Beside the Point

Beside the Point 2025 call for submissions

Theme: GROWING PAINS

Deadline for submissions: January 13, 2025

What are growing pains? Often when we hear the term we think of the trials of childhood and the extensive changes in our young lives. But people never stop growing or changing; different points in life will draw out different types of change. This year’s theme encompasses the transitions felt across the human experience —from the moment you first open your eyes all the way to your twilight years.

Whether it be emotional, physical, intellectual, or spiritual, we are almost all always engaged in some type of growth. These changes are not always comfortable, and we are often not in charge of what happens to us. Are our growing pains necessary? Do they always provide life lessons? And how much agency do we have in these periods or moments of change?

There’s beauty in change that we often overlook when it’s happening, particularly when it’s painful: from dealing with illness, going through divorce, overcoming addiction, welcoming a child, weathering a loss, navigating a crisis of faith, moving away, or simply learning a new skill. Whether small or large, all types of growing pains offer opportunities for discovery and reflection.

Beside the Point is a creative journal produced by students at Camosun College. We encourage current and former Camosun students to submit their explorations of the theme Growing Pains. We are open to short stories, scripts, poems, artwork, creative nonfiction, and photographs, as well as any other creative work not specified here. Multiple submissions (including in multiple forms or genres) are permitted. The word limit for prose is 1,500 words, and for scripts is five pages. 

Email btp@camosun.ca to submit or with any questions. We’re friendly!

Check out last year's issue here and the archive of past issues below.