The Seventh Wave is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and literary organization dedicated to creating online and offline spaces for conversation to flourish. At The Seventh Wave, we are interested in unique perspectives, distinctive voices, and novel takes on our current issue, and are committed to being as inclusive as possible. As such, we do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, or xenophobic content.
Our call for applications for our Bainbridge Residency will close Nov. 30, 2018, and our call for submissions for Issue 9 will close Dec. 14, 2018. Please see our Submission Guidelines for more information.
ISSUE 9 CALL: What We Lose
What are we willing to give up of ourselves, our morals, or our beliefs, in order to attain some form of temporary peace? Tension and division have been, and always will be, a part of the human experience; compromise is the way that we’ve been taught to coexist with those we disagree with. But by definition, compromise necessitates that everyone must accept standards that are less than what they want for the sake of the greater good. So is there such a thing as a compromise that is fair to all?
Compromise is both a moral and a practical dilemma. In the U.S., one year after the #MeToo movement began, and less than a month after the Kavanaugh hearings that confirmed the controversial Supreme Court justice, questions of “fair” may feel relative. It depends on who you’re asking, and why. Globally, traditional gender roles continue to change and questions of privilege are being brought to the forefront of discussion, but the lives of those who are less white, less male-identified, and less powerful in every sense of the word are still being compromised to maintain the status quo. Families are being torn apart in the name of national security. Notions of privacy are being pitted against calls for heightened protection. But at the same time, change is daunting, and those who resist it have hopes of finding order amid a shifting social and political landscape. The reality is that everyone’s just trying to get by — the difference is in what each individual, each collective, and each nation is willing to give up in order to survive.
As individuals, we are all being asked to sacrifice daily, whether it be tempering our opinions, code-switching, or selectively sharing parts of ourselves with others for fear of retribution. What are the ways that we have to accede to the demands of society, and how are we finding ways to hold onto who we are? Are there times where we can’t compromise our beliefs because to do so would be to forfeit the core of our beings? What do we value and how do we place value in this country and within each other? And when do we need to apologize for what we unknowingly (or knowingly) force others to give up?
PAYMENT
We are committed to paying our contributors. While it can vary by submission, generally speaking, we typically offer $50 for prose, film, plays, and multiple poems / pieces of artwork, but only $25 for individual poems / images.
REQUIRED
Please include a short third-person bio, listing previous publications and work, as well as 1-2 sentences about how your piece relates to our current topic. Additionally, please title your work according to the convention: “AuthorLastName_Title” and select which genre most closely describes your piece.
RIGHTS
The Seventh Wave will acquire First Rights (Non-Exclusive Electronic) upon publication, meaning that we will be the first place on the Internet where the piece is displayed. To reiterate: no previously published pieces (we consider blog postings previous publication) will be accepted. All rights will revert to the author 45 days after publication.
Option 2: Small Fee, No Feedback ($3). Should you not want feedback or if a fee creates a barrier to entry, submit using this option. If we do not select your piece for publication, it is likely you will receive a generic rejection letter, as we are but three editors. We understand what it feels like to send work out into the world, and our hope here is to provide you with ease of access and opportunity.
Please include a short third-person bio, listing previous publications and work, as well as 1-2 sentences about how your piece relates to our current topic. (Submissions that do not include how they relate to the current topic will not be considered.) Additionally, please title your document according to the convention: “AuthorLastName_Title” and select which genre most closely describes your piece.
Option 1: Editorial Feedback ($20). We consider this a conversational submission. For any submission we do not accept, you will receive personalized feedback from our editors about your piece (why we did not select it for publication, but also what we would encourage you to edit and revise, should our feedback align with your intent). If you do submit to this category and we accept your submission, we will waive the fee upon publication.
Please include a short third-person bio, listing previous publications and work, as well as 1-2 sentences about how your piece relates to our current topic. (Submissions that do not include 1-2 sentences about how the piece relates to the call will not be considered.) Additionally, please title your document according to the convention: “AuthorLastName_Title” and select which genre most closely describes your piece.
Applications are now open for our first annual Bainbridge residency, set to take place the weekend of February 15-17, 2019, at the ever-inviting Bloedel Bunkhouse on Bainbridge Island. There, we will bring together four residents to hold conversations surrounding our current topic, “What We Lose” and workshop their pieces for publication in our ninth issue. Accepted residents will be sharing their intended pieces for Issue 9 with their cohort and the TSW editors ahead of the weekend, to be workshopped during the residency.
So if warm mugs of coffee or glasses of wine or whiskey (depending on the hour) coupled with ample creative spaces — a cozy reading nook lined with windows or a comfy couch in front of a roaring fire, for instance — sounds like just your speed, and if you seek connection with writers and artists from all disciplines and walks of life, then do consider applying to be a part of our inaugural cohort of creatives out in Bainbridge.
For more information about the space itself, learn more about the history of the Bloedel Bunkhouse here. For testimony about The Seventh Wave residencies from past residents, be sure to click around here. And for those interested in applying for the residency, please refer to our Submission Guidelines below.
Deadline for applications is November 30. Accepted residents will be notified by Dec. 10.
To apply, please submit a brief bio, a cover letter, and three samples of your work that you feel best represent your scope and interests as a creator. We are looking for eager and critical artists and writers from various fields of study who are producing art and writing that responds to the current world around them.
In your cover letter, please tell us in 500 words or less the following:
1. What are the driving forces behind your work / art and why would you like to join us for this residency? Tell us what your particular aesthetic and voice will bring to the weekend.
2. What are recent social issues, political decisions, or cultural mishaps that sparked meaningful conversation and inspired you to create art, write stories, or otherwise communicate your thoughts to the world?
3. Tell us a little about what you hope to get out of this residency.
4. Have you taken part in a workshop before? If so, what were the circumstances (MFA program, writing group, etc.); if not, what is your understanding, hesitation, or hope of how a workshop setting functions?
Submissions open: October 22nd — November 30th, 2018
Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington (please note: selected residents must be able to attend all three days of the residency; if your schedule changes, please notify us immediately so we can offer the space to someone who is able to fully participate.)
Applicants notified: Week of December 10th, 2018
**You will only be responsible for your own transportation. All other expenses paid. **
