We’ve got a new calendar! With zombies!

[Editor’s note: We’re pleased as punch to be introducing our new calendar today! We’re just as tickled to introduce you to Timothy Otte, who is the reason said tool exists, and our new friend. As for what, exactly, this new calendar does, well—read on. Take it away, Mr. Otte!]

Greetings Writers! I’m excited to be writing this post introducing the newest Hazel & Wren feature: The Calendar of (Un)Deadlines! This calendar is a tool to help you find a place to publish the pieces you work so hard to write.

I contacted Hazel and Wren shortly after they began this website and suggested that a calendar collecting submission and contest deadlines would be a useful tool for their readers. Luckily for me, both Hazel and Wren agreed it was a fantastic idea, and asked me to curate such a calendar.

Full disclosure: I struggle with motivating myself to actually spend time sending my work out for publication. Finding journals and contests takes time away from actually writing, but it is a necessary part of being an active artist. I wanted to be of use to writers like myself by eliminating some of the tedious searching involved in finding places to submit to. In curating this calendar, I agreed to volunteer my time locating exciting submission opportunities for writers like us.

The Calendar of (Un)Deadlines is meant to make things a little easier by collecting, in one place, upcoming deadlines as posted by journals big and small, print or otherwise. I’ll post the main information in each along with the final deadline — whether they’re looking for poetry, short fiction, etc., word/line/character limits, and prizes or payment if there are any. Occasionally, I have set a monthly deadline for a journal that accepts submissions on a rolling basis. Sometimes the deadline posted is a postmark deadline; sometimes it is the date on which your work must be in an editor’s hands.

I’ll say right now: always visit the website posted with the deadline and read the complete submission guidelines. Hazel, Wren, and myself can not be held responsible if you submit poetry to a science fiction journal, or if you are disqualified from a contest because you forgot to include a cover sheet. These deadlines are here to keep you motivated and producing new and quality material, which means you’re going to have to do a little work yourself.

Right now, all the deadlines in the calendar I’ve found by poking around the web, following links from website to website, or were suggested by friends or mentors. I’d LOVE your help finding new opportunities. Found a sweet journal that’s accepting work? Your website have an upcoming contest? Send it my way! The idea is that this calendar will reflect your needs — not just my own, and not just Hazel and Wren’s. Email calendar@hazelandwren.com, and make sure to include “Deadline Submission” in the subject so the email filters will pick it up and get it to me. I’ll post everything as soon as I can.

Check back frequently as more deadlines will be added all the time. Happy writing!

Curator of the (Un)Deadlines,
Timothy Otte

[Editor’s note: You’ll find the new calendar from now on in the menu at the top of the page, under “Calendars.” Our trusty Mpls/St. Paul Literary Events Calendar continues to live there as well.]