LitFriends Newsletter from JackWalkerPress.com and AmyLouJenkins.com

As narrative nonfiction storytellers in the age of AI,  you've probably encountered moments where AI tools just miss the mark—like the weird picnic image I recently received, featuring a chef with a stethoscope. While artificial intelligence can assist us by repurposing or reordering content, generating images, and more, it can never capture what only you can write: your voice, your experience, your artistry, and your authenticity.

In today's world, where fleeting memes and soundbites abound, the role of narrative nonfiction writers has never been more crucial. You celebrate experience and a mind at work for good. Your stories aren't just words on a page—they are contributions to the ongoing flow of discourse, reflections of society, and documents of our time. You make meaning from life.

Every project you complete, every story you tell, leaves a legacy. In an era where quick information is abundant, the thoughtfully crafted narratives you create provide context, emotion, and meaning that inform and inspire.

As Labor Day reminds us to celebrate the efforts of workers everywhere, let celebrate the labor you invest in storytelling. Continue to harness your voice with confidence, knowing that your work isn't just valued—it's indispensable.

Thank you for being part of this vibrant community of narrative nonfiction writers. Your stories matter, and I can't wait to see the change you make through your artful words. Please submit your essays, read our writing blog, and consider our courses. Whatever you do: write.

Here's our concise email with three sections to bolster your lit life a few times each month.

1. New Articles

🗒️ Multiple Perspectives in Memoir.

It's true that other people in your memoir remember and analyze events differently than you do. Capture that reality to add authenticity and depth to your personal narrative. Click here to read more

🗒️ Does the Terminator Anything to Teach Us About Writing the Personal Narrative?

We can't believe we are saying this, but yes.

Click here to read more

🗒️ Write-A-Gift Course-- Stories and Recipes Make a Treasured Gift. This is just one of the projects you can make to turn your words into treasured gifts. Big Discount pricing expires Oct. 15.

Begin now for a huge discount and to start those holiday projects that can take as little as an hour, a day, a weekend, or write a family memoir project over more time. Click here to read more

2.    #WriterNews

Subscribers can list their news on our FB page, or message us through our Contact Us form.

Katie Love has been announced as the Grand Prize recipient of the 4th Annual Writer's Digest Personal Essay Awards for her fun essay, Killer Punchline: Comedy-Tragedy in the Dating World. Her winning essay was published this summer on their website. Read it.

Wright Thompson’s highly anticipated release of narrative nonfiction and reportage will be released in Sept. by Penguin. Wright's family farm in Mississippi is 23 miles from the site of one of the most notorious and consequential killings in American history, yet he had to leave the state for college before he learned the first thing about it. To this day, fundamental truths about the crime are widely unknown, including where it took place and how many people were involved. This is no accident: the cover-up began at once, and it is ongoing. Hardback books can be expensive, so we were happy to see that they are also offering an E-book on release. Preorders here (affiliate link).

3.    #CallsForSubmissions

Blueline Magazine seeks outstanding nature-themed articles

Seeking submissions for poems, stories, and essays that capture the essence of the Adirondacks and similar regions, emphasizing the impact of nature. Submit between July 1 and November 30 for consideration. Decisions will be made by mid-February. Compensation will be in the form of copies. We accept simultaneous submissions with notification. Electronic submissions, in Word format, are preferred via email. Details

 

Call for Submissions: Voices on the Gift of Aging

Jack Walker Press invites writers to submit personal essays for our upcoming anthology, "Voices on the Gift of Aging" (working title). We seek reflections, and insightful and transformative narratives exploring the multifaceted aging journey. Let's celebrate the richness, wisdom, and unique experiences that come with growing older. Yet we realize that losses come with aging. Truth is often complicated. Details

First-Person Essays

Open Secrets Magazine is excited to announce that they are currently seeking submissions for personal essays between 1,000-2,000 words. These essays should be based on the author's life experiences and can only be submitted by current Open Secrets Magazine subscribers worldwide. Free subscriptions available. Essay pitches will not be accepted, but all submissions that adhere to the provided guidelines will be reviewed for potential publication. Details

Call for Submission: Voices on the Land that I Love(d)

Jack Walker Press invites writers to submit personal essays for our forthcoming anthology, "Voices on the Land that I Love (d)” (working title). This anthology aims to explore the diverse, complex, and ever-evolving landscape of the United States through personal narratives and reflections. When we say landscape, you may focus on culture. Or you may have a theme that is rooted in a physical place. Be personal. Be real. We seek stories that capture the essence of the American experience, offering insights, critiques, and celebrations of our nation and its people. If someone were to read your essay in 100 years, they should be able to feel the turbulence, hate, comfort, fear, love, and emotions related to living in this time. Details

 

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