TRA: WRITERS’ GUIDELINES

*Submissions closed*

THEME: OCEAN CULTURE 

Poetry (min 100 words): The ocean has been a subject of poetry since time immemorial, and it’s easy to understand why. The ocean as an element of nature is made up of complexities, contradictions, and mystery. It is both calm and wild, beautiful yet occasionally hostile. We want to read poems that not only capture this essence of the ocean’s being, but also those that talk about it from an intimate, personal lens. Carve out imagery, symbolism, and strong metaphors in your pieces – we love to read that! 

Creative Nonfiction

Were you fascinated when you read an encyclopaedia about the ocean and its various elements as a child? Has a relative ever shared their experiences about serving in the navy or working in the maritime industry? How did you feel when you watched that one-hour-long documentary on scuba diving? What advice would you give a person who’s travelling to the seaside for the first time? We want to read about all that and more. We want to know how you felt when you first witnessed the vastness of the ocean, did it engulf you? Share your memories of vacations and college trips and corporate offsites where you spent days getting a good tan by the beach and all the reflections that you made while sipping on fresh coconut water (or your preferred beverage)! 

What does creative non-fiction consist of:

-) Personal Narrative essays (800-1500 words): 

-) Commentary pieces ( 600-1000 words): 

-) Travel & Memoirs ( 500-1000 words): 

-) Reviews: Books, Cinema, documentaries, art (500-800 words)

-) Visual stories (a maximum of 6 photographs)

Non-Fiction

Essays/Research articles (800-1200 words)

We want to give the ocean a voice through your words. Send us compositions that would initiate meaningful conversations about ocean culture, in turn educating today’s generation to protect one of our most valuable resources. Feel free to substantiate your articles with facts, figures, and stats if you’d like.

Some prompts that you can refer to: 

  1. Marine life and ecosystems 
  2. Underwater archaeology 
  3. Maritime trade 
  4. Policy change to curb ocean dumping

Photography/Digital Art Submissions 

Whether you are a sea swimmer, environmentalist, surfer or an artist who loves the ocean, we are sure that you have a unique story to tell us about the ocean’s vastness or its waves. Send us art that you have created or photographs that you have clicked that you think no one should miss seeing! 

HOW TO SUBMIT: 

  1. The submissions should be made ONLY via the designated google form. 
  2. All the written content should be attached as a Microsoft Word attachment. 12-point Times New Roman is preferred.
  3. Digital art and photographs should be submitted in .png, .jpeg. or .pdf format. 
  4. Please also fill in your particulars properly. 

○  Name (as you would like printed)

○  Email address

○  3rd person bio (limit to 100 words)

○  Optional – Author website and other social media links

  1. Choose the genre of your submission carefully. The options include Nonfiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, and Art/Photography.
  2. If your submission includes sensitive themes, please mark it with a Content Warning (CW) and/or Trigger Warning (TW) WITH the subject in both the email body AND before the title of the piece (e.g. CW/TW: abuse).
  3. Link to the google form: https://forms.gle/w1BtgUv85E53vyy78

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES: 

  1. Try to include relevant sub-headings for longer pieces. 
  2. For commentary pieces, please include a strong personal comment.
  3. Simultaneous submissions are welcome but please let us know if the piece gets accepted elsewhere.
  4. We prefer previously unpublished material but may accept previously published material as long as authors own its copyright and provide appropriate attribution. 

Please mail us at theremnantarchive@gmail.com in case of any queries.