Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: How to Get a Blurb for Your Book

by Erika Dreifus on
14

I’m no Gary Shteyngart, but I’m not entirely without experience when it comes to “blurbing” other authors’ books. (“Blurbs,” as you likely know, are the brief endorsements that authors and publishers seek pre-publication to help garner interest in and enthusiasm for new books.)

Last week I had the great pleasure of attending a reading by Susan Kushner Resnick. Sue read from her latest book, You Saved Me, Too: What a Holocaust Survivor Taught Me About Living, Dying, Loving, Fighting and Swearing in Yiddish. I was eager to meet Sue and hear her read from the book, in part because we’d had some nice exchanges over email stemming from Sue’s request that I blurb it.

Sue has given me permission to share with you that initial request. So if you want to see how one author got someone (me) to blurb her book, please read on! (more…)

Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
2

Monday brings the weekly batch of no-fee competitions/contests, paying submission calls, and jobs for those of us who write (especially those of us who write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction).

  • First up: The latest issue of the WritersMarket.com newsletter listed three book publishers that are open to (unagented) submissions: The Permanent Press, which publishes “literary fiction, and occasionally non-fiction”; River City Publishing, which features Southern writers/stories; and Arte Público Press, which publishes “contemporary novels, short stories, poetry, and drama based on U.S. Hispanic (Cuban American, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and others) cultural issues and themes. Arte Público also is interested in reference works and non-fiction studies, especially of Hispanic civil rights, women’s issues and history.”
  • And speaking of presses, there’s a new one to let you know about: the CUNY Journalism Press. “The CUNY Graduate School of Journalism has launched a new academic press to publish books related to journalism, Dean Stephen Shepard announced Sunday, Oct. 14. Shepard said the new imprint will publish 3-5 books per year, beginning in 2013. ‘We think that publishing more thoughtful, insightful books about journalism at this critical time in the history of news and information is important for journalists, important for writers and, especially, important for readers,’ Dean Shepard said.” Check the website for more information and proposal information.
  • It never hurts to check in with the Chicken Soup for the Soul website to check the list of anthology projects in the works. (Thanks for the reminder, Writer Abroad.)
  • “The Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships at Williams College are designed to promote diversity on college faculties by encouraging students from underrepresented groups to complete a terminal graduate degree and to pursue careers in college teaching. The Bolin Fellowships are two-year residencies at Williams, and up to three scholars or artists are appointed each year. Fellows devote the bulk of the first year to the completion of dissertation work—or in the case of MFA applicants, building their professional portfolios—while also teaching one course as a faculty member in one of the College’s academic departments or programs. The second year of residency (ideally with degree in hand) is spent on academic career development while again teaching just one course. Eligibility: The Bolin Fellowships are awarded to applicants from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, those who are first-generation college graduates, women in predominately male fields, or disabled scholars.” NB: If you’re applying in the “post-MFA” capacity, you must be a recent degree recipient, since “only those with degrees granted in 2012, or to be granted in 2013, are eligible to apply.” Application deadline is November 15, 2012, and there’s no app fee. (NB: As a reminder, you’ll find lots more post-MFA fellowships listed here.)
  • The Writers Guild of Alberta (Canada) seeks a part-time Program Assistant, NetGalley is looking to add a UK-based Community Manager, and The New Victory Theater (New York) is advertising for a PR Associate.
  • “Mediabistro is looking for a dynamic, spirited instructor to teach a new class on Crime Novel Writing online this winter. Class meets for 8 weeks and will teach students how put together a draft and pitch their book to agents and editors. Ideal candidate is either a published author with a large audience, or an editor or agent.” (Site registration required to access full announcement.)
  • “The Creative Writing Program at the Lewis Center for the Arts, Princeton University is seeking distinguished writers for a potential part-time opening in poetry. The position is one or two semester appointments. The position will begin in February 2013.”

    • Once again, there are plenty of other college-level teaching job announcements this week. Please keep reading to discover them. (more…)

    Friday Finds for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    The weekly collection of writing-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.

  • First up: Here are two very different takes on the MFA degree that I’ve run across this week: Brett Ortler’s generally positive assessment of his experience with “poetryland” on the Virginia Quarterly Review blog (h/t @DanielNester), and a more cynical view of “MFA Fever” on the Chronicle of Higher Education‘s site from the pseudonymous “Henry Adams.”
  • True words of wisdom from author Kyle Minor: “Advice to My Younger Self.” (Although I can’t help realizing that I may have broken point #22 by posting the links just above!)
  • Every issue of Shelf Unbound magazine is a treat, but the current issue, focusing on books in translation, is a special gift.
  • Am I getting jaded? Neither of this week’s two big awards announcements–finalists for the National Book Award and the latest Nobel literature laureate–piqued my interest much.
  • Finally, two worthy posts regarding litmags and submissions thereto. First: Becky Tuch’s “Myths About Lit Mags” over on the Ploughshares blog. And then, take a look at what a whole slew of editors have to say about what to include in your cover letter. I’m only sorry I discovered these posts too late to include it in the “resources” section of the handout that participants will receive tomorrow in my Philadelphia workshop, “Publish Your Work!” (you can still register, by the way!).

    • Have a great weekend, all. See you back here on Monday.

    Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress

    by Erika Dreifus on
    4

    Remember last winter when I mentioned that I was mulling over applying for membership in the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)? Well, after shelving the question for awhile, I went ahead and applied last month. And over the weekend, I learned that my application was accepted. So, here I am, a newly minted ASJA member!

    At this point, I’m still exploring the various “members-only” resources and lurking around the discussion boards. But once again, I’d love advice from any of you on how to maximize my membership’s usefulness.

    Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    Monday brings the weekly batch of no-fee competitions/contests, paying submission calls, and jobs for those of us who write (especially those of us who write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction).

  • Let’s begin with this: “Apply now for the Writer-in-Service Award, which includes a two-week residency at the Lillian E. Smith Center in Clayton, Georgia in 2013, a $500 honorarium, and a $300 travel allowance. The Award is open to U.S. residents working to advance writing and the arts through public service careers or volunteer work. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, arts education, literacy instruction, prison arts and education, arts administration, non-profit work, ESL instruction, art-related therapies, etc.” No application fee. Deadline: November 15, 2012.
  • Next: the “SAVE THE FROGS! Poetry Contest,” which I found out about from WinningWriters.com. Open to all writers of all ages and nationalities, it awards cash (and other) prizes. Deadline is October 15. “We welcome any poems that mention frogs, salamanders, newts, toads, caecilians, amphibians, savethefrogs.com, and/or SAVE THE FROGS.” No entry fee. Check the site for additional ideas and guidelines.
  • If freelancing for home and garden magazines is your thing, you may find this round-up article to be helpful.
  • Franklin & Marshall College (Penn.) seeks a Magazine Editor, the Casper Star Tribune (Wyo.) is looking for a Feature Writer, and the Saturday Evening Post (Indianapolis) is advertising for an Assistant Editor.
  • “Oregon State University-Cascades located in Bend, Oregon invites applications for a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, Director to coordinate the MFA-Creative Writing low-residency academic program.”

    • And another long list of teaching opportunities. Please keep reading! (more…)