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.

In case you’ve missed it, please check out this recent note to those who subscribe to The Practicing Writer 2.0, with some important updates that connect with these weekly posts here on Practicing Writing. I expect to continue publishing these “Markets and Jobs” posts here on the blog, for the foreseeable future, but henceforth, they may look slightly different, and arrive slightly later in the day, than you may be accustomed to.

• From Västra Götaland (Sweden)’s Cultural Administration: “Are you a professional writer or translator? Do you need a dedicated space to work? Are you looking for a peaceful environment and inspiration? The residency scholarship includes one month of free accommodation and access to a workspace. The scholarship amount is 20,000 SEK. In residency scholarships where the host is a library or a free cultural actor, an author fee of 8,500 SEK is also included for a public event arranged during the residency in collaboration with the host (institution). All residency scholarships take place in November 2025.” Deadline: April 23.
• “Baen Books is excited to announce the eleventh annual Baen Fantasy Adventure Award. The award recognizes the best original adventure fantasy short story in the style of fantasy greats like Mercedes Lackey, Larry Correia, Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Elizabeth Moon, Andre Norton, Brandon Sanderson, J.R.R. Tolkien, and David Weber.” Grand-prize winner receives publication “as the featured story on the Baen Books main website and paid at industry-standard rates for professional story submittals. The author will also receive a handsome engraved award and a prize package containing $500 of free Baen Books.” Deadline: April 30.
• From the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing: “The Sharon Begley Science Reporting Award, given annually since 2022, recognizes and supports reporting and writing that embodies the high standards embodied by Sharon Begley (1956–2021), an exceptionally skilled science journalist of unflinching dedication, moral clarity, and commitment to mentoring. The Sharon Begley Award comprises a career prize, recognizing the accomplishments of a mid-career science journalist, and a grant of at least $20,000 to enable the winner to undertake a significant reporting project.” Deadline: April 30. (Hat tip: Freelance Opportunities)
• The Washington Post is advertising for a Washington-based Arts Reporter “to cover the United States’ most prominent and influential arts organizations — and the artists, curators and professionals at the center of them. Coverage, for starters, will include the Trump administration’s impact on institutions like the Smithsonian, the National Gallery of Art and the Kennedy Center and federal agencies such as the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities and the Library of Congress. This reporter will also chronicle currents, controversies and personalities in the arts across the country.” Deadline: “Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by Apr. 30 will be prioritized….The salary range for this position is: $97,400.00 – $162,300.00.” (Hat tip: MEOjobs of the Week.)
• From the Ohio Arts Council: “Artist Opportunities grants support Ohio artists who have opportunities that will significantly impact their professional growth or have projects that will contribute to the vitality of their community. This grant is open to artists of all disciplines, at any stage of their career, and includes all types of artistic practice. Grants are awarded to individual artists at both the emerging artist level ($500) and professional artist level (up to $2,500) with no cash match required.” Deadline: May 1.
• Also from the Ohio Arts Council, and also with a May 1 deadline: “The Artists with Disabilities Access Program (ADAP) provides funding that gives individual artists with disabilities the resources they need to further their artistic development.” These grants, too, “are awarded to individual artists at both the emerging artist level ($500) and professional artist level (up to $2,500), with no cash match required.”
• “Sonoma County Writers Camp (SonomaCountyWritersCamp.com) is a 4.5-day generative writing retreat in Cazadero, CA, run by acclaimed authors and teachers Ellen Sussman and Elizabeth Stark. We are pleased to offer a full tuition waiver for one recipient who is BIPOC and self-identifies as a woman or non-binary. Camp runs from July 16 – 20, 2025.” Deadline: May 1.
• The English Department at Nebraska Wesleyan University “invites applications for a one-year, Visiting Assistant Professor of English – Creative Writing position with a specialization in the teaching of fiction and/or poetry. Experience relevant to coordinating a writers’ series and advising a student literary journal is desirable. Period of appointment: August 2025-May 2026. Candidates with experience teaching introductory courses in literature are encouraged to apply.” Deadline: “Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled, but applications received by May 1^st, 2025, will receive first consideration.”
• From PEN America: “The U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is intended to assist fiction and nonfiction authors, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, translators, and journalists in addressing short-term financial emergencies. To be eligible, applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. The fund is limited, and not every application can be supported. Grant decisions are made on a quarterly basis by a volunteer committee of literary peers in consultation with PEN America staff.” The next quarterly deadline is May 2.
• “The Department of English at William & Mary, a public university of the Commonwealth of Virginia, invites applications for a non-tenure track, Visiting Teaching Faculty position in Creative Writing that will begin August 10, 2025. The appointment will be issued for a 2-year period, concluding with the 2026-27 academic year. We seek an individual with expertise in teaching multi-genre (poetry/prose) introductory courses; intermediate poetry and/or fiction workshops; and special topics workshops that can add to our growing and lively Creative Writing minor.” Deadline: May 23.
• In New York, the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) is advertising for an Assistant Director for its new MFA program. “In addition to being actively engaged and well-connected with trends in Jewish writing and the literary field at large, a successful candidate will bring the ability to manage relationships between well-known writers and students with grace, an investment in building a strong community of artists, a commitment to operations running smoothly, and an understanding of the unique needs of a low-residency program.” Salary: “70–80K commensurate with experience.” No deadline indicated.
• In Boston, “GrubStreet, the nation’s largest creative writing center, seeks a new Executive Director (ED) to lead the next chapter of this beloved literary organization that brings people from all backgrounds together over a shared love of writing and a belief in the power of stories to shape our culture. This is a remarkable opportunity to lead one of the nation’s preeminent independent creative writing centers during a vibrant period of accomplishment and opportunity for further growth.” Salary: “The anticipated salary for this position is $150,000 and will be competitive and commensurate with experience.” Deadline: “Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the search process is completed.”