Are you a budding writer or poet? Would you like your work to be appraised by a sympathetic editor? And do you care about the environment?
Pens of the Earth was set up to encourage Portsmouth writers to fight climate change by writing about a better, cleaner world. Last year there were many inventive ideas on the theme of “Small Differences Add Up”. This year we want stories, articles or poetry on the themes of “Making Places for People” and “Life Under the Surface”.
We all know how beneficial it is to connect with nature, and “Making Places for People” is about the impact of people reclaiming urban spaces and making them into areas of natural beauty. Imagine a miniature park in your street, or vegetables growing on your verges, or how much more pleasant the school run would be with less cars. How would this affect you? How would you feel about it? Now write your story!
“Life Under the Surface” is about the health of the seabed. An underwater seagrass meadow can create as much oxygen as a rainforest, and can significantly help to reverse global warming, but pollution and damage caused by activities like dredging have wrecked vast tracts of these areas. There are projects in place to replant the seabed and recreate the habitat that so many species of marine life need in order to thrive. Imagine you’re a diver. Imagine you’re an endangered seahorse. Imagine you are under the water watching these changes happen. Now write your story!
Pens of the Earth wants to publish positive environmental messages. We don’t want anything bleak and dystopian. We want to read your ideas on how these changes improve our lives as well as helping to protect our planet. Check out the inspiration pages on the website for information on projects that are happening now. Read some of last year’s entries, and don’t be afraid to have a go.
Every entry will be carefully read, and those chosen for publication on the Pens of the Earth website will be allocated an editor who will talk to you about your work and help you shape it. Find full details at: https://pensoftheearth.co.uk/ Entry is free, and open until 30th September 2022