Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

  • Thanks to the team at Fiction Writers Review for the update on the Dzanc Prize’s extended deadline (which is now March 1). Per the Dzanc site, the prize “provides monetary aid in the sum of $5,000, to a writer of literary fiction. All writers applying for the Dzanc Prize must have a work-in-progress they can submit for review, and present the judges with a Community Service Program they can facilitate somewhere in the United States.” No application fee.
  • Attention, citizens of Commonwealth countries! The deadline to submit an entry for the next Commonwealth Short Story Competition is March 1. “Established in 1996, the competition aims to increase understanding and appreciation of Commonwealth cultures and promote rising literary talents. The competition calls for entries that are original, unpublished, in English, no more than 600 words in length and on any subject. The winner receives a prize of £2000 and there are four regional prizes of £500. In 2011 there will also be two special prizes of £500 each; one for the best short story for children and the other for the best short story about this year’s Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’.” No entry fee.
  • Freelance opportunity: “The Center for Digital Ethics and Policy at Loyola University Chicago is looking for pieces on digital ethics.  The length of the piece should be 1,000-2,000 words.  The material must be original, not published in other forms or in other forums. We will pay $250 for a completed piece. Pieces will be published on the center’s web site, digitalethics.org.”
  • Interested in leading a workshop at The Writer’s Center (Bethesda, Md.)? The deadline to apply to lead a fall workshop is March 15. Note: “We are especially interested in expanding our online workshop offerings at this time. Online workshop leaders should have a strong online presence (blog, website, Facebook, Twitter) and meet our standard workshop leader qualifications as noted.”
  • February is going by in a flash, and by next Monday, subscribers will have received their copies of the March Practicing Writer newsletter, packed (as usual) with more no-cost competition listings and paying submission calls. If you’re not yet a subscriber, join us! It’s free, and we’ll keep your email address to ourselves.
  • Harvard University (Mass.) seeks a Speech Writer, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE, D.C.) is looking for a Magazine Editor, and Fashion Institute of Technology (N.Y.) has announced an open position for a Staff Writer.
  • Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

  • You’ll have to hurry to apply for a residency (including accommodation, travel bursary, and stipend) at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris. “Applicants must be either: 1. Irish citizens or normally resident in Ireland, with full-time professional involvement in creative practice. 2. French professional artists whose work demonstrates an Irish dimension, who are resident in Ireland or have another clear link. 3. Artists with a body of work with a distinct Irish element, and who would benefit from a connection with France and Paris.” There’s no application fee, but the deadline is the end of the day (5 p.m. or 17h) on Friday, January 28.
  • “Spirit First is pleased to announce its second annual meditation poetry contest. Poetry submissions may be of any length and any style but must have a theme of meditation, mindfulness, stillness, or silence. Poems may reflect any discipline, any faith, or none. Poems must be previously unpublished.” No entry fee. Cash prizes ($175/$125/$75), plus $75 for a Spoken Poem Prize. Deadline: “Submissions must be received no later than January 31, 2011.” (via Beltway Poetry Quarterly/Poetry News)
  • Attention, Alaska writers! “Today [January 7, 2011] Rasmuson Foundation announced that Alaska artists are invited to apply for Individual Artist Awards to support the activities and experiences necessary to nurture and foster their creative work. Artists who are currently producing or performing work, are at least 18, and who have lived in Alaska for at least two years are eligible to apply.” The Foundation offers three grant programs. No application fees indicated.
  • Our February Practicing Writer newsletter will go out to subscribers next weekend. Just so you know to expect it (or sign up to receive it).
  • “Outdoorzy.com seeks bloggers personally involved in outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, backpacking, trail running, climbing, or playing in dirt or snow. To write for Outdoorzy.com, you should be able write about these topics with the tone of someone who loves doing what you do. A broad range of skill levels in each of subject categories are accepted, so applicants don’t need to be ‘experts.’ All topics are ‘outdoorzy.’ New bloggers receive $20 per article to start, with the opportunity for pay advancement in the future. Email information about yourself, topic(s) to cover, and three published writing samples (preferably covering the same topics or topics you are applying for), and put “OUTDOORZY BLOGGING APPLICATION” in the subject line. Email to Jason Heflin, jason(dot)heflin(at)gmail(dot)com. For more information, visit www.outdoorzy.com.” (via NH Writers’ Project)
  • An assistant professorship is available at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown: “Responsibilities include: teaching four courses per semester, including composition, introductory professional writing, and intermediate/advanced coursework in creative nonfiction, literary journalism and new media.”
  • Philadelphia University seeks a Public Relations Associate/Writer, the Center for Media and Democracy (Wisc.) is looking for a part-time Writer/Reporter, and ASPCA (N.Y.) is advertising for a Senior Director, Executive Communications.
  • Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

  • The Center for Fiction is launching “a new grant program for emerging fiction writers who reside within the five boroughs of New York City….Eight writers will be selected in 2011….” Grants confer $3,000 plus an array of other benefits, including space and time to write in the Center’s Writers Studio, opportunities for mentorship and agent meetings, two public readings, and much more. The application deadline is January 31, 2011, and there is no application fee.
  • Something else for fiction writers: The annual Nelson Algren Short Story Awards competition is now open to submissions. “Stories must be fictional, unpublished, under 10,000 words and received by midnight (Central time) Feb. 15, 2011.” Administered by the Chicago Tribune, the awards confer a $5,000 first prize and three finalist prizes of $1,500 each. No entry fee. (Thanks to Jenn Crowell for reminding me that it was time to check in on this opportunity once again.)
  • Not just for fiction writers: The January/February 2011 Poets & Writers Classifieds section is now live. Lots of calls for submissions and contest listings. But be forewarned: Not all of the calls are paying opportunities, and not all of the contests are fee-free.
  • Visiting Assistant Professor position: “The Department of English at Franklin & Marshall College invites applications for a one-year position at the Assistant Professor level, beginning Fall 2011. We are looking for a Creative Writer who can teach a multi-genre introduction to creative writing as well as upper-level workshops in a single genre-poetry, fiction, or non-fiction.”
  • From MediaBistro.com: “mb LEARN is looking for a dynamic, spirited instructor to teach our Food Writing Boot Camp class in New York this March. This class meets for 8 weeks and will teach students how to write pitches, how to break into a print or online food magazine, and how to write articles that will get published. By the end of class, students will have a complete portfolio of publishable articles including a news product; an interview; a profile of a food personality; a restaurant roundup; a travel piece; and a food blog entry.Ideal candidate will be a highly experienced food writer, editor, or freelancer with a passion for teaching others. No previous teaching experience required. Classes run several times throughout the year, so there is an opportunity for continuous teaching.” Click here for the announcement (you’ll need to be registered on the site–it’s free–to access it).
  • Guess what’s coming this week? That’s right, it’s our January Practicing Writer newsletter, jam-packed with opportunities for the new year. Not yet a subscriber? Join us! It’s free, and we won’t share your e-mail address with anyone.
  • Some nonteaching jobs for writers: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Mass.) is looking for a Magazine Editor, San Jose State University (Calif.) seeks an Advancement Writer, and PEN Center USA (Calif.) has announced a 24-hr/week position for a Program Coordinator.
  • Friday Find: Home Thoughts from Abroad

    No, I’m not about to point you to some resource about Robert Browning. But I am about to leave shortly on a long-planned trip out of the country. And I won’t be blogging while I’m gone.

    So if you’re looking for something to help with your writing practice while I’m away, I hope that you’ll find enough right here on our home site, erikadreifus.com, to keep you busy. If you haven’t yet taken a look around, here are some of the resources you’ll discover:

    That should keep you busy for awhile! I’ll look forward to catching up with all of you later in the month!

    Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

    Let’s try out a different format for these Monday morning posts, shall we? Please let me know what you think. Is this format more user-friendly than what we’ve presented in the past?

    • Witness, a literary journal now based at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has announced revised submission guidelines, including a call for submissions on the theme of “Disaster.” Pays: “$25 for every 1,500 words of prose and $25 per poem, for both print and online work.”
    • The Amanda Davis Highwire Fiction Award (McSweeney’s) gives a grant “to aid a young woman writer of 32 years or younger” who embodies the personal strengths of Amanda Davis and who needs some time to finish a book in progress. Deadline: December 1, 2010. No application fee.
    • Also from McSweeney’s: The Second Annual Columnist Contest is open to submissions until this Friday, September 10. “Our site is known for printing funny things, but columns need not be comic in nature. They just need to be interesting reading.” No fees. Cash prizes and contracts to the winners.
    • Poetry Competition (no entry fee) from the Genomics Policy and Research Forum, requiring a poem (no more than 50 lines) on the theme of “improving the human.” Cash prizes, publication, and an evening of poetry readings based on the winning entries (hosted by the Scottish Poetry Library). Deadline: October 7, 2010.
    • Assistant Professor of Creative Writing (fiction), Bucknell University
    • Assistant Professor of Creative Writing (poetry), University of Minnesota
    • Some nonteaching jobs for writers: Writer/Client Manager at Macalaster College (Minn.), Writer at Boston College, Director of Communications at Rhodes College (Tenn.).