What?

Yes, you read that correctly. Everything About Nothing. Now, we realize that, if an ezine has content on the site, then that is something. But this is different.

This is an ezine about nothing in particular. There are no set themes, there is no genre, no cubbyhole in which to fit us. As a matter of fact, the first person that tries to put us in a genre will get thumped via their Internet connection.

We are a writing ezine. Period. Nothing more, nothing less.

So, now you are wondering, "Well, if it's an ezine about nothing, why would I want to read or write for it?"

To be honest, your motivation is yours and yours alone. I can only explain the motivations of me and my staff.

This ezine serves a dual purpose. First, we want to entertain. Second, we want to inform. We believe that the second purpose can be best achieved by ensuring that the first purpose is as fully-developed as possible. That's where you come in. We want your stuff. We want you to submit to us. We are not into labels or genres or formulas. Honestly, if it is too run-of-the-mill, we probably don't want it. There are plenty of ezines that accept that kind of writing.

We want the writer that hates to be stereotyped. We want the writer that says "to hell with what the experts say! I like my short-story in the first person!" We want the writer who stands tall and embraces his ability to write flash fiction and poetry. We welcome those who write about the strange and mundane. If you've recived a rejection letter that said something such as "this was good, but we don't have a place for it at this time" then we want it here.

"But I don't know how to write about nothing!"

Au contraire! Not only do you know how to write about nothing, you do it every day!

If you wrote a quirky personal essay that you cannot find a home for anywhere, we want to see it!

If people have raised their eyebrows at you and said, "I don't get this. It's good, I think, but I just don't get it.", We want to see it!

If the entry you wrote for a contest was good, but not good enough to get you the $10 prize or the free subscription to an ezine about something? We want to see it!

But remember, the operative word here is "good". We may be an ezine about nothing, but it's high quality nothing.

Did you read a strange book that you thought was good, but stuck with you in a strange, nontraditional way? Want to write a review about it? Go for it! Tell us all about it. By the way, the above-mentioned "good" and "high-quality" remarks apply here also.

Got a self-published or POD book and you are looking for another avenue in which to sell it? Bring it on over.

If you offer a unique service for writers, or are in need of a unique service; that gets our attention as well, but that will cost you! (email me for rates)

Wondering where all this will go? Still wondering if your writing will fit in? Still want to know why the name Writer's Stew? Keep reading:

How do you make a stew? You put meat, potatoes, veggies, onions, peppers, squash..pretty much anything you want into a pot and let it simmer. It makes its own gravy. You add biscuits or bread and TA-DA! A feast for the senses.

This ezine is a feast for the writer's appetite. I think that all writers will get something out of this 'zine At least that is the goal. And, for the record, you can try to scratch and sniff your screen, but I doubt it will work!

Departments:

Meat and Potatoes - Interview with authors, major articles about..whatever..political, social, business, whatever attracts us. This will most likely be the front page, so you will find the latest contest here also. Place submission in the body of an email and send to: Meat and Potatoes Editor@writers-stew.com Put "Meat and Potatoes Submission" in the subject line.

Our first contest: Rejection Letter to the Editor or Publisher. If you could turn the tables and reject a publisher or editor, what would you say? Max. Word limit: 600 words (or roughly a printed page and a half). Note: keep it clean! This is still a G-Rated site. Okay, PG-13 on bad days...
Prizes: 1st prize: 50% of the entry fees 2nd prize: 20% of the entry fees 3rd prize: 10% of the entry fees. All three will be published on the site.
Entry fee: $2 USD per entry, payable through PayPal or Money Order. Send PayPal payments to WritersStew@aol.com . Send snail mail submissions to:

Writer's Stew

203 Highland Avenue

Wheeling, WV 26003

Put: "contest entry" in the memo of the money order

Email submissions in the body of an email to:Contest Entry@writers-stew.com with "Contest Entry" in the subject line.

Veggie mix - how-to tips for readers, writers, human beings in general. Place submission in the body of an email and send to:Veggie Mix Editor@writers-stew.com with "Veggie Mix Submission" in the subject line.

Gravy - humor column, normally reserved for the editor. However, since the editor is an Odd Duck, this space could periodically be given to someone else who managed to write something that tickled her funny bone. Place submission in the body of an email and send to:Gravy Editor@writers-stew.com with "Gravy Submission" in the subject line.

Biscuits or Bread? Opinion/ Letters to the Editor

Fork and Spoon: items that writers may find of interest..could be a handy tool, a free software program, or just some "food for thought". If you have heard some strange news, this is a good place to put it. I will be posting strange news stories, both writing-related and in general in this section as well.

Just Desserts! - Author of the Month

Don't forget the Gratuity! - classifieds/ads/market listings

Send email submission/Inquires for Biscuits or Bread, Fork and Spoon, Just Desserts!, and Don't forget the Gratuity! to Editor@writers-stew.com

NOTE: Do not send email attachments! They will not be read!

NOTE #2: Follow the guidelines! Otherwise, your submission will be ignored! This IS an ezine about nothing, and we do respect and welcome unique submissions, BUT (and this is a BIG 'ol BUT!) you have to comply with our guidelines!

Payment:

Meat and Potatoes, Veggie Mix and Gravy- $10 per article or column. Articles/columns should run 750 - 2000 words in length.
Biscuits or Bread?- $5 per Opinion piece. There is no payment for Letters to the Editor. Think about it, why would I pay you to insult me, or on a more positive note, how honest would you be if I paid you to tell me you love my ezine? Also, we pay on publication. There may be a lag time between acceptance and publication and since we don't believe in holding a writer's work hostage until we can use it, simultaneous submissions are okay with us. If your work is accepted elsewhere before we use it, just let us know, okay? Lastly, all rights revert back to the author the following month after publication.

Now that you know what we are about, let me tell you one more time what we aren't. We are not an ezine for readers, we are not an ezine for writers. We aren't a humor ezine, a romance ezine, a how-to ezine or a "find great markets here!" ezine. Simply put, we are all these things and we are none of those things. We are an ezine that is Everything About Nothing. If you are looking for a genre ezine, then keep looking. But if you are the kind of writer that is put off by genres and labels and stereotypes, then this is the place for you!

We look forward to reading your work! Let's make this the best ezine about nothing ever!

Sincerely,

The Staff of Writer's Stew