Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) Call for Submissions

The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) provides the following to members who may be interested in submitting to this program. This was brought to our attention by one of our MWSA members.

Call for Submissions: Prose, Poetry, and Visual Art

 Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) is excited to launch a 2024 anthology with publisher Unleash Creatives. We seek authentic, compelling, and polished short stories, creative nonfiction, humor, poetry, photography, and visual art. 

SUBMIT ENTRY

Theme: Partnerships, The Untold Stories

Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.

Prizes

We are offering an Editors’ Choice Grand Prize of $500 and three genre prizes of $250 for winners in prose, poetry, and the visual arts. All finalists will be considered for publication. 

Guidelines

Deadline: March 1, 2024

Accepting submissions from U.S veterans, service members, military spouses, family members, and caregivers. Leave all identifying information off the submission itself. The first round will be judged anonymously. You can submit one submission per category. Reprints accepted if not published within the last year. The writer / artist must retain rights to their work.

Prose Submissions 

  • Maximum length is 2,000 words. 

  • Double-space, use a 12pt font, and add page numbers. 

  • Submit as a google doc or PDF. 

 Poetry Submissions

  • Use a 12pt font and add page numbers. 

  • Submit as a google doc or PDF. 

 Visual Art Submissions 

  • We welcome all types of visual art including photography, sculpture, textile, painting, drawing, etc. 

  • Submit a jpeg or png file at 300 dpi. 

 We abide by the CLMP Code of Ethics and pledge to conduct our contests as ethically as possible. Namely, submissions are read without identifying information and evaluated by at least two reviewers.

Questions?

Contact programs@asapasap.org

Website: https://asapasap.org/event/anthology-submissions/

Submit Entry

Free eBooks and eMagazines with Libby

Do you like free books and magazines?

Use your military service—and your DoD ID (or local library card)—to get this valuable freebie.

  1. Go to https://libbyapp.com/ to set up your account, or download the Libby app from your device’s app store.

  2. Once you’re at their website or have downloaded the app, go to the Library section (icon with three horizontal lines at the bottom of the screen)

  3. Select or add the Department of Defense library and then “DoD MWR Libraries.”

  4. You’ll then go to an authentication section where you’ll enter your DoD ID number and date of birth (they may also ask for the last four of your SSN).

  5. Start borrowing!

If you don’t have a DoD ID, you can still set up an account by using your local library card, but this process may require a call to your local librarian to figure out their system. I had to call my library to figure out what my PIN was. My card uses the last four digits of my library card account number, but your card might be different.

Heck, it’s free and worth the effort.

Dispatches Magazine, Request for Quote (RFQ) September 2023

MWSA is seeking viable candidates for copyediting and layout services for the 2024 editions of Dispatches magazine. See the details below.

The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) is soliciting price quotes for Dispatches magazine

Opening Date: 09/05/23 | Closing Date: 10/14/23

Scope of Work: Scope of Work: MWSA Dispatches Magazine: Copyediting, Layout, Design, Publication, Distribution, and Marketing Support.

Period of Performance: 10/16/2023 – 11/20/2024. This includes four issues of the magazine to be published: 04/15/2024, 07/15/2024, 10/15/2024, and 01/15/2024.

Option Years. At the Sole discretion of the MWSA Board of Directors, this contract may be extended for a total of not more than three option years. If an Option Year is exercised, it will include a maximum of a 2.5% inflation rate.

  •     Option Year 1: November 2024 – November 2025

  •     Option Year 2: November 2025 – November 2026

  •     Option Year 3: November 2026 – November 2027

 About MWSA

MWSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation to support military writers. The purposes of the organization are to help military service members, veterans, their families, supporters, and historians record history and the complexities of military life, and to encourage writing as therapy. The organization focuses on using the writing of MWSA members to educate the general public, students, and the military community.

Contract Performance Work Statement for MWSA Dispatches Magazine

This MWSA Request For Quote (RFQ) seeks a Price Quote and relevant experience qualifiers from knowledgeable individuals and businesses to become a compensated provider, working with MWSA volunteers to provide services to compile, format, edit, publish, and market MWSA 2024 Dispatches magazines. Specific services will include:

1.     Work with the MWSA Publication Chair/Editor-In-Chief and other volunteers to produce the MWSA quarterly Dispatches magazine.
2.     Produce magazine softcopy, providing copyediting and layout and design services
3.     Provide eMagazine layout and design
4.     Provide eBook layout and design (as needed)
5.     License and supply graphic content (as needed)
6.     Photo restoration (as needed)
7. High-resolution image conversion (as needed)
8.     Provide cover art design for MWSA approval.
9.     Supply complete versions for review and approval to MWSA Publications Chair
a.      PDF for print version
b.     PDF for eBook w/embedded cover version (as needed)
c.      PDF w/cover for eMagazine version
10.  Provide upload to the Print house for distribution.
a.      Amazon/KDP
b.     Ingram (as needed)
11.  After Publication Marketing
a.      Provide cover art jpgs of hi-res and web for MWSA IT/Social Media
b.     Supply designs, jpgs, pngs, PDFs as requested for marketing via IT/social media marketing
12.  Set up MWSA sales account through Print house.
a.      Ensure all sales royalties are paid directly to the MWSA Treasurer
b.     Ensure all ad royalties are paid directly to the MWSA Treasurer
c.      Ensure control by MWSA board over title (active or retired)
d.     Changes to document (as needed) in case of misprint or error
13.  Provide quarterly royalties statements to MWSA Treasurer as requested.
a.      Note: No royalty or administrative costs will be retained by the contractor. All proceeds from sales after print cost will be paid directly to MWSA. Contractor will provide documentation of such upon request.
14.  Offerors will provide all names of individuals who will support this effort. Updates to names shall be provided to the MWSA Publications Chair throughout the period of performance.
15.  This effort can be canceled at any time for the good of MWSA. Offerors may terminate after thirty days’ written notice.

Please provide Price Quote for this project including the following:

16. Examples of experience with similar projects in the past five years.

17. Two work reference points of contact (name, email, and phone number).

Email proposals to the MWSA Contacts listed below by 10/14/23.

MWSA Contact:

Gary Zelinski, MWSA Publications Chair. communications@mwsa.co

Cuddy Family Foundation for Veterans--Short Story & Poetry Journal submission

Click to visit website

From the Cuddy Foundation for Veterans website (not affiliated with MWSA):

Our foundation accepts original submissions from veterans, active duty personnel, and anyone who wishes to help us develop this creative outlet.

Purchases of our journals will directly benefit the missions of The Cuddy Family Foundation for Veterans! Moving forward, we will try to release poetry and short story journals twice a year.

Here are the submission deadlines for future journals:

August 30, 2023 - Volume Six

February 29, 2024 - Volume Seven

August 30, 2024 - Volume Eight

Guidelines

Submissions should be sent in the body of an email to this address: info@tcfffv.org

No attachments, please.

While we have not established a line or word count limit for submissions, please use discretion as we anticipate a large volume of entries for each quarterly edition.

All submissions should be original works that have not been previously published.

Please include your full name, mailing address, phone number, branch of service (if applicable), and any relevant social media or author links in the email with your poem(s). Poets are welcome to submit more than one poem per submission period.

Please include your full name, mailing address, phone number, branch of service (if applicable), and any relevant social media or author links in the email with your poem(s). Poets are welcome to submit more than one poem per submission period.

Many thanks to the organizations and individuals that have helped to spread the word about our poetry and short story journals to veterans and others!

Submit your article or ad for Dispatches magazine

Your Dispatches editorial staff has created a new section on our website to help MWSA members submit articles or advertisements for publication in our quarterly magazine.

In this new section of our website, you’ll find a

Click here to email our Dispatches staff with general inquiries or comments

July 2023 eBlast

Seeking Shutterbugs

Is there a photographer in the house? The MWSA Program Committee is seeking a volunteer photographer or two to capture moments of our upcoming Annual Membership Conference, and particularly our Awards Ceremony banquet. If you are willing and able, please contact president@mwsa.co.

The Conference Program

The countdown to the conference is on (56 days), with the first event being Sep. 14. If you have yet to register, please do so soon. The hotel is holding 30 rooms until August 26 (37 days away) or until the first thirty are booked. The program is online for you to check out along with the registration form. Please check the agenda online as changes do occur.

Do you think you know all about Benedict Arnold? You may be surprised by our guest presenter, Steve Manuel, the Director of the New London Historical Society, who may have new facts for you and will bring an artifact or two along for you to see.

Some time ago a movie about the slave ship "Amistad" was in theatres and a topic of discussion on television. Learn more about this event and its connection to New London from Henry Savin of the New London Maritime Museum.

Remembrance Ceremony

At approximately 3:15 PM after our Write Your Story workshop ends on Sep. 14, MWSA will hold a brief remembrance ceremony for longtime MWSA member Mike Mullins at his ceremonial brick on the walkway to the Submarine Force and Library museum. MWSA members and guests in New London are invited to attend. Additionally, those members familiar with Mike may write something to be read at the ceremony; Haiku, poem, short memory, or story, but please keep it under 200 words. For those wanting to share something, but will not be present, please forward your input to Valerie Ormond at vp@mwsa.co. If you will be attending and will have a camera with you, we would appreciate you taking some photos which we want to share on social media, our website, and in Dispatches.

Upcoming Writers Education Webinar - NEW DATE!

What: MWSA Writer’s Education Webinar Series Welcomes Greg Elliot

When: Aug. 3, 2023, 4PM EST

 Who: Greg Elliot. For fifteen years, Greg taught at UCLA for the Extension Writers’ Program and was the recipient of their Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting in 2014. Elliot wrote for Star Trek: Voyager, for which he received a Sci-Fi Universe Award nomination. He was a Story Editor on the Warner Brother series Savannah and an Executive Story Editor on the WB series Charmed. Greg also wrote for the Disney Channel series In a Heartbeat. Professionally, Greg has edited short stories, novels, nonfiction books, brochures, how-to books, personal essays, and college papers.

 Greg will offer classes on story structure, broken into two parts. Part 1 was presented on May 20th. See it online on our website. Each class is 1.5 hours, and questions will be permitted at the end.

 Topic: Story Structure Part II: character development, tension, and conflict.

 Follow the Link Below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2245629439?pwd=Sk92UXVZNzBpK1Z3NWd1TWtPcUM3UT09

Casting Call for Open Mic

We are looking for volunteers to step forward and participate in this  year’s Open Mic event which will be hosted by Sandra Linhart. Sing, read a short story of your own, tell jokes, dance, your choice.

MWSA has room for FIVE volunteers to fill the program, for FIVE-minute sessions, so don’t be shy. Please email jimwritespoetry@gmail.com to secure a spot.

2023 Book Awards Finalists

Click for the list of finalists on our 2023 season page.

MWSA normally announces its awards finalists in mid-August each year. However, 2023 has not been a normal year. In fact, it’s been a record-breaker, with 117 books submitted to our review and awards system!

Due to some amazing work by our volunteer reviewer force, not only have we been able to accept more books than ever before (over 40% more than in any prior season), we’ve also finished our evaluations almost a month earlier than normal.

For this reason, we’ve decided to announce our season finalists today.

Visit our 2023 season page to see the list.

Congratulations to this year’s finalists!

June 2023 Blast


MWSA News Blast

June 30, 2023

Buckaroo Auction Rides Again!

We have mentioned the return of the Buckaroo Auction the the MWSA Annual Conference this year. Experienced “Auctioneers” Jaime Navarro and Randy Beard will host this fun MWSA event where you can get to know some of your colleagues better. It’s your chance to spend those “Buckaroos” you’ve earned and find out how to earn more.

Below includes PRELIMINARY information on the number of Buckaroos earned for volunteer duties, and our wizards behind the scenes have been tracking what volunteers have been doing regarding their dutues. Your earnings will be included in your registration packet, so you will know what you have available to spend. This program is for you, so if you have input, please provide it to this year’s Buckaroo Auction Chair, Valerie Ormond at VP@mwsa.co or speak to her at the MWSA conference.

Communications Committee Comes in Strong

New MWSA board member Gary Zelinski volunteered to fill the vacant Communications Committee Chair position which now includes management of the Publications (Dispatches and anthologies), Website/IT, Social Media, and Media and Public Relations Subcommittees. You will be hearing more from him, but his immediate request is that members take advantage of their membership benefit of being published in our quarterly Dispatches magazine. Please see below for the submission process and deadlines. Thank you for filling this important position, Gary.

Sneak Peak at 2023 MWSA Anthology

MWSA’s 2023 Anthology is coming out in September. This year’s is better than ever. In total, thirty-four members submitted thirty-seven stories or poems. Congratulations MWSA!

Thank you to Social Media Volunteers

Speaking of communications, last month we put out a request for Social Medial volunteers, and three members stepped up to the plate. A big thank you to Joe Campolo, Brad Huestis, and Rebecca (Becca) Johnsey. More to follow, and if anyone has ideas of how to step up our social media presence and has a few hours a month to spare, please contact our new Communications Chair, Gary Zelinski, at communications@mwsa.co.

Last Day to Nominate a Deserving MWSA Member for Writer of the Year for 2023!

Here’s the link to learn more about the process: https://www.mwsadispatches.com/mike-mullins-woy

May 20th Writers Education Series Now Live and Upcoming Session

Please see the following and thank you for your attendance. We’ve had great feedback on the event! Click here to watch recorded Zoom session

Look for another Writers Education webinar coming July 27th!

Click here for details

jim greenwald, MWSA President

Where to go for information.  Who to contact with questions.

Membership  |  membership@mwsa.co
Review & Awards | mwsaawardsdirectors@gmail.com
Events & Conferences | events@mwsa.co
Dispatches Magazine | dispatches@mwsa.co
Outreach & Education | outreach@mwsa.co
Volunteer | volunteer@mwsa.co
Website & Contact | info@mwsa.co

Important Membership Security Message

In the past day or so, several members have received emails from our membership management system (Wild Apricot) indicating that their passwords are due to expire.

These emails raise the obvious question: Is this email legitimate?

The answer is probably yes.

  • Why “probably”? Because it always pays to be suspicious and careful when receiving any similar email—and especially before you click on any included link.

  • Why “yes”? Because our membership management website has recently upgraded its password strength and recency requirements.

    • MWSA takes the privacy of our members seriously. We have safeguards in place to keep our members’ personal information safe, so we support this effort by Wild Apricot.

    • Although updating passwords is never “fun,” following these rules will help safeguard your personal information.

Our recommendation?

If you receive a password reset email, the easiest AND SAFEST thing to do is to go directly to our membership website, log in, and then reset your password yourself.

Here’s the link: https://militarywriterssocietyofamerica.wildapricot.org/Sys/Profile

Click to enlarge the image

Once you’re logged in, click on the blue silhouette near the top right of the page and then select “Change password” (see screenshot).

After clicking on that link, you’ll go to a page that will:

  • ask for your OLD password and

  • have you enter your NEW password twice.

    • The page lists the new password requirements (length, type of characters, etc.).

If you have any problems with your password reset, you can contact our membership team (membership@mwsa.co).

Are you comfortable with emails and links?

If you’re comfortable with emails and URLs (i.e., a little more tech-savvy), you can quickly assess the legitimacy of the email by following the following suggested steps:

1.      BEFORE YOU CLICK, check:

  • The Sender:  Military Writers Society of America <MilitaryWritersSocietyOfAmerica@wildapricot.org>

  • The link: the password reset link should look like this:
    https://militarywriterssocietyofamerica.wildapricot.org/Sys/Password/Reset?id=___many characters here___&expired=True

    • Ensure the link starts with the same characters above, up to the “Reset?id=” part.

    • Check that the written link (what you read) is the same as the actual embedded link (where the click will actually send you). Do this by hovering your mouse over the link. In most browsers or email clients, you’ll see a yellow highlighted version of the link on the bottom left of your screen. Make sure they’re the same.

Call for stories, art, essays, and poetry from SouthWest Writers

SouthWest Writers (SWW), in partnership with the New Mexico Arts & the Military Community, is creating an anthology of stories, art, essays, and poetry. These will be perspectives of military life in general, and/or insights into the broad scope of events, feelings, and viewpoints of veterans and their families.  The submission window opens March 1, 2023, thru April 1, 2023.  There is no entry fee.  Entries must be entered by current or former active-duty members of the military or an immediate family member or veteran caregiver currently from New Mexico.  They can be memoirs, fictional stories, or poetry and can include artwork or photography.

For more information, go to https://www.southwestwriters.com/military-anthology/, call (505) 453-6795, or email military@swwriters.com.

The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) is soliciting proposals for: Snapshots

Solicitation: Request for Proposals (RFP) #012022

Title: Snapshots

Opening Date: 10/01/22

Closing Date: 12/31/22

Download: http://www.mwsadispatches.com/mwsa-news

Scope of Work:

 About MWSA

MWSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation to support military writers. The purposes of the organization are to help military service members, veterans, their families, supporters, and historians record history and the complexities of military life, and to encourage writing as therapy. The organization focuses on using the writing of MWSA members to educate the general public, students, and the military community.

MWSA Anthologies

In past years, MWSA has compiled and published multiple themed anthologies. These anthologies offer MWSA’s writers opportunities to have their work published and allow MWSA members to read other members’ shorter works. The theme for the MWSA 2023 Anthology is “Snapshots.”

2023 Submission Requirements

Submissions must be written by MWSA members and have been not previously published. They may be fiction or non-fiction. Authors will grant a one-time right to publish in the anthology with all rights other than the anthology publication remaining with each author. "Snapshots," as the theme implies, means submissions are short pieces. The format is wide-ranging: from articles and short stories (maximum 3,000 words, please), to art and photo essays, poetry, and music lyrics (if a contributor has recorded a song based on the lyrics, then please add the URL so that editors -- and obviously, readers -- can listen to it). All submissions have to be related in some way to the military and military life. The goal is to be as inclusive as possible with regards to the military experience, ranging from that of what veterans themselves experienced to the experiences of veteran family members, and to civilian outsiders who have their perspective. All submissions must be respectful of all the military branches and of the people who served. Graphics, maps, and photographs to which authors have permission may be included with their work with proper attribution and within the publisher’s specifications. In accordance with the MWSA Ethics Policy, MWSA cannot accept submissions that include politically, religiously, or racially biased, or anti-U.S./U.S. military material.

Contract Performance Work Statement

This MWSA RFP seeks proposals from experienced individuals and businesses to provide services to compile, format, edit, publish, and market MWSA’s 2023 Anthology. Specific services will include:

1. Managing the project to include schedules, communications with MWSA, and cost management.

2. Compiling stories and poems from MWSA authors. The anthology should be approximately 300 pages in final format.

3. Formatting of the anthology to include individual stories and poems, graphics, front matter, back matter, front and back covers, and spine.

4. Copy editing.

5. Coordinating final edit with MWSA authors and MWSA leadership.

6. Publishing anthology in eBook and in paperback (50 print copies).

7. Distributing via Amazon, MWSA website, and social media.

8. Initial marketing to include a press release and announcements via social media.

9. Anthology to be completed for distribution at the MWSA Annual Conference tentatively scheduled for September 2023.

Proposal Instructions:

Please provide your proposals for this project including the following:

1. Description of how you will accomplish tasks 1 – 8 in the Scope of Work including project management and your technical solution.

2. Past experience you have with similar projects in the past ten years. Include links to three projects if available.

3. Two work reference points of contact (name, email, and phone number).

4. Any additional information the proposal evaluators should take into consideration.

5. Your price quote. This is a firm fixed-price contract.

Email proposals to the Technical Contacts listed below by 12/31/22.

Technical Contacts:

Bob Doerr, President (2022) and Immediate Past President (2023) rddoerr@cs.com

Procurement Contact: Hugh Simpson, Treasurer hsimpson@simpsonlaw.org

Awards Banquet Live Stream

Can’t join us in New Orleans for our 2022 Awards Banquet?

Click on the image to go to our Facebook page.

No problem; we’ll be live streaming on Facebook (technology and iPad battery permitting).

Join us around 6 PM Central Time on our Facebook Live Video page.

https://www.facebook.com/MWSA.MembersPublic/live_videos

Even if you can’t join us live, the video should be available to watch at your convenience.

2021 Season Virtual Awards Banquet

MWSA will announce our 2021 awards medalists via Facebook Video Premiere on Saturday, September 18, at 8 PM Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific).

Click on the image to the right or the button below to go to our MWSA Facebook page and watch the video.

Good luck to our authors!

If the button doesn’t work, here’s the URL to watch the video:

https://www.facebook.com/events/142611141340083

After the video premiere airs live, you’ll be able to find the recording in the video section of our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MWSA.MembersPublic/videos

Announcement of 2021 Season Finalists

MWSA will announce our 2021 awards finalists via Facebook Video Premiere on Saturday, August 7, at 5 PM Eastern (4 Central, 3 Mountain, 2 Pacific).

Click on the image to the right or the button below to go to our MWSA Facebook page and watch the video.

MWSA finalists can expect to receive an email notification with further details and recommendations shortly after the time mentioned above.

Good luck to all our 2021 season authors!

If the button doesn’t work, here’s the URL to watch the video:

https://www.facebook.com/events/365206461732653

Ready To Join MWSA or Learn More?