Markets and Jobs for Writers

Background of a keyboard, mug of coffee, and wallet on a tabletop; text label indicating "Markets and Jobs for Writers: No fees to submit work/apply. Paying gigs only."

Each week in this space, Practicing Writing shares no-fee, paying markets for writers of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction: competitions, contests, and calls for submissions. These weekly posts complement monthly issues of The Practicing Writer newsletter, where you’ll always find more listings, none of them limiting eligibility to residents of a single municipality, state, or province. (But this blog does share those more localized opportunities, including jobs.)

As always, if you’d like to share a specific opportunity listed here, please credit the blog for the find. Thanks for respecting the time and effort that I put into researching, curating, and posting this information! I do notice, and I appreciate the courtesy.

  • For an upcoming issue themed “The Body/Embodiment,” Book XI, which considers “only previously unpublished and philosophically informed creative work,” welcomes prose and poetry. Deadline: July 20. Payment: “We pay $200 for each piece that we publish (or $50 for each poem we publish).” (Thanks to Cathy’s Comps & Calls for the tip about this one.)
  • Electric Literature’s “The Commuter” will be open for submissions of prose, poetry, and graphic narrative from July 20-27. Pays: “If your work is selected, we can offer a total payment of $100.”
  • From Open City Documentary Festival: “Reminder, we are seeking article proposals for the second issue of our bi-annual print journal Non-Fiction. The theme is NETWORK, and a call for pitches is open now! Please send pitches by July 24th.” https://bit.ly/NonFiction02CFP.” Pays: “Our standard fee is £150.” (Thanks to @WeisChoice for leading me to this one.)
  • Ruminate, a “mindful literary arts magazine,” has re-opened for poetry submissions. “We currently pay $20/page of poetry (with a maximum of $80 per poem).”
  • The Saturday Evening Post magazine continues to look for and publish great short stories by both emerging and established authors. In addition to publishing one short story in every print issue of the Post, we welcome submissions to our online fiction platform New Fiction Friday. Each week, we feature fresh fiction from authors all over the country, bringing you exciting adventures and engrossing stories from writers just like you, available exclusively online.” Pays: “For New Fiction Friday stories, we pay $25 for first exclusive online publication rights for six months; payment for stories selected for print will be negotiated separately.” NB: In a “Calls for Submissions” Facebook group, Managing Editor Andrew Hollandbeck wrote: “This summer, Post slush pile readers are particularly hoping for some good historical fiction. Also, considering the lag time, it’s a good idea to start submitting your (non-gory) Halloween stories.”
  • From Joyland: “The publishing industry has a long way to go in terms of diversity and championing Black writers. If you are a Black writer, we’d like to invite you to submit your short stories, creative nonfiction, and novel excerpts for us free of charge. We do not publish poetry.” Pays: $100/piece. “This offer has no expiration date.”
  • Enchanted Conversation, “a fairy tale magazine,” is looking for someone with social-media skills to assist with a number of projects that are outlined in this post. Compensation: “Hours will vary, but assume roughly 10-15 hours per month. I can pay a $500 stipend—approximately $100 per month. For now, the duration of the position will be from late July-early August through the end of December, with the possibility of continuing if the arrangement suits us both.” (Thanks to Hunter Liguore for bringing this to my attention.)
  • In New York, Simon & Schuster is advertising for a Backlist Copy Coordinator who “will be responsible for reviewing/updating copy for backlist titles on a rolling basis. This includes updating copy (adding headlines, adjusting keywords and metadata) to include newsworthy awards or media tie-in information. Interest in and basic understanding of metadata, SEO, and online discoverability, and the ability to review, research, and suggest search keywords is required. The person would also contribute to departmental proofreading and other special projects that include correcting online copy, participating in ongoing scaled backlist clean-up initiatives, troubleshooting feed problems, and writing email and promotional copy. Attention to detail, being mindful of deadlines, and excellent organizational skills required.”
  • Publishers Weekly seeks a Nonfiction Reviews Editor. “During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nonfiction Reviews Editor will work remotely. We anticipate starting to return to PW’s New York City office later this year.”
  • “Amazon Publishing seeks an Acquisition Editor to focus on discovering and acquiring exceptional fiction and nonfiction from multicultural perspectives. The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of #ownvoices, marginalized author and reader communities, and the current landscape of bestselling and award-winning fiction and narrative nonfiction. We are looking for a collaborative, resourceful, and highly organized editor who brings strong ties to literary agents and authors, and should have experience working with authors to develop projects. The role includes managing author relationships, collaborating with marketing, publicity, production, and author relations teams to deliver exceptional reads and world-class author experiences. The successful candidate should be a strategic thinker and enjoy working in a fast-paced culture. We are open to candidates in New York, Seattle, and Los Angeles.”
  • The New Yorker is seeking a nonfiction editor [Senior Editor] to work on deeply reported narratives and ambitious storytelling. The editor will come up with creative ideas and work with writers on every stage of the process, from conceiving each piece to shaping its length, structure, and tone. This involves shepherding the piece through edits, fact-checking, copy edits, and legal reviews. A successful candidate will be familiar with the magazine’s long record of exceptional cultural and political writing and reporting, and will be expected to bring in strong, diverse new writers. We are looking for someone who will maintain The New Yorker’s standards of rigor and fairness, and who will work congenially with other editors, fact checkers, copy editors, the art and photography staffs, and everyone else who contributes to the excellence of the magazine. This is a very demanding job in a fast-paced environment, which requires juggling the demands of many writers and staffers under very tight deadlines.”
  • The University of Scranton’s Department of English and Theatre “invites applications for a one-year, full-time appointment at the Visiting Assistant Professor level. Teaching responsibilities will begin August 17, 2020. The teaching load is 3/3. Successful candidates will teach fiction writing and will also teach general education Introduction to Fiction.”
on a tabletop: a keyboard, a mug of coffee, and a wallet with cash, plus a text label announcing Markets and Jobs for Writers