Part one: Magnify voices–creating an anthology

My article was first published in 2015 on the Writer’s Digest blog. An anthology has the power to magnify the voices of its contributors much like the device of a Greek Chorus in a play. The Chorus is the mouthpiece for the audience clarifying the theme of the play, adding commentary, asking questions, and narrating the action. 

In an anthology, the contributors become the Chorus, fulfilling the same function, making sure the unique voice of that collection of work can be heard “loud and clear” by its readers.   

1. Find A Unique Theme   

After some positive experiences of contributing to educational anthologies, (see below) I was ready to work on my own. But what voice needed to be heard and hadn’t been heard before?

 

A life-changing experience answered these questions when my son was deployed to war

The seldom-heard voices of mothers sending their sons and daughters to war needed to be heard. This Chorus would narrate their stories telling of the sacrifice our children and military families make every day.
  
The working title for the book was inspired by a letter sent from my son while serving in Iraq for six months with six months more to go: “I look forward to brighter days of picnics and card games … and church and things that families do together. I love you deeply, more than you know. Your son, Joe.”

2. Set Goals For Your Anthology

My son made it home, defying death several times. I could breathe again. I wanted this to be a book where military mothers could all breathe a little easier, narrating our stories and sharing our burdens. Some of our stories are from Gold Star Mothers. Their children did not return. 

My goals:
*Share stories from mothers of soldiers 
*Use writing as a therapeutic venue
*Give back to our injured veterans  (A portion of the book’s proceeds is donated to charities.)

3. Create Guidelines For Your Contributors 
 

I asked contributors to share glimpses of their lives: What does it mean to be the mother of a soldier? How did you make it through the journey of separation from your child during their deployment? How has this experience changed you? What is the status of your soldier? 

It was important to have these starting questions as a jumping-off point. Some contributors had never written their stories before, and they needed some guidance at first.

I also wanted to include interwoven in the chapters, copies of e-mails, letters, photos, and recollections of phone calls between mother and soldier(s). Hard to believe, but some moms had more than one child deployed at a time. All this was to be done free of political commentary.

Celeste Hicks with her children Micala, Nate, Patrick, Philip, & Mary

Part Two includes search for a publisher, call for submissions, securing release forms, and the power of the anthology, continued next month.