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.

• From UK-based Guppy Books (and open to writers outside the UK): an open-submission competition for middle-grade writers. “Between 12th and 16th of June 2023, we ask all unpublished and unagented middle-grade writers to submit their novels for consideration in the competition….All shortlisted authors will be offered an editorial meeting with Bella Pearson. The winner will be offered a contract with Guppy Books (with no obligation to accept).” (Hat tip: Sian Meades-Williams/Freelance Writing Jobs.)
• An update to some information shared (and now corrected) regarding The Sunlight Press in our June newsletter: “On June 16, we close to all submissions until Tuesday, Sept. 5, after Labor Day. (We closed earlier to poetry on May 1.)”
• Also posting a June 16 deadline: The Peace Studio Fellowship, which “awards $10,000 to five artists and five journalists who are committed to transformative social change through their work. In addition to the monetary support, this cohort of peacebuilders will be granted access to The Peace Studio ‘Skills for Creative Peacebuilding’ curriculum and guided workshops, career development resources, and connection to a network of like-minded change makers. For the duration of this one-year program, Fellows receive support to carry out a collaborative peacebuilding project of their choice. If selected, you will be matched with a respective artist or journalist in an effort to facilitate thought partnership and/or interdisciplinary collaboration. The community to serve and the concern to address is up to you! Leveraging each other’s unique skills as artists and journalists, we can advance our positive impact.” Note eligibility criteria, including current U.S. residency. 
• For those in Wyoming: The Wyoming Arts Council has extended the application deadline for its fellowship programs (including Native Art, which includes literary art, and Creative Writing) to June 16.
• “Since 1958, the annual Utah Original Writing Competition has celebrated Utah’s dynamic and varied voices and aided Utah writers on their path to publication and broader recognition. Numerous awardees selected by our nationally recognized judges have gone on to significant statewide and national acclaim. Please read through the entire guidelines before submitting.” (Categories and cash awards are detailed therein.) Deadline: June 30.
• The Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets, which honors Atlanta Review‘s founding editor and publisher from 1994 to 2016, “solicits poems from college-age students, aged 18-23, on any subject or style. Poems with an international focus are especially welcome, but all poems must be written in English.” Note that a letter of recommendation is required. “The winning poet will be published in the Fall/ Winter issue of Atlanta Review, with a $100 prize.” Deadline: July 1. (You may need to log in to Submittable to view complete guidelines.)
• For those in Washington State: The Artist Trust Endurance Grants program will award “unrestricted emergency need-based grants of $2,500 to artists working in all disciplines across Washington State to assist with an unforeseen emergency, crisis, or catastrophic event. These 40 grants will fund artists who identify with one or more of the following communities: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and/or Native, LGBTQIA+, immunocompromised, with immigrant status, have or are living with a disability, residing outside King County, and/or low income.” Deadline: July 17.
• Received via email from co-editor Gail Marlene Schwartz: “Do you identify as a queer mom and feminist? Are you parenting a son? We want to know your story! We are excited to announce a new collection of essays and interviews featuring writings by queer moms of sons about the intersection of queer parenting and the development of healthy masculinity. Essays should be around 1000 words and submitted by No at the latest. Contributors receive $50 plus one copy. Collection will be published by Motina Books in early 2025. See full call for submissions here.” Deadline: November 30.
• A position is open for “a creative, dynamic and hard-working person with a passion for poetry to take up the freelance role of Artistic Director for StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival.” Compensation: “This is a 12 month fixed-term, freelance role, renewable subject to funding and performance. Total contract fee is £22,425 (£195 per day) based upon 115 days total.” Deadline: June 23.
• “Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for theatre, seeks a full-time Managing Editor to assist with the relaunch of American Theatre’s print edition as a quarterly magazine, as well as to help oversee the magazine’s daily website and other media efforts. The Managing Editor will report to Rob Weinert-Kendt, Editor-in-Chief, and will be part of American Theatre’s national editorial team. TCG and American Theatre are now working in a hybrid modality and will consider remote applications.” Compensation: “The salary range for this position is $70,000-$75,000.” Deadline: June 23.
• From the University of Chicago: “During the autumn, winter, and spring quarters of the 2023-2024 academic year, the Humanities Collegiate Division may have part-time teaching opportunities in the Creative Writing program in the genres of poetry, nonfiction, or fiction….Depending on the curricular needs of the department, the successful candidate may teach between one and four courses per academic year. In 2023-24, the minimum per-course salary is $7,538. This position is not benefits eligible.”
• Augsburg University in Minneapolis is advertising for Adjunct Faculty to “teach MFA students online in poetry, creative nonfiction, or fiction. Responsibilities include: assigning readings and assignments tailored to students’ individual goals and projects; reading and providing detailed feedback on student work; and meeting with students online and/or in person about once per month.”