Essay Fiesta

Hi Essay Fiesta folks! Keith and Alyson wanted you to know, that as our 3rd-year anniversary approaches in November, we are putting reading submissions on hiatus until December. Currently all shows from now through the anniversary show are in the process of being booked. So to give us a break, we’re going to wait until the end of the year to get back on the submission-reading wagon.

THAT SAID! There is still an opportunity to submit your work and be a part of Essay Fiesta. We will be curating a mini-Fiesta as part of the Chicago Writers Conference on Sept. 15. Feel free to submit with mention of “Chicago Writers Conference” or “CWC” in the subject line. Guidelines for submission are below:

Essay Fiesta: Submission Guidelines for CWC Evening Reading Series

Essay Fiesta concentrates on first-person, non-fiction personal essays, often with a humorous bent, though that is not a necessity. We highly value well-written stories that work in an oral context and strike that careful balance between funny and poignant. We expect our performers to share work that is vulnerable, revealing and insightful. And most of all, it must be true.

Pieces can be no more than 10 minutes in length, (about 1,800 words). We find that pieces that are 7 minutes in length, (about 1,500 words), connect with an audience best. We also expect our performers to perform. Although you will be reading off the page,  we want performers to be dynamic and vibrant.  If you’ve ever fallen asleep at an author reading, then you will know what we are not looking for.

To be considered, please email a copy of your piece to essayfiesta@gmail.com with the subject line: “Chicago Writers Conference Submission – Full Name – Piece Title.”