The Practicing Writer 2.0: August 2022
The Practicing Writer 2.0: August 2022
55+ carefully curated calls & competitions for poets, fictionists, & cnf writers. No fees to submit/apply. Paying opps only. Nothing that's limited to residents of a single city/state/province.
Welcome, new readers (and you are many, this month!), and welcome back to the regulars!
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Editor’s Note
Success Stories
Featured Resource
Current Contests, Competitions, and Other Opportunities (NO ENTRY OR APPLICATION FEES; PAYING OPPORTUNITIES ONLY; NOTHING THAT’S LIMITED TO WRITERS IN A SINGLE CITY/STATE/PROVINCE)
Submission Alerts (NO SUBMISSION/READING FEES; PAYING CALLS ONLY; NOTHING THAT’S LIMITED TO WRITERS IN A SINGLE CITY/STATE/PROVINCE)
Blog Notes
Newsletter Matters
1. EDITOR’S NOTE
Welcome back, practicing writers!
I really don’t have much to report to you from my own writing practice at the moment. There have been a few bright points (and I tend to share those in the “Midweek Notes” posts on the Practicing Writing blog), and some not-so-bright ones (ditto).
Overall, I’ve been feeling particularly grateful lately for the work of other writers, both those I’m lucky enough to count among my friends and those whom I don’t know but whose words resonate, inspire, and sometimes even challenge me (in a good way!). Some of those discoveries, too, I tend to share, whether through #SundaySentences or Substack recommendations or ye olde social media.
Here’s wishing all of us, and our writing practices, an amazing August.
ERIKA
2. SUCCESS STORIES
Scroll down this mini-thread from Elizabeth Trueblood for access to the story that’s mentioned—and for some kind words about this newsletter, which helped the story find its home.
PLUS, there’s this, from Liz Ramirez:
Thanks to your May 23rd Markets for Writers listing, I just had my first paid publication and the first piece of my master’s thesis, “First Lesson,” come out in Olit Magazine this summer. I’m so grateful as always for your work!
(Read more about the “Markets” posts on the Practicing Writing blog in the “Blog Notes” section below.)
Finally, from Elan Barnehama:
I had a piece in Jewish Writing Project: “Bound By Stories.” Bruce Black is a wonderful editor…. Thanks for the connection.
(Quick reminder that you’ll find a list of places to read [and publish] Jewish writing over on bit.ly/JewishWriting.)
Please share news from your writing practice that may be connected with this newsletter or our other resources. I love to celebrate such successes in this space!
3. FEATURED RESOURCE
It’s that time of year! I’ve recently completed the annual update of this list of places that publish flash nonfiction. Please be sure to read all the “caveats” before you peruse the list.
4. CURRENT CONTESTS, COMPETITIONS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
BRIAN BLACK MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM
Deadline: August 7. From Yachting Monthly: “Have you had an amazing adventure at sea, whether close to home or in remote corners? Have you spotted whales while sailing, found Arctic ice, or gathered marine data along the way? If you have been on a sailing voyage with an environmental twist, we’d love to read about it, and you could win £4,000 in the process.” Be sure to read the detailed guidelines and terms and conditions. Note, for example, that this competition is “open to all residents of Great Britain and the United States (excluding residents of Rhode Island, New York, Florida and Puerto Rico).” Also, the cash prize is £2,500, with an additional £1,500 earmarked for donation “to the marine conservation charity Sea-Changers.” (Discovered this one via Sian Meades-Williams’s Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter.)REBECCA SWIFT FOUNDATION WOMEN POETS’ PRIZE
Deadline: August 12. “The Women Poets’ Prize runs every two years, and is open to any woman poet living in the UK. All entries are read and judged by women poets. Three winners are selected, who receive a generous 18-month package of practical and pastoral support for their creative and professional development through opportunities donated by our partners.” Packages include cash prizes of £1000.WATERFORD POETRY PRIZE
Deadline: August 12. “Open to all writers currently living on the island of Ireland….Waterford Poetry Prize has emerged from the influence of the late Waterford writer Seán Dunne whose poetry continues to inspire.” Cash prizes: €400/€300/€200; first- and second-prize winners also receive a designated course at Molly Keane Writers Retreat. Note: “It is highly advisable that entries are not currently submitted elsewhere for consideration.”ERNEST J. GAINES AWARD FOR LITERARY EXCELLENCE
Deadline: August 15 (received). Award confers $15,000, “honors Louisiana’s revered storyteller, Ernest J. Gaines, and serves to inspire and recognize rising African-American fiction writers of excellence [U.S. citizens only] at a national level.” Eligible authors must have a novel or collection of short stories published/slated to be published in 2022 (galleys are acceptable).LEE & LOW NEW VOICES AWARD
Deadline: August 15. Annual award from children’s book publisher Lee & Low Books “for a children’s picture book manuscript by a writer of color or Indigenous/Native writer.” Entrants must be residents of the United States who have not previously had a children’s picture book traditionally published. Confers “a cash prize of $2,000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first-time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000.” No simultaneous submissions.LIGONIER VALLEY WRITERS FLASH FICTION CONTEST
Deadline: August 15. “This year's topic is mermaids, selkies, and other water dwellers. In 1,000 words or less, tell us a story.” Prizes: “The author of the first-prize story will win $50, second prize $25, and third prize $15. Three Honorable Mentions will also be awarded. They will not receive cash prizes but will be published and read aloud with the other winners. All six stories will be copyedited by a professional editor. The authors of all six winning entries will also receive a one-year complimentary membership in Ligonier Valley Writers, valued at $30.” Judge: Damian Dressick.GASHER WRITERS SUBMISSION FEE GRANT
Deadline: August 28. “The Writers Submission Fee Grant helps writers in need afford the cost of journal submissions, which has become an alarming new trend in digital publishing. Gasher distributes submission fee grants of $35 every quarter to as many writers as we can afford for that period.” Note that “grant recipients are selected randomly with a lottery application” and that “the current cycle of funds will distribute grants in September.”DEBRA E. BERNHARDT LABOR JOURNALISM PRIZE
Deadline: August 30. Award of $1,000 “given for an article that furthers the understanding of the history of working people.” Articles (published August 31, 2021-August 30, 2022) “must be focused on historical events OR focused on current issues (work, housing, organizing, health, education) and include historical context.” Note that “publications and subject matter should target the United States and Canada.”TONI BEAUCHAMP PRIZE IN CRITICAL ART WRITING
Deadline: August 31. Considers “submissions of work that have been written (or published) within the last year. A variety of creative approaches and formats to writing on the visual arts are encouraged, and can include thematic essays, exhibition reviews, and scholarly essays.” Confers one first-place prize of $3,000 and two runner-up awards of $1,000 each. Publication in Gulf Coast for winner; possible publication for runners-up. Judge: Legacy Russell.PRAGUE-UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE CREATIVE RESIDENCY
Deadline: August 31. “The project Prague City of Literature offers residency stays for foreign writers and translators. There are six residencies available for 2023, each lasts two months. Prague City of Literature reimburses the resident for a return ticket, provides accommodation for free and a stipend of CZK 15,000 (approx. 600 euro) per month.” (Hat tip again to Sian Meades-Williams.)SUNDOG LIT COLLABORATION CONTEST
Deadline: August 31 (“if money is a barrier, please submit one piece for free”). “Writers, gather up the members of your dream team because we’re opening up submissions for our annual Collaboration Contest!” They’re looking for “writing teams of two or more people to submit their fiercest story, poem, essay, or hybrid piece of 1,000 words or less (1 piece per entry). We also welcome a collaboration between writers and visual artists!” Awards a $300 prize and publication.VAL WOOD INTERNATIONAL OPEN PRIZE FOR CREATIVE WRITING
Deadline: August 31. “The overall theme of this year’s competition is simply great storytelling. We are looking to receive entries packed with originality and creativity that paint a picture and take the reader on a journey. The story can cover any genre as long as it is not brutally violent or gruesome.” (ED note: The guidelines indicate that poetry will not be accepted; note also that “entries from already commercially published writers will not be accepted.”) Prize includes £100; it appears that £25 commendations may also be awarded. (Thanks to WOW! Women on Writing’s Markets newsletter for the reminder about this one.)SURGING TIDE 2022 SUMMER ART & WRITING CONTEST (“SYNTHESIS”)
Submissions: August 1-31. Inaugural contest seeks “pieces that combine styles, mediums, and historical inspirations” from “all artists and writers, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, and geographic location.” Note: “Entrants can submit ONE piece per category [poetry, prose, visual art] per submission or up to FIVE pieces with a donation to Surging Tide.” Prizes: “In addition to publication, the winner of each category will be awarded $100 and each runner-up will also be awarded $25.” Judges: I.S. Jones (poetry); Angie Sijun Liu (prose); Hangama Amiri (visual art). (Thanks to @Duotrope for a tip about this one.)DIANA WOODS MEMORIAL PRIZE IN CREATIVE NONFICTION
Submissions: August 1-31. “Creative nonfiction authors are invited to submit an essay of up to 3,500 words on the subject of their choice to be considered for the Diana Woods Memorial Award in creative nonfiction. Winners will receive $250 and their work will be featured in the next issue of Lunch Ticket. Each award recipient must submit a 100-word biography, current photo, and send a brief note of thanks to the Woods family.” This award is conferred twice each year; the August reading period selects a winner to be published in the December issue of Lunch Ticket.POETRY ARCHIVE NOW! WORDVIEW 2022 COMPETITION
Deadline: August 31. “There are so many fantastic poets the Archive wants to record and preserve NOW so that future generations can enjoy listening to them, but which our resources can’t yet reach. Following the fantastic range of entries in 2021 we are now delighted to be collecting poems from 2022. We would love you to become part of the Archive and share your work with the millions of people who visit and love our collections.” Note that “poems must be written during, and in response to, 2022. They can be on any theme, subject and in any style up to 2 minutes in reading time. We want future generations to look back and see the refrains, concerns, emotions of 2022 in all their diversity to build a true picture of poetic responses to our age.” An “expert panel” selects “favourite poems to be part of a special annual collection, the Poetry Archive Now! WordView 2022 Collection. Each poet selected for this special collection will be offered £100 for permissions to display and share their poem on the Poetry Archive website.” (Thanks to Terry L. Kennedy for leading me to this one.)ACADEMY FOR TEACHERS “STORIES OUT OF SCHOOL” FLASH FICTION CONTEST
Deadline: September 1. “Teachers have the most fascinating, difficult, and important job on the planet, and their workdays are filled with stories. Yet teachers seldom appear in fiction. This annual contest was created to inspire great stories about teachers and the rich and crazy world of schools.” Entries must be under 750 words and the story’s protagonist, or its narrator, must be a K-12 teacher (although contest entrants need not be teachers). Confers a $1,000 prize (confirmed via email, since this was not clear to me when I last checked the site; publication plans for this round also did not seem clear to me; I’ve been told that the site will be updated).GRANADA WRITERS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAMME
Deadline: September 1. Offers “a month’s stay (30 nights) in Granada for two writers, between November 3 and December 2, 2022, at the Corrala de Santiago of the University of Granada. Granada UNESCO City of Literature will cover the travelling expenses of each of the writers selected. The University of Granada will arrange and cover the costs of accommodation for the two writers. Each will have their own room with full board at the university’s hall of residence for visitors (Corrala de Santiago). Granada UNESCO City of Literature and the University of Granada will provide the writers in residence with opportunities to participate in the city’s literary life, arranging contacts with local writers, involvement in workshops, teaching activities, and so on.” (Thanks once again to Sian Meades-Williams for this one.)UCROSS FELLOWSHIP FOR NATIVE AMERICAN WRITERS
Deadline: September 1. “Open to practicing writers who are currently producing work in one or more of the following genres — fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, screenwriting, playwriting, or hybrid forms. Two Ucross Fellowships for Native American Writers will [be] awarded each year. Those selected for the fellowship are offered a four-week residency, a stipend of $2,000, and an opportunity to present work publicly.” (Note: Although the Ucross website did not appear to be updated for this cycle when I last checked, the Submittable page is current and active.)RADCLIFFE FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: September 8 (for applications in humanities, social sciences, and creative arts). Fellows are in residence at Harvard University from September to May “and receive a stipend of $78,000 plus an additional $5,000 to cover project expenses….Fellows may be eligible to receive additional funds for moving expenses, childcare, and housing to aid them in making a smooth transition. Healthcare options are made available as needed….If fellows would like to hire Harvard undergraduate students as Research Partners, we will cover their hourly wages.”THE HODDER FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: September 13. For “artists and writers of exceptional promise to pursue independent projects at Princeton University during the academic year.” NB: “Given the strength of the applicant pool, most successful Fellows have published a first book or have similar achievements in their own fields.” Award confers “$88,000 for one 10-month academic year.” Applicants need not be U.S. citizens. “Fellowships are not intended to fund work leading to an advanced degree.”PRINCETON ARTS FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: September 13. For “artists whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching.” The two-year fellowship confers a yearly stipend of $88,000. “The normal work assignment will be to teach one course each semester subject to approval by the Dean of the Faculty, but fellows may be asked to take on an artistic assignment in lieu of a class, such as directing a play or creating a dance with students.” NB: “Non-US citizens are welcome to apply. Holders of a Ph.D. degree from Princeton University are not eligible. This fellowship cannot be used to fund work leading to a Ph.D. or any other advanced degree.”FONDATION JAN MICHALSKI RESIDENCIES
Deadline: September 14. In Switzerland. “Two week-, one-, two-, three- or six-month stays are available….Residents’ travel costs to and from their home address will be covered by the Foundation. Residents are granted a monthly allowance of CHF 1200.” Note that “a percentage of the residences is dedicated to nature writing, a form of fiction or creative non-fiction that raises awareness of nature, prepares for a sustainable way of living, and helps to better understand socio-environmental interconnections and the impact of human actions on nature.”IOWA SHORT FICTION AND JOHN SIMMONS SHORT FICTION AWARD
Entries: August 1-September 30 (postmarked). For “a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages.” Must send via postal mail. Winning manuscripts are published by the University of Iowa Press “under the Press’s standard contract.” Writers “are still eligible if they are living abroad or are non-US citizens writing in English.”THE AWESOME FOUNDATION GRANTS
No deadlines indicated. “Have a crazy brilliant idea that needs funding? We award $1,000 grants every month. It couldn’t be simpler! Your idea is yours alone. We don’t want a stake in it. We just want to help you make it happen!” Don’t miss the helpful FAQ page. (Thanks to FundsForWriters.com for leading me to this one.)
REMINDER: Some opportunities listed in last month’s newsletter remain open into August.
5. SUBMISSION ALERTS
Submissions for the September 2022 inaugural issue of EXIST OTHERWISE will open on August 1 and close on August 13. There’s lots of interesting info about this new journal, which publishes “poetry, personal essays, fiction, creative non-fiction, scripts, and photography,” on its About Us page. Note that “Each issue of Exist Otherwise will have a theme and a prompt….Submissions that respond to a theme or prompt will be given some priority, but we will consider all submissions.” Pays: “$10 per published piece.”
ALPHABET BOX, “a quarterly, international literary journal that features the best writers of original poetry, personal essays, flash fiction and short prose,” will be open for submissions during August 2022. Payment: “a minimum $25 USD honorarium upon publication acceptance.”
MUD SEASON REVIEW has also announced an upcoming submissions window for the month of August 2022, although they may close early depending on the volume of submissions. “We pay authors and featured artists $50 for work that appears in our issues. For artists whose images are paired with writing, and for poets whose work appears in The Take: Mud Season Review, we offer payment of $15.”
Submissions at FAT COYOTE, which features “neurodivergent voices,” will re-open on August 1. Pays: for poetry, $1.00/word ($30 minimum/$70 maximum); for prose, $0.03 per word ($30 minimum/$120 maximum). Also publishes and pays for art, photography, and comics.
Another one re-opening for submissions (of poetry and visual art) on August 1: HARBOR REVIEW. Pays: $10.
General submissions at FLASH FROG will re-open on August 1 as well. They publish “flash fiction only (no poetry or CNF please).” Pays: $25 (via Paypal).
Also slated to start up again on August 1: WEST BRANCH, which welcomes “submissions of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation.” Payment: “$50 per submission of poetry, $10/page of printed prose with a maximum payment of $100, and $.05/word of online prose with a maximum payment of $100,” plus copies and a subscription. Note: “Book reviews are typically arranged by assignment, and we publish only poetry reviews. If you are interested in writing reviews, please query with a sample. Our pay rate for reviewing is highly competitive.”
Submissions for Australia’s THE SUBURBAN REVIEW remain open until 11.59pm (AEDT) on August 3. They’re currently planning an issue on the theme of “Weeds”: “We don’t mean the eight-season Showtime drama starring Mary-Louise Parker… unless you can convince us that we do. WEEDS are at once slapdash and punctilious in their efforts to evade order—growing in pavement cracks, springing up and spreading out in between the planted rows of suburban gardens. They’re anathema to a manicured lawn, territorial and shape-shifting. But are they an object of horror, or of ground-altering potential? Send us your poems that twist through the gaps, your stories that creep up slowly and insistently, your essays that grow despite it all, and your art, photography, or comics which picture the things hidden underneath life as we’ve planned it.” Pay rates are detailed here.
POETRY WALES “is always open to submissions on all themes, but for each issue we have a particular focus. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Partition of the Indian subcontinent and the emergence of India and Pakistan as independent nation-states. We intend to mark this anniversary with related articles and poems, so for this issue we are especially interested in hearing from writers with links to India and Pakistan, although writing is not limited to the topic of Partition and we welcome submissions on any theme.” Note that submissions are welcome from writers worldwide. Deadline: August 8. Payment: £20/page for poems; £67.50/1500-word review; £200/3000 word “or in that proportion, depending on number of published words,” for articles.
Film-focused BRIGHT WALL/DARK ROOM plans a September issue on “Time Travel,” for which it welcomes submissions until August 9. “Though ‘the time travel movie’ has a pretty classical definition (from adaptations of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine to the Back to the Future trilogy to Primer and on and on), we’re also interested in more offbeat approaches to the idea,” and they offer some ideas in their guidelines. Payment: $50.
Also until August 9: POET LORE has announced that “for our Summer/Fall 2022 issue, Guest Editor Taylor Byas will curate submissions from an open call for Black writers. Poems can be on any topic or theme and take any form the writer desires. Please note again that this call is open for Black writers.” Pays: “$50 per published poem.”
SAND, “a twice-annual literary and art journal created by a passionate international team in Berlin,” is open for submissions of “previously unpublished poems, fiction, flash fiction, translations, and visual art” until August 10, although “there is a cap on fiction, flash, and poetry submissions, so these genres may close before 10 August.” Pays: “semi-professional rates which vary depending on our current funding.”
The LEAGUE OF CANADIAN POETS CHAPBOOK SERIES has issued a call for an upcoming Visual Poetry Chapbook: “We invite the submission of visual poetry, a diverse category characterized by the graphical interplay of text and image. This includes, but is not limited to: concrete poetry, blackout and erasure poetry, typewriter art, intermedia poetry, asemic writing, and other forms of non-representational language. Images should be 300 DPI or higher and will be printed in greyscale on half a letter-size page (portrait orientation).” They welcome submissions from “Canadian citizens and poets living and/or practicing in Canada” until August 14 and will pay “$25 honorarium per selected poem.”
Opening for submissions on August 15: APPARITION LIT, which publishes speculative fiction stories and poems. For the upcoming window, they’re seeking work on the theme of “nostalgia.” Note that although the general deadline is August 31, BIPOC writers may submit for an additional week (until September 7). Payment: “$0.05 per word, minimum of $50.00 dollars for short stories and a flat fee of $50 per poem.” (Hat tip: WOW! Women on Writing’s Markets newsletter.)
From BERKELEY FICTION REVIEW: “We will begin accepting submissions again on August 18.” Pays: $25 for accepted stories.
OpeningOpen for submissions for its first issue *until* August 21: BERLIN LIT, a “journal for new poetry.” Pays: “20 euro per poem.” (Thanks to Allison K. Williams for amplifying this one.) UPDATED TO REFLECT THAT THE DEADLINE, NOT THE OPENING DATE, IS AUGUST 21.From FARMER-ISH: “We’re looking for creative and engaging content on farming, homesteading, raising animals, cooking, making, and raising a family. We want creative nonfiction, personal essays, memoir, how-to pieces, informational and instructional essays, poetry, and more.” For their Fall Equinox issue (“Harvest”), they seek pitches by August 22 and submissions by September 1. Payment: “For our quarterly online journals, we offer a $25 honorarium at this time. For our print annual, we offer a $25 honorarium or a copy of the book.” NB: “We aim for original work, but if you have published your work on a personal blog, you can re-purpose it for us.” (Found this one via AuthorsPublish.)
Until August 31, ELECTRIC LITERATURE “is seeking pitches for Both/And, a new limited essay series focused on personal narratives from trans and gender non-conforming writers of color. Historically, trans people have been forced to imagine, or conjure, representation of ourselves into existing narratives that never sought to include us, often using the stories and fictional lives of canonically cishet characters as foundations for possible trans stories. As people of color, we’re often asked by cishet folks to minimize our queer selves in favor of emphasizing another pressing concern: the matter of racial equity. Both/And is an essay series that seeks to elevate the stories of those at the forefront of the fight for racial and transgender equality. We want to hear from, and work with trans writers of color, so we can uplift those most targeted by the larger cultural obsession with transness, but whose voices are rarely centered in it.” Payment: “$500 per essay—5x our standard rate.”
GALILEO PRESS remains open for full-length manuscripts “of poems, essays, stories, novella, novel, memoir, or hybrid (with exception to 4-colour art / text hybrids)” until August 31. Compensation: “Galileo Press awards a negotiated stipend upon acceptance, 20 copies, standard royalties, distribution, and promotion.”
GALILEO PRESS also remains open for chapbook manuscripts of “poems, essays, stories, or hybrid (with exception to 4-colour art / text hybrids)” until August 31. Compensation: “$200 upon acceptance of the final draft, 20 copies, swag, and old school royalties.”
Also until August 31, Scotland-based OPEN BOOK “is seeking writing and supporting material for their Unbound programme,” for which they’ll offer “up to 12 awards of £175 each.” (This one’s for fictionists and memoirists.)
CANTHIUS, a Canada-based “intersectional feminist magazine that publishes poetry and prose by writers of marginalized gender identities,” is open for submissions until September 1. Note that Submittable caps may apply. Payment: “$50 for one page, $75 for two pages, $100 for three, $125 for four pages, and $150 for five pages or more, regardless of genre.”
“Three times per year, TIN HOUSE offers a two-day submission period….Eligible writers must not currently have an agent, and must not have previously published a book (chapbooks okay)….We accept works of fiction, literary nonfiction, and poetry, both originally in English and in translation (please only submit translation projects which the translator has already been granted formal permission to translate), and ask that you do not send us a project unless you have a completed draft. In particular, we are looking to engage with work by writers from historically underrepresented communities, including—but not limited to—those who are Black, Indigenous, POC, disabled, neurodivergent, trans and LGBTQIA+, debuting after 40, and without an MFA.” During the first weekend in September (9/3-9/4), they’ll be open for submissions of nonfiction nature writing (including memoirs and graphic nonfiction).
From Australia-based ANIKO PRESS: “For the second half of 2022, we will be accepting one to two guest book reviews per month that fits with the tone and style of Aniko Press. Check out our current book reviews for inspo. We mainly focus on literary and contemporary fiction, short story collections, poetry, interesting/experimental nonfiction and exciting graphic novels. We include both Australian and international authors. We will prioritise recent releases, but will also consider fresh takes on ‘forgotten’ classics or contemporary books you loved that didn’t get enough time in the spotlight. Book reviews should be between 600-900 words, and contain a mix of literary criticism and personal opinion. Each published review is paid $50.00 (AUD).” Note that their guidelines indicate that their magazine will be open for submissions during August for fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and “experimental” submissions, but when I last checked the theme had not yet been announced. Payment for that work is $125.00 (AUD).
Dance Cry Dance, “an artist collective based in Seattle, WA,” seeks writing for its DANCE CRY DANCE BREAK audio magazine podcast, which features “flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and prose poetry alongside music from independent artists.” They invite unpublished submissions for standard episodes (for which compensation is “$50 + 1 point profit share of subscription revenue of release cycle.” They also invite “submissions of previously published work from experienced writers who are interested in creating a commissioned piece of short fiction, creative nonfiction, or prose poetry inspired by a longer musical release (album or long EP). For these extended episodes, the writer should be prepared to work with our editor and the musical artist to create a more collaborative piece of work that will then be presented alongside the album with a moderated conversation between writer and artist about the creative process.” Compensation in that case is “$250 + 1 point profit share of subscription revenue of release cycle.”
Sari Botton has announced the launch of FIRST PERSON SINGULAR, a “sub-newsletter” (of Memoir Monday) “featuring original personal essays.” Pays: $200. (Be sure to scroll down the page for the full First Person Singular guidelines.)
There’s been a re-vamp at The New York Times, where the “Sunday Review” is now “Sunday Opinion”; the section now also features FORTUNES, described by editor Rachel Poser on Twitter as “a monthly series of 2000w personal essays about a specific activity or phenomenon that defined the author's experience of class. If you'd like to pitch an essay, my Times email is listed in my bio.” The first “Fortunes” essayist, Joshua Hunt, has stated that he was paid $1/word for his essay.
At the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, THE MARGINS has issued an open call for essays on language and translation for “a monthly column on Asian language, culture, and translation.” The guidelines provide examples of the kind of work they’re seeking. Pay rates are summarized here. (Caught this one in Jenny Bhatt’s We Are All Translators newsletter.)
New creation SHOWCASE: OBJECT AND IDEA “drops every Third Thursday of the month on our Substack and is sent via email to 30,000 readers….Each month, Showcase will select a poet and prose piece to feature with 1-2 poems, and 1-2 pages of flash prose (inclusive of Fiction and Nonfiction) followed by the writer’s about-the-work and a short interview. We welcome open and friendly dialogue and commentary in the comment section.” Pays: “Selected writers will receive an honorarium of $50 [via Paypal], a direct link to the newsletter, and their names will be featured as a part of Showcase’s monthly ad campaign upon publication. We will link from Showcase to a desired page for each writer. We’ll promote each issue on social media and other literary ad networks to help writers gain exposure.” Note that they “welcome new work, as well as published work. We recognize that print mags and market forces have coalesced on a standard practice of only taking unpublished work and we want to give writers the opportunity for new eyes and ears for all of their work, new and old, published and unpublished.” Note also 1) that there are fees for multiple submissions and 2) that they appear to re-set their Submittable page monthly, meaning that as I prepare this issue they’re showing July 31 deadlines for the August issue; I infer that there will be categories opened with an end-of-August issue thereafter. (Found my way to this one via Ephemera.)
For its “Friday Feature,” TORCH LITERARY ARTS “welcomes submissions of original creative work by Black women writers. We are interested in work that challenges and disrupts preconceived notions of what contemporary writing by Black women should be. Your stories and poems are valuable and necessary. Write freely and submit what you are excited to share with the world.” Pays: $50. (Ephemera reminded me about this one, too.)
Reminder: SHORT STORY, which aims to “revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful,” selects one story for publication each month and considers reprints. Pays: “base pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.”
And another reminder: Make it a habit to check the CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL website, where titles in development are posted. Currently, you’ll find August deadlines for books on cats, dogs, “funny stories,” and the “impact of a Chicken Soup for the Soul story on me.” Note: “If this is your first time, please visit our Story Guidelines page.” Pays: $200 plus 10 free copies.
REMEMBER: Some venues listed in last month’s newsletter remain open for submissions. And the June issue featured quite a few publications that remain open year-round.
6. BLOG NOTES
The newsletter is published just once each month, but there’s always something new on the Practicing Writing blog:
(Monday) Markets and Jobs for Writers (including opportunities that don’t make it into the monthly newsletter)
Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer
(Friday) Finds for Writers
Sunday Sentence
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Interested in matters of specifically Jewish literary and cultural interest? Please also visit the My Machberet blog (“machberet” is the Hebrew word for “notebook”).
7. NEWSLETTER MATTERS
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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 on Facebook and/or Twitter, where she tweets (mostly) “on matters bookish and/or Jewish.”