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.

• Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) “is excited to launch a 2024 anthology with publisher Unleash Creatives. We seek authentic, compelling, and polished short stories, creative nonfiction, humor, poetry, photography, and visual art.” Theme: “Partnerships, the Untold Stories.” Prizes: “We are offering an Editors’ Choice Grand Prize of $500 and three genre prizes of $250 for winners in prose, poetry, and the visual arts. All finalists will be considered for publication.” NB: They are accepting submissions “from U.S veterans, service members, military spouses, family members, and caregivers.” Deadline: March 1. (Hat tip: The Sub Club Newsletter.)
• Entries for the 2024 Lakefly Writing Contests must be postmarked by March 4. Work in poetry, short story, and personal essay is welcome from Wisconsin residents and Wisconsin students (and from registered participants in the 2024 Lakefly Writers Conference). Prizes include: “1st place: $100; 2nd place: $75; 3rd place: $50 cash.”
• From Tim Herrera: “Journalism students and early-career journalists! I’m hiring an assistant to help me organize and grow Freelancing With Tim.” Compensation: “$20/hour for like 5-ish hours a week or so (with potential for lots more work and involvement).” Deadline: “end of this coming week.”
• By this time next week, the March issue of The Practicing Writer 2.0 will have gone out to subscribers. (It’s never too late to join us—the newsletter is free!) Be sure you haven’t missed any of the still-open opportunities listed in the February newsletter as well as those posted weekly here on Practicing Writing.
• In New York, PEN America “seeks an ambitious and highly organized communications assistant to support its growing visibility as a global leader in the defense of free expression.” Compensation: “the salary range for this position is $45k-50k, commensurate with experience.” NB: “In alignment with PEN America’s current policy, all applicants should be available to report to the office at least three days per week. This policy is subject to change.” No deadline indicated.
• “Schocken Books seeks an Editorial Director to join its team. Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Publisher, Pantheon + Schocken, the Editorial Director will solicit, acquire, evaluate, and develop projects for Schocken’s storied list of Jewish-interest books across all genres, including history, biography, social science, cultural studies, spirituality, current affairs, popular culture; and fiction, both commercial and literary. The role includes building a list of Schocken authors, maintaining and refreshing an award-winning backlist, and working alongside other editors to bring their acquired projects to completion.” NB: “The position of Editorial Director at Schocken is a hybrid position with in-office responsibilities, which include but are not limited to author, agent, and team meetings. We will consider candidates who can work from a commutable distance to our offices at 1745 Broadway, which includes the tri-state area (NJ, CT, & PA).” Compensation: “The salary range for this position is $100,000-120,000.” Apply by March 21.
• In Massachusetts, Smith College “invites applications from distinguished writers for the Lucille Geier Lakes Writer in Residence, to begin July 1, 2024.  This is a one-year, half-time, benefits-eligible position that also provides a housing stipend. All types of public writers with a strong record of publications are eligible to apply, including journalists, essayists, critics, novelists, playwrights and poets.” Apply by March 24.