Paragraph Planet is a creative writing website that has posted an exact 75-word paragraph every day since November 2008. Writers of all levels are invited to submit a blip of writing or a segment of larger-scale text. Contributors are then contacted directly if they are selected for a particular day. The website includes an archive of approximately 1400 published examples for prospective writers to refer to, as well as forums containing interviews and advice from contributing authors.听
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EWLP sophomore Isabela Maesano was published on Paragraph Planet on September 19th of this year. 'They Were Just Girls' 听is a poignant snapshot of girlhood with allusions to pagan imagery. Isabela explained that "the Salem Witch Trials were on my mind a lot that week when I decided to write the paragraph." 听Although it is only a mere 75 words, Isabela does a masterful job of immersing the reader in an evocative scene dripping with mysticism and melancholy. Isabela went on to express that, "I had never heard of Paragraph Planet or considered submitting anything online, but it was a pleasant surprise to get an email from the site to say they wanted to publish it."
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With its witchy themes and atmosphere, 'They Were Just Girls' was loosely inspired by a micro-fiction Isabela wrote in a Fiction Genre course taught by Professor McCord at AUR. Isabela stated, "That was where I learned about Paragraph Planet. We were drafting micro-fictions, and the site was a helpful reference point."听
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Isabela encourages others to submit to the site even if they aren't particularly confident about their writing. It is an accessible and relaxed outlet for the creatively inclined. In closing, Isabela says, "Being concise is the challenge. The strict 75-word parameters may be a little daunting, but if you can pull it off, it turns out to be really satisfying."听
The EWLP faculty and students encourage you to visit for more information about submitting to Paragraph Planet. Good luck!听
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