character perspective. For example, an adult character walking down dark, basement stairs may view their surroundings differently than a child walking down the same set of steps. An adult may view the darkness as nothing more than an annoyance because their spouse failed to change a lightbulb. A child on the other hand, may feel like they are venturing down a dark tunnel to a deadly dungeon. A story can go in multiple directions when you take the time to analyze a character’s perspective. It’s so easy to write from the perspective of where we are in life (adults) but to step into the shoes of a child truly changes everything. This is just one of hundreds of lessons I took with me from the program.
When you write a free verse poem, where do you begin? What tends to come to you first?
My approach to free-verse poetry is rather unstructured. I view free-verse poems as internal thoughts. For example, we don’t think in complete sentences. We don’t process information internally with proper grammar or rhyme schemes. Thoughts come to us as an immediate reaction to a given event, and it’s those unfiltered moments that typically spark my entry point into a free-verse poem. From that point on, I work to fine tune the message or theme while striving to keep the vulnerability and honesty of the poem’s message.
Give me Better Homes and Gardens
without the strands of pearls.
Show me the woman bundled in a blanket, her golden strands now gone.
A warrior on a hospital bed throne, pulling the weeds of cancer from her garden
with grace, poison, and prayer.
“Better” from Yellow Arrow Vignette AMPLIFY
Your poem “Better” is unique in its framing and repetition. Do you feel that the poems you write reflect a certain headspace you were in at the time? Or a physical place?
I have had moments in my life that I was only able to process through writing. I find that these poems tend to be more for me than for sharing. It’s a way for me to face the truth of what I’m experiencing which is not always easy.
Poems such as “Better” come from a space held a little more at arm’s length. The line, “Show me the woman bundled in a blanket, her golden strands now gone,” wasn’t written from a specific personal experience, but more from a collection of experiences watching people I love battle cancer at various points in my life. However, pulling bits and pieces from my past for a poem doesn’t always feel intentional. Sometimes the truth I weave into my poems is so quiet that I don’t even realize I’m pulling from experiences until the words settle on the page.
You mentioned weaving pieces of yourself alongside vulnerabilities in “If Barbie Were My Daughter.” How do you move past fear of exposure while crafting a candid piece such as this?
Poems such as “If Barbie Were My Daughter” do expose a part of myself that isn’t always easy to see. I’d be lying if I said that I’ve never been afraid to share personal experiences and vulnerabilities in my poems. The fear and discomfort typically boil over in the drafting/revising phase. Having your truth stare back at you from a page can be disarming, and it’s in those moments that I allow myself to experience the fear.
However, when the piece is complete and ready to share, I no longer view the work as something private I’m revealing about myself. Rather, I take a few steps back from the piece and create space for others to connect to the work in their own way. My poems are bigger than me, and it would be selfish to think I’m the only one on the planet who’s felt a particular way. My hope is that by sharing my vulnerabilities, I can inspire others to come to the table with their experiences. Fear feeds of off loneliness and wilts in a crowd.
How do you approach revising your own poetry?
I approach my revisions by first determining what it is that I want a poem to convey. I then look for areas where I said too much or said too little. It’s important to me that my words not only share a thought or experience (whether fiction or reality) but that they also leave room for the reader to find their own connection and interpretation. I will rework a poem endlessly until I feel that I’ve created a space for both on the page.
What types of art do you feel you respond to the most? How do they manifest in your own work?
I enjoy contemporary prose fiction, and my nightstand is currently stacked with such books. In free-verse poetry, there is an overwhelming call for brevity that doesn’t exist on the same level in prose. Every word in a poem must serve a precise purpose. That’s not to say that prose allows for needless detail, but it does add a layer of storytelling that inspires me. For example, I will get lost in a chapter that talks about nothing but the smell of a fresh cut grass from the perspective of a man who’s just been freed from prison. I want to know every detail of what that grass smells like to this character because it’s significant to who this person is and what they’ve been through.
After I finish a story written in prose, I will always take a moment and ask myself if that same story could have survived in a free-verse format. Sometimes the answer is yes and sometimes it is no. Regardless of the answer, it’s the process of asking myself these questions that helps me become a stronger, more intentional storyteller.
At the Baltimore Book festival, you told me to write what I wanted and to not let anyone tell me what I should write. I think this is such a powerful notion. Do you have any more advice for young women writers who are new to the publishing/literary world?
Women continue to be challenged by those too afraid to hear what we have to say. We are told to be quiet, comply, and to not talk about the hard things because it makes others uncomfortable. In my experience, being silenced and censored has only strengthened my literary voice.
My advice to women new to the publishing world is to go with your gut when it comes to your writing. Only you know what drove you to pick up that pen and place those words on paper; it’s crucial that you hold onto this. It can be quite easy to let the opinions of others dim the spark that started the whole project, but don’t let it. You have something to say, and the world needs to hear it.
Jennifer Martinelli Eyre graduated with her MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in January 2023, where she spent her time studying writing for children and young adults. Jennifer enjoys exploring various literary styles of writing, particularly free verse poetry. When she is not writing, Jennifer can be found behind a desk at her full-time job or reading one of the many books piled on her nightstand. Jennifer has resided in Maryland her entire life and currently lives in Harford County with her husband, daughter, and ornery cat. You can find her on Instagram and Thread at @jmeyrewriter.
Elizabeth Ottenritter (she/her) is a senior at Loyola University Maryland, where she studies writing. She is passionate about reading, crafting poetry, contributing to Loyola’s literary art magazine, Corridors, and traveling worldwide. Upon graduation, Elizabeth hopes to continue her love of learning and language in a graduate program.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Tips on Submitting Your Work to Literary Publications
By Leticia Priebe Rocha
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself (like many people) contemplating where my life was going after any semblance of a plan went out the proverbial window. I had an epiphany that I refer to as my Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally confession moment: “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” Except for me, instead of a stunning Meg Ryan as Sally, my beloved is poetry. I felt a great sense of urgency to share my work with others. I was also acutely aware of my inexperience—I’d been writing since high school, but I had virtually no exposure to the literary world and had no idea how any of it worked.
I vaguely remembered advice from a creative writing professor in college—typically people start their writing careers by submitting their work to literary magazines. I Googled around and eventually found some open submission opportunities. My head filled with questions. What on earth is a Submittable? How do I write a cover letter? Which poems should I even send in? Needless to say, it was quite the learning curve.
Five years and hundreds of submissions later, I’d like to share the knowledge that I picked up along the way. Over the last two years, I have also had the pleasure of working with Yellow Arrow Publishing as guest editor of the EMBLAZON issue of Yellow Arrow Journal, later joining their editorial staff. Seeing the other side of the submission process was incredibly illuminating, so I will share tips from the perspective of both a writer and an editor. Submissions to the next issue of Yellow Arrow Journal, UNFURL on the process people go through when finding and transforming into their authentic selves, are open until February 28. Learn more about the submissions process and how to submit at https://www.yellowarrowpublishing.com/submissions.
Submit with Care: Choosing Where to Submit
You’ve written some pieces, wrestled with revision, and you’re ready to share them with the world. Where do you start? There are thousands of literary publications out there and it can quickly get overwhelming.
I have three sources that I use to find submission opportunities. Many publications have a social media presence and post about their reading periods. I especially like being able to see the online community that surrounds a publication. I also use ChillSubs, which is an online database of literary publications. It’s a great tool because you can filter your search to find what works best for you. There are other databases, too, like Duotrope. I also look at the acknowledgments page of poetry collections that I read and research any publications listed that I haven’t heard about.
Aside from finding submission opportunities, I urge you to find publications that align with your values and will take care of your work. When I started sending out submissions, I was so excited by the prospect of someone liking my work enough to publish it that I was not especially concerned with who was publishing it. With more experience, I started thinking more about how where I choose to publish could be seen as a reflection of my own values. Since then, I’ve been more intentional about where I submit, evaluating each publication’s website to determine whether we are in alignment. Reviewing the “about” section for every publication, observing whether they’re transparent about their editorial team (often called “the masthead”), and checking their social media presence are a few ways that I vet a journal.
Once I feel comfortable with a publication’s credibility, there are a few other layers I’ve learned to consider. How you approach them is dependent on your preferences and writing goals:
Publications can be in print, digital, or both. I personally don’t prioritize where I submit with this in mind, though it is really exciting to see my work in print!
Many publications charge reading fees, typically ranging from $2.00 to $5.00. This is fairly standard in the literary world, though there are plenty of magazines that are free to submit to. Personally, I tend to submit to free publications.
While a lot of publications don’t have the funds to pay their contributors, there are many who do. How much they pay varies widely. Typically, more established and “prestigious” publications can pay more than others.
Reading is Fundamental: Submission Best Practices
Now you’ve found literary publications that you want to send your work to who are open for submissions. Yay! The most important advice I can give you on the logistics of submitting is to read and follow the guidelines on the submission call.
Each publication has its own rules about how many pieces you can send, formatting, and other important details to keep in mind when submitting, like a theme. Considering the number of submissions most places receive, failing to follow guidelines can be an automatic disqualifier. Reading the guidelines also helps me get a feel for the publication and whether it is somewhere I want to see my work in.
One aspect of the submission process that initially baffled me was the cover letter. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty simple, and you should not spend a lot of time writing it. I created a template for myself and adjust it as necessary to save time when submitting. Starting off with a simple “Dear editors” will suffice, unless an editor’s name is listed in the guidelines or easily found on their website. In the body of the letter, I list how many poems I am submitting, their titles, and any content warnings. Most publications ask that you include an author bio in the cover letter, which gives them a glimpse of your previous publications, background, and anything you want to include to give a glimpse of your personality. Additionally, if you have a personal connection with the publication, have published there before, or received an encouraging rejection in the past, these are all details you can include in the cover letter. Otherwise, keep it simple.
Before serving as an editor, I sometimes had a hard time remembering that there are other people on the end of the “submit” button who will actually engage with my work. While editors can feel intimidating, they are humans with their own busy lives. For many publications, editorial staff are volunteers. Be gracious and make the process easier by following guidelines.
The Waiting Game: Keeping Track of Your Submissions
You’ve read and followed all the guidelines, drafted a beautiful cover letter, then clicked submit or sent off that submission email. Now what?
The waiting game begins! Everything is out of your hands and all you can do is wait for a decision. Many literary magazines and journals list how long they take to reply. Transparency around waiting times is another factor that makes me more likely to submit to a publication. From my experience, most places take at least three months to send decisions, though six months is common. Usually, more “high-profile” publications will take at least eight months to respond, but don’t be surprised if over a year goes by due to the volume of submissions they receive. If you are eager for a piece to be out in the world, many journals offer “fast response” options and these typically cost more than standard submissions. I encourage writers to submit the same piece(s) to multiple publications (called “simultaneous submissions”) unless a publication explicitly indicates against it in their guidelines. If a piece gets accepted, be sure to notify any other publications and withdraw it from consideration.
Aside from waiting, you can also keep track of your submissions. When I first started submitting, I did it pretty sparingly and did not see a need to track them. I eventually decided to get more sophisticated with my system and created a spreadsheet, especially to avoid any snafus with simultaneous submissions. My spreadsheet is organized into the following columns: Title, Publication Name, Submission Date, Response Timeline, and Submission Status. I also have a column that notes whether this is a simultaneous submission. I’m a big fan of color coding, so whenever I receive a response, I turn each row (which corresponds to an individual poem) green for accepted, red for rejected, or yellow if I need to withdraw any poems from consideration.
While tracking your submissions is not essential, it has been a useful practice for me because it helps me stay organized. I’m in this for the long haul, and I appreciate having this kind of data to look at over the years. Do what works for you! It should feel useful, not like so much work that it discourages you from submitting.
Give Yourself Grace: Swat the Rejections Like Flies
One aspect of living as a writer that I was not initially prepared for was the magnitude of rejections sent my way. I had a difficult time not taking each rejection personally at first. My stubborn nature served me well in those early moments, because I refused to give up when the desire to create and share was so strong within me. Over time, I also built up a community of writers through social media and attending literary events. Being in community with other writers helped me understand that rejection is a universal writerly experience.
Now that I’ve been on the other side of the process as an editor, I also better understand how incredibly subjective these decisions are. Editors are just people, and they approach your work with all their lived experiences and personal tastes. Another layer of this is the sheer volume of submissions that most publications receive. Even relatively “small” journals receive hundreds of submissions per reading period. Resonant work inevitably gets turned away for reasons that have nothing to do with its quality. One thing to keep an eye out for is that some publications send out “tiered” rejections with feedback and encouragement to send more work their way. Even if you get a rejection from a publication, you should absolutely try again if it is somewhere you truly see your work in alignment with.
When I receive a rejection, I still feel a little sting, but I can brush it off easily now. I try to reframe every rejection as an opportunity. Perhaps the poem could use some revision. Sometimes revisions are obvious right away, sometimes it takes years to see a new direction. What matters most is how you feel about the piece. If you still believe in it without revising, keep submitting. If you have doubts or are less excited about it, try to revise or take a break from submitting that specific piece until your excitement returns. I also strongly believe that each piece has the home it’s meant to be in, so a rejection only means that specific publication was not its home. I recently received an acceptance for a poem I wrote nearly eight years ago that I revised very little. It simply had to make its way to this specific publication, even if that took time. I’ve also realized that a lot of getting published is a numbers game—the more you send out work, the more acceptances you will get.
While I’ve laid out the submission process in a linear way, I want to recognize that submitting your work is no easy feat. It can be time-consuming, tedious, and tiring, especially when rejections start piling up. Sharing your work with anyone is a vulnerable act, and sending your work to editors requires tremendous courage. With all of this in mind, it is essential that you give yourself grace. Don’t let rejections define your worth as a writer. Take a break from submitting when you need to (my longest break was almost a year) and come back when you’re reenergized. Don’t self-reject from publications by not sending your work out, even to the most “prestigious” places. What do you have to lose? Listen to your intuition. I wish you all the best on your submission journey—here’s to many acceptances coming your way!
Leticia Priebe Rocha is a poet, visual artist, and editor. She is the author of the chapbook In Lieu of Heartbreak, This is Like (Bottlecap Press, 2024). Leticia earned her bachelor’s from Tufts University, where she was awarded the 2020 Academy of American Poets University & College Poetry Prize. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, she immigrated to Miami, Florida, at the age of nine and currently resides in the Greater Boston area. Her work has been published in Salamander, Rattle, Pigeon Pages, and elsewhere. Leticia is an editorial associate for Yellow Arrow Publishing and served as guest editor for their EMBLAZON issue. You can find her on Instagram @letiprieberochapoems or her website, leticiaprieberocha.com.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Writing About the Cure
By Charlie Langfur, written October 2024
I have written all my life and learned to trust important events in my life as apt subjects for my writing. One such event that impacted me in a big way was when I was asked to leave high school to be cured of being gay in 1964. The school was Northfield School, an old and distinguished prep school in the sweet rolling hills of northern Massachusetts. I was there on a scholarship from my mother’s boss even though I came from a family always struggling financially.
In 1964, you ask? Back then, being a lesbian was considered to be a disease with the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Psychological Association (APA), but no one told me about it until I was forced to return home to Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, to see a psychiatrist every week to be cured. In 1974, the medical establishment altered the diagnostic code for gay people (homosexuals at the time) so that the disorder was no longer considered pathological. The APA made the change first. The fact that there was no such disease (and therefore, no cure) in the 1960s emboldened me and gave me the courage to try and talk my way out of things without talking about being gay at all. The Harvard therapist from Northfield School told me what I said to him was private (between us), but then he and the headmaster sent me home anyway without any warning. “I did not say I was gay, the Northfield doctor did,” I told my New Jersey therapist, but he told me I had to say more to be cured, even though I had no idea what more was any more than he did.
A couple of years after all this, I wrote a short story about what happened called “Curing Sarah,” and in it I tried to make sense of what happened and also to memorialize it for me in some authentic way because it impacted my life in every way possible for many years. Writing about it saved me and helped me understand what happened in a way I could absorb. After I wrote “Curing Sarah,” I began to send it out for publication, even more so after the APA declared gayness was no longer a disease in the 1970s, but the story was always rejected (some with and some without comments). Some years ago, the editor of Zoetrope wrote me, “God, I think this is a funny piece, but I couldn’t possibly publish it.”
But finally in 2012, the University of Southern Kentucky accepted it for Ninepatch: A Creative Journal for Women and Gender Studies. The story is still online and last month my neighbor told me she read and loved it. I’ve reread it and feel it still holds up. The tone matches how it was back then, and it shows how it led me to my life today. I am still writing and sending out my work for publication and recently my poem, “The Way Back,” was nominated for the Best of the Net 2025 by Yellow Arrow Publishing, and I was asked to write a poem for Poetry East’s special issue on Monet (a plumb piece for an organic gardener like me).
Over the years I have learned with writing to never give up on what I have to say. Writing has helped me through good times and bad, reflecting my life as an LGBTQ and green writer, in times when what I had to say was okay and when it was not. Recently Paul Iarobbino, an editor for Bold Voices, who is putting together an anthology of defiant moments in gay lives asked me about putting a reprint of “Curing Sarah” in his publication. He said it had “historical value” but wanted his editors to rework it in a first-person narrative. I politely declined because even though a reprint is a good idea, I know the text is right the way it is now—at least for me it is as a writer and a person. The tone works and so does the style.
Writing helps me pave a way through the difficult, and I try to write my way out of difficulty every chance I get. Nowadays, aging presents many experiences for me to do this, and I finally wrote my first short essay about what an elder is. So, I keep writing and changing and learning anew, and as always I write on.
You can read “Curing Sarah” for yourself at encompass.eku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=ninepatch.
Charlene Langfur is an LGBTQ and green writer, an organic gardener, a Syracuse University Graduate Writing Fellow in Poetry in 1970 and she has hundred of publications in poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. She lives in the southern California desert in the Palm Springs oasis.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
From Baltimore to Rochester: Where I Enjoy Writing in my Neighborhood
By Caroline Kunz, written July 2024
Just like having a brilliant idea and a fully charged laptop, finding the ideal spot to work in is an essential part of the writing process. As a writer and student who always finds herself on the go–from class, to work, to late-night study sessions, to home for break in Upstate New York and back to Baltimore once again–stopping to find locations that facilitate focus, creativity, and inspiration is ever-important.
I believe that any place can be turned into a prime writing location if one possesses the right mindset (and a good classical music playlist or mug of hot tea). However, there are a few locations beyond my desk at home that have proven especially trustworthy. From one writer to another, I hope that my list will resonate with those who enjoy similar spots of their own and inspire those looking for a change of scenery.
Baltimore, Maryland
As a student at Loyola University Maryland, I am lucky to call the beautiful Evergreen campus my second home. Throughout the busyness of my semesters as an English and writing student in the vibrant city of Baltimore, I’ve learned the importance of finding small nooks and crannies to retreat to for writing. In the first few weeks of my freshman year, I picked a little bay window seat in the corner of the English department to call my own. The seat overlooks a courtyard filled with trees, flowers, and students bustling past. I write in this spot year-round, whether the trees outside are yellow and orange in autumn or covered with pink cherry blossoms in the spring. I enjoy the cozy feeling of being tucked away inside Loyola’s expansive Humanities building, stretching my legs out across the length of the cushioned bench and propping a laptop or notebook on my lap. The peace and quiet of a secluded space allow me to be incredibly productive, no matter the type of piece that I’m working on. I’ve written countless essays, literary analyses, creative nonfiction pieces, and poems (often inspired by the views outside) here over the past three years, and I look forward to returning in August for my last.
Just about a 10-minute walk from campus lies Sherwood Gardens. The park features open green spaces, shady trees, and lush flowers. The vibrant array of tulips that blooms in early May is particularly striking. When looking for a change of scene, my friends and I will grab our backpacks and a picnic blanket and take a walk to Sherwood. Oftentimes, my professors will hold their classes here when the tulips are in peak bloom. Sitting there beneath the shade of a towering tree is like a breath of fresh air, the garden bringing with it a sense of inspiration and focus that contrasts that of the standard classroom. I find that this is my favorite place to complete assignments relating to the outdoors, whether it be a spring-inspired poem or an analysis of the nature imagery in William Shakespeare’s As You like It. When my scenery matches the tone of my work, I feel a deeper sense of connection to my writing.
Rochester, New York
When returning home to Rochester for semester breaks, I look forward to the city’s impeccable coffee shop scene. Coffee shops are some of my favorite places to write—the din of chatter, the smell of fresh espresso, the eclectic music and decor. When writing essays and analyses, I tend to need a quieter space to work. However, for poetry, journaling, and creative pieces, I crave the bustling, communal atmosphere of a coffee shop. I gravitate toward those on Park Avenue, a Rochester street known for its historic homes, eclectic art scene, and unique restaurants and shops. Café Sasso is my go-to shop on the winding street, featuring walls covered ceiling to floor with paintings by local artists and plenty of tables and window seats for writing. I usually pick a small table in the corner, order an iced “Gatsby” (a latte with lavender and white chocolate), and get to work. I become inspired by the art, the view of Park Avenue outside, and of course, the people watching. In fact, during a previous semester, I was assigned by a poetry professor over spring break to take a line that I’d overheard from someone else’s conversation and use it in my next poem. I couldn’t think of a more ideal environment than a coffee shop to complete this assignment. The results from this experiment were exciting and refreshing compared to the poems I’d written previously. Since then, I’ve continuously found ideas for poems and short stories among the coffee shop patrons that sit beside me.
Another favorite street in my hometown is Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts. Located within the neighborhood is Writers and Books, a literary arts nonprofit and hidden gem of a place. Writers and Books fosters the perfect environment for inspired writing, from the giant wooden pencil outside the front of the building, to the inviting, bookshelf-lined rooms within. The nonprofit aims to promote reading and writing as lifelong passions by offering workshops, community writing groups, open writing spaces, and guest lectures to locals of all ages. I was lucky enough to spend nearly every day of my summer at Writers and Books last year while I served as a SummerWrite intern, helping to coordinate the nonprofit’s summer writing classes for young students in the area. These students found such joy in getting to write alongside those with a mutual passion for the literary arts. Watching their excitement grow throughout the summer reminded me of the benefits of writing in concentrated spaces like this. For those looking to strengthen their writing skills with a workshop or write in a community-oriented setting, I can’t recommend literary arts nonprofits and writing centers enough.
Final Thoughts: Where do You Write?
As I stated previously, the most important thing is that no matter where we write—from coffee shops to airport gates to local parks—we possess the right mindset. With grit, determination, and great zeal for what we do, we writers have the potential to turn even the most unlikely of places into a successful writing location. Whenever I begin writing in a new place, or I find that I’m struggling to focus, I remember author Isabel Allende’s quote, “Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too.” In other words, no matter where you choose to write, keep showing up. Keep at it, even when the poem, chapter, or essay you’re working on seems an impossible task. Keep an open mind, and inspiration may come to you in the places you least expected.
Caroline Kunz (she/her) is a rising senior at Loyola University Maryland, where she studies English and writing on a pre-MAT track. She enjoys traveling, scouting out new coffee shops, and of course, reading and writing. As an aspiring educator, she hopes to share her love of the written word with future generations of students. Her current favorite authors include Taylor Jenkins Reid and Celeste Ng.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we AMPLIFY women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
The Evolution of My Writing
By Amaya Lambert, written April 2024
Well, writing evolves throughout time.
I believe that your writing changes forms as you grow into it. When I started out writing, my stories took a more comedic turn; sparkled with humor and jests alongside wacky situations that made me burst out laughing as a child.
I read middle grade books. The Percy Jackson series. The Kane Chronicles. The Monster High series. All targeted to young children with big imaginations and short attention spans. One of my favorite books of all time was the Web of Magic series where the power of friendship triumphs over.
I emulated that in my writing.
Then came high school, where young adult books grew popular. I grabbed fantasy books from my sister’s shelves. I begged my parents to let me read Game of Thrones. I devoured the Court of Thorns and Roses and An Ember in the Ashes.
I played more mature games with violence and sexuality. My prose grew, my vocabulary expanded.
I emulated that in my writing.
It wasn’t until my junior year of college that I seriously considered the form of my writing, what my style should be and how it will dictate my career for years to come.
I fell in love with lyrical and poetic prose. I realized my knack for emotionally charged stories and complex characters. I discovered my fascination with the profound and the psychanalysis of humanity. I grabbed books that challenged my mind and made me think about the world differently. I learned about my place in this world and how I can either meet or exceed its expectations.
My writing takes on the form of song, almost lyrical and melodious in its prose. I think carefully about how the words fit together and what type of picture it paints. I take inspiration from song lyrics, poems, quotes, and movie soundtracks. I think about the mood of my story, what atmosphere I’m creating, what tone the words speak.
I meticulously go over my pieces, creatively constructing a symphony of prose.
Some of my favorite lines were that of:
“She wants to run, but her feet remain on the ground. It’s like her mind says one thing but her heart says another.”
“There’s something rotten in the air, congealing.”
The construction of sentences and piecing of words takes form in my writing. I can see the emotions conveyed in the words. I can see what type of messages they evoke.
The evolution of writing is an integral process for any creative. Our writing grows as we grow. Many authors have certain types of branding to stick onto their shifting forms. It is one of the reasons as to why many of my favorite authors have a certain niche woven into their words. To make up for the change of writing, they make sure the reader can recognize their style.
I’ve been reading Chinese light novels translated by passionate fans. Though the author’s style dramatically changed from her first novel, The Scum Villian’s Self-Saving System, to her latest work, Heaven Official’s Blessing; I can see traces of her signature style in both novels. Her multifaceted characters. A focus on the internal arc of the main characters. The love and attention to the side characters. The slow burn of the romance relationship. Even if she changed her writing form, I’d still find her within the novel’s pages.
There’s a reason why fans will have authors on their immediate purchase list because they fell in love with their signature style. They say as you begin to write, you grow more comfortable in words. There’s a shift in language, a change in prose, and your writing form evolves with time and effort.
I hope in time when my writing twists and turns and is still able to retain its original concept, as a song.
Amaya Lambert is a senior at Towson University, studying English and creative writing. She loves a good book, slow music, and tasty food. When she isn’t reading, she’s writing, lost in her inner world. Amaya tutored for her high school’s writing center and the elementary school across from it. One of her proudest accomplishments is winning second place in a writing competition in the seventh grade.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we AMPLIFY women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
Why is Creative Nonfiction Important?
By Mel Silberger, written March 2024
Creative nonfiction is my favorite genre to write! I love the opportunity to write about moments in my life with a creative lens, allowing me to combine my outward experiences with my inward thought processes and feelings. At times, creative nonfiction serves as an outlet to discuss the topics I am most passionate about and the interactions they have brought me, whereas in others, I can write about the vulnerable and life-changing moments I have undergone.
Difference Between Fiction and Creative Nonfiction
First, it is important to establish the differences between fiction and creative nonfiction. Fiction can be described as a story about (possibly) pretend characters in a (possibly) pretend setting with a (possibly) pretend plot; there can be elements of truth, such as the setting being a real place or characters being real people, but it overall does not fully reflect experiences as they factually happened.
Creative nonfiction, on the other hand, is about real people in a real setting with a plot that really happened. When writing creative nonfiction, the author has the creative freedom to combine events that have happened with their thought processes and emotions in those moments, but they must adhere to the accurate retelling of events as truthfully as possible.
Purpose of Creative Nonfiction
The purpose of creative nonfiction is to convey a story’s facts and information in a fiction-like manner, entertaining the reader and allowing them to understand their author’s perspective. In other words, creative nonfiction lets the reader get a firsthand account of what the author was thinking throughout the experience or moment they are writing about. The author becomes a character themselves and takes their reader through the events that unfold.
When writing creative nonfiction, the author has the obligation to tell the events as accurately as they happened, but the creative freedom to retell them with attention to specific details or thought processes. Through their description of these events, the author’s voice is able to shine through for the reader to understand.
Creative nonfiction encapsulates countless forms of writing, such as journalism, memoirs, personal essays, and biographies.
Importance of Creative Nonfiction
On a personal level, creative nonfiction is important because it allows an author to write about themselves and the experiences they have gone through; for some, it could be a way to write about a simple day in the life, whereas for others, it can be an outlet to tell a greater, life-changing story and the effects it had. Writing creative nonfiction can also serve to reflect; it can be as easy as a brief journal entry detailing the events of the day, or as complicated as retelling ongoing moments or events experienced or observed.
Creative nonfiction is also incredibly important on a community level, as writers are able to use their lived experiences and perspectives to impact larger communities and groups worldwide. By combining true events with creative language, these authors can elevate one seemingly small moment about a certain topic into a story with a larger purpose and potential for advocacy or change. They can write vulnerable stories grounded in facts to convey how others worldwide may be going through something similar and express this in an engaging way.
Additionally, creative nonfiction allows the audience to be educated about a topic, idea, or concept they might otherwise know little about. Many creative nonfiction authors combine true, personal events with facts, giving them the power to share knowledge about a specific subject matter with their readers. For example, if an author is passionate about science, they can write a firsthand account of a moment in a laboratory or class and partner it with facts about their field.
Current Creative Nonfiction Reads
My favorite creative nonfiction read (so far) of 2024 is T Kira Madden’s Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls: A Memoir (2019), a coming-of-age story centered around identity and sexuality, specifically displayed through emotional experiences with family and fellow classmates. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments (2020) by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, a series of essays combining inspirational features of the natural world with personal experiences.
There is so much creative nonfiction I am eager to read throughout the remainder of this year! Recent recommendations I’ve received include Here After (2024), a memoir by Amy Lin describing love after loss and the processes of grief and memory, and Everything I Know About Love (2018), a memoir by Dolly Alderton about the stages of early adulthood, such as finding a job and falling in love.
I don’t think there’s ever been a creative nonfiction piece I disliked, and because of this, I would not say I have an all-time favorite creative nonfiction story; the more I read, the more I enjoy and appreciate each individual work I come across. My favorite piece recently is “Anatomy of a Lumpia Girl,” a beautiful, vulnerable, and uplifting story by Angelica Terso, which can be found in Yellow Arrow Journal’s ELEVATE issue (Vol. IX, No. 1) (you should totally go check it out!).
Closing Thoughts
Overall, creative nonfiction gives an author the outlet to tell their story, no matter how big/small, by discussing true events in a creative, authentic, and engaging way. These stories have the potential to impact both the author and a greater community by showing that a moment one person experiences can be felt and understood by many.
This is my favorite genre to write in because I love how I can retell certain moments in my life and connect them to other experiences, facts, and/or ideas. For example, I wrote a piece a few weeks ago about rock climbing (one of my biggest passions) and combined a moment of me physically on the rock wall with factual information about the activity and safety systems.
So, my question to you is what topic do you enjoy writing about? What are you passionate about? Are there specific experiences that center around some of your greatest passions, and/or explore meaningful, impactful moments in your life?
Amelia (Mel) Silberger is a recent graduate of Loyola University Maryland who received her degree in psychology and writing with a minor in political science. She is an aspiring creative nonfiction writer and editor who is originally from Long Island, New York. Mel has spent the past two summers living in Orlando, Florida, while participating in the Disney College Program. She has loved creating stories since she was six years old and hopes to continue to grow and build with other writers in the future.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we AMPLIFY women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.