Archive for 2012

Home » Archives for 2012 » Page 4

On Changes in Jewish-American Writing

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Last week, as I wrote in a post published yesterday on The Forward‘s “Arty Semite” blog, I attended

a panel with an intriguing title: “Contemporary Jewish-American Writing: What Has Changed?” Equally interesting, especially when attention is being paid to gender (in)equities in publishing, the panel proposed to discuss how women writers, in particular, have influenced the shifts. Although the event didn’t address all of its anticipated questions, it left me considering how my own recent reading in Jewish books — works whose content reflects an engagement with identifiably Jewish subjects, such as Jewish history, prayer, ritual, language and Israel — may reflect some of those shifts and changes.

Please go on over to The Arty Semite to keep reading.

Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: The Potential of “Unfinished” Work

by Erika Dreifus on
8

Last July, I noted some boosts in my writerly productivity. I discerned several factors in that happy development, including

the extent to which I’ve been taking to heart [advice] from Midge Raymond’s Everyday Writing: Tips and Prompts to Fit Your Regularly Scheduled Life. As part of her counsel on ways to meet our writing goals, Midge advises: “Don’t dismiss unfinished projects.” She explains: “I’ve found many gems in long-abandoned projects….Never abandon old ideas; you never know when they’ll suddenly be relevant. Revisit all your ‘old’ stories, poems, or essays at least once a year.” (more…)

Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
3

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

  • Room, “Canada’s oldest journal by and about women,” is planning an issue on the theme of “Crime”: “Sin, wrongdoing, injurious acts, murder, deceit, contraband. Poison, theft, larceny, lust, fraud, family and foreclosure. It is not a CRIME to admit that we love to read it all. This is your chance to become a CRIME writer. For the first time in its 35-year history, Room will investigate CRIME in an issue of chillingly good writing about seriously bad things. We are looking for CRIME poems, non-fiction, and short stories: shameful and heroic, terrifying and grand, falsi and injuria, noir and passionnel. We are also looking for frightfully powerful art.” Pays: “We pay $50 for up to 2 pages, $60 for 3 pages, $80 for 4 pages, $100 for 5 pages, $120 for 6+ pages, and $250 for cover art. Contributors also receive two copies of the issue in which the work appears and a year’s subscription to Room.” Deadline: January 31, 2013. (via placesforwriters.com)
  • Who pays writers? is a new resource: “A place to list whether, and how much, magazines and websites pay their writers. We’ll post ’em as you report ’em. Intended to be informational, not judgmental.”
  • From WritersWeekly.com: “We’re out of features! We pay $60 for around 600 words; non-exclusive electronic rights only. Our guidelines are here: http://www.writersweekly.com/index-markets.htm.”
  • The University of Glasgow is looking for a Lecturer in Creative Writing (poetry specialty).
  • The Creative Writing Program at the University of British Columbia invites applications for two full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in the Creative Writing Program, to begin July 1, 2013. Requirements include: graduate degree (Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing preferred, but a combination of a Masters degree in a related discipline and appropriate writing and publishing experience would be acceptable); demonstrated excellence in writing in one or more of the following forms: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s writing; experience in the teaching of university-level creative writing courses preferred; experience in teaching in online settings an asset; two major publications or productions required.
  • “The MFA Program in Creative Writing at Chatham University [Penn.] seeks a dynamic individual to serve as Associate Director with special focus on the Low Residency program. Chatham’s innovative MFA program offers both a full and a low-residency option; we seek to hire an Associate Director with experience in distance learning to work with the Director to facilitate the continued growth and vibrancy of the low-residency aspect of the program and contribute to building a sense of community between the two programs.”
  • Ramapo College of New Jersey seeks an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing (“especially fiction”).
  • “The Department of English in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma City University invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track faculty position beginning Fall 2013. Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate creative writing and first-year writing courses.”

    • Friday Finds for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    8

    The weekly collection of writing-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.

  • Some practical tips from GalleyCat: “5 Ways to Find an Agent for Your Book.”
  • Sad to say, if you’ve got a short-story collection to sell, it’s possible that not even the most diligent agent search may yield representation. It’s a common experience we short-story writers encounter, as Becky Tuch noted this week in “Nice Short Story Collection. But Do You Have a Novel?”
  • A litmag editor shares “5 quick & dirty submission tips that you won’t find in anyone’s submission guidelines.” (via Diane Lockward’s poetry newsletter)
  • Speaking of litmags: I’ve long recommended (and relied on, and occasionally donated to) Duotrope’s litmag database. Now, Duotrope has announced that it will begin charging for full access to/benefits from its site. Lots of chatter about this online this week. What say you? I’ll share this: I haven’t decided if I’ll subscribe myself, but I have purchased a six-month gift subscription as a birthday present for a writer friend.
  • The Writer magazine previews a slew of writing-related books slated for publication in 2013. (Could be especially useful for those of you mapping out possible book reviews for 2013.)
  • Finally, a lovely essay on writing by author Silas House. I can’t even summarize it. Please just give it a read.

    • Have a great weekend, everyone. See you back here on Monday!

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish literary news from around the Web.

  • Mark your calendar for next Wednesday’s Jewish Book Council/Jewcy Twitter Book Club. The featured guest is Jami Attenberg, author (most recently) of The Middlesteins.
  • Tablet magazine’s correspondent met recently with Shani Boianjiu in Israel; the result is this profile of the author of The People of Forever Are Not Afraid.
  • Crash course in the history of Jews in Russia, courtesy of Lea Zeltserman (responding, it must be said, to a problematic remark made by Shimon Peres).
  • Want to win a copy of the English translation of Eduardo Halfon’s The Polish Boxer? Read (and comment) here, by Sunday afternoon.
  • The latest issue of JewishFiction.net went live this week. From its editor, Dr. Nora Gold: “In this all-women’s issue, you will find 14 wonderful works of fiction, originally written in Yiddish, Spanish, Hebrew, and English, by authors originating from the Ukraine, Argentina, Israel, England, Canada, and the United States. And with Chanukah just around the corner, we bring you also a Chanukah story from Israel (“Roller Coaster”).” (I’m proud to say that I am the author of one of those 14 works!)
  • And last, but not least, I’m about a week into my gig as the Association of Jewish Libraries Writer-in-Residence. Come join the fun (and discussions) on the AJL Facebook page!

    • Shabbat shalom–and warm wishes for a joyous Hanukkah.