House of Creativity - Accepting Submissions

Written By Gretchen Martens

House of Creativity Accepting Submissions

Through Midnight on Sunday, October 26, 2025

Reveal Party: Friday, December 12, 2025

Can you believe we’re publishing our 21st book? Submissions may speak to one or more themes. Essays are limited to 2700 words. Artwork is limited to high-resolution (600 dpi) grayscale photographs or photographs of original artwork. Full color photo submissions for cover art are welcome. 

  • Creativity: What does creativity mean to you? Why does creativity matter? How does creativity manifest in your life—connections to your body, to Self, to others, to the natural world, to God?

  • Creativity and Identity: What is the difference between creativity and individuality? How do they empower each other? How does identity fuel or limit creativity? 

  • Self, Soul, Spirit, and God: How does creativity fuel your relationship with Self, Soul, Spirit, or God? How is creativity a spiritual practice or expression? How does your faith drive creativity? Is creativity the same in groups and private practices? 

  • House and Home: What is the relationship between house, home, and creativity? How is home a creative space for you? How does home nurture, or inhibit, your creativity?

  • Creativity in Hard Times: How is creativity an asset in hard times, where we must often do more with less? How can creativity, Self-expression, and Self-actualization fill the gap when our needs aren’t met in traditional ways? How can creative expression fuel gratitude in times of challenge?

  • Creativity in an Overly Structured World: Without getting political or judgmental . . . . How do we foster creativity in ourselves and others in a world increasingly driven by technology? What is the role of art and creativity in a world based on knowledge and facts? How do we push back against the structures in our society (familial, cultural, social) in a way that preserves and encourages creativity? 

  • Creativity and Family: Do you have a story about a child, spouse, parent, or other relative who inspired creativity in you or modeled creativity?     

  • Photos: We love family or personal photos that relate to your stories! Do you write and create visual art? We can do some basic retouching for old photos, and we’ll send you a copy. We can’t use photos from the internet because, as published books, we have to be careful with copyrighted works. 

Author Fee of $100 defrays the publication cost and entitles authors and artists to 3 books; additional books may be pre-ordered at the author rate of $5 per book. After the initial print run, books are $10. Discount for first-time authors: $50 fee.

Scholarships are available on a first come-first served basis. Scholarships must be approved before you submit. Contact Lil Smith (lil@retreathousecommunity.org). Receiving a scholarship in the past does not guarantee receiving a scholarship for this book. Donations to the scholarship fund or full author sponsorships are gratefully accepted. 

Ready to submit? Questions on submitting? Nervous as a first-time author? Contact Gretchen Martens, your friendly editor, at Gretchen@GretchenMartens.com.

Gretchen Martens

Publisher and Chief Creative

Mobile/WhatsApp: +1 214-620-5360

Gretchen Martens
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