2008 theme descriptions

JANUARY: Lady Luck
Bad situations working out for the better; situations of luck or unluckiness; creating your own luck; good luck charms; luck changing, not believing in luck, why you believe in luck, fortune, fate, superstition, coincidences.

FEBRUARY: That’s Amore  
Heart’s desires, grand passions, love, lust, temptation, broken hearts and mended hearts, wearing your heart on your sleeve, pouring your heart out, and letting your heart rule your head, the dating game, the mating game, unrequited love, self love.  

MARCH:  Around the Clock
Working for a living, living to work, good jobs, bad jobs, crazy bosses, being the boss, mentors, getting paid, office space, working overtime, going back to work, getting fired, getting your dream job, being a morning person vs. night person, carpools and after school, daily routines and why we break them.

APRIL:  Laugh Out Loud
Humorous essays – make us smile or make us laugh. Writing with a sense of humor…hilarity, absurdity and comedy, humorous situations, dark humor, light humor, silliness and sarcasm, laughing through tears, coping through comedy.

MAY:  Winging It
Wanderlust, adventure; daring, trying a new sport, visiting a new place, armchair travel, overcoming fears (of heights, of flight, of performing), letting go, being spontaneous, being brave or pretending to be brave.

JUNE: Songbirds 
Music – essays inspired by specific songs or song lists/mix CDs.
(see books: Lit Riffs, Love is a Mix Tape, and My Life in Heavy Metal for inspiration)

JULY: The “F” Word (Feminism & Fashion)    
Feministas and fashionistas, independent women, closing the gender divide, redefining norms, girl power, what we were wearing when we changed the world and atypical fashion-related essays, how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go, trail-blazing.

AUGUST: The Detour Issue
Simplifying your life; downsizing your life; organizing your home, becoming less of a pack rat, taking a different path, moving on, being in nature, cutting ties, less is more, moments of zen, running away.

SEPTEMBER: The Rules Issue
Making them, breaking them, bending them, women rule, the exception that proves the rule, dividing and conquering, rules for living, playing by the rules (or not), power, dominance, influence.

OCTOBER:  Wonder Women
Women who inspire, what you aspire to, women who do it all, heroic women, icons, rule-breakers, your political involvement, situations with female politicians, why women don’t run, why women should run for office, women who lead the pack, leadership, going out on a limb. Please be careful to avoid “the most unforgettable character I ever met” format. Entries should be a fresh take on this topic.

NOVEMBER: The Delicious Issue    
Dish, cravings, good taste, junk food, comfort food, having your cake and eating it too, the good life, heavenly, mouth-watering, appetites, drop-dead gorgeous, nourishment for the body and the mind, fit for the goddesses, pleasure, delighting the senses (all six of them).

DECEMBER: Fresh Starts    
Resolutions you kept, resolutions you broke, why we make resolutions or why we shouldn’t, turning around a tough situation; working through hard times, starting over, clean slate, new beginnings, epiphanies.

*These are suggestions only intended to inspire writers interested in submitting for a particular month. We recognize that you may have ideas for other variations on theme of the month and look forward to reading your submissions.