his summer marks an exciting milestone in my writing life! I’ve just had my sixth story published with Chicken Soup for the Soul!

“Touch the Horizon” recounts a summer afternoon when I found myself unexpectedly in the cockpit of a four-seater airplane—with my hands firmly on the controls. Yes, I flew a plane! It’s in the Chicken Soup anthology Just Say Yes, and it’s so exciting to see my story as part of this wonderful book.

Chicken Soup for the Soul just celebrated thirty years of publishing! They are prolific and popular, and writing for them is a genuinely positive experience.

Here’s how I got started writing for Chicken Soup, and some helpful tips I’ve learned along the way.

How I Got Started

First, I should correct myself—nobody writes “for” Chicken Soup. Instead, we are all “contributors.” Chicken Soup is unique in that every book is an open call, featuring a mix of experienced writers and first-time storytellers.

My husband, Gerald, and I are a full-time nationally touring music duo called Infinitely More. When the pandemic hit, our touring life grounded to a halt. As our booking agent and tour manager, I suddenly had nothing to book or manage!

For years, I’d dreamed of writing. I imagined crafting my life experiences into stories and sharing them with a wider audience. A friend suggested I check out the Chicken Soup anthologies. That fall, I submitted my story, “An Angel in the Wreckage.” It was accepted in 2021, and I haven’t looked back.

How to Learn the “Chicken Soup” Style

Chicken Soup stories have clear parameters—relatively short, always in first person, and always true. They’re mostly prose, but narrative poems are also accepted. When published, each story or poem will be paired with a relevant quote, chosen by the editor.

Your story should sound as if you’re sharing it with a friend over a cup of tea. Think personal and conversational. That doesn’t mean you can’t weave some poetic prose into your writing, but this isn’t a literary short story. This is storytelling. Get your reader right into the action, telling your story in the most engaging and relatable way possible. End with a punch, be it tugging at the heartstrings, a dramatic climax, or even a good laugh.

Chicken Soup makes it easy to research their style—just sign up for their newsletter. Each day, you’ll receive a free story from one of their previously published books. It’s a great way to study the ideas, tone, and story structure favored by the publisher.

A quick word for faith-based writers: Chicken Soup welcomes stories from people of all backgrounds and all faiths. At this point, I’ve read over six hundred Chicken Soup stories, and I’ve noticed two keys to including a faith component in your story.

First, it must be integral to the story and not an opportunity to preach. And second, it’s good to avoid any words that might be “inside” to your faith practice. By keeping your language accessible, you open the doors to more people enjoying and being inspired by your story.

Work the System!

Every year, Chicken Soup publishes eight to twelve volumes, with each featuring 101 stories. That’s a lot of opportunities for publication, until you realize they get thousands of submissions for each book!

What can we do to increase our odds of publication?

The first is to study www.chickensoup.com. The editors keep a detailed and regularly updated list of topics and guidelines, so check this frequently. Each topic will include a submission date, which is usually open for several months. You can submit any time during this period.

Next, look at the range of topics and see if you have any stories that might fit. Remember, your story must be true and told in first person. They don’t accept “as told to” stories. If it’s a story that happened to your mother, you must find a way to tell it that comes from your perspective.

Now, what happens if your mom has a great story, but she asks you to write it? In that case, the editors ask that Mom be listed as the contributor, and you become the ghostwriter.

The editors give a list of story ideas for each topic, so look at these to see what they’re looking for and what ideas they might spark for you. For example, I might think, “Oh, I don’t have a story about my grandmother.” But when I read that list, it might help me remember a moment that I can shape into a great story.

You can also use the range of topics to increase your odds of publication. Here’s how:

First, you can submit an unlimited number of stories for any one topic! My most recent story, “Touch the Horizon,” was submitted under the topic of Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone. When that topic was open, I also submitted “Singing for Strangers” about the first time I sang a solo. In the end, they had so many great stories they published two books on that theme (a year apart). Both of my stories were published, one per book, but there are several writers who have had two or more stories published in the same volume.

And second, you can submit one story under several topics! Let’s say you have a funny story about the time your cat ate the Christmas turkey. You now have one great story you can submit in three different categories: Funny Stories, Cats, and Christmas.

You’ll need to submit your story separately for each topic. On the form, you’ll see a space labeled, “Story Information - Comments.” In that section, you should write, “Also submitted for Cats and Christmas.” It will help the editors sort through things more efficiently.

Bonus Tip: Many of the popular topics are offered every year or two. If your story isn’t accepted the first time around, you can rewrite it and submit it again when the topic reopens the next year!

The Path to Publication

Once you’ve written your amazing story, visit the “Submit Your Story” page on the Chicken Soup website. Fill out the form and hit “Submit.” You’ll receive a confirmation on the screen. Given their number of submissions, they aren’t able to send feedback or rejections.

The wait can be long! It might take months or even a year before you hear back from them. In that time, keep checking topics, writing, and submitting.

One glorious day (fingers crossed!), you’ll receive an email saying that your story has made the first round! Here’s where the fun begins ...

At this point, your story has made it through the bulk of submissions. You’re still not guaranteed a spot in the final publication, but you can consider yourself shortlisted. You’ll need to sign and return a Permission Release asking for nonexclusive rights for publication, as well as provide a short bio.

Then, you wait again ...

If you make the next round, you’ll receive a copy of your story with edits and in its final layout, including the inspirational quote. Make any changes you need and return your approved copy to the editor. They will not print any story without your final approval.

Then, if all goes well, you’ll get the best email of all, “Congratulations! The book is on its way to the printer!” Happy Dance Time!

Chicken Soup loves supporting its contributors, so as you get close to the launch date, they’ll send out promotional tools, such as social media graphics and printable bookmarks. They’ll hire a publicist to assist you in connecting with local media. Many writers will leverage Chicken Soup’s reputation to organize signings at local bookstores.

For each story you get published, you receive a check for $250 and ten free books. You have the option of buying discounted books for your own sales as well as for non-profit fundraisers.

Once published, you’re officially part of the Chicken Soup family!

You will now get a regular email with upcoming topics, writing tips, and behind the scenes publishing info. On occasion, they’ll host a Zoom party for the contributors of a particular book. These are always fun and informative.

But just remember something I said earlier—no one writes “for” Chicken Soup. Every book is an open call. I’ve had six stories published, and four more are forthcoming, but that doesn’t give me any edge in the next round of submissions. At one Zoom party, several of the staff mentioned that they’ve submitted stories that haven’t been published. They’re not trying to publish their favorite people. They just want the best stories.

If you love inspirational creative nonfiction and you feel you have a great story to tell, I highly recommend you submit to Chicken Soup for the Soul. Learn their style, submit often, and with any luck, you too can be part of the Chicken Soup family!

Allison Lynn Flemming is drawn to the power of story to grow hearts and communities. Allison and her husband, Gerald Flemming, form the award-winning duo, Infinitely More. Their 9th album—The Sum Of All Love—explores the joys and challenges of living an authentic life of faith. Publications include Guideposts, Love STC Tourism Blog, Warner Press, and ten stories with Chicken Soup for the Soul. For more, visit www.InfinitelyMore.ca.