Writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul®:Good News/Bad News/BEST News

with guest Tracy Crump.


Would you like to publish in the best-selling trade paperback series in publishing history? Who wouldn’t? But maybe you think, as I did, that your story doesn’t stand a chance. Well, stay tuned for the latest news flash.

The good news about writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul is they accept submissions from anyone. You don’t have to be a multi-published author or even be published at all. You just have to tell a good story.

The bad news is they receive an average of 3000 submissions per callout, more than 5000 for some titles. Since they publish only 101 stories and poems in each book, that means you face a lot of competition.

Now the best news: By following a few simple tips, you can increase your chances of being included in the series that has been dubbed a “publishing phenomenon.” 

Narrow the focus. Chicken Soup wants true, inspirational accounts, but they don’t want your whole life story. With a max of 1200 words, you don’t have time to tell it anyway. In our workshops on writing for Chicken Soup, my co-presenter leads a breakout session on “Mind Mapping with Idea Webs.” Attendees have a blast learning to progressively refine a broad idea into a focused topic appropriate for a Chicken Soup submission, what I call a “snapshot story.”

Stick to the theme. This seems like a no-brainer, but we writers can run down rabbit trails faster than Bugs Bunny can say, “What’s up, doc?” Each story must stick to the theme of the book. A friend once asked me to look over a piece she planned to submit to Chicken Soup for the New Moms’ Soul. The first third of the story talked about how she and her husband met and fell in love and had nothing to do with the theme. I recommended she cut it. She did, and the story was published. A year later, she rewrote what she cut, submitted it to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Love Stories, and reaped another acceptance. This illustrates how important it is to stick to the theme.

Infuse hope. Chicken Soup stories can be sad, funny, or anything in between, but they must have one thing in common: an element of hope. My first two acceptances appeared in Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul: A Second Dose. In many of the stories, the patient died (yes, they were tearjerkers), but each still managed to leave readers feeling more hopeful because of the life that patient lived or the way he faced death.

Include conflict. Chicken Soup asks for positive, inspirational stories, but each must include conflict. That doesn’t mean a fight has to break out in the middle of your tale, but keep it interesting with a problem, something the main character has to overcome. After all, Chicken Soup stories reflect life, and life isn’t a fairy tale. Come to think of it, even fairy tales feature a wicked stepmother or a big, bad wolf. So tell your stories of setbacks, challenges, glitches, snags, obstacles—well, you get the idea.

Use fiction techniques. Show, don’t tell. Substitute strong nouns and verbs for adjectives and adverbs. Nix clichés. Employ the same techniques you use to spice up your fiction to bring these nonfiction stories to life. Just remember that Chicken Soup guidelines say your story must be true. Not even creative nonfiction is allowed. 

Consider the unusual. Though stories must stick to the theme of the book, I’m constantly surprised by the variety found in each. Recently I submitted to Chicken Soup’s Inspiration for Teachers about my 88-year-old dad becoming pen pals with a first-grade class. Though it wasn’t about my experience as a teacher or student (as the callout requested), I kept the focus on the teachers who helped link the generations and taught their students a valuable lesson. “Generation to Generation” was chosen for publication.

Nail the takeaway. Chicken Soup says they want their stories to “close with a punch, creating emotion rather than simply talking about it.” I liked the way the editors put it before they revamped their website: “Chicken Soup stories should end in a result, such as a lesson learned, a positive change, or a payoff.” We writers know it as takeaway value. What does the reader take away from a story that changes his outlook on life, gives him a new perspective on an issue, or maybe increases his faith? Include that in your story.

I’ve published nineteen times in Chicken Soup for the Soul books and conducted workshops on writing for the series for almost nine years. Though I’ve learned a few things, my next submission has no better chance than yours. All you have to do is follow the guidelines and tell a good story. 

So go ahead. Give it a try. Submit to Chicken Soup for the Soul and maybe your next news flash will read, “I’m published in Chicken Soup for the Soul!”

Have you read a Chicken Soup book? Have you ever considered writing for them? If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.


Seekerville is giving away a copy of a Chicken Soup for the Soul: Random Acts of Kindness: 101 Stories of Compassion and Paying It Forward or Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Teachers: 101 Stories about How You Make a Difference  (winner's choice) to one commenter. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

Additionally, Tracy is offering to critique one story. If you have a potential Chicken Soup story ready to go or almost ready to go, leave a comment. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

 As co-director of Write Life Workshops, Tracy Crump conducts workshops and webinars that encourage others to “Write Better, Write Now!” Storytelling is her specialty, as evidenced by more than two dozen stories published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and other anthologies. She edits The Write Life, a free e-newsletter with story callouts that has inspired many writers to move forward with their writing. Her latest venture is an online class with Serious Writer Academy. (Classes launch September 15—sign up for notifications!) To schedule a workshop in your area or to connect with Tracy, visit TracyCrump.com or WriteLifeWorkshops.com. Facebook, Twitter

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