the Cafe FAQ
Curious about the Cafe? Wondering how to be added as a contributor? We would love to have you join our little creative community. Following are the answers to the most common questions we get asked about the publication and joining as a writer.
If you still have questions after reviewing, please do not hesitate to reach out. This publication is for you — the creative — and your support and involvement is what makes this all possible. Should you have feedback, ideas or even criticism please email us - hi@belikewise.com. Your input is encouraged and appreciated.
What is the Cafe?
The Cafe is a publication project from Likewise with a focus on creative writing. Simply put is an online community curated for creators to share and connect with others committed to pursuing a creative lifestyle. We believe that creativity is not something you either have or you don’t. Creativity is a craft that can be cultivated, practiced and sharpened as a result.
Who can join?
Anyone who wishes to take part and share their creative writing. To be clear submissions are still and will remain open to all who wish to connect and collaborate with other creatives. This does not mean that all submitted works will be accepted into the publication. It does mean that anyone who has a sincere desire to contribute will be given the opportunity to do so as long as the other guidelines are met.
What does the Cafe publish?
From the beginning, the intent has been to be a home to new and emerging writers and provide a platform for those who feel their work has not been appreciated elsewhere. With that purpose in mind submissions are fairly open — meaning we are constantly adding new writers and encourage a diverse range of creative writing.
The publication focuses on and primarily features poetry, flash fiction and strong creative non-fiction pieces that serve as commentary on the experiences of the writer. We favor commentary that delivers a message less through exposition than through artistry. The commentary we select is often lyrical, narrative, or poetic. In short, you should show us a story instead of tell us what we ought to do or know.
As a writer, spend some time reading the publication and checking out what the rest of the community is publishing in the Cafe. If you believe your story would fit well alongside those other pieces, please submit. You and your work are welcome.
What are rules for submissions?
Drafts are preferred. Submitting an unpublished story gives us the chance to work with the writer if necessary to polish the story, but more importantly allows the story more time on the front page of the publication. Bottom line is this improves the experience for our subscribers and makes it easier for your new stories to be seen.
Previously published stories can be submitted and as long the original publishing date is no longer than 1 month ago. Same reason as above.
One submission per day per writer. This allows for greater diversity and variety in the stories our readers have access to each day.
The editors serve more as curators and less as proof readers. It is the responsibility of the writer to make sure the submitted story is free of errors.
In what cases would my story not be accepted?
To be honest, it is rare that we need to reject a story altogether. However, aside from breaking one of the rules mentioned above, there are a few reasons we may refuse to publish a story or request that it be substantially edited. These reasons include:
Hateful rhetoric or stories written for the express purpose of causing controversy have no place here. Simply don’t be an ass and this one won’t apply to you.
Excessive spelling and grammatical errors.
Story is not fully developed and does not contain a discernible plot, communicate a clear point or is otherwise simply free form/stream of consciousness/journaling. Additionally, stories usually are not accepted that generally fall in the “listicle” category and/or are personal development pieces written to instruct and not do not communicate a creative narrative in a lyrical, poetic, and storytellling style.
The story has been previously published in another Medium publication. This simply comes down to common courtesy and a healthy respect for the other publications here on Medium.
What is the prompt series?
Periodically we host a prompt to serve as a creative kindling for the community. These prompts are optional and are a way for the community to connect and engage in their creative writing through a shared topic. To be notified when new prompts are posted be sure to subscribe.
What can I expect from theCC?
Timely review. This usually means in the same week the story was submitted. At times due to submission volume from the community, we aren’t able to review all submissions in the week they are received. Please be patient and bear with us as we work full-time and try to balance that with serving this community as well as working on our own art.
General proofing for obvious typos and formatting issues. The editor will never change your work in any substantial way. The power to change messaging and the nature of artistic expression belongs solely to the creator — you.
Published stories 5 days/week.
Though rare, should a story need substantial editing and/or will not be published in the publication an email will be sent with suggestions for improvement and/or reason for refusal.
Weekly featured stories and contributors.
What does the Cafe expect of me as a writer?
Subscribe to the publication to get updates and notifications.
Be generous with recommends, responses and highlighting of other writers works. Obviously you won’t like everything, but when you find a story you enjoy please don’t hide it.
Engage with other writers. Creating community is a key goal of this publication and community thrives around conversation; so, start one.
Encourage others in their creative pursuits. A word of encouragement goes a long way for creatives. Give support and get support — it’s a cyclical culture worth fostering.
Respect one another. Not everything published in the Cafe will reflect your own beliefs, principles or opinions. You do not have to agree with everyone in the community, but respect is required. For someone to have the courage to share their story publicly should be respected above all. Here we can have opposing views without opposing each other. There are plenty of places on the internet to troll and ridicule others. This is not one of them.
How do I join as a contributor?
If you’ve read this far and would still like to join us as a contributing writer, we’d love to have you. We accept new contributor requests about once a month. To be notified next time submissions are open, signup for updates.