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.

• Submissions open today for the Buckman Journal Poetry Award. “One poet will receive $300.00, and their work featured in Buckman Journal. The prize is open to Oregon and SW Washington residents only.” Deadline: February 27. (Hat tip: @Duotrope.) 
• Cave Canem and EcoTheo Collective “are pleased to announce the 2022 Starshine and Clay Fellowship, an initiative providing financial and development support to emerging Black poets, and fundraising opportunities for Cave Canem. Named in honor of Cave Canem elder Lucille Clifton (“won’t you celebrate with me”), the Starshine and Clay Fellowship was developed to speak to the mentorship Clifton offered Cave Canem fellows during her tenure as faculty at the Cave Canem Retreat.” Included in the fellowship: “Four recipients will each receive $500, $500 for a LOGOS reading, a $500 travel stipend and free lodging to attend the Wonder in Wyoming conference, a one-on-one consultation with the final judge, and master classes and other opportunities provided by Cave Canem. Poets will also have their work published in the Summer 2022 issue of EcoTheo Review, with proceeds of the sale going to Cave Canem.” Deadline: February 28.
• The Texas Review Press (TRP) Southern Poetry Breakthrough Series “highlights a first full-length collection by emerging authors from each state in the southern U.S.” This year, submissions are welcome from “any poet born in West Virginia, or currently residing in West Virginia, who has not yet published a full-length collection of poetry. The author may have published chapbooks or books in other genres.” Prize includes “a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book.” Deadline: February 28.
• Attention, Nebraskans! This year’s Maureen Egen Exchange Award is open to you (if you’re a poet or fiction writer who have never published a book or published no more than one book). A cash award is only part of the prize package. Download more information on the prize page on the Poets & Writers website. Apply by March 1. (Thanks to the KHN Center for the Arts for reminding me that this deadline was coming up!)
• We’re now at February’s mid-month point, which means that there are still LOTS of opportunities for you to consider in our February newsletter (none of those are limited to the residents of a single state/province).
• From Jacob Rosenberg: “Hey, come pitch me for a column in the back of the book at @motherjones called Mother Tongue. In 600 to 800 words, writers take on a word, or phrase, and use it reveal something about our current order. Rate is $1000.” (Hat tip to Avital Andrews.)
• From Kelly Glass: “For @parentsmagazine, I’m seeking pitches from Black father writers about your experience with co-parenting and custody agreements. Rate about $250-350, depending.”
• From Dana Sitar: “I’m seeking pitches from writers with disability, chronic illness, ND, for a couple of pieces for Healthy Rich. What do we need to know about the intersection of money and disability?” Pay (per info in the thread, which of course you should read thoroughly!): “$300 for posts about 1,000–1,500 words. No reporting expected. Would also keep you on our roster for a variety of personal finance assignments in the future if you’re interested!” Deadline: February 18.
• From Split Lip: “Don’t be shy! Interview your favorite writer! And then pitch us so we can publish your interview!” Pays: $25. (More guidelines here.)
• In New York, the American Academy of Arts and Letters “is looking for a part-time employee to assist with administrative tasks during our busy spring awards season. They will work directly with the executive assistant. The bulk of this work will need to be performed in person, although some remote projects may also be available. Academy business hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.” Pays: $25/hour, with the position running “through May 2022 (15 to 22.5 hours per week).”
• “The Department of English at the University of Central Oklahoma seeks to appoint a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of English with specialization in Creative Writing (Poetry).  The department seeks a poet whose work significantly engages with issues of race/ethnicity, identity, and culture and who has a strong commitment to antiracist and social justice pedagogy.”
• Arkansas Tech University is advertising a position for an “Assistant Professor of English/Creative Writing with a specialization in creative nonfiction.”