The Practicing Writer 2.0: August 2023
Discover more from The Practicing Writer 2.0: A Newsletter from Erika Dreifus
The Practicing Writer 2.0: August 2023
Featuring dozens of carefully curated, fee-free opportunities that pay writers for their fiction, poetry, & nonfiction. Celebrating our 20th year of serving the writing community.
Welcome, new readers (300 subscribers have joined us since the last newsletter went out), and welcome back to the regulars!
For updates and additional opportunities between newsletters, please check the “Practicing Writing” blog and follow Erika Dreifus on Twitter (yes, I’m still calling it that, and I’m still there), Facebook, and/or Substack.
If you are accessing this newsletter via email, you may find a “Message Clipped” notice as you continue reading. That’s due to the length of this info-packed missive. Please be sure to click as appropriate to access the full text.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Editor’s Note
Success Stories
Featured Resource
Contests, Competitions, and Other Opportunities (NO FEES TO ENTER/APPLY; 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
Greetings, practicing writers:
Almost immediately after the last issue went out, I received an invitation to be a featured reader in a virtual poetry series. It had been…a while…since I’d been invited to read from Birthright, and I was a little nervous—especially since the reading was slated to happen so soon (July 11).
But the community of the Oregon-based “Head for the Hills” series—including host Dale Champlin, previous host/ “literary matchmaker” Sherri Levine, and co-featured-reader Nancy Christopherson—made me feel so welcome. And I loved the poems that so many of the attendees shared during the open-mic part of the evening. (A recording exists, but I don’t believe it has been uploaded yet; I’ll keep you posted!) It was a true highlight of the past month, reminding me of the best of our writing communities.
Let’s see what the next month brings! :-)
Wishing everyone the best with your writing practices,
ERIKA
P.S. Quick reminder: I am thrilled when you share this newsletter, in its entirety, with your networks. But if you choose to share only certain listings, please respect my work of research and curation and credit your source—ideally, with a link back to this newsletter. Thank you so much!
2. SUCCESS STORIES
From Hilary Zaid:
Your dedication to the community of writers is tireless and astonishing--and opened the door for the publication of my forthcoming novel, Forget I Told You This (Zero Street Fiction, Sept. 1, 2023). I was querying agents when I saw Zero Street’s call for submissions in The Practicing Writer. Zero Street is a new imprint of the University of Nebraska Press dedicated to giving LGBTQ literary fiction a trade audience. I hadn’t planned to submit to independent presses yet, but the description looked like a perfect fit. Forget I Told You This will be the inaugural title for the imprint and it wouldn’t have happened without you! Many thanks for the work you do!
From Iris Leona Marie Cross:
Writing to thank you is becoming a habit but one I enjoy. I entered On The Premises Mini-Contest #57 (Practicing Writer 2.0, June 2023). My 50-word story earned an honorable mention. Your newsletter is a treasure trove of writing opportunities. I live for it each month. Once again, thank you!
And this, from Pearl Adler Saban, stems from something I’d shared on the My Machberet blog:
Upon seeing this post about “Unpacked” of OpenDor Media looking for writers, I followed up and pitched a book review. I received notice this week that they found it really interesting and are happy to have me write it for them. Had I not seen this opportunity in your listings, I’d never have known about it. Thanks so much.
Please share news from your writing practice that may be connected with this newsletter, or my blogs/other resources. I love to celebrate and amplify in this space!
3. FEATURED RESOURCE: WHERE TO PUBLISH FLASH NONFICTION/MICRO-ESSAYS
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. CONTESTS, COMPETITIONS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
IOWA SHORT FICTION AWARD 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.”PETER WHITE PUBLIC LIBRARY (PWPL) INTERNATIONAL CHAPBOOK COMPETITION
Registration begins August 1 and is limited to 100 poets; the competition itself takes place over three days (“September 1, 2023, at 6PM EST — September 4, 2023, at 6PM EST”). “The 2023 International 3-Day Poetry Chapbook Contest is an opportunity for writers to engage for one weekend in the collective spirit of creating new work. The contest is designed to push participants to try new writing methods, ideas, and forms. Following all contest guidelines will help generate poetry that is raw, original, fresh, and exciting. The theme for this year’s contest is ‘The Human Animal.’ Participants are encouraged to interpret the theme in their own way. To aid participants in this process, 45 poetry prompts have been provided to spark new work.” Prizes: “1st Prize: $500, soft-cover publication (perfect bound), 50 free copies; 2nd Prize: Gift Card, soft-cover publication (perfect bound) 25 free copies; 3rd Prize: Gift Card, soft-cover publication (perfect bound) 25 free copies.” Final judge: Diane Seuss.SPRUCETON INN ARTIST RESIDENCY
Applications: August 1-August 14. “Every August we accept applications online from writers and 2D artists, about twelve of whom are awarded a no-cost, 5-night Artist Residency here at the Inn in the fall.” Residencies take place in early November at Spruceton Inn in the Catskills. Note that writers applying for residencies are also invited to apply for the Tracy Kennard Emerging Writer’s Award, which confers mentorship/coaching as detailed on the website.DIANA WOODS MEMORIAL AWARD IN CREATIVE NONFICTION
Submissions: August (note, however, the main guidelines page’s reference to submissions caps for each genre and the Submittable page’s instruction to submit prize entries within the Creative Nonfiction category; I would counsel sending a submission earlier rather than later if interested). “The Diana Woods Memorial Award in creative nonfiction was established in Diana’s memory by her family, friends, and the Antioch University Los Angeles MFA community….Twice each year an author of a work of creative nonfiction will be selected for the Diana Woods Memorial Award award by a special guest judge. One author will be chosen for the Summer/Fall issue of Lunch Ticket and one in the Winter/Spring issue. The winning submissions will be published in Lunch Ticket and the recipient will receive $250.BRIAN BLACK MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM
Deadline: August 6. “The Yachting Monthly Brian Black Memorial Award 2023 sponsored by [marine electronics company] B&G is back. This time with a new video competition, alongside the well-established writing competition, each with £2,000 on offer for the best video story and best written story about marine environmental issues explored by sailing boat. The award also includes a donation of £1,500 to marine conservation charity, Sea-Changers.” 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) who are 18 years and over,” with additional exceptions noted.PETER BLAZEY FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: August 7. For Australian residents. “Up to 15,000” is awarded “to further a work in progress for those writers in the non-fiction fields of biography, autobiography and life writing.”THE BEASTS BENEATH THE WINDS SHORT STORY CONTEST
Deadline: August 11. From YA/MG author Hanna Alkaf, who is editing The Beasts Beneath the Winds, “a middle grade anthology & compendium of mythical creatures from Southeast Asian lore, set to be published by Abrams in Fall 2025.” Alkaf is offering “two aspiring, unagented Southeast Asian authors” places in the anthology. “All I need from you is a 2,000-4,000 word short story where your protagonist encounters a creature from Southeast Asian mythology or folklore in the present day.” Prize: “the chance to be published in the Anthology…which comes with a USD1,000 fee, pending a signed Contributor Agreement and the terms therein are fulfilled.” As always, read the detailed guidelines for additional important information.LIGONIER VALLEY WRITERS FLASH FICTION CONTEST
Deadline: August 15. “This year’s topic is Jack-O’-Lanterns.” Short stories must be 1,000 words or fewer. 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. If possible, winning entries will be read at various venues during the Halloween season of 2023. Winning writers will be invited to read their stories at those locations. Winning entries will also be published on the Ligonier Valley Writers website.” Final judge: Damian Dressick.KARI HOWARD FUND FOR NARRATIVE JOURNALISM
Deadline: August 20. Memorializing Kari Howard and administered through the International Women’s Media Foundation, this new program “will award annual grants in support of proposals to report and publish compelling human stories, wherever they are found.” Grants “will be for a maximum of $5,000. Applicants may be a print journalist or a print journalist leading a multi-media team. Projects reported and published in English anywhere in the world are eligible. All reporting and publishing must be completed within six months of the award of the grant.” Note that among eligibility criteria, “this opportunity is open to women and nonbinary journalists” and “professional journalism must be the applicant’s primary profession.”WATERFORD POETRY PRIZE
Deadline: August 21. Open to all writers currently living on the island of Ireland, this prize “has emerged from the influence of the late Waterford writer Seán Dunne whose poetry continues to inspire.” Note: “It is highly advisable that entries are not currently submitted elsewhere for consideration.” Prizes: “First prize is €400 plus attendance at a designated writing course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore in 2024 (This prize valued €250 is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be awarded in lieu). Second prize €300 plus attendance at a designated writing course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore in 2024 (This prize valued €250 is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be awarded in lieu). Third prize €200.” Judge: Colm Keegan.WRITERS’ TRUST RISING STARS PROGRAM
Deadline: August 21. “A dynamic career development initiative that recognizes five Canadian authors at the onset of their careers who are poised to produce exceptional and enduring creative work. Rising Stars are selected, endorsed and mentored by five prominent Canadian authors. They each receive $5,000 and a writers’ residency opportunity. You can nominate a developing writer who deserves to be considered for WT Rising Stars or submit yourself for consideration.”RSL GILES ST AUBYN AWARDS FOR NONFICTION
Deadline: August 25. From the Royal Society of Literature. “Three awards – one of £10,000, one of £5,000, and one of £2,500 – are available to provide financial support for talented new writers to complete their first commissioned work of non-fiction for a mainstream audience.” Writers must be resident in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland; “only books due to be published in the UK or ROI, by UK- or ROI-based publishers, will be considered.”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: Micki Meng.PRAGUE-UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE CREATIVE RESIDENCY
Deadline: August 31 (ED note: At last check I noticed conflicting time deadlines [11:59pm CET on the main website page and 12 pm CET within the application form]; I advise erring on the side of caution.) “Do you have a breathtaking project you would like to work on during your residency in Prague? Prague City of Literature offers an opportunity to writers and translators to live and work in the beautiful city center where historical architecture meets modern and vibrant city life.” The current call is for eight two-month residencies in 2024 to be scheduled as indicated. Note: “The accommodation and travel expenses are covered by Prague City of Literature; the residents will also receive a scholarship of CZK 15,000 (approx. €600 per month).”VAL WOOD INTERNATIONAL OPEN PRIZE FOR CREATIVE WRITING
Deadline: August 31. Honoring the 30th anniversary of Val Wood’s The Hungry Tide, this prize is “looking to receive entries that focus on the ebb and flow of the ocean and the rivers that lead to it, as The Tide itself rolls in as the central focus of this year’s competition. We’re looking for entries packed with originality and creativity that paint a picture and take the reader on a memorable journey. The story can cover any genre as long as it is not unnecessarily violent or gruesome. The competition, is open to anyone over 16 years of age. “No poetry will be accepted. “The winner of the competition will receive £100 and a signed copy of The Hungry Tide.” The winning entry will be published online and shared via social media outlets. “There will be two further prizes and the winners will receive signed copies of [the book] upon its re-release in October.”POETRY ARCHIVE NOW! WORDVIEW 2023 COMPETITION
Deadline: August 31. “We want you to have the opportunity to join the Poetry Archive collections by recording yourself reciting or reading your poem out loud and sending it to us to care for and share worldwide.” Be forewarned that only 20 submissions will be compensated (£100).POLAR STEAM ANTARCTIC ARTISTS & WRITERS PROGRAM
Deadline: August 31. “Polar STEAM welcomes applications from working artists, writers, and creative practitioners in a variety of genres, from traditional to experimental.” Polar STEAM, “which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, integrates and enhances two long-standing National Science Foundation (NSF) programs: the Polar Educators program and the Antarctic Artists and Writers program.” The Artists and Writers portion of Polar STEAM “facilitates deployments to the Antarctic for creative practitioners within the arts and humanities. Collaborations between polar researchers and artists & writers help increase the public’s understanding of and appreciation for human and scientific endeavors in Antarctica through the resulting works.” Open to “citizens and permanent residents of the United States,” the program covers costs and awards stipends as detailed within the site FAQ.SUNDOG LIT SUMMER COLLABORATION CONTEST
Deadline: August 31. Noted on the Submittable page: “If money is a barrier, please submit one piece for free. If you can, we’d suggest a $3 contest fee.” From the contest description: “Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely business. Sometimes teamwork is what makes the dreamwork, so this summer we want to see what you’ve created with another writer (or two or three — there’s actually no limit) for our annual Collaboration Contest….Submit your wildest, most inventive work of any or mixed genre. Just keep your hybrid masterpiece to 1,000 words or less. Winners will receive a $300 prize and all the glories of publication.”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 “between 6 and 749 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 and publication in A Public Space. Judge: Karen Russell.BLACK WARRIOR REVIEW CONTEST
Deadline: September 1. “Contest submissions are free for up to 300 Black and Indigenous writers. We do not limit our definition of Indigenous to those from the U.S./Turtle Island.” Confers Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and flash categories; respective judges: Michael Martone, Gary Soto, Jesse McCarthy, Allegra Hyde. Prizes: “Winners in Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry genre receive $1000 and publication in BWR 50.2, our Spring 2024 issue. The first runner-up in each genre receive monetary compensation, acknowledgment in the print issue, and online publication (if desired). We may consider any submission for general publication. The winner in Flash receives $500 and publication in BWR 50.2, our Spring 2024 issue. The first runner-up receives monetary compensation, acknowledgment in the print issue, and online publication (if desired). We may consider any submission for general publication.”BRECK CREATE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
Deadline: September 1. (Scroll down the page to find the program and the application link under “Opportunities for Artists”.) This Colorado-based program “offers regional and national artists of all disciplines an opportunity to focus on process rather than product while engaging with the local community in a meaningful way. Artists-in-Residence spend 2-4 months in a live/work studio in the Breckenridge Arts District, an intimate campus of historic structures nestled under majestic snow-capped peaks in cozy downtown Breckenridge. During the school year, artists serve as guest instructors in Summit County schools, providing support and supplemental curriculum to teachers. In the summertime, artists identify and collaborate with a community partner or organization on educational programs. Artists have ample time to explore place-based narratives in their own work—whether that means interpreting Breckenridge’s cultural environment, spectacular mountain setting or rich local history. Artist expectations include: facilitating two weekly open studios (on campus), instructing weekly lessons in schools and on campus, participating in on-campus public events, and collaborating with a community partner. Artists with teaching experience will be given priority. Artists receive a biweekly stipend of $600 to cover expenses and may take classes and open studios at no cost based on availability.”MICHAEL MARKS ENVIRONMENTAL POET OF THE YEAR PRIZE
Deadline: September 1. “The prize is open to writers of any age, living in the UK only.” Will recognize a poetry portfolio (“between 150 and 200 lines of poetry”) that is “clearly inspired” by “the environment and the place of the human within it,” as described on the website. Prize confers publication of the portfolio as a pamphlet, to be sold at Wordsworth Grasmere and The British Library; £1,000; a place on a winners’ residential trip to Greece in association with the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies, “with the opportunity to learn more about, and spread understanding of, how the climate crisis is affecting other cultures”; and an invitation to read at a special ‘Environmental Poet of the Year’ event at Wordsworth Grasmere, as well as at the annual Michael Marks Awards event at the British Library in London.” Note the detailed terms and conditions. Judges: Helen Mort, John Aitchison, Jane Caven.MITFORD MUSEUM GET LIT! WRITING CONTEST
Deadline: September 1. In conjunction with its upcoming second annual literary weekend, the North Carolina-based Mitford Museum is running a writing contest which will award “$750 prizes in the adult and youth categories” (“three finalists in each category will receive admission to all GetLit! events”). Entrants are asked to “write a short story of no more than 1,500 words. For inspiration, we suggest you read short stories by writers who have paid their dues like Eudora Welty, Zora Neale Hurston, and North Carolina native, O. Henry.” Important eligibility criteria include current U.S. residency and “unpublished” status (“you are considered published if you have received compensation for publication of a piece of fiction”). Note also: “We will stop accepting entries once we’ve reached a maximum of 50 in each category.”ON THE PREMISES SHORT STORY CONTEST #42
Deadline: September 1. This contest invites submissions connected with a photograph provided on the contest page. Entrants are asked to write “a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long” based on that photograph as explained within the guidelines. Awards cash prizes (US $250/US $200/US $150, plus honorable mentions of US $75) and publication.DEBRA E. BERNHARDT LABOR JOURNALISM PRIZE
Deadline: September 5. Award of $1,000 for “an article that exemplifies great writing for a general audience and furthers the understanding of the history of working people.” Note: “Articles that put current issues like work, housing, organizing, health, or education in a historical context AND articles about historical events are both welcome.” Articles must have been published August 31, 2022-August 30, 2023. Note also that “publications and subject matter should target the United States and Canada.”STOCHASTIC LABS RESIDENCIES
Deadline: Rolling. Based in Berkeley, California, “Stochastic Labs awards fully sponsored residencies to exceptional engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs from around the world. Residencies are of variable length and include a private apartment at the mansion, co-working and/or dedicated work space, shop access (laser cutter, 3D printer etc), a monthly stipend and a budget for materials. Residents become part of Stochastic’s creative community, participating in weekly dinners and invitation events. Residents may apply as individuals or as teams. While applicants may be at any stage in their career, the selection is highly competitive.” (Discovered this one through an Authors’ Guild newsletter.)
REMINDER: Some competitions listed in last month’s newsletter remain open into August; make sure you haven’t missed them!
5. SUBMISSION ALERTS
Recently re-opened for submissions: CINCINNATI REVIEW’s weekly online miCRo feature. “For fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid works, each piece should be 500 words maximum. For poetry, submit poems 32 lines or less. For drama, scripts should be about three minutes in performance.” Pays: $25. Per their submissions manager, “miCRo submissions are open year-round, except for during our summer contest or if we close temporarily due to a backlog.”
Noted on Canada-based EVENT’s submissions page: “We generally have two open submissions periods during the months of August-September and December-January.” Pays: “We pay $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500.” UPDATE: When the Submittable categories opened August 1, it became clear that submissions will be a) limited to the month of August and b) limited to poetry and fiction from Canadian citizens and residents only.
General submissions at FLASH FROG will re-open August 1. They publish “flash fiction only (no poetry or CNF please).” Pays: $25 (via Paypal).
GORDON SQUARE REVIEW is scheduled to re-open August 1 as well. Pays: “Writers accepted for publication receive $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem.”
Also re-opening for submissions (of poetry and visual art) August 1: HARBOR REVIEW. Pays: $10.
August is one of two months (the other is February) when NASHVILLE REVIEW is open for submissions of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and translation (they’re open for comics and art year-round). Note that they “cap the number of submissions to be considered at 750 per section to ensure a reasonable response time. If we reach our submission cap before the end of the month-long reading period, submissions will close early.” Payment: “$25 per poem and $100 for prose and art pieces.”
SCRIBNER POETRY, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, “began publishing its inaugural list in 2023, which includes collections from Airea D. Matthews, Sam Sax, and Diana Khoi Nguyen. To introduce ourselves to new voices and to lower some of the hurdles that poets experience when seeking a publisher, we are delighted to announce an open submission period from August 1, 2023 and lasting through August 31, or until we receive a maximum of 300 manuscripts. Each submission will be reviewed by a Scribner poetry editor.” Note: For unagented, U.S. poets only. (Hat tip: Danez Smith.) UPDATE: Apparently, the cap was reached fast.
August is a fee-free submissions month for everyone at SPLIT LIP, “a literary journal that’s totally bonkers-in-love with voice-driven writing, pop culture, and the kind of honesty that gets you right in the kidneys.” (Submissions are free for Black writers and artists year-round.) Pays: “(via PayPal) $75 per author for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art; $50 for interviews/reviews; and $25 for mini-reviews for our web issues.” NB: “Sometimes we have to shut free subs early.”
Another one slated to re-open August 1: TRAMPSET. “We are looking for short fiction (short stories, flash fiction, and excerpts from longer works), nonfiction (personal essays, flash cnf, and engaging cultural criticism), and poetry.” Pays: “$25 per accepted piece (must have PayPal).”
From UPBEAT TALES, a “speculative fiction podcast magazine for upbeat and comedy stories”: “Our next submission window will be 1st August to 31st August” (expect specific submission instructions to be posted at that time). “We would love to feature your upbeat and/or comedic fantasy, science fiction or horror story.” Payment: “We pay $0.01 per word for original, unpublished fiction. Payment is via PayPal only.” (Discovered this one thanks to @Duotrope.)
For the month of August, VARIANT LITERATURE is open for poetry and art submissions. Pays: “$10 per accepted piece.”
Also slated to start up again 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.”
Closing August 3: submissions for film-focused BRIGHT WALL/DARK ROOM’s upcoming “Nostalgia” issue. There’s a second deadline (
August 28[appears to have been extended to September 1]) for submissions for a subsequent issue on “Westerns.” Payment: “$50 for accepted essays, upon publication.”August 4 is the deadline for a re-upped call from NARRATIVELY, as explained by Editorial Director Brendan Spiegel: “Early last year we put out a call for stories about unusual and fascinating family businesses, and this turned out to be one of our all-time most successful calls for pitches. I was blown away by some of the incredible and out-there pitches we got in, and loved working with writers on several of these pitches that became fantastic Narratively stories….Stories about tight-knit families running quirky businesses like these, with inherent drama at their core, are my absolute favorite type of Narratively piece. The rest of our team (and our readers) love these stories, too. So we’re reopening this call for pitches!” Note: “These can be first-person pieces about your own experience or reported stories.” Pay “starts at $1,000 with room to go up for more ambitious stories.”
August 5 is the deadline for fiction and poetry submissions at ALIEN, “a publication with the goal of creating an archive of work, as well as an innovative and supportive literary community, for outsiders” (they consider nonfiction and visual art year-round). “We pay a $20 honorarium for each written piece and art collection we publish.”
August 5 is also the deadline for THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE’s “mother tongue | other tongue” issue, for which they seek “poetry written in any language (apart from English),” by “refugee, asylum seeker, and immigrant poets only (worldwide).” Note: “There is no theme; you don’t have to send us work that relates to the refugee or immigrant experience.” Members of the UK-based publication’s Translation Advisory Board will translated accepted works for publication. (Consult the list provided for languages covered by the Board; “if your poem is in a language not included in this list, please submit it. We will try to find an evaluator for your poem and, if selected, a translator, but we can’t guarantee it.”) Payment: “We offer £50 per published poet. Accepted poets who are seeking asylum and do not have a bank account will receive a £50 online gift card (you choose which one, and we'll try to get it for you). Please note that we can only pay via PayPal or into UK bank accounts.” (Thanks to the WOW! Women on Writing markets newsletter for pointing me to this one.)
Australia-based GRIFFITH REVIEW, which “publishes work by established and emerging writers – most from Australia, some from overseas,” is open until August 6 (11:59pm AEST) for poetry submissions for an upcoming issue to be themed “Animal Magic”: “This edition…visits habitats near and far, wild and domestic – the backyard and the dog park, the jungle and the desert, the field and the farm – to examine our complex interactions with creatures furry or scaled, four-legged or eight-limbed, winged or feathered.” Note: “Though submissions need not be themed, we welcome poems that reflect on this edition’s topic.” Compensation for poetry (as disclosed on Twitter): “$200.”
Another call from Australia: “With 2023 now halfway behind us, there’s no better time to take stock of your subscriptions. You might feel called to reshuffle your social life, revolutionise your political ideals, launch a local tabloid, or at least clear out those pesky emails that have been clogging up your spam folder. For our next issue, #31 SUBSCRIBE, THE SUBURBAN REVIEW wants to know what compels you to rush to the mailbox, turn on your notifications, or put your money on the line. Send us binge-worthy fiction, literary essays that are bound to spark a cult following, and poems that’ll have us signing on for a sequel. We want visual art inspired by your neglected collection of Y2K Dolly mags (you knew they’d come in handy one day!) and comics that persuade the world to join your movement.” Deadline: August 9, 11:59 p.m. (AEDT). Pay rates (by genre/word count) are detailed on the guidelines page.
And still another one from Australia (here, submissions are limited to those from “Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only”): ISLAND ONLINE is open through August 13 for “new fiction and nonfiction content of approximately 1500 words. While we will certainly consider more traditional forms, we have a strong interest in experimental and literary approaches to form and content.” Pays: “If your work is selected for publication, Island will pay a fee of $450.”
August 14 is the deadline for submissions at YOLK. “While we will continue accepting international submissions for our digital publication, yolk exclusively publishes Canadian contributors in print. The theme for this issue is: Solastalgia.” You will find more information about solastagia, Yolk’s definition of “Canadian” contributors, and specifics regarding digital vs. print submissions on the website. Pay rates: “Yolk pays a $100CAD honorarium for our digital publication. For print, we pay $30 per page, regardless of genre, up to a maximum of $200. We also pay $200 for our print cover art. All Canadian contributors whose work has been selected for publication in our print issues will also receive a free copy of the journal.” (Found this one via @Duotrope.)
Until August 15, Canada-based BLOCK PARTY welcomes submissions for an issue themed “Home.” Pays: $10 (presumably in Canadian funds). (Hat tip:
.)For
, seeks “Bodily Book Reviews” until August 15: “Read a book of your choice. Keep notes on how your body responds to what you’re reading. What was your body going through as you read? As your eyes read each word, what did your body tell you? Compose an essay or submit your notes. For an example, click here and scroll down to the review I wrote of Selah Saterstrom’s The Meat and Spirit Plan. Payment: $75.00.” Full call/guidelines within this post (deadline specified within comments). Note: You may notice an additional call mentioned in this post, closing August 1, which I shared on the Practicing Writing blog in a more timely manner. (Thanks to for the heads-up for these.)There’s an August 15 deadline at STRANGE HORIZONS, too. “This issue focuses specifically on speculative fiction by writers who live in the Caribbean or are part of the Caribbean diaspora. Check the call for details about the interests of guest editors Suzan Palumbo and Marika Bailey. Pays: “0.10 USD per word for original fiction,” “$50 USD” for poetry, and “$150 USD flat rate” for nonfiction.
According to its guidelines page, which, as you scroll down, indicates a temporary closure for “historical fiction short story and novel excerpt submissions,” HISTORY THROUGH FICTION will re-open after August 15. Pays: “Authors whose work is accepted for publication will receive a $25 honorarium for their work.”
SPECULATIVE CITY, which “publishes provocative works that are centered within a cityscape,” welcomes “fiction, poetry, and essays within the theme of the magazine’s upcoming issue–megacity” until August 16. Payment: “Writers published are paid $20-$55 according to the category and length of their submission. We do not include submissions with lengths exceeding 5500 words.”
PYRE MAGAZINE is scheduled to re-open for submission August 17 (closing again September 18). “We are most interested in dark genre-bending works in the realms of horror, sci-fi, the weird, the macabre, fantasy, and magical realism. We want stories that grab us by the throat and ask questions about what it means to be human. Make us feel something long after we are done reading.” Pays: “a small honorarium of $10 US, paid via PayPal, for every piece published. We hope to increase this in the future as the magazine grows.”
NORTHERN GRAVY is open for submissions until August 20, from writers who were “either born in the UK or Ireland, or currently reside in the UK or Ireland.” They accept work “over three areas: Fiction, Poetry and Kid Lit (writing for Middle Grade and Young Adult audiences),” and they pay £100.
At MOUTHFEEL PRESS, they’re taking submissions for their CLASH! Chapbook Series until August 21. “We are accepting manuscripts of poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, microgenres, lyric essays, hybrid genres, and visual art. We’re all about breaking boundaries, so if you don’t see a genre or combination listed here, please still send us your manuscript with a short description of the genre or combination with which you are working.” Note also (as detailed on Submittable): “We’re looking for manuscripts that celebrate the clash of identities, cultures, and beliefs within each of us.” Compensation: “Author receives contract, 25 author books + 10% royalty on print sales.”
Noticed in an ELECTRIC LITERATURE newsletter: “Recommended Reading will be OPEN for submissions on August 21! The portal will close at midnight PST on September 3, or when 750 submissions are received. We want to see your best short stories between 2,000 and 10,000 words! All submissions will be accepted through our Submittable page,” which is also where you’ll find pay-rate info (“upon acceptance, we can offer authors $300 for publishing rights”).
Noted on the guidelines page for ECOTONE (“the literary magazine dedicated to reimagining place”): Between August 25 and August 31, the journal will be open for no-fee “submissions of work by historically underrepresented writers, via post and Submittable.” Payment: “Contributors receive an honorarium upon publication, with a $100 minimum for poetry and a $200 minimum for prose; two copies of the issue in which their work appears; and a one-year subscription beginning with the subsequent issue.”
As indicated on its “Possible Book Topics” page, CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL seeks stories until August 30 for a volume themed “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Be sure to (re)check the “Story Guidelines” page for information about the kind of true stories (and poems!) that they look for. Compensation: “$250 one month after publication of the book and you will receive ten free copies of the book your story or poem appears in.”
August 31 is the deadline to send work to AFTER HAPPY HOUR. “We’re not limited to any particular genre, and publish poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art. Our headquarters are based in Pittsburgh, but the journal is not exclusive to Pittsburgh-based writers.” Compensation: “We’re thrilled to announce that we are now a paying market! Starting with Issue 20, each contributor to our online issues will get $10.” (NB: Submission caps apply; they had to close free submissions early in July but will re-open August 1.)
August 31 is also the deadline to send work to BETHLEHEM WRITERS TABLE, a magazine produced by the Pennsylvania-based Bethlehem Writers Group. They are considering submissions for an upcoming issue themed “The Wolf of Winter: Stories of hardship . . or wolf stories!” They “accept work in most genres of fiction, as well as memoir and poetry.” Pay rates: “$50 for published featured-author stories; $20 for stories published on our &More page; $10 for poems we publish.”
September 1 is the deadline at THE BAD DAY BOOK for submissions for multiple titles, including The Bad Day Book-Teaching Edition, The Bad Day Book- College Life Edition, and The Bad Day Book-Parenting Edition. For all editions, they seek works “about bad things, but that are still funny. We are not looking to include tragic or heart breaking stories. This book is to get others to laugh, gasp, and cringe. Stories MUST be personal and true events that have already happened. No AI bot stories. No creative writing. No fiction.” Compensation: “All stories and poems 199 words or under words will be paid $40 for publication. All stories and poems 200 words and over will be paid $75 for publication. If your submission is chosen to be published in more than one publication you will receive separate payment for each publication your work is published in. You will also be provided with 2 paperback copies of each publication with your published work. All books and monetary payments will be provided 30-45 days after book publication.”
From FOURTEEN POEMS: “We publish our anthology of the most exciting LGBTQ+ poets around 3 times a year and we want to include you! Our submissions window is rolling, but the deadline for the next issue is September 1st 2023.” Payment: “£25 for each poem published.”
At QWERTY, “a graduate student-run magazine at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton,” submissions (poetry, prose, visual art) are open until September 1. “Contributors whose work is selected for publication are rewarded with a small honorarium (CDN $15) and one complimentary copy of the issue in which their work appears.”
“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 (September 2-September 3), they’ll be open for submissions of nonfiction nature writing (including memoirs and essay collections).
“The primary goal of
is to offer individual stories and perspectives about the costs of undocumented living in the U.S. Though we feature interviews and writing from researchers focused on topics related to immigration, La Cuenta is primarily written by current and formerly undocumented individuals as well as members of mixed-status families.” Note: “A typical La Cuenta entry is between 500-1000 words. Your entry can be written anonymously if that is preferred.Rather than seek broad arguments about policies, we are looking for personal perspectives and experiences.” Payment: “Currently, we can offer contributors $50 per published post.” Consult guidelines here.
KALEIDOSCOPE “expresses the experience of disability from the perspective of individuals, families, friends, healthcare professionals, educators and others.” Payment “is made upon publication and varies from $10 to $100. Payment to writers/artists who live outside the United States will be made in US dollars through PayPal. It is the responsibility of the writer/artist to set up a PayPal account to receive payment.”
Open for submissions (no deadline indicated): MARBLE PRESS, “an independent, traditional publishing house offering advances and royalties to writers and illustrators” that publishes “juvenile, literary, and commercial fiction books, picture books, early-middle-grade books, (early readers), middle grade novels and graphic novels. We are interested in narrative nonfiction and books that challenge traditional forms.” (Thanks to Mslexia’s “Writing Opportunities” newsletter for leading me to this one.)
For its “Friday Feature” series, 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: $100.
Reminder: CRAFT LITERARY’s “creative categories are open year-round to any emerging or established author. We accept submissions from international writers.” Pays: “$100 for original flash and $200 for original short fiction and creative nonfiction.”
Reminder: THE FORGE, which “publishes one prose piece per week selected by a rotating cast of editors,” opens for free submissions on the first of each month (except for September and December). “If there is no free link, we’ve hit our quota.” Pays: “We pay, upon publication, $75 flat regardless of length….Authors outside the U.S. must be able to receive payment via PayPal.”
Reminder about FRONTIER POETRY: “Submissions for our New Voices poetry category are open year round to any new and emerging poet who has not published more than one full-length collection of poetry. New Voices are published online only and will feature a number of poems from new authors each month.” Pays: $50/poem, up to $150.
Reminder: ROUGH CUT PRESS seeks “experimental work of all genres by writers and allies of the LGBTQIA community. To get a sense of what we publish please read some of our former issues. We don’t know what we like until we see it. Each month we announce a different theme, but don’t worry if the work you submit doesn’t quite fit: we often build issues around work that takes us by surprise.” Pays: “We offer all published artists a $25 honorarium.”
Reminder: There’s a rolling deadline (the 25th of each month) for OFF TOPIC PUBLISHING’s Poetry Box, which supplies subscribers with a poem “printed postcard-style” along with tea and chocolate. Poems should be no longer than 15 lines (“including blank lines”). Payment: $30 CAD. Note: “Only selected poets will be contacted. If you haven’t heard from us by the 5th of the month following your submission, your poem was not selected.”
Also:
, 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.”The same publisher has also established a outlet on Substack, distributing “52 beautiful poems a year, one per week,” and paying poets “Base Pay of $10 for the chosen poem + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.” NB: “Must have a rhyme scheme or a rhythm scheme. No blank verse or free verse. If you do feel that blank verse or free verse is the best form for the poem, please send a sentence or two explaining the choice.” Reprints are welcome here, too.UPDATE: Per this August 1 announcement from , that publication “has not received a consistent flow of submissions and therefor will have to shut down.”
REMEMBER: Some venues listed in last month’s newsletter remain open for submissions, too.
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 fee-free/paying opportunities that don’t make it into the monthly newsletter)
(Friday) Finds for Writers
#SundaySentence
Occasional Notes from a Practicing Writer
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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 right here on Substack, on Facebook, and/or on Twitter, where she tweets (mostly) “on matters bookish and/or Jewish.”