Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities (One Day Late)

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Here’s the usual round-up, delayed one day while I was observing Yom Kippur.

October 15 is the application deadline for the Lynchburg (Va.) College Thornton Writer Residency: “A fourteen-week residency at Lynchburg College, including a stipend of $12,000, is awarded annually to a fiction writer for the fall term. The residency also includes housing, some meals, and roundtrip travel expenses. Writers who have published at least one book of fiction are eligible. The writer-in-residence will teach a weekly creative writing workshop, visit classes, and give a public reading. Submit one copy of a book of fiction, a curriculum vitae, a cover letter outlining evidence of successful teaching experience, and contact information for three references….There is no entry fee.”
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“The Department of English at Ohio University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Creative Writing: Non-Fiction. We seek candidates of established achievement who have published at least one book. The successful candidate is expected to teach; publish and direct creative work; and participate in departmental/university governance. Expected to teach at both graduate and undergraduate levels. We are seeking a candidate with a commitment in working effectively with students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. Position available September 2010.”
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“The Department of English [at Texas Christian University] invites applications for a tenure-track, assistant professor in creative writing with a specialization in poetry, contemporary literature, and creative nonfiction.”
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“The University of Connecticut English Department seeks a poet to serve as Assistant/Associate/Full Professor In Residence to begin fall 2010. The selected candidate will teach one semester per year, give a public reading, and participate in the department community during that semester. Minimum Qualifications: an MFA or Ph.D; at least one published book of poetry; and a history of successful teaching in undergraduate and graduate workshops and literature courses. Preferred Qualifications: Teaching experience in a second genre, and the ability to teach prosody. Salary and rank commensurate with qualifications. This is a nine month, non-tenure track appointment. Depending on the availability of funding, the position may be renewed twice for a total of three years.
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“Nature Medicine, the prestigious monthly journal covering biomedical science and translational research, is currently accepting applications for its science writing internship. The intern will be closely involved in the editorial process and write news articles and briefs, as well as blog entries. This is not a paper-pushing internship! The person selected for the position will be reporting stories and working on editorial content full-time.” Pays: $1,000/month to successful candidate (internship begins in December and will be based in New York City).
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Rachel Dacus has compiled this list of small presses that publish poetry books outside of contests. Note that some presses may charge reading fees.
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Three job opportunities in Massachusetts: Boston University seeks a Senior Editor/Writer;Lasell College is looking for an Assistant Director of Communications; and Tufts University invites applications for Assistant Director, Writing Resources, for its Academic Resource Center.

Friday Find: Tess Gallagher’s Commencement Address to Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Graduates, August 2009

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Last month, Tess Gallagher – self-described poet, essayist, short story writer, scriptwriter, and nonfiction writer – addressed the newest graduates of the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA program. Her speech, titled “The Writers’ Life: A Few Observations,” is now online, and I recommend that you all take some time this weekend to read it. As many of you probably know, Gallagher is the widow of Raymond Carver, and her reflections in this speech include a judicious sprinkling of Carver-related anecdotes.

Enjoy, and see you back here next Tuesday (I’ll be observing the Jewish Holy Day of Yom Kippur on Monday–no blogging!).

Pump Up Your C.V.

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Those of you on (or aspiring to be on) the tenure track know how important conference proceedings, scholarly book chapters, and refereed papers can be. One very good place to look for announcements of the conferences, collections, and journal issues that can make a difference in your career is the Call for Papers (CFP) list hosted by the University of Pennsylvania.

Here is a selection of current announcements that might interest practicing writers-who-teach (or hope to teach):

—Anthologies: A Conference
—Creative Nonfiction: Voices
—Andre Dubus/Andre Dubus III: A Symposium
—Poetry Studies and Creative Poetry at 2010 PCA/ACA National Conference

Trust me–there’s plenty more where those announcements came from!

What Should MFA Students Demand?

by Erika Dreifus on
6

I thought that this post on “Eight Things that Journalism Students Should Demand from Their Journalism Schools” was pretty interesting. The author suggests that sometimes, it’s up to students to “seize the initiative to demand” certain educational components. His list of must-haves includes, briefly: role models, a mentor, employment contacts, “a place to hack,” work experience, “deep knowledge of a field other than journalism,” “getting your name out there,” and “passion, not excuses.”

After reading the post, I began wondering how such a list might look in the context of MFA students in creative writing and what they should expect from their programs. I have some ideas, but for the moment, I’m more interested in what prospective students, current students, alumni, and faculty have to say. Please share your thoughts!