Monday Markets for Writers

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 Christopher Doheny Award will recognize excellence in fiction or nonfiction on the topic of serious illness. The winner of the award must demonstrate high literary standards while exploring the impact of illness on the patient, family and friends, and others. With support from Audible, Inc., the award includes a $10,000 prize and publication and promotion of the book in print and audio editions. The award will be presented annually for either a manuscript that is still in process or a completed one.” Deadline: July 31, 2013. No entry fee indicated.
  • Writers from New York State: “Arts Services Initiative of Western New York, Inc. (ASI), on behalf of the New York State Council on the Arts in partnership with the Province of Quebec Council of Arts and Letters, is seeking proposals from qualified individuals from New York State to become artists in residence in the Province of Quebec in Fall or Winter, 2013.” Those chosen will each receive a stipend of $9,000. There is no application fee. Applications are due by noon (EST) on July 22, 2013.
  • By this time next week, subscribers will have received the July issue of The Practicing Writer. If you don’t yet subscribe to our free newsletter–which, like this blog, features ONLY no-fee competitions and ONLY paying opportunities for fictionists, poets, and writers of creative nonfiction–what are you waiting for?
  • “The Department of English at the College of the Holy Cross [Mass.] invites applications for a visiting part-time faculty position to teach one creative writing course in prose narrative (with an emphasis on both fiction and nonfiction) in fall 2013.”
  • The Loft Literary Center (Minneapolis) is looking for a Program Manager.
  • Grub Street (Boston) is also looking for a Program Manager.
  • From the Vermont Studio Center: “The VSC Writing Program Coordinator is responsible for the smooth operation of the day-to-day components of the writing program, offered as a part of the Studio Center’s artist residency program. This is a one-year, live-in, 30-hour per week staff artist position. Compensation includes room, board, studio, access to Visiting Writers, and a stipend of $150 per week. The Writing Coordinator reports to the Writing Program Director. Position available immediately.” (h/t Lene A. Gary)
  • Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: J Journal Essay (and a Giveaway!)

    JJournalSpring2013coverMy contributor copies of the spring 2013 issue of J Journal: New Writing on Justice arrived last week. (My contribution, “My Life as a Bully,” is an essay describing one of the more shameful episodes from my childhood.)

    In case you’re not familiar with J Journal, here’s how it is described on its website (which is in the process of being redesigned): “J Journal: New Writing on Justice examines its subject through creative work, directly and tangentially. Housed at CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice, one of the nation’s premier criminal justice institutions, J Journal’s contributors have included established and new writers, professionals in the law enforcement field, lawyers, professors in the humanities and social sciences, and prison inmates. Unlike other CJ publications, J Journal, which comes out twice a year, is the country’s first to present its analyses of contemporary justice issues through creative, not scholarly work. The short stories, poems, and personal narratives in each volume expand reflection on the question: What is justice?”

    Since I’m a J Journal subscriber (and advisory board member) as well as a contributor, I’m awash in spring 2013 issues! And so I’m offering to mail one of my copies to one of you. Please just leave a comment below, and the random number generator will do its job one week from today (please note that I can send only to mailing addresses in the U.S.).

    Good luck to everyone who enters the giveaway! And for some other coverage of J Journal, please check out the following:

  • American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Spectrum on J Journal
  • NewPages on J Journal
  • The Review Review on J Journal
  • Utne Reader on J Journal
  • An article of mine on themed/niche literary journals, with comments from J Journal‘s editors.
  • UPDATE: The Random Number Generator chose our giveaway winner–Commenter #1, Michelle Tackabery! Congratulations, Michelle, and thanks to EVERYONE for the interest in playing along.

    Friday Finds for Writers

    Treasure ChestWriting-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.

  • “Should an M.F.A. trying to make it in her field accept an adjunct teaching job or take a break from academe?” That’s the question a writer asked The Chronicle of Higher Education‘s “Ms. Mentor.” See what the sage counselor advised.
  • Also on the economic front: “Ways to Fund Your Narrative Nonfiction Project.” (I have to admit that sleeping in a rental car doesn’t appeal to me at all, but others may be okay with it.)
  • As Short Story Month draws to a close, Elliott Holt offers a beautiful post on Chekhov’s canonical “The Lady with the Little Dog” (which happens to be one of my favorite stories, too).
  • Wise thoughts from Roxane Gay on promotion and publicity. One of my favorite snippets: “Share links to your new book, interview, essay, story, poem, whatever, once or twice, maybe even three times. Beyond that, you’re probably sharing too much, especially if we’re talking about a compressed time span.” (Also: Roxane was offering free books when she published her post on Tuesday. Maybe some of them are still left.)
  • On a related note: useful checklist of basic book-promotion materials.
  • Have a great weekend, everyone. See you back here on Monday!

    Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: The Muse and the Marketplace Conference Recap

    boston_wiki_ahoncSo, as I’ve mentioned, I spent last weekend in Boston at Grub Street’s outstanding annual conference, The Muse & the Marketplace. I’m beginning to sound like a broken record here, but I’m honestly not sure how the team manages to improve this conference each year. Quite simply, they continue to outdo themselves.

    I love this conference for lots of reasons: I love seeing so many familiar, friendly faces (and meeting so many new folks, especially those who tell me how much they appreciate this blog and the newsletter); I love being back in Boston; I love the conference’s super-smooth organization (both on site and behind the scenes–it is a delight to be a presenter at this conference); and of course, I love the programming.

    On that last point, please consider the following: (more…)