Sunday Submissions: ‘Tales from Muslim Worlds’

This anthology, edited by Marguerite Richards, is seeking first-person, unpublished non-fiction in English or translation. Writers (and translators) whose work is selected for print will be offered a $200 honorarium:

Richards is looking for pieces between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Accoding to the online guidelines:

We’re seeking first-person, non-fiction stories about transformation. Stories about birth, death, love, marriage, sex, loss, friendship, crisis, success, and failure, taking place among people in a broad range of Muslim worlds, from Senegal to Indonesia and beyond. Stories should engage a broad audience, have a strong sense of place and country, and open a window into each unique culture. The story should also transcend cultural boundaries in order to relate to the human nature of all readers. Regardless of where these stories come from, they should reveal a universality, a truth about our common humanity.  Stories that turn stereotypes on their heads are especially of interest.

This book is not an exploration of Islam itself. The goal is to reveal the diversity of perspectives, ideas, and interests coming from people living in Muslim cultures across the globe. Then, the goal is to explore our human nature, underneath the various layers of identity.

You: There is no restriction on the author’s age, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality. However, an authentic cultural perspective is crucial to this work, therefore preference will go to those writings from authors who have spent a significant portion of their lives in the country they are writing about. While we do not restrict writers based on religion, we are looking for writers who identify with their Muslim heritage.

The deadline is October 31, 2016 and you can submit online.