Erika Dreifus

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.

• UK-based Neon is open for submissions; the theme for their next themed issue is “Cities.” Pays: 2p/word for prose and 20p/line for poetry. NB: In response to my query about a deadline, the publication responded: “No deadline – the guidelines page is updated once a themed issue is full, and any extant themed submissions are considered for an unthemed issue.”
• Hermine, “a print-only journal of short stories, published annually in Toronto,” is open for submissions. Pays: “$50 to $200 per story, plus two contributor copies.” Deadline: “This project has established a quota. Submissions will close when it is reached.” (Thanks to @Duotrope for the alert on this one.)
• From Parks & Points: “In April of 2021, we will again host our annual online poetry series in honor of National Poetry Month. We invite poetry submissions that reflect upon nature, outdoor exploration, and accompanying moments of adventurousness or self-reflection.” Pays: “We will offer an honorarium of $10 per published poem.” (Thanks to Yi Shun Lai for ensuring that I caught this year’s announcement; I’ve received multiple “success story” reports when I’ve shared the call in past years, so I’m glad to announce anew!)
• “Edwin Morgan, who would have been 100 years old in 2020, published his breakthrough collection The Second Life at the age of 48. In recognition of that, Gutter magazine and the Edwin Morgan Trust are delighted to announce this new ‘All things are possible’ competition for poets over the age of 40. The judges will be looking for fresh single poems that in some way relate to, or spring off from, any aspect of Morgan’s life or work. Entry is free, with a first prize of £500. The winning poem and ten highly commended poems will be published in Issue 24 of Gutter magazine (August 2021) and, COVID-19 restrictions permitting, the poets will be invited to read at a launch event in Edinburgh.” No simultaneous submissions. Note, also: “Poems should somehow relate to Edwin Morgan’s life and work. For example, thematically, formally or in their use of language and register.” Deadline: March 31.
• “A new contest will be coming to Theme of Absence this year. The theme of this contest is Philosophical, Metaphysical, or Epistemological fiction….Only original, unpublished flash fiction is eligible for this contest. The story must revolve around some metaphysical or epistemological issue, like the nature of time or knowledge of the external world. The maximum word count for this contest is 1,000.” Prizes: “The payment for the winning entry is $500.00, payable through PayPal. The top two runners-up will receive $50.00 each.” Deadline: March 31. (Thanks to FundsforWriters.com for the lead on this one.)
• “Publishers Weekly, the international news platform of the book publishing industry, is looking for experienced freelance book reviewers” in a number of subject areas. Pays: “a modest honorarium per review.”
• Reminder: We’re now halfway through March, but PLENTY of opportunities that were included in our latest monthly newsletter remain open for entries/applications/submissions. Be sure to check them out!
• “The Hedgehog Review (THR) seeks a full-time deputy editor to join the staff of our award-winning journal. Depending on the candidate’s experience and ability, this position may be that of associate editor or senior editor but is referred to herein as deputy editor. Salary, like title, will depend on the candidate’s experience, and the position also offers competitive benefits.” NB: “THR’s office is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, on the grounds of the University of Virginia. The candidate ideally will live and work in Charlottesville, although remote work may be possible.”
• “70 Faces Media is seeking an enthusiastic editorial assistant to join our team and work across several brands including our Jewish culture site, Alma, our food site, The Nosher, and help with event listings for My Jewish Learning. The ideal candidate is a strong writer, detail-oriented, and internet/technology/social media savvy. We are also looking for someone who has a keen visual eye and the ability to stay on top of a variety of tasks. Familiarity with Jewish culture and traditions is helpful.” This is a full-time, fully-remote position.
• “The Department of Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is seeking a full-time, nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Creative Writing/Poetry beginning August 2021.”
• From the University of the Bahamas: “The Faculty of Liberal and Fine Arts is pleased to invite applications for the position of Assistant Professor, Creative Writing, (Fiction) Rhetoric and Composition. This full-time appointment will begin 2 August 2021.”
• In Virginia, the Department of English at Washington and Lee University “invites applications for a one-year visiting assistant professor in Creative Writing, open genre, preferably including creative nonfiction, beginning July 1, 2021.”
• Adjunct opportunity: “Eastern Oregon University’s Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing is expanding and seeks to create a pool of qualified writers who can teach both in the MFA and in its environmental writing track, The Wilderness, Ecology, and Community Program. Teaching may include in-person instruction during the summer residency at Wallowa Lake and in La Grande, Oregon, as well as online instruction throughout the academic year.”