Patterns and The Break
ManicWorld Magazine is creating a chronological anthology which explores the themes of ritual, routine and rupture through poetry and prose. It is a study in systems, especially the acknowledgment, implementation and subsequent destruction of a system, whether that be a world order, a belief system, a society, or the quiet architecture of a single life. What we repeat (Routine). What we believe in (Ritual). What breaks all of these things (Rupture). And what is left when this breaking is done.
We are looking for work that takes these ideas seriously without taking itself too seriously. Most of all, we want you to have fun.
An Introduction to Patterns and The Break
Themes: Routine, Ritual, Rupture
Each of the three themes can be explored on its own, or in dialogue with the others. We suggest to tackle one theme in a single piece to make a stronger submission but doing all three will not reduce your chances.
THERE’S A LOT OF TEXT HERE, TAKE A MINUTE TO READ THROUGH. IT DOESN’T NEED TO BE OVERWHELMING.
Themes
Routine
The comfortability of routine is something which we are all familiar with. Routine is an action that we complete perhaps without even thinking, possibly even due to a fear of irregularity. Routine enrapturing a society can result in us performing as cogs in a system. We begin to perform on autopilot. A routine can be as simple as a morning or evening routine, such as enjoying a quiet cup of tea at 8am before embarking on a long commute. Though routines such as this are not harmful, there can be a level of stagnation that prevents progress, which is something that can be explored within your own writing.
This theme can work well in tandem with ritual, two topics which upon first glance seem similar, but are actually entirely different. Think carefully about the nuances of these two themes, and how they interact with one another. If you are writing on each theme, perhaps think about how routine is an action which can be changed, and compare it to the other themes to create a cohesive triptych that fully explores all three themes in tandem.
Ritual
It could be argued that ritual is firmly rooted in belief. Ritual is an expansive concept which covers so many areas, such as religion, where words such as ‘congressional’ come to the mind for the creative. This type of ritual is based on the praise of a subject, as a way to portray devotion. The rigidity of ritual can be positive or negative, which is something to consider while exploring this concept. A negative narrative which could be explored is that of mental illness. This is an action that you take to avoid anxiety, or maybe even an action that you take which your mind forces you to complete, even if you are resistant or don’t believe in what you are being told. There are many different paths to take with this theme, so we invite your thinking to be as far-flung and comprehensive as possible.
When an action or sequence of actions are described as ‘ritualistic,’ we as individuals begin to deconstruct what that ritual is and what rituals are as a whole. However, the rigidity of ritual then reaches a boiling point, and erupts into chaos quickly into a ‘Ruptured’ or ‘fractured’ action or consequences. When thinking about this prompt, consider how ‘Ritual’ can result in ‘Rupture,’ and what leads to that development.
Rupture
Imagine this theme as a full stop in the middle of a word. The wheels of your bicycle go round and round until a tree branch gets stuck in it. Something unexpected happens and you’re left to deal with the consequences. How bad is this disruption? Who does it affect? How do they respond to it? How are they able to continue with life after this? Base this on any emotion and any event that forces change upon your subject, change that they are almost powerless to overcome.
On the other hand, maybe your disruption is less of an event but more a process. The slow-ebbing erosion of a practice that goes too far until its too late to stop it. You want us to be able to trace the origin of this kind of disruption. Take us through the journey of how this came to be and how suddenly, life is not the same as it was and going back is impossible. The four years at university have turned a single mother’s only daughter into someone she doesn’t quite recognise. If you prefer to go through this route, take us on a journey and take your time with it. If time can heal all wounds, it can also create a few.
This isn’t what we expect you to do with this theme, if you decide to write on it, but it can give you a helping hand to begin with. Spin this however you’d like, but let something stop in your subject’s life.
Key dates
Submissions open: 15 August
Submissions close: 15 September
Reading period: 16 September to 31 October
Submission guidelines
- Entrants must be aged 18 or over at the time of submission.
- We are accepting poetry and short fiction. Prose poetry is also accepted.
- All submissions must be written in English and must be the original work of the writer. Work must be previously unpublished, including on personal blogs, social media, or online platforms. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
- Short fiction: up to 3,000 words per piece. Poetry: up to 3 poems per submission, with no single poem exceeding 20 lines.
- Please submit your work as a Word document NOT a PDF.
- We welcome submissions from writers at any stage of their career, from any country.
Reading fee
£3 for one submission
£5 for three submissions
Financial aid submissions: 10 free submissions (requested via email only, no need for proof of lack of funds). Please send an email to submissions@manicworldmagazine.com
Reading fees help sustain the editorial process and support the production of the anthology. All submitted work is read in full by the ManicWorld editorial team.
Format
- Entries must be typed.
- Handwritten submissions are not accepted.
- Do not add cover pages or title pages.
- Use any font in 12pt.
- Use single line spacing, except between stanzas where it should be double spaced.
- Poetry: add the line count to the top right of the first page.
- Short fiction: add the word count to the top right of the first page.
- Do not send illustrated work.
- Send your submissions as a word document ONLY.
- The file name should be the title of the poem only, typed exactly as it appears on the document.
- For short fiction, the file name should be the title of the story, typed exactly as it appears on the document.
- Do not include your name in the file title or the entry will be disqualified.
- For untitled poems, save the document using the first line of the poem.
Ready to submit?
