Thursday’s Work-in-Progress: The Power of a Prompt, or a Prizewinning Poem’s Backstory

by Erika Dreifus on
6

Photo: goisrael.com
Late last week I had a poem published by The Missouri Review!

(Okay, so the poem appeared on the journal’s blog. But that’s close enough for this still-newbie poet!)

Unlike many of my other published pieces, “Jerusalem Dream,” isn’t one that I labored over for weeks, months, or years. Only a few days elapsed between my noting the announcement for the journal’s “Art of Omission Contest” (okay, technically a contest from the journal’s textBOX online anthology, but again, close enough!) and my thinking about, drafting, revising, and submitting the entry.

The challenge was a terrific one. Using a brief posted excerpt from Reesa Grushka’s “Arieh,” an essay that appeared in 2006 in The Missouri Review, entrants were instructed to write a piece (poetry or prose) up to 50 words long. The “catch” was that all words had to be drawn from the words used in the “Arieh” excerpt.

Reader, I loved this prompt. Assignment. Whatever you want to call it.

And apparently, the poem I submitted garnered some affection in return. And the honor of being included among the top five entries.

The grand-prize winner received a bonus: a paid entry good for an upcoming Missouri Review contest. But all five winning pieces earned their scribes a one-year journal subscription.

I am thrilled. My first poetry prize!

(You can read all of the winning pieces on The Missouri Review‘s blog. Mine is the fifth. Immediately after “Jerusalem Dream,” you’ll see the excerpt we were all provided.)

Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled
  • If you have the time today, you can drop by The New Yorker‘s “Ask the Author” chat with Adam Gopnik. The subject: Albert Camus, the focus of Gopnik’s article in this week’s issue of the magazine. Chat begins at 3 p.m., E.T.
  • Want to write a guest post for Carol Tice’s blog? Here’s what not to do.
  • I’ll admit that I don’t get too agitated about gender issues in publishing. (What ticks me off far more is the anti-Israel sentiment I see in the literary/publishing establishment, not any perceived bias favoring male writers.) That said, I’m a fan of Meg Wolitzer’s work, so when she writes, I read. Sunday’s New York Times Book Review included Wolitzer’s “The Second Shelf: Literary Rules for Men and Women.” Worth your time, if you haven’t yet caught it.
  • Writer Abroad offers some good, basic, nuts-and-bolts info on finding a literary agent.
  • Historical novelist Natalie Wexler reflects on what she finds in old newspapers.
  • I’m a contributor to this new anthology (along with a few hundred others).

    • Oy! Only Six? Why Not More? Six-Word Memoirs on Jewish Life

    by Erika Dreifus on
    5

    If I were in Washington this evening, I’d try to get over to Sixth & I Historic Synagogue for a program featuring a few of the contributors to Oy! Only Six? Why Not More? Six-Word Memoirs on Jewish Life. This new book contains “360 stories of faith and family, duty and identity, celebration and tsuris that will inform, delight and inspire—six words at a time.”

    And I’ve recently learned that my own six-word memoir is among them.

    For some background on the project, check out editor Larry Smith’s explanation. And then go ahead and peruse the free preview.

    I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of my contributor’s copy!

    UPDATE: It arrived! And I love it! And I’ve learned even more about the book from its coverage on The Forward‘s Arty Semite blog.

    Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • From Mslexia: “We’re looking for guest bloggers for the Mslexia blog. Are you working on an interesting short-term writing project or in a key role in publishing? Perhaps you’re researching your novel or finalising your first poetry collection; freelancing as a journalist or reading submissions at a literary agency? We’re opening out our blog to a limited number of women writers with something interesting to say about the writing process, writing projects they’re involved in, the publishing industry, their particularly inspiring journey on the rocky road to publication or anything writing-related that other authors, published or not, will be inspired by.” Deadline to be considered as a blogger for a three-month “residency” starting April-June 2012 is April 16. Pays: “£100 for a three-month guest blog.”
  • Short-story contest from The Abstract Quill. Cash prizes ($100 and $25) plus publication to the first- and second-prize winners. Payments will be made via Paypal. No entry fees indicated. Deadline: May 15, 2012. (via NewPages.com)
  • “2012 is the 200th anniversary of the uprising by Luddite machine breakers, which inspired great poetry by Byron, Shelley and others. The defeat of the Luddites by thousands of soldiers led to two centuries of industrialism. Its ugliness and beauty, its wealth and its poverty have all been inspiration for truly brilliant pieces. Now we live in a world dominated by science and technology, but on the brink of environmental disaster. What do the Luddites and their mythical leader, General Ned Ludd mean to you?/Luddites 200 is launching a poetry competition, with prizes to be awarded by Andy Croft at our festival in Huddersfield on April 28th/29th. Poems can be in any style, with a maximum length of 40 lines.” First-prize poems in both categories (under 16 and over 16) will be awarded £40 each. “There will be second and third prizes of books and/or merchandise, to be confirmed on the day. There is no entry fee, but we would appreciate donations to cover the costs of running our festival.” Deadline: April 14, 2012.
  • Have you seen the latest issue of The Practicing Writer yet? It’s filled with additional no-fee competitions and paying submission calls.
  • “Babble.com is seeking an experienced Wikipedia writer/editor to help create and edit Wikipedia entries related to our company and writers. If you have a demonstrated track record of creating approved Wikipedia pages, please contact us. Much of the text for the entries will be provided, so we’re especially looking for someone who intimately understands Wikipedia formatting, requirements, and process. The person will be paid hourly, and there is the possibility for either a short-term or a more involved set of assignments.” (free site registration required to view full ad)
  • “Holy Family University, a comprehensive Catholic institution in Philadelphia, PA., invites applications for a full-time Assistant Professor of Writing, beginning August 2012.The position requires teaching in the university’s first-year, undergraduate writing program, as well as courses in composition and, contingent upon availability, creative writing. The ideal candidate will have specialization and teaching experience in these areas, along with a track record of related research and publication. Candidates should have a commitment to support the mission of Holy Family University and possess excellent teaching skills, an active scholarly agenda and a willingness to participate in student advising and campus service. A Ph.D. in English or Composition/Rhetoric is required. Candidates with an MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) will also be considered.
  • Stillman College (Ala.) is looking for an Assistant Professor of English: “Minimum Requirements: Ph.D. in English. Academic experience in composition and/or technical writing is highly desirable. Applicants who have background and interest in composition and rhetoric, technical and professional communication, and/or African American literature are encouraged to apply. Instructional Duties: Teach English composition courses as well as upper level courses of English such as technical writing, creative writing, and/or special topics literature (i.e., Chaucer, Shakespeare, modern Black fiction, 20th century literature, African literature, and Caribbean literature).”
  • The Sun (Chapel Hill, N.C.) is looking for a Managing Editor, Chicago magazine seeks a Senior Editor to handle culture coverage, and National Geographic Society (Washington) invites applications for an Assistant Editor position (looks as though this job focuses on NG Kids and NG Little Kids magazines).