As an alien plant, I often forget that humans are often quite capable of writing without the influence of my species and I. Knowing this, I would feel terrible if I didn't give some of you, at least those with a talent for the art, the chance to have your works published in an anthology.
The anthology I'm referring to is called Pendulum 2005, a piece of work which seeks to showcase the writing talents of people around the world whilst developing the publishing skills of local students. My human, repugnant aardvark that he is, is a part of this project, and it was through him I learnt of it.
So how would you get into an anthology like this?
Fortunately, I have with me the guidelines needed for manuscripts. Sorry, but I'm going to have to be strict about this. Quality is a must. Submissions that do not meet the guidelines will not be accepted, no matter how much we like you or how large your bribe is.
1. Submissions must be received by Tuesday, 31 May, 2005. No submissions will be accepted after this time.
2. Send a copy of your piece rather than the original, as it will not be returned to you.
3. Documents must be size A4, and printed on 1 side of the page.
4. Each page should be numbered "X of Y". For example, 2 of 5.
5. Submissions can be a maximum of 3000 words for short stories and novel excerpts (that stand out on their own), and a maximum of 50 lines for poetry.
6. A maximum of three submissions per author is allowed.
7. Submissions must be accompanied by a covering letter which clearly states the author's name, the title of the submission, what the submission is, a word count, and contact details including phone number and email address.
8. Text must be Times New Roman, size 12pt, and with double line spacing. Paragraphs should be indented by 0.5". Line justification will be to the left.
9. All hard-copy submissions must be sent to the following address:
Pendulum 2005
Chisholm Institute of TAFE
Berwick Campus
P.O. Box 684
Dandenong VIC Australia (if overseas) 3175
10. Digital submissions can be sent to pendulum@fathen.net, attached either as a Word Document or as a PDF file.
11. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance/rejection via email after 20 September, 2005.
I look forward to seeing what you humans are capable of.