#MondayMotivation for Practicing Writers
Fee-free *and* paying/funded opportunities to supplement the monthly newsletter.
Exceptionally, I brought this weekly supplement out from behind the paywall just before July’s monthly issue went out to everyone. Want to receive a post like this one first thing each Monday morning? Please upgrade!
For many years—since long before Substack arrived on the scene—I’ve been curating “Monday Markets and Jobs” posts on the Practicing Writing blog, where everyone can still find them (albeit slightly later in the day than in the past). But I’ve begun sharing this information early every Monday morning via Substack, too, as a benefit for paid subscribers.
Quick reminders: These posts are supplements to the free monthly newsletter, allowing me to include opportunities that I may not have caught in time for each month’s edition. Unlike the monthly newsletter, which filters out listings that may be limited to writers in single city/state/province, these weekly posts do include such localized opportunities. But in all cases, calls and competitions must not charge submission/application fees, and they must offer payment for winning/published work (or, in the case of residencies, they must not charge participation fees).
A note: Since next Monday (June 30) is the day when the full July newsletter will be going out, I do not anticipate that I’ll be sending one of these weekly supplements; the next one will arrive the following Monday (July 7).
Herewith, the latest gleanings.
Per its announcement on Bluesky, matchbook, which “looks for works of short fiction, creative nonfiction, and indeterminate prose,” is opening for submissions today (June 23). Per the guidelines, they pay “$20 per accepted website submission.” [UPDATE: They’ve now added a deadline, which is June 30.]
June 27 is the deadline to apply for Writer Unboxed UnConference Scholarships. This year’s UnConference is scheduled for October 26-30 in Santa Fe, N.M. Scholarship packages include conference admission and a financial stipend (minimum $800). Two scholarships are available, “because two remarkable WU contributors passed away this year, and honoring their memory in this way is something we feel called to do. And because the contributors we’re honoring were uniquely gifted and spirited, each scholarship will (attempt to) reflect their distinct legacies. The first [The Spirit of Susan DeFreitas Scholarship] celebrates someone with a deep love for the craft of writing and a belief in the power of story to challenge and make change. The second [The Spirit of Jan O’Hara Scholarship] honors someone whose quiet perseverance has often meant showing up for others while their own dreams waited in the background.”
Freelance position with Mslexia (“for women who write”) in Newcastle upon Tyne, England: “The Freelance Researcher will work alongside Mslexia’s Production Editor and will be responsible for compiling and updating listings for the 5th edition of the Indie Press Guide, a directory listing independent presses in the UK and Ireland.” Compensation: “Total fee: £1,575 (equivalent of £15 p/h)” for “105 hours worked flexibly over 8 weeks.” Deadline: June 27. (Hat tip:
.)For an anthology titled Signed, Sealed…Deceased, Beaches and Trails Publishing is “seeking quirky cozy mystery short stories (3,000–5,000 words), specifically postal, delivery, and communication-themed mysteries. Stories involving letters, missing packages, messages from the past, or unexpected deliveries—each leading to a mystery.” Payment: 50$ CAD. Deadline: June 28.
Until June 30, “Lanternfish Press is seeking gothic and speculative fiction that pushes genre boundaries, dark historical fiction, and magical realism. We are also interested in intersectional memoir. We enjoy delicious language, weird protagonists, a strong sense of place, and great worldbuilding. We look for writing that transcends borders, making the familiar strange and the strange familiar….We would love to see more writing by and about migrants and refugees, whether fiction or memoir. Novella manuscripts should fall between 20-40k words and novel manuscripts between 60-90k. Memoirs may be submitted at any length between 20-90k words.” The same press is also currently open (without a deadline indicated) for proposals for their Clockwork Editions series of “handsome reprints of public-domain gothic and speculative literature, edited and introduced by contemporary storytellers. We are currently open to proposals for both single-volume works and anthologies. Clockwork volume editors prepare the main text for publication and contribute an introduction of up to 6,000 words, along with annotations to the main text as needed. We pay a flat-rate stipend of $1,200.00 for the editorial work along with a $0.10/word fee for the introduction.” This information is featured toward the bottom of the submissions page linked above and also on Lanternfish’s Submittable page.
Edge City is “looking for fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid works in any style. We want pieces that fit into the HAYS code [explanation on the website]. The more off-putting, the better. For accepted submissions, we can offer a payment of $25, as well as an author copy of the printed magazine.” Deadline: July 1. (Hat tip: Jeanne Lyet Gassman.)
“The English Department at Connecticut College seeks a Writer in Residence specializing in prose fiction and/or nonfiction writing for a one-year, full-time teaching position at the rank of Visiting Assistant Professor to begin 1 August 2025. The position is salaried and eligible for benefits. An MFA or Ph.D. is preferred and is required for appointment at the rank of Visiting Assistant Professor. Candidates who hold an M.A. may also be considered.” Deadline: “Review of materials will begin on July 5 and continue until the position is filled.”
For the Theatre Communications Group (TCG) Publications Department, “the Publications Associate, TCG Books, will provide vital editorial, research, and administrative support to the Editorial Director and Editor & Publishing Operations Manager, playing a key role in the production, promotion, and lifecycle management of both new and backlist titles. The Publications Associate should possess strong copyediting and proofreading skills as well as digital asset management skills. This hybrid position is based in New York City and requires regular in-person work at our NYC office. It is ideal for a detail-oriented, research-savvy individual with a strong interest in publishing and dramatic literature.” Salary: $50,000 - $55,00. Deadline: “All application materials must be received by July 14th or until the position is filled. Resumes will be reviewed as they are received, so applicants are encouraged to submit their materials before the deadline.”
“The New York Times Book Review is seeking a senior staff editor to work with the desk for eight months. In this role you will assign and edit reviews of literary and popular fiction, audiobooks and photo books, and you will edit features in various digital formats….This position is based in New York, and includes regular attendance in the office each week per your departmental guidance.” Compensation: “The annual base pay range for this role is between: $124,979.94 - $135,000 USD.” No deadline indicated.
“The Chicago High School for the Arts seeks a part-time Creative Writing instructor for the 2025-26 school year” (fiction workshop). Compensation: “$45 to 55$ per hour.” No deadline indicated.
And remember that the final week of the month is a good time to make sure that you haven’t missed any of the still-open opportunities in the June newsletter or previous weekly supplements. As a paid subscriber, you have access to everything!
With all best wishes for your writing practice,
ERIKA.
Reminders: Information contained in The Practicing Writer and related posts is researched carefully but readers should always verify information. Any necessary corrections, when discovered, are added post-publication within each archived post. The Practicing Writer and its editor disclaim any liability for the use of information contained within. Thank you for following/reading.
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About the editor: Erika Dreifus is a writer, teacher, and literary consultant whose books include Birthright: Poems and Quiet Americans: Stories. A fellow in the Sami Rohr Jewish Literary Institute and an adjunct associate professor at Baruch College/CUNY, she lives in New York. Please visit ErikaDreifus.com to learn more about her work and follow her right here on Substack and/or on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.