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Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
3

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).

  • Room, “Canada’s oldest journal by and about women,” is planning an issue on the theme of “Crime”: “Sin, wrongdoing, injurious acts, murder, deceit, contraband. Poison, theft, larceny, lust, fraud, family and foreclosure. It is not a CRIME to admit that we love to read it all. This is your chance to become a CRIME writer. For the first time in its 35-year history, Room will investigate CRIME in an issue of chillingly good writing about seriously bad things. We are looking for CRIME poems, non-fiction, and short stories: shameful and heroic, terrifying and grand, falsi and injuria, noir and passionnel. We are also looking for frightfully powerful art.” Pays: “We pay $50 for up to 2 pages, $60 for 3 pages, $80 for 4 pages, $100 for 5 pages, $120 for 6+ pages, and $250 for cover art. Contributors also receive two copies of the issue in which the work appears and a year’s subscription to Room.” Deadline: January 31, 2013. (via placesforwriters.com)
  • Who pays writers? is a new resource: “A place to list whether, and how much, magazines and websites pay their writers. We’ll post ’em as you report ’em. Intended to be informational, not judgmental.”
  • From WritersWeekly.com: “We’re out of features! We pay $60 for around 600 words; non-exclusive electronic rights only. Our guidelines are here: http://www.writersweekly.com/index-markets.htm.”
  • The University of Glasgow is looking for a Lecturer in Creative Writing (poetry specialty).
  • The Creative Writing Program at the University of British Columbia invites applications for two full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in the Creative Writing Program, to begin July 1, 2013. Requirements include: graduate degree (Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing preferred, but a combination of a Masters degree in a related discipline and appropriate writing and publishing experience would be acceptable); demonstrated excellence in writing in one or more of the following forms: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s writing; experience in the teaching of university-level creative writing courses preferred; experience in teaching in online settings an asset; two major publications or productions required.
  • “The MFA Program in Creative Writing at Chatham University [Penn.] seeks a dynamic individual to serve as Associate Director with special focus on the Low Residency program. Chatham’s innovative MFA program offers both a full and a low-residency option; we seek to hire an Associate Director with experience in distance learning to work with the Director to facilitate the continued growth and vibrancy of the low-residency aspect of the program and contribute to building a sense of community between the two programs.”
  • Ramapo College of New Jersey seeks an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing (“especially fiction”).
  • “The Department of English in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma City University invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track faculty position beginning Fall 2013. Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate creative writing and first-year writing courses.”

    • Friday Finds for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    8

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

  • Some practical tips from GalleyCat: “5 Ways to Find an Agent for Your Book.”
  • Sad to say, if you’ve got a short-story collection to sell, it’s possible that not even the most diligent agent search may yield representation. It’s a common experience we short-story writers encounter, as Becky Tuch noted this week in “Nice Short Story Collection. But Do You Have a Novel?”
  • A litmag editor shares “5 quick & dirty submission tips that you won’t find in anyone’s submission guidelines.” (via Diane Lockward’s poetry newsletter)
  • Speaking of litmags: I’ve long recommended (and relied on, and occasionally donated to) Duotrope’s litmag database. Now, Duotrope has announced that it will begin charging for full access to/benefits from its site. Lots of chatter about this online this week. What say you? I’ll share this: I haven’t decided if I’ll subscribe myself, but I have purchased a six-month gift subscription as a birthday present for a writer friend.
  • The Writer magazine previews a slew of writing-related books slated for publication in 2013. (Could be especially useful for those of you mapping out possible book reviews for 2013.)
  • Finally, a lovely essay on writing by author Silas House. I can’t even summarize it. Please just give it a read.

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

    Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Eduardo Halfon’s “The Polish Boxer,” a Giveaway, and the Return of the “Is-It-Really-a-Novel?” Question

    by Erika Dreifus on
    12

    If you’ve made it past the ridiculously long post title, maybe you’ll bear with me a moment longer.

    Remember back in July, when we were talking about the categories of novels and (linked) short-story collections? Remember that I described some difficulties that I had encountered reading Shani Boianjiu’s novel, simply because it was being presented and marketed as a novel–and I saw it more as a story collection?

    Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Or somewhat the same thing. My latest book review, published last week in The Jewish Journal, discusses Eduardo Halfon’s The Polish Boxer (translated, as I note in the review, by a group of translators: Daniel Hahn, Ollie Brock, Lisa Dillman, Thomas Bunstead and Anne McLean).

    The review begins: (more…)

    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).

  • “The Random House Publishing Group is excited to launch three new digital imprints, alongside the existing digital imprint LOVESWEPT, that will feed today’s savvy readers by bringing the best, the boldest, and the newest voices directly to them. To the already-existing LOVESWEPT imprint for romance and women’s fiction, RHPG will add the following digital-only imprints: ALIBI, for mystery/suspense readers; HYDRA, for sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts; and FLIRT, for the rapidly-growing college-age New Adult audiences.” Submission guidelines & FAQ available here.
  • The 21st Annual ‘Austin Chronicle’ Short Story Contest welcomes submissions postmarked by December 10, 2012. $1,500 to be divided among the five winners. Manuscript to be published in early winter in The Austin Chronicle. “Contest is open to Texans and non-Texans alike.” No entry fee indicated. (via CRWROPPS-B)
  • Attention, writers-who-teach: “Each year, NEH offers tuition-free opportunities for school, college, and university educators to study a variety of humanities topics.” Next summer’s offerings include a lot of literary-flavored options, such as “Voices from the Misty Mountains: Appalachian Writers and Mountain Culture,” “The Centrality of Translation to the Humanities: New Interdisciplinary Scholarship,” and “Don’t Deny My Voice: Reading and Teaching African-American Poetry.” Most application deadlines appear to be March 4, 2013, and I’m not aware of any application fees (although I haven’t check each seminar’s requirements).
  • For those who live and work in Minnesota/western Wisconsin: “The Bell Museum of Natural History at the University of Minnesota is launching the Resident Artist Research Project (RARP), an expansion of its museum artist in residence program, and is seeking to fill two artist residencies for exceptionally inventive, purposeful, and stimulating work.” Application deadline is December 21, 2012. No application fee. “Schedule: Average 8 hours per week, flexible depending on individual projects. Term: 12 weeks total, from 01/28/13 through 04/21/13. Compensation: $4,000 term stipend plus $500 materials budget and up to $2000 in exhibit installation or special performance support per residency.” (via WomenArts Theatre Funding News)
  • And speaking of Minnesota: The Loft Literary Center (Minneapolis) invites proposals for 2013 summer adult in-person and online classes. Deadline: December 14, 2012.
  • The Gilman School’s (Baltimore) Tickner Writing Fellowship application deadline is approaching (December 11). At this time, they are seeking an emerging poet or playwright. “Responsibilities include teaching one senior elective in creative writing each semester, organizing a series of readings, advising the literary magazine, and working one-to-one with students in the Tickner Writing Center. The Tickner Fellow only teaches every other day, allowing ample time for independent writing projects.” No application fee.
  • Subscribers to The Practicing Writer had all weekend to peruse the submission calls and no-fee contest opportunities in the December issue newsletter. If you’re not among them, you can find the issue here.

    • Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Being a Virtual Writer-in-Residence

    by Erika Dreifus on
    6


    The official announcement came on Monday: I’m going to serve as a “Facebook Writer-in-Residence” for the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) during the month of December.

    Here’s the text of the full announcement:

    Erika Dreifus is our Facebook Writer-in-Residence during the month of December. Erika is the author of QUIET AMERICANS: STORIES, which is a 2012 ALA Sophie Brody Medal Honor Title. The stories in QUIET AMERICANS are based largely on the histories and experiences of Erika’s paternal grandparents, German Jews who immigrated to the United States in the late 1930s; Erika is donating portions of book-sale proceeds to The Blue Card, which supports U.S.-based survivors of Nazi persecution. Additionally, Erika—whose first paying job was serving as a library assistant at her middle school—is a prolific book reviewer and blogger and a passionate advocate for Jewish literature. A regular participant in AJL’s Jewish Book Carnival, Erika will also host the Carnival in December on My Machberet, her blog on matters of Jewish literary and cultural interest. She anticipates an exciting month in discussion with AJL’s Facebook community and welcomes any early questions or suggestions you may have. Please visit her online at www.erikadreifus.com.

    More than visiting me online, though, I hope that those of you who want to talk about Jewish books, libraries, and writing will “like” the AJL Facebook page (and be sure to hover over that “Liked” link to ensure that the posts show up in your news feed). That way, you’ll receive my writer-in-residence posts and be able to participate in the discussions throughout the month.

    Speaking of–any topics you want to be sure that we cover? Please tell me!