The time has come! The Future of Us submissions are now open! We’re so excited to read your pieces and put together the next anthology in our Of Us series.
What it’s about & who can submit
The Future of Us, is for those who come next: our children and future generations of parents. These submissions are for them and about them.
You do not need to be solely a parent to submit. Grandparents, caregivers, aunts, uncles, adoptive or foster parents—anyone with children in their lives can contribute. And if you’re still waiting for your child, you can submit, too! Read the “Themes to Consider” section for more details.
What we’re looking for in your Future of Us Submissions
- Short stories (not to exceed 4,500 words)
- Essays (not to exceed 4,500 words)
- Poetry
- Children’s artwork
All short stories should be creative non-fiction.
Themes to consider for The Future of Us submissions
- Hopes and Dreams. What aspirations do you have for your children? How will you, as their parent, help them achieve their dreams?
- Uniquely You. Share stories of your children in times they let their personalities shine. Maybe they have a temper, a quiet kindness, or a wealth of compassion. We want pieces that paint a portrait of your child’s uniqueness.
- Growing Pains. We’ve all had trying moments with our children that strengthened our bonds in the end. What uplifting triumphs do you have to share?
- From the Future Parents. Not all of us are parents yet, but we still might have something to say to our future children. This space is for parents-to-be and those whose dreams are yet to be fulfilled.
- For the Future Parents. Children come next, yes, but so do parents. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for future generations of parents?
These are suggested themes and in no way the only accepted categories for submission. If you have something you’d like to say outside of these themes, we’ll be happy to read and consider it.
Artwork guidelines
We would love to include artwork by your children! Please keep in mind that the anthology will be printed in grayscale. For the best results, we suggest bold line drawings or sketches without large, colored-in areas. There is no age limit for art submissions. For artwork created by persons over eighteen (18), we will need a signed agreement from the owner before publication, stating that we have permission to use their work.
Copyrights and payment
You, as the author, retain all rights to your work. All artists retain the rights to any published artwork.
As with our other Of Us Anthologies, chosen submissions will be unpaid. All proceeds from book sales will go to Girls Write Now.
The Future of Us submissions guidelines
Please fill out a Google form submission HERE. We do take multiple submissions, but we kindly ask you to create a separate document for each piece and submit a form for each one.
Make sure the share settings on your Google Doc are not restricted. Due to the expected volume of submissions, we can only request access to view your document once.
We understand that Google isn’t everyone’s preferred submission method, but we cannot take submissions in any other form at this time. Please reach out if you need assistance.
2023 Submission Opportunities
Keep an eye out for additional anthology opportunities this year. Here’s our 2023 anthology schedule so you can plan ahead!
Dear Editor: I cannot get google doc and wonder if you could assist me so that I can submit to your anthology. Dr. Deidra Suwanee Dees