Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: The Waiting Game

In an essay I wrote several years ago, I mentioned how in some ways, I’ve been drawn to a life–the writing-and-publishing life–for which I am temperamentally unsuited. And that’s because two of the things I have always found most challenging are these: rejection and waiting.

As the essay notes, rejection has become much easier with time and experience. But I’m afraid that the patience project is still something more of a work-in-progress. It’s not merely a matter of waiting for the acceptance/rejection decisions. I’m also filled with anticipation (and, sometimes, anxiety) when I know that a new piece has found a home and–yes, after another wait–will be meeting readers.

At the moment, I have a lot that I’m looking forward to sharing:

  • two book reviews filed, one of which represents my first assignment for the publication;
  • a flash nonfiction piece in the new issue of the lovely Manor House Quarterly. The issue’s theme is “She,” and I expect my contributor copy to arrive soon;
  • a short story (technically, a stand-alone excerpt from my unpublished novel manuscript), to be published in December (online) with another journal I’m a fan of;
  • two guest posts–accepted but awaiting scheduling–for two terrific blogs; and
  • my newest “First Looks” column for Fiction Writers Review, which should, in fact, be posted sometime today.
  • On the anxiety side (mixing in a dash of that good old fear-of-rejection), there’s the AWP proposal I’m waiting to hear about. The Grub Street seminar I’m hoping to fill. And some other things I’ll tell you about as soon as I can.

    I just have to keep working on that patience thing, right?

    What’s notable on your writing-and-publishing horizons? Please share with us, in comments.

    Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    Monday brings the weekly batch of no-fee contests/competitions and paying gigs for those of us who write (especially those of us who write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction).

  • Reminder from Ploughshares: “Our submission manager is open. In addition to stories, poems, and essays, we are also looking for longer work (Pshares Singles) and literary essaysPshares Singles is our new e-book series for pieces from 6,000 to 25,000 words. Our literary essay series (called Look2) will begin in the Fall issue with an essay on John Neihardt by the novelist and screenwriter Barry Gifford. If you have a beloved author you would like to share with others, our critical essay query guidelines are here.” NB: There’s a fee for using the submission manager, which is waived for subscribers and can be avoided by submitting via postal mail.
  • “A Blade of Grass is seeking bloggers! We are looking for exceptional bloggers of all backgrounds to write posts that speak to our mission and support the work that we do as an organization. ABLOG (http://www.abladeofgrass.org/blog) aims to engage its readers through writing that is conversational, informal, non-academic and incorporates images. We are a non-profit arts organization that focuses on art and social change. We give grants to organizations and individual artists who are working in this vein. We also organize public programs that address issues of social engagement, collaboration and public space.” Pays: “Compensation: $100 per approved post.”
  • “A brand new Latin food site is seeking writers/contributors to pitch articles surrounding recipes, chefs, entertaining ideas, how-to’s, food travel and more. Writers must have experience in the food space and be able to quickly turn around copy for accepted pitches. Writers will be paid $40-50 per post, based on length & experience.”
  • “The Department of Literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz, invites applications for a tenure-track or tenured position in Creative Writing. The Department is seeking a poet with secondary expertise in fiction, non-fiction, cross-genre, and/or other media (for example, journalism, book arts, performance, internet publishing), with an ability to teach both poetry and fiction at the intermediate and advanced undergraduate level. We seek a writer who will participate fully in our undergraduate program while also helping us to envision an innovative future in our Literature graduate program.”
  • Heyday Books (Berkeley, Calif.) is looking for an Assistant to the Publisher/Development Associate, the Poetry Society (London) seeks an Education Manager, and Poets & Writers magazine (New York) is advertising for a Production Editor.
  • Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    If it’s Monday, it’s time for the weekly paying jobs, markets, and no-fee competitions for writers. Let’s get going:

  • The Cha Flash Fiction Contest “is run by Cha: An Asian Literary Journal. It is for unpublished flash stories in English language on the theme of ‘Misinterpretation.'” You can submit up to two pieces (maximum 250 words each). Cash prizes (via Paypal): £50/£30/£20. Publication in the fifth anniversary issue of the journal. Deadline: July 15, 2012. No entry fee.
  • The Renegade Writer blog is now accepting guest posts: “The Renegade Writer readers are serious about writing, and they’re interested in writing for magazines, online markets, and copywriting clients. Guest posts must be specifically geared for beginning to intermediate writers who are serious about their work. Topics that work for us include the business of writing, marketing your writing, productivity, motivation, query writing, how to diversify your income, deciphering contracts, and the care and feeding of clients. While we’re open to posts on the craft of writing — such as how to write awesome ledes and kickers — we don’t run many of these.” Pays: $50.
  • Live in Wisconsin or Minnesota? You may be interested in the Vita.mn 2012 Short Story Contest: “To enter, write a story about one of the ‘seven deadly sins’ in no more than 300-600 words and send it via e-mail to promo@vita.mn during the contest period. Stories can be fact or fiction.” Deadline: July 2, 2012. No entry fee. Prize: “One (1) first-place winner will receive the First-Place Prize, which will consist of the story being published in Vita.mn, the opportunity for the author to read his/her story at an upcoming Vita.mn event and $750. Up to 20 runners-up will have their story published in Vita.mn and also have the opportunity to read at an upcoming Vita.mn event. Fan Favorite Prize – One (1) fan favorite submission will also be selected from all stories read during the Vita.mn event, the author of this submission will receive a literary prize pack valued at $250.”
  • “The English Department of Bowling Green State University [Ohio] seeks strong applicants for an instructor to serve as editor of the internationally recognized literary magazine Mid-American Review and instructor in Creative Writing. The initial appointment is for one year, with possibility of renewal. Duties: Editing Mid-American Review; serving as faculty advisor to the undergraduate literary magazine Prairie Margins; teaching undergraduate course in Literary Editing and Publishing, graduate course in Creative Writing Desktop Publishing, and one additional course in Creative Writing; administering the annual Winter Wheat Festival of Writing.”
  • Poets & Writers (New York) seeks a Program Assistant, Roger Williams College (R.I.) is looking for a Media Relations Manager, and the Constitutional Accountability Center (Washington) is advertising for a Blogger/Writer.
  • Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: New Plans for This Blog

    Huh? Isn’t Wednesday the day for the “Web Browser for Writers”? Isn’t Thursday the day for the “Work-in-Progress” post?

    Well, yes. That’s been the pattern But one of the things I did during my recent break from the day job/staycation/writing-and-reading-at-home-retreat was this: I thought about this blog (and blogging more generally), and I realized that it was time to make a couple of changes.

    Briefly, I want to maintain the blog’s quality and usefulness, and, at the same time, I need to free up some mental space ——and actual minutes of the day–for myself (and my writing). To meet these goals, I’m going to reconfigure the Practicing Writing schedule so you can reliably expect at least three posts per week:

    • Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers
    • Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress
    • Friday Finds for Writers (note the new plural, which will allow me to combine items that heretofore would have shown up in “Web Browser” posts)

    One bonus of the new schedule is that it will provide flexibility for the occasional “surprise” or breaking-news post on “off” days.

    As always, I thank all of you who read, comment on, and share this blog. I hope to keep you happy, engaged, and benefiting from what you find here for a long time to come!

    Gone Fishin’ (Or Something Like That)


    No, I’m not really out there fishing.

    But I am going to pause with the blog posts for these last several days of my vacation from the day job. I’ll be back here on Monday, with a fresh batch of markets, jobs, and opportunities for you.

    Thanks for your patience. Have a great several days ’til we meet again here. (But don’t be surprised if you see me on Twitter between now and Monday!)