Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers

dollar-sign-mdMonday brings the weekly batch of no-fee, paying listings of competitions, contests, and calls for submissions—plus jobs for those of us who write (especially those of us who write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction).

  • It’s the end of the month, which means that the next issue of The Practicing Writer, packed with more competition and call listings, will be going out very soon. If you’re not yet subscribed, please join us! (In case you need an extra lure: This weekend I completed the annual update of the bonus contest guide that is made available to new subscribers.)
  • Act fast for this one: Meridian is currently taking contest submissions “that address the theme of Borders. How you interpret that theme is up to you. We’ll choose a winner in poetry and prose and those winners will each receive $200 and be featured in issue 39 of Meridian. Runners up will also have their work considered for publication. Here’s the twist: We’re waiving the entry fee for this contest – it’s FREE to enter. However, before you send us your work, we’d like to gently suggest that you donate $5 or more to the International Rescue Committee, or an organization of your choice.” Deadline: March 1, 2017 (I told you to act fast!). (via Jendi Reiter)
  • This one also has that imminent deadline of March 1. “The Ida B. Wells Fellowship was launched in March 2016 to promote diversity in journalism by helping to create a pipeline of investigative reporters of color who bring diverse backgrounds, experiences, and interests to their work. The fellowship honors Ida B. Wells, the pioneering African-American activist and investigative reporter who, during the Jim Crow era, led the nation’s first campaign against lynching….The one-year fellowship helps reporters complete their first substantial work of investigative reporting, by providing a $10,000 award and editorial advice from a dedicated Investigative Fund editor. Fellows will receive funds to cover travel and other reporting costs, and the costs associated with attending the annual Investigative Reporters and Editors conference. They will also enjoy access to research resources, legal assistance, professional mentors, and assistance with story placement and publicity. Each spring The Investigative Fund holds a competition to select four fellows, who will be expected to publish or air their findings in a U.S. media outlet within one year of the start of the fellowship….This fellowship is a one-time educational opportunity and is non-renewable. Journalists of color are strongly encouraged to apply, as are other reporters who believe their presence would contribute substantially to diversifying investigative reporting in other ways.” No application fee.
  • “The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation offers its tenth annual and first creative nonfiction seminar which will take place between June 8-12, 2017, in the ancient town of Sozopol, Bulgaria. The seminar program consists of intensive daily creative nonfiction workshops, roundtable discussions, guest lectures and readings by faculty and participants. Nonfiction writers from Bulgaria and nonfiction writers from English-speaking countries, including but not limited to the U.K. and the U.S., are invited to apply. A total number of ten applicants will be selected for participation and funding. Follow-up events, part of CapitaLiterature, an annual literary program hosted by the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation in Sofia, Bulgaria, will take place between June 12-14, 2017, in the Bulgarian capital city.” Scholarship funding “covers tuition, room and board, in-country transportation, and 50% of international travel expenses.” No application fee. Deadline: March 6, 2017, “22:00 h (UTC+2:00, EET).” Details here.
  • “In 2017, Mall of America® celebrates its 25th birthday. As part of this special celebration, we think it’s crucial to capture how much we’ve evolved over the course of the last 25 years. Rather than do it ourselves, we’re giving that job to a gifted writer. The Writer-in-Residence Contest will give a special scribe the chance to spend five days deeply immersed in the Mall atmosphere while writing on-the-fly impressions in their own words. The contest winner will stay in an attached hotel for four nights, receive a $400 gift card to buy food and drinks and collect a generous honorarium [$2,500] for the sweat and tears they’ll put into their prose.” NB: The organizers “strongly recommend reading the full contest rules before applying”; so do I. No application fee. Deadline: March 10, 2017. (For some sage commentary on this opportunity, see Jane Friedman’s post.)
  • Paper Brigade provides a snapshot of the previous year’s Jewish literary landscape while also exploring the history of Jewish literature in America and abroad. The publication is comprised of articles, interviews, personal essays, fiction, poetry, photography, and illustrations that, together, highlight the breadth and diversity of Jewish books today. The 2018 issue of Paper Brigade will be published in November 2017, and will primarily be focused on 2017 books.” Currently accepting “original, unpublished nonfiction between 1,500 and 2,500 words….Pieces should involve a 2017 book, and we encourage authors to be creative about the ways in which they accomplish this. (We’re not looking for straightforward book reviews.) The majority of our articles feature more than one book, and they often discuss trends in current literature or explore books in the context of older traditions.” Pays: “We provide a small honorarium for original nonfiction.” Deadline: “Submissions are due by April 24, 2017, and are accepted on a rolling basis. We encourage you to submit as early as possible.”
  • “The Creative Nonfiction Foundation, a literary nonprofit, publishes two magazines (Creative Nonfiction and True Story) and a book imprint (In Fact Books) and coordinates a variety of educational programs for nonfiction writers. We are seeking a part-time Director of Education to work in our Friendship/Garfield office. The position starts in March.”
  • “Goucher [College]’s Center for Contemporary and Creative Writing and The Kratz Center for Creative Writing are seeking a visiting assistant professor for the 2017-18 academic year. The Kratz Center, co-directed by Madison Smartt Bell and Elizabeth Spires, is one of Maryland’s premier undergraduate academic centers devoted to the study and presentation of creative writing. Goucher College’s Center for Contemporary and Creative Writing offers a minor in Creative Writing, a minor in Professional Writing, and together with the Center for Humanities, an English Major with a Concentration in Creative Writing. This is a one-year visiting appointment. The visiting assistant professor will teach intro, intermediate and advanced fiction workshops, conduct independent studies and supervise theses for advanced student fiction writers in a top-tier four-year undergraduate creative writing program.”
  • “St. Lawrence University [New York] invites applications for a one-year Visiting appointment in creative writing. The successful candidate will offer introductory single-genre writing workshops in fiction and creative non-fiction. Ability to offer a third genre is also desirable.”