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.

• First things first: The May edition of The Practicing Writer 2.0 will be going out to subscribers tomorrow. But remember that as of today, some of the opportunities listed in the April newsletter and in recent Markets & Jobs posts still remain open for submissions and applications. Make sure that you haven’t missed anything!
• Acre Books remains open until the end of April (tomorrow) “for full manuscripts from writers identifying as Black, Indigenous, and people of color to acknowledge and address historical and systemic inequities in book publishing.” Note that they consider “books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid forms.”
• The West Virginia State Folk Festival “is seeking writing submissions for the 2024 festival. Writers are encouraged to submit their work for judging no later than May 1, 2024. Submissions should be on a topic related to Appalachian life and culture, particularly found in West Virginia. Submissions may be on any related topic and in any prose genre: fiction, nonfiction, narrative, memoir, or essay. Poetry is not eligible for submission, and submissions must be free of graphics.” Prizes: “A 1st place award of $100 will be presented” in each category (including a category for writers over the age of 18). The competition “is open to the public.” Deadline: May 1.
• From Chapter 16: “We welcome original essay submissions from anyone with a Tennessee connection. We aren’t interested in literary analysis, op-ed style arguments, or self-help prescriptions. We look for poetic essays, funny essays, thought-provoking essays — any essay that tells a true story in an engaging or imaginative way. To submit an essay for possible publication, please paste it into our contact form, which will deliver it to the editor of Chapter 16. Be sure to include a note explaining your Tennessee connection. Ideal length: 900-1,500 words, give or take a few hundred. Payment on acceptance: $100.” (Hat tip: @Duotrope.)
• “The English faculty at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi invites applications for a one-year, non-renewable Visiting Assistant Professor of English beginning in Fall 2024. We are interested in candidates who can demonstrate excellence in onsite and online course delivery and who specialize in creative writing, especially with an emphasis or publication in creative nonfiction.” Deadline: “For full consideration, applications must be received by May 24, 2024.”
• From Wartburg College (Iowa): “The inaugural Teaching Fellow will contribute to the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, teaching a 2-3-1 load, mentoring students, and giving a public presentation based on their research. This is an ideal position for an early career educator, awarded the MA, MFA or PhD within the past two years or ABD and interested in teaching in a liberal arts environment. A faculty mentor will be assigned and the fellow will participate in our comprehensive faculty development program. This is a one-year position.” Deadline not indicated.