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Thursday’s Work-in-Progress: The Power of a Prompt, or a Prizewinning Poem’s Backstory

by Erika Dreifus on
6

Photo: goisrael.com
Late last week I had a poem published by The Missouri Review!

(Okay, so the poem appeared on the journal’s blog. But that’s close enough for this still-newbie poet!)

Unlike many of my other published pieces, “Jerusalem Dream,” isn’t one that I labored over for weeks, months, or years. Only a few days elapsed between my noting the announcement for the journal’s “Art of Omission Contest” (okay, technically a contest from the journal’s textBOX online anthology, but again, close enough!) and my thinking about, drafting, revising, and submitting the entry.

The challenge was a terrific one. Using a brief posted excerpt from Reesa Grushka’s “Arieh,” an essay that appeared in 2006 in The Missouri Review, entrants were instructed to write a piece (poetry or prose) up to 50 words long. The “catch” was that all words had to be drawn from the words used in the “Arieh” excerpt.

Reader, I loved this prompt. Assignment. Whatever you want to call it.

And apparently, the poem I submitted garnered some affection in return. And the honor of being included among the top five entries.

The grand-prize winner received a bonus: a paid entry good for an upcoming Missouri Review contest. But all five winning pieces earned their scribes a one-year journal subscription.

I am thrilled. My first poetry prize!

(You can read all of the winning pieces on The Missouri Review‘s blog. Mine is the fifth. Immediately after “Jerusalem Dream,” you’ll see the excerpt we were all provided.)

Thursday’s Work-in-Progress: Submission Dilemmas

by Erika Dreifus on
6

So, I’ve been considering where (else) to send a fairly new essay (just two rejections so far!). It’s a brief essay, but it doesn’t necessarily have to land in a publication that focuses on micro-forms. Which means that I’m thinking about sending it to all kinds of places.

I’m noticing that several literary journals I’d like to target–especially before the imminent seasonal shut-down–are charging fees to submit electronically. For this short piece, a $3 submission fee is no savings for me, especially when multiplied by the several journals that could be good matches. Dilemma #1.

Dilemma #2: Sure, there’s usually an option to send the piece via snail mail. But I can’t help wondering if snail mail works to a submitter’s disadvantage these days. Any off-site editors are probably checking in only via the online systems. And how do the on-site editors feel about material submitted via postal mail? Do they even have time to open the envelopes?

What do you think? Any of you have experiences submitting via postal mail when you could have submitted electronically (for a fee)? And would any editors care to weigh in on how they view postal submissions when the electronic option is available?

The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
2

  • Coming soon: the perfect stamps for your SASEs. “With the issuance of Twentieth-Century Poets, the U.S. Postal Service® honors ten of our nation’s most admired poets: Elizabeth Bishop, Joseph Brodsky, Gwendolyn Brooks, E. E. Cummings, Robert Hayden, Denise Levertov, Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roethke, Wallace Stevens, and Wil­liam Carlos Williams. The many awards won by this illustri­ous group include numerous Pulitzer Prizes, National Book Awards, and honorary degrees. Each stamp features a photograph of one of the ten poets. Text on the back of the stamp sheet includes an excerpt from one poem by each poet. The art director was Derry Noyes. The stamp will go on sale nationwide April 21, 2012.”
  • And on a not-unrelated note: Do you save your rejection slips?
  • Several tech-y items to share: five ways to keep up with tweets, how to monetize a blog, and simple SEO for authors. (I’ve bookmarked all three to return to for closer study.)
  • Cathy Day asked MFA faculty and students this question: “Should we make it our business to teach the business of being a writer?” And here’s how they responded. I haven’t yet weighed in, but there are lots of comments accruing on Cathy’s blog.
  • Midge Raymond, on Jane Friedman’s definition of “author platform.”

    • Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • “The application deadline for a residency in 2012 at Soaring Gardens Artists’ Retreat has been extended to March 30, 2012. Soaring Gardens, a residency program for professional visual artists, writers and composers, provides studio space in a peaceful rural setting in northeastern Pennsylvania from May through September. Each year ten to fifteen residents enjoy the solitude of this twenty-three acre retreat in Laceyville, Pennsylvania, established in memory of Ora Lerman, (1938-1998), an acclaimed artist, who made this her summer home for 30 years.” No application fees indicated.
  • “One Teen Story is looking for great short stories written for the young adult audience ages 14 and up. We’re open to all genres of literary fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words. Because of our format, we can only accept stories that are strong enough to stand alone.” Pays: $500 and 25 copies. NB: Younger writers may want to check out the One Teen Story Fiction Contest, for writers ages 14-19. The deadline to enter is May 31, 2012; there’s no entry fee; and the prize includes $500 and publication for winners in each category (ages 14-15, 16-17, 18-19).
  • “Cascade Writers workshop is looking for someone to do social media posts to promote our events. You would need to spend 2-3 hours per week updating Twitter, blog posts and so on. Your expertise in how to expand our promo opportunities would be most welcome!” Pays: “We would pay by Paypal at the end of each month. Pay is based on hours worked at approximately $8 per hour to a max of $100 per month.
  • “The Writer’s Center, metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s community gathering place for writers and readers, [is] accepting submissions for the competitive Emerging Writer Fellowships for Fall 2012. We welcome submissions from writers of all genres, backgrounds, and experiences in the following genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Emerging Writer Fellows will be featured at The Writer’s Center as part of a special celebration and reading. Selected Fellows may be invited to lead a one-day Saturday workshop at The Writer’s Center, with compensation commensurate with standard Writer’s Center provisions. Fellows receive an honorarium to help offset their travel costs.” Deadline: March 29, 2012. There is no application fee.
  • From the University of Edinburgh: “Applications are invited for a part-time (28 hours per week) Lectureship in Creative Writing specialising in fiction, in the department of English Literature.”
  • From the University of Missouri: “Visiting Assistant Professor position in Creative Nonfiction. Nine-month, non tenure track position, beginning August 2012. Advanced degree required, PhD. preferred. To teach workshops in creative nonfiction at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Ability to teach literature courses a definite plus. Publication record and experience should be appropriate to the position. 3/2 course load, salary $40,000 with benefits.” (via CRWROPPS-B)
  • Goucher College (Baltimore) is looking for a Writer/Editor, the New York Philharmonic seeks a Communications Assistant, and SF Weekly (San Francisco) invites applications for a Staff Writer position.

    • Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • Birds & Blooms magazine is running a “Backyard Blunder Contest”: “Do you have a funny birding or gardening story to share from your backyard? We want to hear it! Send us your best “backyard blunder,” and the winning story will receive $500.” Deadline is coming up on March 15, 2012. No entry fee. (via @femministas)
  • Great news from Slice: “We are pleased to announce that for the first time we will be offering a small monetary award for all contributors. Over the course of five years, Slice Literary has evolved from a struggling magazine to a celebrated publication. We have always been committed to bridging the gap between emerging writers and the professional publishing world. In fact, many agents and editors have connected with writers after reading their work in our semi-annual magazine. From the outset, we have also worked toward the goal of paying writers. We feel that an award, even if it is small, demonstrates an appreciation for the art of writing. We are thrilled to announce that all contributors of Slice will be paid ($100 for stories and essays and $50 for poems) beginning with issue 12, which will launch spring 2013. The issue 12 reading period will run from July 1 – August 31. The theme for that issue is ‘Obsession.'”
  • From the Online News Association (ONA): “Students, are you looking for a great opportunity to cover digital media and learn from top leaders in the industry? Apply to be a part of the all-expenses-paid ONA12 Student Newsroom at the Online News Association’s annual conference, Sept. 20-22, in San Francisco.” Open to college students and graduate students. No application fee indicated. (via @NiemanLab)
  • Assistant Professor of Creative Writing sought: “The Humanities Division of Lesley College [Mass.] is seeking a full-time, 9-month faculty member to teach courses in creative writing (poetry or fiction), literature and Humanities Internship Seminars.”
  • “The Department of English at Franklin & Marshall College (Penn.) invites applications for a one-year position at the Visiting Assistant Professor level, beginning Fall 2012. We are looking for a creative writer specializing in nonfiction. A commitment to undergraduate teaching, significant publications, including preferably at least one book, and a terminal degree in creative writing required. The 3/2 teaching load will include creative writing and literature offerings but no composition.
  • From Whitman College (Wash.): “Visiting position in Creative Writing (Poetry) at the rank of Assistant Professor; effective August 2012. MFA or PhD in Creative Writing and substantial poetry publications required. The successful candidate will offer Introduction to Creative Writing (a multi-genre course), Intermediate Creative Writing-Poetry, and Advanced Creative Writing-Poetry, and may also be asked to teach a section of first year composition or a 100-level Introductory to Poetry. Ability to teach an upper-division literature course on Victorian Poetry desirable.”
  • Poetryfoundation.org (Chicago) is looking for a part-time Assistant Features Editor: “The goal of poetryfoundation.org is twofold: To use the Internet to reach and engage a broad audience for poetry, and to support the Foundation’s other initiatives and programs. The Assistant Features Editor helps achieve these goals by providing the editorial expertise necessary to publish smart, lively and relevant journalism about poetry, and the publishing expertise necessary to ensure a smooth web publishing process. The Assistant Features Editor must be a talented editor with an extensive background in journalism and literature, including English language poetry and poetry in translation. Successful candidates will also be knowledgeable about popular and web culture.”
  • PEN American Center (New York) seeks an Associate Editor for the PEN website.