From time to time I’ve tried to rise to the challenge of getting my writing accepted by Creative Nonfiction magazine. No success yet, but I’ll keep trying, as it gives me a reason to flex my writing muscles and a deadline to motivate action. What more does a writer need? Well, prize money would be nice, too.

Creative Nonfiction editors will award $3,500 for best essay, and all essays submitted will be considered for publication.

Here are two upcoming theme challenges:

Adaptation

Deadline: February 6, 2017

For the summer 2017 issue, Creative Nonfiction magazine is seeking submissions for a special issue devoted to the theme of “adaptation”—original essays illuminating the ways in which the need to keep up with a rapidly-changing world drives the work of scientists, designers, thinkers, innovators, farmers, soldiers, medical professionals, teachers, and others and affects the lives of prisoners, patients, refugees, students, travelers, and other citizens. As the world changes, so, too, do humans—whether in our approach to building things, developing new technologies (and adapting to the ways those technologies change our society), learning how to eat different kinds of foods, or learning how to dress differently. And of course adaptation is hardly limited to humanity; numerous other species—everything from viruses to plants and animals—have had to adapt to rapid changes in both global and local habitats… [more]

Dangerous Creations: Real-life Frankenstein Stories

Deadline: March 20, 2017

…we’re looking for true stories that explore humans’ efforts to control and redirect nature, the evolving relationships between humanity and science/technology, and contemporary interpretations of monstrosity.

Essays must be vivid and dramatic; they should combine a strong and compelling narrative with an informative or reflective element and reach beyond a strictly personal experience for some universal or deeper meaning. We’re open to a broad range of interpretations of the “Frankenstein” theme, with the understanding that all works submitted must tell true stories and be factually accurate. Above all, we’re looking for well-written prose, rich with detail and a distinctive voice… [more]

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You don’t have to set your sights as high as winning publication in a prestigious literary magazine for lovers of “true stories well told”–you could just let these prompts lead you to the page. Where do the themes of “Adaptation” and “Dangerous Creations” take you?