Markets & 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.

  • “Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is looking to commission writers, artists, photographers, or other creatives to participate in a new storytelling project called Seattle Histories. This series focuses on the people and places that have shaped Seattle’s past and led us to the present. In partnership with the Historic Preservation Program, we are highlighting communities and stories that have not been prioritized in mainstream media or have been left out of the historical narrative. We encourage people who have connections to Seattle’s Black, Indigenous, or people of color communities to submit ideas for creative work.” Note: “We strongly encourage personal stories that illuminate a larger historical context in all formats whether written, visual, or audio.” Pays: “Each participant will receive a $600 stipend upon delivery of the work.” Deadline for pitches: May 17. (Caught this one via Opportunities of the Week.) 
  • Savant-Garde is accepting poetry and fiction until May 18. “As a Canada-based journal, we strive to feature work from Canada-based authors, Indigenous authors who live within Canadian settler borders, or work that itself has a tie to this country in every issue. However, we accept submissions from creators who come from all over the world.” Pays: “$20 CAD honourarium for every piece published.” (Hat tip: @Duotrope.) 
  • Lucky Jefferson‘s digital zine Awake seeks to amplify the experiences and perspectives of Black writers in American society. The third issue of our digital zine will explore Black Resiliency. While the undercurrents of trauma will remain embedded in the fabric of our history, and stories, trauma is not our only defining trait.  Send poems, essays, flash fiction, and art that embrace and magnify the persistence, strength, and power of our people through text, form, and structure. Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website and publicized on social media. Accepted authors will receive $15 for each accepted work.” Deadline: May 31. (Caught this one via Trish Hopkinson’s Q&A with the Founder and Editor-in-Chief Nabeela Washington.)
  • A new series has launched on the Alma website: LATE TAKE, “where we revisit Jewish pop culture of the past for no reason, other than the fact that we can’t stop thinking about it??” Pays: $100. Pitching guidelines in the thread linked just above.
  • Electric Literature is advertising for an Editor-in-Chief: “This is a full-time remote position with a salary of $57,000. Fridays are “no meeting” days, with minimal Slack and email messaging, reserved for editing and reading as well as personal projects, time permitting. This position is eligible to enroll in any company-adopted benefits plan. Electric Lit, Inc. is an independent, 501(c)3 non-profit.” Apply by Thursday, May 20.
  • West Branch—a print and digital journal of poetry, fiction, essays, and reviews—seeks to hire an interim editor. The journal, housed in Bucknell University’s Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts, publishes three print and three digital issues each year, which feature a range of both established and emerging contemporary writers….The West Branch interim editor would serve from August 1, 2021 until June 30, 2022.” NB: “Qualifications for this position include an MFA in a related field and previous editorial experience. This is a part-time, non-benefits eligible position expected to start August 1, 2021.”
  • “Literary Arts is seeking a Communications Assistant (CA) with an eye for excellent copy and design, who enjoys keeping multiple projects and deadlines in order and on track, and who brings creativity and energy to their work….This position will be involved in the promotion of all programs, including Portland Arts & Lectures, Portland Book Festival, Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships, Writers in the Schools, College Essay Mentoring, and our radio show and podcast, The Archive Project, helping to maintain a robust communications and marketing calendar, ensuring our messaging reaches our large and diverse audiences, on-time and on-brand. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, initially this is a work-from-home position, however, once the organization can return to office operations, this position will be based in Portland, Oregon at our downtown office, requiring in-person attendance and support at our events. The salary range for this position is $35,000–$40,000, depending on experience.”
  • At the University of Wisconsin-Superior, they’re looking for an assistant professor to “teach 12 credits per semester: creative nonfiction, environmental and/or science writing, and core writing classes (Academic and Professional Writing) on-campus and/or online. Develop new science or environmental writing course(s). Advising, service to department and university, and ongoing scholarship or creative activity.”
  • “The Department of English at the University of Iowa is searching for a Visiting Assistant Professor to teach 2 courses per semester (50% position) for the 21-22 academic year. The position will involve teaching upper-level undergraduate classes in English and creative nonfiction writing, including an honors seminar in creative nonfiction and an advanced writing workshop. It will also involve teaching a graduate-level writing workshop and a seminar on The History of the Essay for the MFA program in nonfiction writing. This position includes full University of Iowa benefits.”
  • Western Colorado University is advertising a position for a “visiting creative writer at the rank of lecturer. This is a one-year appointment, renewable for up to three years based upon performance and funding.”
  • In Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of English “invites applications for an Adjunct Instructor with a specialization in poetry for one semester of teaching Poetry Workshop class at Carnegie Mellon University.”

on a tabletop: a keyboard, a mug of coffee, and a wallet with cash, plus a text label announcing Markets and Jobs for Writers