I’ve Submitted a Story to Chicken Soup for the Soul

Today, February 28, 2019, I submitted my first story to Chicken Soup for the Soul (CSS). I submitted to their upcoming book topic “Angels All Around”.

How did this happen? I don’t remember. I was browsing something on the internet, then I happened upon a link to CSS’s list of new book topics. On Scribophile, I’ve had a short story about an angelic visitation in queue for critiques, and it was ready for my revisions.

“Maybe it’s time to take that story for a ride,” I said. Meaning, submit the puppy and put it out there. Stories that languish in queue and don’t see the light of day do not accomplish much.

I revised my story, then put it back in queue for a final round of critiques. While I waited for my fellow “Scribbers” to provide their feedback, I did some research. I looked up what authors had to say about their stories published in CSS books. Here’s what I learned, all of it helpful to me, so I wanted to share it with you:

Writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul

What follows below is a very long post, very detailed, that I created as an information archive for me. If you don’t have time to read the whole thing, here’s my tl;dr (too long; didn’t read) synopsis.

tl;dr

Your story must be true, and it must involve you, as opposed to a story being retold by you.

The publisher does not accept:

• • creative writing essays
  • fictional material
  • biographies
  • term papers
  • theses
  • political pieces nor anything controversial
  • letters or journal entries

Your story should:

• • Be concise; no longer than 1,200 words (fewer may be better)
  • Be written in the first person point of view (POV)
  • Be only one event that happened to you or someone you know
  • Have a clear beginning, middle, and end
  • Use good literary techniques (action and vivid scenes; no show/tell)
  • Use all five senses; create emotion in the reader so they connect with the story; make the reader laugh, cry, feel chills
  • Have a strong point or moral; have a memorable “take away” point; what change you made as a result of your experience
  • Come from the heart

Prior to submitting your story:

• • Follow the guidelines for the book’s topic
  • Print out a copy of the story’s specific angles as a reference
  • Understand what the editors are looking for
  • Make your story a “fit” for the target audience
  • Begin your story with action or dialog to set the pace
  • Make each of the 1,200 words count
  • Write, revise, revise, and revise again; get critique feedback from others

After you submit your story:

• • Sit back and wait for a response
  • CSS does not send rejections. At all.
  • Create two (2) Calendar reminders for: 4 months from submission – and – 6 months from submission date
  • If you don’t hear from CSS, they did not accept your submission

Your story is selected:

• • The CSS editors hold two reading rounds
  • The editors will send you an email stating that your story made it through the first round
  • You will fill out a few forms, including a publishing agreement
  • You will be asked to approve the edited copy (most edits are minor)
  • The editors may change the story’s title
  • Several weeks after the above, if you get a reply, that means you’ve made the final cut. That’s good news!

The Online Articles I Used in this Post:

Your Successful Chicken Soup for the Soul Submissions Could Get You $200

How to Publish Your Story in Chicken Soup for the Soul, According to Its Editor-In-Chief

How to Write for Chicken Soup for the Soul

Is it Soup Yet? How to Perfect Your Story Recipe for Chicken Soup for the Soul

Caledonia Author Publishes 7th Story in “Chicken Soup for the Soul”

---

The very long post begins now:

---

I’ve Submitted a Story to Chicken Soup for the Soul

I looked up what authors had to say about their stories published in CSS books. Here’s what I learned, all of it helpful to me, so I wanted to share it with you:

Writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul

Suggestions from Published Authors or CSS Staff:

Your Successful Chicken Soup for the Soul Submissions Could Get You $200

Your story should:

• • Be written in the first person.
  • Be something that happened to you or someone you know.
  • Have a clear beginning, middle and end.
  • Create emotion in the reader.
  • Come from the heart.
  • Be no longer than 1,200 words.
  • Not be a biography, term paper, thesis, letter or journal entry.
  • Not be about politics or anything controversial.

Submitted stories must be true. The publisher does not accept creative writing essays or fictional material.

~~~ END ~~~

From:

How to Publish Your Story in Chicken Soup for the Soul, According to Its Editor-In-Chief

Tell your story in the most concise way possible: Chicken Soup stories should come in at less than 1200 words.

Finally, your story must be told with good literary techniques. Do you have a clear beginning, middle and end? Are you showing in action and vivid scenes, instead of just telling what happened? Have you invited the reader into the story using all five senses and connected emotionally? Be sure you have a strong point or moral, rather than just ramblings about the time Uncle Earl took you fishing and you fell over the side of the boat.

Now for the hard part: sit back and wait, and resist the urge to check your email twenty-six times a day. I like to get busy with another project: it might take several months for a reply. And, frustratingly, they don’t send rejections, so if your story doesn’t get selected, you won’t hear anything. Generally, if you haven’t heard in 4-6 months, you can assume it wasn’t selected.

If the editors like your story, you’ll receive an email that you’ve made it through the first round. You’ll be asked to fill out a few forms and approve the edited copy. Most edits are minor, if there are any at all. Often the title will be changed. Several weeks after that, if you get a reply, it’s good news: you’ve made the final cut. Celebrate!

The rewards aren’t earthshaking, but they’re not bad. If your story is published, you’ll receive $200 and 10 free copies of the book. You’re also given information on marketing and book signings, and you’re allowed to sell the book from your own website.

With 101 stories selected for each volume, your chances are great. Pick your title, write a compelling story, and you may be on your way to publication in one of the best-selling book series of all time!

~~~ END ~~~

From:

How to Write for Chicken Soup for the Soul

Though Heidi Gaul is not an employee or an official representative of Chicken Soup for the Soul, she has had eight stories published in different themed Chicken Soup books. Her work has also been published in The Upper Room and will be included in Every Day with Jesus, a Guidepost devotional book scheduled for release in 2017.

Please welcome Heidi as she shares personal tips that could help writers improve their chances of having their stories accepted for publication in future Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

Chicken Soup for the Soul has been sharing inspirational and motivational stories for over twenty years. More than 250 compilations have been translated into 43 languages, with over 110 million books sold in the US and Canada and over 500 million sold worldwide.

With about a dozen new titles being added to their list yearly, the Chicken Soup team welcomes writers to submit their stories or poems. They’re open to unsolicited submissions and have recently extended deadlines for a few of their upcoming compilations.

Thanks for joining us, Heidi. In which Chicken Soup for the Soul books have your stories been published?

My stories are included in Finding My Faith, Angels Among Us, Touched By An Angel, Dreams and Premonitions, The Cat Did What?, My Very Good, Very Bad Cat, I Can’t Believe My Dog Did That!, and Thanks To My Mom. My favorites would have to be Finding My Faith and Thanks to My Mom.

What elements make stories or poems a good fit for Chicken Soup for the Soul?

Every story published by Chicken Soup for the Soul editors must be true, and must involve the writer, as opposed to being a story retold through the writer. Chicken Soup stories should relate one event or occurrence in a way that will draw in the reader, making them laugh, cry, or even get chills. The reader needs to not only feel empathy for the characters in the story, they need to trust the writer enough to feel themselves a part of the story.

How can writers benefit from submitting to compilation books like Chicken Soup for the Soul?

Because Chicken Soup for the Soul has such a large audience, it offers vast name recognition for its writers. With so many stories being submitted for every title, being included in the 101 stories they finally select is an honor. Plus, it’s a great avenue for inviting others to visit your website.

How can writers prepare themselves for submitting to a Chicken Soup book?

It’s critical to follow the guidelines. I usually print a copy of the specific story angles they’re searching for, and keep it handy, mulling over the key points for a few days. I want to understand the audience the editors are targeting, and submit a story that fits. We all have plenty of memories, but they might not align with the editor’s needs. If that’s the case, no matter how well the story is written, it won’t be accepted.

Please share your top tips for writers who want to become a part of the Chicken Soup family.

1. 1. Begin your piece with an action or some dialogue to set the pace.
   2. Don’t be afraid to offer as much of yourself onto the page as possible. Twelve hundred words are all you have to enrich the reader’s day. Make each word count.
   3. Take advantage of sensory detail to ground the scene.
   4. Write your first draft, then edit like crazy. Check every adjective and adverb, and if they aren’t important to the story’s tone, pull them.

The writing has to be clean—professionalism needs to be evident through tight word usage as well as your ability to take your readers to an emotional place you’ve created for them.

What should writers consider when submitting devotions, stories, or poems with Christian elements?

Chicken Soup for the Soul is not specifically a Christian publication, but more of a bridge. The books focus on an optimistic, healing perspective. When my Christian viewpoint is vital to a story, or a quote made by a Christian luminary strengthens it, I include it. But inserting a sermon or sharing a preachy message that doesn’t tie in will guarantee rejection.

And by the way, those pithy quotes prefacing each story? They are selected by the editors—the author merely okays them.

What can writers expect after they submit to Chicken Soup for the Soul?

I always tell people that they won’t hear from Chicken Soup until they’ve forgotten they even submitted. And sadly, if your story isn’t one that’s chosen, Chicken Soup won’t notify you at all, due to the number of submissions they receive.

What happens after Chicken Soup for the Soul accepts your story for publication?

First, you’ll be notified if your work is under consideration, and again later if it is accepted into the final line-up. If your story is chosen, you’ll be paid in a timely fashion and will be given several copies of the book that includes your story. In addition, you’ll receive a periodic newsletter from them—Chicken Soup for the Soul makes you feel like part of a family.

What do you consider the most difficult part of the submission process?

Pressing “submit.” And the second hardest part would be concentrating your story to a size fitting the guidelines while maintaining enough emotional swing.

What is the most rewarding part of being a member of the Chicken Soup family?

Knowing one made the cut into a top-notch, wholesome line of anthologies—it’s not easy. Another blessing is when readers contact you, praising your story, and you know you touched their heart. That’s a wonderful connection.

What are some creative ways writers can share their books with readers after their work is published in a Chicken Soup book?

Chicken Soup provides each author with so many free books, I often sell the surplus. I’ve enjoyed success with marketing at writer’s conferences, online through social media, and at privately owned book stores. I love to do giveaways, and my readers have fun signing up for my newsletter in order to participate in them. (Spoiler Alert: There will be a giveaway announcement at the end of this interview!)

What final words of encouragement would you like to offer writers as they consider writing and submitting to this prestigious publication?

1. 1. The strength of a publisher like Chicken Soup for the Soul is great, and deserves respect. Many companies don’t reflect the light as well as they do.
   2. Your gift of writing is one of the most powerful means available for spreading the Word, and when finessed with subtlety and skill it will reach many.
   3. If you don’t already see your reader as a loved one with whom you’re sharing a life event, think again. They are counting on you to enrich their day—warming their hearts, bringing a smile to their face or a tear to their eye. So, what are you waiting for?

~~~ END ~~~

From:

https://www.freelancewriting.com/get-paid-more/perfect-your-story-recipe/

I decided to give it a go when I heard someone else at a writer’s conference discuss how it changed her life to publish through them. I chose “Thanks Dad: 101 Stories of Gratitude, Love and Good Times” to submit to because I felt my story “Dad’s Tomatoes” would be perfect for this particular CSS.

I used a metaphor of gardening to describe the pain of losing my father to cancer but managed to give it an uplifting ending which is crucial to CSS standards.

I had previously written a version of this story for a creative writing assignment but it needed some tweaking to be “Chicken Soup” ready. For example, it needed to follow the circular story line, ending with the beginning. I started the story as a little girl following my father in the garden, and ended with my son following me in the garden. I always run my stories by my daughter Sarah. If she cries her eyes out I know it’s a good one!

After it was CSS ready, I copied and pasted it to their submissions page on their website. Then I promptly forgot about it.

Published twice

I also submitted other stories to different books, but this was the one that stuck. After it was chosen, I wrote a poem for another of their books “Runners: 101 Stories of Energy, Endurance and Endorphins.” They also published that one.

I waited a long time for a response from CSS: almost 6 months. Then, I unexpectedly received an email from their editor, telling me that my story had made the first round of cuts (they do 2)! I was asked to sign a publishing agreement to give them permission to print the story as well as a promise that the story was true. A few weeks later I received a box of books with my story inside and a check for $200. It’s a flat rate but the association with Chicken Soup is always there. It was one of the happiest days of my life.

After I published with CSS, I had that extra bit of credibility that gave me the courage to approach agents and publishers about other writing I’ve done. I know for a fact that this experience has given agents and publishers that extra little nudge to take a chance on an unknown writer. Everyone needs something to get their foot in the door, and CSS can be that something for you as well.

And, even better, being associated with an international brand like CSS gave me the confidence and the credibility to sell my novel War Eagle Women last year. Everybody (even a prestigious New York agent) knows who Chicken Soup is—and being published through them means something. It’s that little bit of leverage a new writer needs when trying to capture the attention needed to publish.

Because they publish monthly, there’s always plenty of topics to choose from. You can send off as many stories as you wish, and you can even double-dip if a story fits more than one category.

So why are you still sitting here? Get cooking!

~~~ END ~~~

From:

Is it Soup Yet? How to Perfect Your Story Recipe for Chicken Soup for the Soul

Follow the Guidelines

• • Follow them exactly
  • Include all five senses
  • First person POV
  • Submit as early as you can so another and similar story doesn’t rule you out

Keep Writing

• • Don’t sit around and wait to hear back
  • Keep working on other projects
  • Remember, they don’t do rejections

~~ END ~~

Other authors:

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/caledonia-author-publishes-th-story-in-chicken-soup-for-the/article_9010cbd1-e1cc-5a0a-af2d-5dadf56a9e4c.html

http://www.beyondyourblog.com/5-bloggers-share-their-stories-of-being-published-in-chicken-soup-for-the-soul/   [ link now 404 ]

If you are going to submit, the main thing to remember is to tell the story in first person. What worked for me is to paint the setting in the first few paragraphs, to expand upon the story, and then to complete it with either a humorous or nostalgic ending. The story should either make your reader laugh, or feel a tingle of emotion as they finish reading it.

The best stories to write are the ones that just pour out without much effort in your first draft. Of course, writing is re-writing. I have spent several hours on that last sentence or two in my final draft, and sometimes thought about the last sentence for several days. The first sentence should hook your reader and the last sentence should leave them feeling an emotion.

…

Learn how to hook the reader and how to weave a series of “ups” and “downs” throughout your story to the final tingle moment at the end.

• • Show don’t tell. The best way to craft a story is through showing, not telling. The reader needs to see your story. Use dialogue. Describe. Instead of saying, “Garrett couldn’t drink by himself,” in An Escort to Heaven I paint a picture by saying, “I dropped little squirts of juice into Garrett’s mouth with a baby eye dropper.” You can see more of what I mean. An Escort to Heaven is full of dialogue and description.
  • Craft scene descriptions that utilize the five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. I was once told that editors look for at least one example of each of the senses in all stories. In Miracle Grow I create strong visual with the statement, “The aroma of black-eyed peas and cornbread offered a warm holiday welcome.”
  • Take your reader on an emotional journey. Start the story on a low note, but then take the reader up and down emotionally through a series of highs and lows. End on an upswing. In Male Order Delivery, the story opens with the frustration I experience entering the dating world after my divorce and ends with finding my man.
  • All stories need a take-away point. The take-away point is the change the character in the story makes as a result of their experience. In Hope is a Choice, my take away point is that I resolved to shift my focus from my problems to maintain hope.
  • Deliver the take-away point through a vehicle of change. A vehicle of change is something you use to allow the reader to feel the character’s aha moment. Sometimes you have to create one. If you want to see how a vehicle of change works in a story, in Hope is a Choice, the vehicle of change I used the illustration of hitting the backspace key to help the reader connect with my take-away. In Miracle Grow, the vehicle of change is the family photo.

…

Speak from the heart in your writing. Make yourself vulnerable, and don’t be afraid to show your flaws and foibles in your story. Readers will be more willing to connect with your story if you open yourself up to them. Also, don’t make the story too complicated. Start with action, pull the reader into the story, give resolution, and then wrap it up.

…

The stories are uplifting and easy to read, like talking to a friend.

~~ END ~~~

Now, What?

Now, I forget about it and continue to write new stories. I did set two reminders in my Calendar (MacOS) for June 28th and August 28th. If I don’t hear anything from CSS by the end of August this year, I know that my story wasn’t accepted.

Have you submitted a story to Chicken Soup for the Soul? Tell us about your experience in the Comments.

Note: This is the book topic that applied to my story:

Angels All Around

***NEW EXTENDED DEADLINE DATE - FEBRUARY 28, 2019!!***

Previously posted as Stories About Angels.

Are angels always around us? Sometimes mysterious good things happen to us, things that we cannot explain. They cause wonder and astonishment. How do these miraculous events occur? Who or what made them happen? Was it an amazing coincidence, a kind stranger who came and went so quickly that we’re startled, the answer to a prayer? Are these kind people celestial or otherworldly? Are there angels at work? Whatever the explanation, these events seem to be evidence of a higher power at work and they give us hope for a better future. They give us peace and comfort and the belief that our problems can be resolved.

We are looking for true personal stories about how an angel has touched your life – stories of true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels. Amazing stories that will make people say “wow” or give our readers chills. Have you experienced something otherworldly or celestial? Or had a personal experience with an angel or divine being? How did your angel manifest himself or herself to you? How did your angel protect or guide you? Do you have a guardian angel?

This call-out is for everyone who has a story, whether they are religious or non-religious. We are looking for stories from writers of all faiths, including writers who do not follow a particular religion. This book is by and for everyone.

Please note that we are not looking for stories about people who are “angels” because they do nice things, and also please do not submit eulogies about a loved one who has died and is now an “angel.”

Here are some possible topics to help you remember your own great angel story:

• Angel visitations 
• Divine protection 
• Guardian angels 
• Messages from an angel 
• Prayers answered by an angel 
• Receiving support from angels or spirits 
• Angel or divine intervention 
• Receiving guidance or lessons from angels 
• Interactions with angels 
• Receiving news or warnings from angels 
• Mysterious helpers 
• Unexplained healing 
• Money appearing just when it’s needed 
• Rescue from accidents or disasters 
• Being saved from death 
• Voices that spoke to you and helped you 
• Divine appointment 
• Love that doesn’t die 
• Answered prayers 
• Dreams and premonitions that involved angels 
• Mysterious visitors 
• Restoring faith because of an angel

If you submitted a story for the previously posted book title, Stories About Angels, we have it in our database. No need to resubmit. If we have already published your story in a previous Chicken Soup for the Soul book, do not submit it for this title. We will not publish it again.

The EXTENDED DEADLINE DATE for story and poem submissions is FEBRUARY 28, 2019.

Wish me luck!

---

Thank you for reading. Come along on my adventures.

Select the image to join Jenise’s Journey!