Erika Dreifus

For many years—since long before Substack arrived on the scene—I’ve been curating weekly “Monday Markets and Jobs” posts on the Practicing Writing blog, where everyone can still find them (albeit later in the day than in the past). But some months ago, I began sharing this information early every Monday morning via Substack, too, as a benefit for paid subscribers.

Reminder: These weekly posts are supplements to the free monthly newsletter, allowing me to amplify opportunities that I may not have caught in time for each month’s edition.

Another note: Unlike the monthly newsletter, which filters out listings that may be limited to writers in single city/state/province, these Monday posts do carry such localized opportunities (jobs included).

But in all cases, calls and competitions must not charge submission/application fees, and they must offer (specified) payment for winning/published work (or, in the case of residencies, they must not charge application or participation fees).

And now—the latest opportunities:

• Taking applications until February 14: the Artist in Residence Program at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park [Michigan], which “is open to artists and artisans whose work can or is influenced by this unique northern wilderness setting. Any artist from anywhere may apply for residency. The AIR program offers all visual artists, writers, and performing artists and artisans the opportunity to experience the natural and magical beauty of the Porkies and express it through their particular art form.”
• Sponsored by Toronto Public Library and Humber College School of Writers, the Toronto Star Short Story Contest is open for submissions (from Ontario residents only) until February 25. “The winner takes home $5,000 and the tuition fee for one of two writing programs at Humber College School for Writers. The second-place winner will receive $2,000 and the third-place winner will take home $1,000.”
• Opened last week for submissions: American Buffalo Books Fiction Prize, which is “open only to novels — from 40,000 to 80,000 words (this is a hard cap) — that are set in or explore the Midwest and/or the Great Plains.” Confers “an honorarium of $500 and publication under a generous royalty contract.” Will remain open until February 28 or until a cap of 100 submissions is reached. NB: American Buffalo Books “is a non-profit literary press affiliated with the Kansas State University English Department” and “former and current students at Kansas State University are not eligible” for this prize.
• Another one that opened last week: Short Fiction, which welcomes “submissions from the UK, Europe, the Commonwealth and every other country except for the USA.” Payment: “2p (£0.02) per word, to the nearest 100 words, with a minimum of £30 and maximum £100, paid via PayPal. (For those without a PayPal account, we can work out an alternative method of payment.)” Although their deadline is March 1, they will close after they’ve reached a cap of submissions. NB: They offer a separate submissions category, with the same terms (geographical, pay, deadline, and cap), under the label “Introducing”; this category is for those who “have never had a short story published before.”
• Bluebell Magazine’s current call is for work addressing “The Day that Changed Everything”: “Have you ever had a day which seemed like any other, but something that happened, or a choice you made, set events into motion which changed your life forever? It could be as small as missing a train which led you to meet someone or end up somewhere – or as big as a car accident that affected the trajectory of future events. Interpret the prompt as broadly and creatively as you wish. We are accepting fiction and nonfiction of up to 1000 words (max) until midnight March 1.” Prize/payment (per this post): £20.
• Open for applications until March 1: Jewish Book Marketing Grants, administered by Jewish Book Council with support from Maimonides Fund. Both pre-contract and acquired projects (as detailed on the website) are eligible. “Books may be fic­tion or non­fic­tion, for chil­dren or adults, and should be intend­ed to reach wide audiences. These grants are meant to assist books as they begin the jour­ney toward the mar­ket­place, giv­ing authors and pub­lish­ers a pro­mo­tion­al boost along with extra flex­i­bil­i­ty and sup­port to mar­ket the book effec­tive­ly. While grants will be deter­mined at pre-pub­­li­­ca­­tion stages, they will be des­ig­nat­ed for use in the mar­ket­ing and pro­mo­tion of the book to read­ers in the six months before or after the book’s pub­li­ca­tion date. Grant amounts will range from $18,000-$36,000, and will be issued direct­ly to the author with­in 6 months pri­or to publication.”
• Also open for applications until March 1: The K Blundell Trust, “generously endowed by the late Miss Kathleen Blundell, [which] awards grants to British authors under the age of 40 whose work aims to increase social awareness. The fund is open to authors resident in the United Kingdom who have previously had a work of which they are the sole author published. The K Blundell Trust accepts submissions for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and script projects. Grants are usually between £2,000-£3,000.” (Hat tip: Sian Meades-Williams.)
• For its next Web Edition, Ninth Letter seeks submissions on the theme of “Reaction”: “We find ourselves in a moment of American Reaction. But what sparks that reaction, and what is born out of it? Send us your stories, poems and essays that react without or before forethought, or deal with its spurious repercussions. Render reactivity in digital and material and spiritual spaces in all its spectacle and earnestness. Show us poignant moments of unexpected emotion, or sudden bodily reflexes or the mind’s recoil. We want characters caught in unforeseeable moments and narrators that drop their guard, or poems that embody one action’s equal and opposed reaction. We welcome writing that spans the spectrum of reactions – chemical, physical, biological, psychological and political – and pieces that capture reaction in all its possibility and detriment.” Note that although the deadline is April 1, “submissions are capped at 350 submissions per genre.” Compensation: “Authors who work is selected for the web issue will be offered payment of $25 per poem or $75 per piece of prose, plus an exclusive discount for a one-year print subscription.”
• In New York, Hadassah magazine is advertising for an Assistant Digital Editor. Salary range: $70,000-$75,000. No deadline indicated.
• Also in New York, Elle is hiring a Culture Writer. “The base salary for this role is between $67,000 – $75,000.” No deadline indicated.