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Lit Nights in To Live & Write

Imagine March: Storied Stories

Scene by scene, one writer at a time walks us through a specific house or apartment building. It might be a physical progression through space, or it might be a journey through time.

The audience gets to peek into the lives of each of the residents and the writers get to practice being creative within fairly strict boundaries. 

Submission Guidelines

Alameda Shorts: Grown Up Story Time

Writers pick up the one-word theme and play with it until they find the story they want to tell. The word must be included in some way.

The result is a curated collection of short fiction (any genre) and mini memoir pieces that can be read to a live audience in five minutes. 

Submissions are for consideration only; being included as a reader at an Alameda Shorts lit night is not guaranteed. 

Selection is based on personal likes and dislikes as much as quality, much like the whims of editors who accept and reject submissions in the world of publication.

Submission Guidelines

Imagine August: Between the Lines

Writers choose their first line from a long list. First come, first served, and no repeats; once a first line has been claimed, it’s removed from the list. 

Once the list of writers and their first lines have been established, I go back and randomly assign first lines as last lines to each writer and they write the scene they imagine happens between the lines.

Submission Guidelines

Imagine March Submission Guidelines

Theme drop: February 1 – scene choice due within 24 hours Length: 5-minute read out loud (800-1,000 words) First draft deadline: February 21 Final draft deadline: March 1 Format: Times New Roman; 12pt. Word or Google Docs only File name: Imagine March 2025-Your Name Email to: info@toliveandwrite.org Subject line: Imagine March 2025-Your Name Event: Second Thursday in March

Alameda Shorts Submission Guidelines

Alameda Shorts has a fun spin to it this month: Collaboration. Hold on — that’s NOT the theme; it’s just the first part of the process.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Find a friend or family member and tell them you need a story to fit the theme. Have them make up a story while you take notes. Do a bit of back-and-forth: Ask questions and make suggestions.

Step 2: Write their story to the best of your ability, but use your voice and storytelling style. Basically, you write an interpretation or translation of their story for Shorts and submit it by deadline (usual submission guidelines)

Step 3: If your piece is selected, read it to a live audience on event night.

July Theme: Frolic 
Length: 5-minute read out loud (800-1,000 words)
Deadline: Midnight, June 30
Format: Times New Roman; 12pt. Word or Google Docs only
File name: Alameda Shorts – Frolic – Your Name
Email to: info@toliveandwrite.org
Subject line: Alameda Shorts – Frolic – Your Name
Event: 6:30pm Thursday, July 10 @ Books, Inc. in Alameda

Imagine August Submission Guidelines

Theme drop: July 1 – first line choice due within 48 hours
Length: 5-minute read out loud (800-1,000 words)
First draft deadline: July 21
Final draft deadline: August 1
Format: Times New Roman; 12pt. Word or Google Docs only
File name: Imagine August 2025-Your Name
Email to: info@toliveandwrite.org
Subject line: Imagine August 2025-Your Name
Event: Second Thursday in August