Are you a young woman interested in sharing your thoughts? Submit your work to become part of an exciting new publication!   Hello, ladies! Do you like to write? Would you like to share your thoughts in a professional publication and see your name in print? Then you've landed in the perfect spot... Bye Bye, Barbie has the support of these fantastic, girl-friendly organizations... Bye Bye, Barbie: Real Girls Talk Life, Stuff, and Everything Inbetween is an anthology of short essays in need of young women willing to share their upbeat, honest, controversial, possibly unpopular, sometimes confusing thoughts on life, school, getting by, and staying ok with yourself through it all. This is more than a writing assignment...this is a challenge to look honestly at your own life and help other girls wade through their own impossible situations.  Although this anthology will primarily feature young women from tween through college years discussing how they negotiate today's world, women of all ages may submit contributions. No academic articles or fiction, please. If you are under 18, please ask your parent or guardian for permission. (The publisher will require you and your parent/guardian to sign a contract.) These essays should be first-person accounts of a true incident, a memory, your feelings, a strong opinion, or whatever you would like to share. When this anthology is published, you will receive a free copy of the book.  All essays must follow these guidelines: Essays must be 500 - 1500 words, have a title, and be written in standard English. Proofread your work! Too many errors will remove the essay from consideration. Are you bilingual and want to write an essay that combines languages? Fabulous! I will accept poetry if it truly dazzles. (And I'll be honest, this rarely happens.) If you feel compelled to send poetry, send your absolute stunning best. Same with alternative writing. Feel free to experiment with form, but do so in the most professional and skilled way possible. All submissions must clearly fit into a chapter theme. (See below.) Save your essay in Times New Roman, 12 point font and mail it as an attachment, with BYEBYE and the chapter number in the subject line. For example: BYEBYE5. Include a brief bio with:  name, age (if under 18), why you are submitting your essay, essay title, intended chapter, and anything you would like me to know about you. No plagiarism will be tolerated. Any writing that has been borrowed, lifted, or reproduced without permission will get your essay booted from the project. Why bother lifting someone else's work? This is your time to shine!  Mail all submissions to wordsong@sylviamdesantis.com. Parents, counselors, guardians, writers, and teachers are free to email with questions about this project at any time. The revised deadline for all essays is February 28, 2011. Chapter themes: 1. Techno Grrrls - technology Do you blog, IM, chat, text, play MMORPGs, post on FB, or hang out in Second Life? Why? How does this influence who you are and how you move through your day? What about technology is important in your life? 2. Pumped Up - sports How do you feel about playing "unladylike" sports like boxing, martial arts, or football? What about sports that don't look "sporty" but take a lot of strength and endurance, like yoga?  3. Magazine Models and Other Bodies from La-La Land - body image Magazines claim that "real" bodies are in but, seriously, where? Why can't we just be ok with how we look today, instead of fantasizing how great we'll look with thinner thighs, less butt, or more breast tomorrow? How do you deal with body grief? 4. Siblings, Steps, and Stress - blended families Are you trying to negotiate a "blended" family with a new stepmom, dad, or siblings? Do you celebrate holidays multiple times in different places with separated parents? Are you the only person you know whose parents aren't divorced? Share your story! 5. Going Green - ecology activism Do you like to recycle and encourage your friends and parents to as well? Are you concerned that there won't be an Earth waiting when you get older? What kind of activism do you do to keep your home and life eco-friendly? 6. The Color Wheel - race and color How are peoples' color and nationality important? Do you have friends of different colors and ethnic backgrounds? How does this impact your life?  7. Dream Duty - self-discovery, hopes, and dreams What are your dreams and hopes for the future? Do you think you'll attain them? Why or why not? What makes life hard in today's world? No matter how old we get, we still need support for becoming the women we want to be...who or what makes up your support system?