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.

• WordWorks, which prioritizes submissions from members of the Federation of BC Writers but welcomes submissions “from all BC and Yukon writers,” is open for submissions until October 25, 2021 for its January 2022 volume, themed “beginnings”: “Whether it’s the first word of a poem, the first act of a novel, or the first contract as a freelance writer—among other firsts—we have all encountered the daunting task of beginning. What knowledge have you gained from your own beginnings that you would impart to a new writer now? How do you begin to write a novel, memoir, article, or poem? What firsts have you encountered in writing and publishing, and what do you have to say about them? For this issue, we welcome your ideas on beginnings and encourage you to range broadly within the theme. Although we are primarily interested in articles, we will consider a limited number of poems (up to 30 lines) or pieces of prose (up to 500 words) centered around the theme.” Pays: “WordWorks pays $125 per page for original articles, paid upon publication. Articles range from 500 words for one page to 1,100 words for a two-page spread. We will consider longer features as well. These rates are subject to change in future issues. Have you previously written an article or blog post that fits our theme? We pay $50 for selected reprints.”
• In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, The Maine Review has been offering free submissions from October 11, and will continue to do so until October 25, “or until we reach our allowed free submission maximum.” Payment: “Fiction and Nonfiction writers will receive a $25 honorarium per published flash (1,000 words or fewer) and a $50 honorarium for work 1,001 words or more.  Poets will receive a $25 honorarium per published poem.”  
• 580 Split “is now seeking submissions for its 2022 issue: Fever Dreams.” Submissions “can be in these following formats: prose (both fiction and creative nonfiction), poetry, visual and digital art, photography, music and audio art, and video.” Deadline: October 27 (11:59 p.m. PST). Payment: $50 USD. (Found this one via Pamelyn Casto’s Flash Fiction Flash newsletter.)
• Black Lawrence Press has issued a call for its new Immigrant Writing Series: “The immigrant narrative is at the heart of the American experiment. However, despite the contributions of immigrants to the cultural, financial, scientific, and artistic makeup of the United States, there is no clear home for new immigrant writings in the United States. To remedy this, Black Lawrence Press proudly announces the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series, an innovative program designed to provide a home for new immigrant writings in the United States and fill a much needed gap in the American literary community….Poets and authors, at any stage of their careers, who identify as immigrants are welcome to submit a book manuscript of poetry or prose or a hybrid text for consideration. Submissions are accepted year-round. However, selections are made in June and November for a total of two books per year. In addition to publication, marketing, and a standard royalties contract from Black Lawrence Press, authors chosen for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series will receive a travel stipend of $500, which can be used for book tours or in any manner chosen by the authors.” Submissions must be received by October 31 for November consideration. NB: “Submission is open to any individual living in the U.S. who identifies as an immigrant and who either (i) was born in another country, (ii) has at least one parent who was born in another country (iii) is a refugee, or (iv) lives in the United States under Asylum or a Protection Program, such as TPS or DACA .” (Learned about this one thanks to Winning Writers.)
• “Hohm Press is now reading for the inaugural edition of our Beggar Poet Series. As an established publisher of spiritual literature, we are looking for books of poetry that will complement our catalogue. That said, we are partial to poetry grounded in life experience, with a visceral edge. We like poetry that is well crafted and at the same time accessible to the untrained reader.” Payment: royalties plus ten copies. Deadline: February 1, 2022, for publication in 2023. NB: Must submit ms via postal mail. 
• Miracle Monocle is now welcoming submissions to its Ambitious Student Writing Competition. The intent of this award series is to celebrate the talents of writers beginning their careers with panache and verve. All individuals currently enrolled as students (high school, undergraduate, or graduate) are eligible to enter; all genres of literary writing are welcome. The prize includes publication in an upcoming issue of Miracle Monocle and an award of $200. All entries to the competition will be considered for publication in the journal. We will be accepting submissions via Duosuma until we reach our quota.” (HT @Duotrope)
• Can you believe that we’re now more than halfway through October? Nonetheless, PLENTY of the opportunities in our October newsletter remain open for entries/submissions. Be sure that you’ve checked them out.
• In Seattle, Shelf Awareness, “publisher of two much beloved book-related online newsletters, is seeking a Publishing Assistant. This is a great opportunity for a highly motivated, detail-oriented person to join a team that is passionate about independent bookselling, the publishing industry and who knows books are a lifestyle, not a pastime, and on occasion a bloodsport.”
• In Brooklyn, the Center for Fiction is hiring a Writing Programs Manager.
• “Gemini Ink, San Antonio’s Writing Arts Center, seeks a part-time Public Classes Program Coordinator to support our literary programming.” 
• “The Department of English at The Pennsylvania State University at University Park, Pennsylvania invites applications for a tenure-track position (assistant, associate, or full) in Creative Writing (Fiction) to begin August 2022.”
• In Iowa, the Coe College English Department “invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in creative writing with emphasis on fiction, to begin August 2022.”
• California State University, Sacramento, is advertising for an Assistant Professor in Creative Writing:  Fiction, Memoir, and Creative Non-Fiction, “with preferred additional area of interest in one of the following areas of literary and cultural studies:  Asian-American, Native American, Latinx/Chicanx, African-American, Queer, Disability, and/or Diasporic Literature.” 
• At Tulane University in Louisiana, a search is underway for an Assistant Professor in Creative Writing-Poetry/Poetics. “We seek a poet who is able to teach creative writing workshops as well as literature courses on poetry and poetics. We are especially interested in applicants who can make connections with one or more of Tulane’s interdisciplinary programs in Africana Studies, Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, and Middle East and North African Studies, and/or who have strengths in Caribbean, Anglophone African, or other literatures of the global South.”
• Canada’s Concordia University is advertising “a tenure-track position in Creative Writing: Poetry at the rank of Assistant Professor.”
• In New Jersey, for a position as Professor of Creative Writing, “Princeton University invites applications from established poetry writers whose body of work has earned national and international recognition.”