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.

• ICYMI: The October issue of The Practicing Writer 2.0 has gone out to subscribers. You’ll find 75+ fee-free and paying opportunities listed within.
• Something that didn’t make it into that issue: “Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, is pleased to announce the launch of the third annual BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest. The aim of the contest is to facilitate access to the publishing process for writers from underrepresented groups, and to celebrate the diversity of readers across the United States. As the nation strives for progress, Atria Books and Simon & Schuster aim to help catalyze that change by amplifying voices that represent us, by publishing books like us. The annual Books Like Us First Novel Contest is rotated among Simon & Schuster’s other adult imprints. Previous contests have been administered by the Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster imprints.” Prize: “In March 2024, the author of the selected novel will be awarded the opportunity to enter into a $50,000 book deal with Atria Books.” Deadline: October 13.
• From the Poetry Foundation: a call for Visiting Teaching Artists in the Forms & Features Workshop Series: “Teaching artists near the beginning of their career are invited to design and lead an original poetry workshop as a part of the Poetry Foundation Library’s long-running workshop series, Forms & Features. Interested applicants are encouraged to submit a proposed workshop on any topic of their choice, as long as it engages poetry in a meaningful way. Visiting Teaching Artists will receive an honorarium of $750 for teaching the workshop. One teaching artist will be featured each month, and this successful applications from this call will be scheduled January-June of 2024. Visiting Teaching Artists will also be offered the opportunity to contribute a craft essay based on their workshop to the Poetry & Practice series on the Learn section of Poetry Foundation website, and will be invited to participate in a virtual reading with other Visiting Teaching Artists. Additional honoraria will be offered for these additional opportunities ($500 and $1000, respectively).” NB: “The current call is for an online workshop with international reach.” Deadline: October 15.
• Another one with an October deadline that I didn’t catch before the newsletter went out: “The John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize is for an outstanding debut poetry book collection by a poet, in the English language. The John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize is valued at €10,000 and will be adjudicated by a panel of judges nominated by the John Pollard Foundation, and the Trinity Oscar Wilde Centre in the School of English, Trinity College Dublin.” Among eligibility requirements: “The 2024 prize will be awarded to a first book of poetry published originally in the English language between October 1st 2022 and October 18th 2023.” Submissions must be made by the publisher (who can enter one title), and the winner must be available to accept the prize in person in Dublin. Deadline: October 18.
• Poets & Writers is hiring an associate editor. “This is a full-time position in our New York City office. We offer a hybrid work environment, with the opportunity to work from home several days per week; must be available to work in the office two days per week and additionally as required. Annual salary: $50,000, plus benefits including fully paid medical insurance and generous paid time off.”
• Gutter, “the magazine of new Scottish and international writing,” seeks a Managing Editor. “Whilst the periods in the lead up to print are the busiest, the Managing Editor should be available year-round to oversee all aspects of the magazine. This is a part time position which would suit a freelancer dedicating a few hours per average week and more intensive working around production dates. We offer £4k per annum (a flat fee £2000 per issue, paid on issue launch).” NB: “This is a Glasgow-based role requiring in-person attendance for meetings.” (Hat tip: Sian Meades-Williams.)
• “The Department of English at the University of North Dakota invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in creative non-fiction writing.” Salary: $62,000 – $65,000. Apply by November 1.
• In North Carolina, the Department of English at Wake Forest University “invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position in Creative Writing (Fiction) at the level of Assistant Professor beginning in July 2024. We seek candidates who hold a terminal degree in creative writing or literature (MFAor PhD), and whose literary practice engages African American contexts.” Salary: “competitive.” Apply by November 1.
• “The English Department at the University of Illinois-Chicago is searching for a Professor of Creative Writing, specializing in fiction, to begin Fall Semester 2024.  Duties will include directing the Program for Writers, as well as teaching courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The ideal candidate is an accomplished writer with a clear vision for administrating an MA and Doctoral Program.  PhD (or foreign equivalent) required.  Associate professors in the process of applying for promotion at their current institution will also be considered, provided they could be hired at UIC as full professor at the time of appointment.” Apply by November 1. 
• The Department of English at Illinois State University, located in Normal, Illinois, invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing (Prose Genres). We seek innovative prose writers working in non-fiction, fiction, and/or hybrid forms with interest/specialization in one or more of the following areas: Literary Book and Journal Publishing, Publishing Studies, Literary Translation, Creative Writing Pedagogy, Transformative Justice and Community Engagement, and Digital Storytelling. Deadline: “Review of applications will begin November 13, 2023, and continue until the position is filled.”
• Two positions are open at Florida Atlantic University: one is for “for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Creative Writing with a specialization in creative nonfiction, beginning in August 2024. We invite applications from candidates with additional specializations, including poetry and publishing/editing.” The other is ” a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Creative Writing with a specialization in poetry, beginning in August 2024. Additional specializations are welcome, including literary translation, publishing/editing, and creative nonfiction.” Apply by November 18.