Guidelines to cc&d magazine

The Unreligious, Non-Family-Oriented Literary and Art Magazine, ISSN 1068-5154

Please send your contributions electronically. Paper contributions are something we SO don’t want to read. When sending submissions to us, send them either (1) in the body of the email (though bolds and italics and special characters may be lost in the body of the email sometimes), or (2) as an attached “.txt” file, “.rtf” file, or as a Microsoft Word “.doc” file (we have to convert “.docx” files so we can read them, and we know that in the newer version of MS Word which saves files as “.docx” files you can retroactively save files as “.doc” files before submitting them to us; also, we will not consider PDF file submissions). You can send it both ways (in the body and as an attachment) if you want to be extra-sure we can read it, but these are the ways we can receive submissions successfully. By preferring e-mail subs, this reduces the possibility that Scars and CC&D will inadvertently introduce typing or scanning errors into the copy. Out philosophy is that you either have to just not know what a compter is or you can’t afford to get on-line in the first place in order to send us snail-mail submissions. Email or floppy disk or CD rom or ZIP disk or USB thumb drive submissions are all that we prefer to be acccepting... But if you have email, you can email us; it’s a lot faster, you don’t need a SASE; it is more economical.

Please note that our byline is that we are the UNreligious magazine. The name of this magazine is generated from a poem about the dysfunctionality of religion and family life, so this is NOT a Christian magazine. Along those same lines,
We do not consider rhyme. Sorry guys, I’m sure there are a ton of other places for that rhyming stuff, but it’s not our thing. We have noted that the reader gets more involved with the writer’s rhyme than the actual message of the writing. So please, don’t bother mailing it to us; we’ll just send them back to you.

Here is the important stuff. Print copies are no longer free, but issues through 2009 can be purchased for a low low price through us, so for older copies, get electronic copies at this site, which are free, by clicking on the text archives and back issues of cc+d. 2010 issues are printed from a printer, so we do not even have spare copies to give away. For 2010 issues, copies can be order through a click to the printer links.

General Themes

Our biases are works that relate to issues such as politics, sexism, society, and the like, but are definitely not limited to such. We publish good work that makes you think, that makes you feel like you’ve lived through a scene instead of merely reading it. If we had to use two words to describe what we want, they would have to be intelligent and powerful. Keep that in mind.

Poetry

We accept work of almost any genre, but we’re not keen on rhyme for rhyme’s sake, and we’re definitely not keen on religion poems (look at our current issue for a better idea of what we’re like). We are also not keen (meaning, it’s best not to send it to us for consideration) poems with repeated or intricate indentations. If the poem cannot read well without the mass special indentations, then it’s probably not a good enough poem for publication at Scars. Oh, and we do accept longer works, but within two pages for an individual poem is appreciated.

Prose

We say keep it under ten pages, if you can, but we really like getting prose submissions, so if you think your piece is good but worry about the length, well, send it to us anyway and let us decide. If it relates to how the world fits into a person’s life (political story, a day in the life, coping with issues people face), it will probably win us over faster. Oh, and please tell the story like it actually happened. What makes a story believable is the detail given in it that pulls the reader in. Make our reader see the scene, smell the food, feel the wind on their face. They’ll remember the story more when they put an issue down if they feel like they lived the story instead of merely reading it. They can take something from it, and when they do you know you’ve done something right.

Art Work

Do not send originals. We don’t go for humorous illustrations or comics, unless they’re political and fit in with out current themes. Photography and drawings are usually your best bet, ones easily reproduced by photocopiers. Artwork does not go in electronic versions of Children, Churches and Daddies.

Everyone: Read This Submission Advice

We’ve received comments from readers and other editors saying that they thought some of our stories really happened. They didn’t, but it was nice to know that they were so concrete, so believable that people thought they were nonfiction. Do that to our readers.

Here you even have the opportunity to directly submit writing to cc&d. You can also submit art work electronically by e-mailing it to us...

Boring, Stupid Crap:

Part 1: details about contributor copies

     All magazine published from Scars Publications are released on the web — as a free downloadable PDF file (e-book, or e-issue), as well as on a web page. In this way people can enjoy the magazine on the Internet for free.
    cc&d magazine origianlly started as a print-only magazine, and within a year was placed on the web. Because of years where the magazine did not exist except in collection books, cc&d magazine has made every effort to continue to have issues available for free online. Print issues are offered to people who are interested in keeping a hard copy for their own records, but since over the years cc&d magazine has been available for free on the web, free print copies are not given away.
     Because all magazines published from Scars Publications are released on the web (and in the past as a free downloadable PDF file, as well as on a web page), it is always been the policy of Scars Publications to not give away free print issues.

Part 2: the really technical details:

Children, Churches and Daddies is a magazine dedicated to showcasing the work of writers and artists, and is published monthly, so submit early and submit often. We don’t go for racist, sexist (therefore we’re not into pornography either), or homphobic stuff. (though we shy away from concrete poetry and rhyme for rhyme’s sake...) We prefer work sent via e-mail or on Macintosh disks. Submit as much as you want at a time. And about copyrights - the work is yours, and we don’t want to ever claim it for ourselves. Simultaneous submissions are cool, previously published or concurrently publshed works are cool, and the work is always yours. You’re only giving us the right to publish it.
We may want to run your work again in a collection volume in the future, but that only means you’re published again, the collection books/calendars/whatnot will be posted on our web site as well, and you can still do whatever you want with your work. You always retain the rights to your work; by submitting your material to us you are giving us permission to show off your work (on the web or in print issues or collection books), but you can do whatever you like with your won work. Someone else wants to publish your material after we accepted it? No problem. (Bigger bargain for us if they credit first publication rights to cc&d, and thanks.) Someone else published your material first and you want to submit it to us? Fine. (We’s laid back that way.) If you are accepted and you later ask us to pull your work from the Internet or a print issue, consider it done. Your work is yours, and we want to respect you and your writing and art work. (The only thing we won’t do is accept material that has already been published in the other Scars magazine, since both acceptances appear togther in the writings section of http://scars.tv...)

You can also be on our subscription e-mail list to get issues sent to you for free as soon as issues come out!

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Submit, or I’ll have to kill you...

We know your writing’s good, so send poetry, short prose, black and white art work (electronic submissions greatly preferred for art work), praises or large checks (like poets even have money) to us. Now. What a country!

comments on past collection books scars publications and design has done:

Paul Weinman, Writer (on 1996 “Children, Churches and Daddies”)
Wonderful new direction (“Children, Churches and Daddies” has) taken. Great stories - all sorts of hot info!

    Donna Thompson, editor, Challenges Magazine (on “Blister and Burn”)
    Blister and Burn arrived today. It’s quite handsome, attractive format, clean and uncluttered.
    Congratulations on the publication....good work!

D. V. Aldrich, Writer I just recieved my copy of the vol. 77 - March issue. First of all, let me say I am impressed, make that “throw me up against the wall and do whatever you want with me” impressed, by the new layout, design and color. Mighty fine job, mighty fine!

Jane B. Roth, writer (on “Slate and Marrow”)
...Absolutely beautiful. Very impressive. Congratulations. Haven’t had a chance to read much yet, but I loved the poem “Clipping Koltin.” The photography looks great.

John Sweet, writer (on chapbook designs)
Visuals were awesome. They’ve got a nice enigmatic quality to them. Front cover reminds me of the Roman sculptures of angels from way back when. Loved the staggered tire lettering, too. Way cool.

Chris McKinnon (on collection book “Blister and Burn”)
Thank you - (Kuypers has) really outdone herself with “Blister and Burn”. What a great volume, and your work is quite compelling! Marvelous job.

C Ra McGuirt, Editor, The Penny Dreadful Review (on “Children, Churches and Daddies”)
cc&d is obviously a labor of love ... I just have to smile when I go through it. (The editor) uses her space and her poets to best effect, and the illos attest to her skill as a graphic artist.

Ryan Malone, Writer (on “Sulphur and Sawdust”)
I’m enjoying the copy of “Suphur and Sawdust,” which came in the mail yesterday. The design is phenomenal. Stark, sleek, brilliant, impressive. Very refreshing. The small lines of text running sideways down the pages? Very cool. This is really, well-done, classy looking anthology. Congratulations.

Debra Purdy Kong, writer, British Columbia, Canada (on the magazine “Children, Churches and Daddies”)
I like the magazine a lot. I like the spacious lay-out and the different coloured pages and the variety of writer’s styles. Too many literary magazines read as if everyone graduated from the same course. We need to collect more voices like these and send them everywhere.

Fred Whitehead, Freethought History (on “Blister and Burn” and the editor)
Blister and Burn (is a) collection the admitably fulfills the promise of its title. I’m amazed at how much (the editor) accomplishes and gets done. She is listening hard for the authentic voices of America.

Cheryl Townsend, Editor, Impetus (on “Children, Churches and Daddies”)
The new cc&d looks absolutely amazing. It’s a wonderful lay-out, looks really professional - all you need is the glossy pages. Truly impressive AND the calendar, too. Can’t wait to actually start reading all the stuff inside.. Wanted to just say, it looks good so far!!!

concurrentlypublshed