Saturday Newsletter: July 15, 2023

A note from Tayleigh Greene

Hello readers,

This week, I want to highlight Karuna Yang's Beyond, pictured above and featured in the latest issue of Stone Soup. Although it was captured in New Zealand, it reminds me so much of the golden, rolling hills and lush, green river valleys of Northern California—where I grew up, and where I spent the last week visiting friends and family and camping at Lassen Volcanic National Park. I climbed Lassen Peak—the view was much snowier and rockier than Karuna's photograph, but breathtaking nonetheless.

Now for the news: the deadline for our annual book contest is August 15th, a mere month from today. This year we once again plan to accept two books for publication: one novel or short story collection and one book of poems. If you need motivation for your manuscript, we're offering two virtual writing camps that are sure to inspire young writers. There is still time to register for Advanced Novel Writing with professor, writer, and translator Conner Bassett; the class will convene via Zoom July 17th-20th. Perhaps you're more interested in submitting a collection of poetry or short stories—register for Freedom through Constraint: Experiments in Poetry & Prose with Stone Soup Blog Editor Caleb Berg, July 24th-27th. Whichever course you decide take, happy camping and happy writing! We can't wait to read what you've written.

If you subscribe to the magazine, you will notice some QR codes alongside some of the art and writing, such as Lazy Cat by Tutu Lin, 13, "Dad's Stocks" by Mia Xu, and "Dwelling on a Memory" by Micki Mermelstein, 11 in the latest issue. Scanning the QR codes will bring you to additional resources for educators—discussion questions, author and artist interviews, and more. We are so excited to share this project with you, and we are immensely grateful for all of the hard work that volunteer Amanda Barnett poured into it. Thank you, Amanda! Stone Soup has long been a valuable resource for homeschoolers, classroom teachers, and writing coaches, and it is now more user-friendly than ever.

Sincerely,

P.S. If you're not yet a subscriber but still want to check out our new resources for educators, use code SUMMER at checkout for one month digital access free! Don't miss out on this limited time offer. Terms and conditions apply.

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From Stone Soup
July/August 2023

By the River

by Mary Gomes, 7

A beautiful river is beside me.
The forest behind me.
The world is a beautiful place
to live.
We all love our Earth.
The river brings something to my mind.
What could it be?

Click here to read more from the July/August issue.

Explore our summer camp offerings

Advanced Novel Writing
July 17–20; 9–11 am PT

In Writing Instructor Conner Bassett's course, learn the basic techniques of good storytelling, such as setting, plot, character, dialogue, and more! Brainstorm concepts and share ideas for your novel that will keep readers hooked from start to finish.

Freedom through Constraint: Experiments in Poetry & Prose
July 24–27; 9–11 am PT

In this workshop taught by Stone Soup Blog Editor Caleb Berg, campers will study and use self-imposed constraints such as omitting specific letters and patterns of repetition in order to maximize the untapped potential of their work. The goal is not necessarily to make sense but to excite the senses!

Anthropology of the Everyday: The Art of Creative Nonfiction
July 24–27; 1–3 pm PT

Taught by Laura Moran, cultural anthropologist and Stone Soup's Refugee Project director, this course instructs students in a method of personal writing called autoethnography that combines storytelling with details about your daily life.

Playwriting
August 7–10; 1–3 pm PT

Conner will also teach a class about the history and craft of writing drama. Campers will ponder the practicalities and philosophies of the art form as well as work on developing their own 10-minute play!

Click here to see more course offerings from Society of Young Inklings.