The Practicing Writer 2.0: March 2023
The Practicing Writer 2.0: March 2023
Celebrating our 20th year of service to writers. Curating fee-free opportunities that pay writers for their fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Sharing resources.
Welcome, new readers, 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 and/or Facebook.
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 Story
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:
THANK YOU to everyone who sent a kind message my way—publicly or privately—after I mentioned last month that we’ve now begun the 20th year of this newsletter’s publication. Your appreciation means more than you know.
A confession: Maybe it’s just that February truly is a super-short month, but I did find it a little more challenging than usual to get this issue ready for on-time distribution. (This may also be a good moment to mention that I do occasionally miss something in the fine print, and opportunities do sometimes announce changes in their fee-free/paying status very last-minute; when I learn about necessary corrections I make them to the version of the newsletter issue that’s archived online instead of sending out new emails.)
In any case, here we are! I hope that, as always, you find everything here useful and/or motivating—not least the plethora of success stories that our community members have contributed.
And now, I need to hurry to meet a couple of deadlines….
With all best wishes for all of our writing practices, and a marvelous March,
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.
2. SUCCESS STORIES
From Caitlin Cacciatore:
I am pleased to announce that three poems of mine were recently published in Samjoko Magazine, which I never would have found without your newsletter. Thank you, as always, for your dedication to helping writers further their craft and for finding and compiling these opportunities. I continue to look forward to The Practicing Writer every month.
From Grace Q. Song:
I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to share a success story with you: I had applied to GrubStreet’s Boston Writers of Color Literary Stipend back in December and my application made it through! I’ll be using the stipend for my Submittable and journal fees for the year. Thank you for including it in your newsletter!
From Ariel M. Goldenthal:
Thank you for posting the call for submissions from Scrawl Place. The editor is wonderful to work with and my story, “He Came in from the Fog Where the Island Used to Be,” will be published later this year. It marks my first time being paid for my creative work and that would not be possible without your wonderful and thorough emails each month!
From Jennifer Elise Wang:
Thank you for The Practicing Writer….One of your listings, the call for the inaugural issue of Exist Otherwise, led to my first ever paid publication, so I am so grateful.
From Carolyn Cohen:
I don’t consider myself a writer, and I don’t have a writing practice, but a few years ago, I decided I would try to write and submit a piece of flash nonfiction once a year. I somehow found you, and heard about Jewish Women of Words. [ED note: Carolyn likely encountered that site through the list I’ve compiled at bit.ly/JewishWriting.] So, I sent my first piece, “Telling Nana about the Pandemic,” and I just submitted a second one, “Shoshana.” They are both on that site now. Thank you for the lead….Enjoying your newsletter and also My Machberet.
From Nancy Hesting:
Thanks so much, Erika, for mentioning Chicken Soup for the Soul looking for submissions related to dogs. I submitted a story in January 2022 and learned it was accepted for publication. The book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned from My Dog, was released in January 2023. I am beyond thrilled. I appreciate all the work and research you do!
And from Kirie Pedersen:
I’ve been writing and submitting a long time. I’d pay the fees and be grateful to be published. I didn’t have guidance on how to approach submitting. A friend introduced me to Erika’s blog, and my writing practice turned inside out and did a cartwheel.
Now I use Erika’s list for my send/shares (as I prefer to call them). Just this week, I saw a note to myself in my database to send a certain piece to a non-paying/charge fees site just because it’s a good woman-supporting site. Instead, I sent the piece to a paying/no fees site Erika posted. They loved the piece, I was paid more than I’ve ever been for an essay, it’s a fabulous magazine, and people are responding to my essay like crazy.
Also, sometimes I see a paying site that wants a certain word count, and something I just thought I completed is over that count. I find that this gives me the energy to re-read and see whether all those words are necessary.
Finally, Erika has listed some international magazines that are really great! I would never have known about them. Erika’s guidance…makes my writing life a thousand times better. Thank you forever, Erika!
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: “THIRTEEN QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE SUBMITTING TO A LITERARY JOURNAL”
The other day, I ran across this tweet from
:
Which reminded me that the advice I offered in my own “Thirteen Questions to Ask Before Submitting to a Literary Journal,” published by Literary Hub in 2016, still holds up—and might be worth re-upping as a featured resource.
I hope that you agree!
4. CONTESTS, COMPETITIONS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
JUDITH E. WILSON POETRY FELLOW
Deadline: March 9. At the University of Cambridge, this fellowship is “designed to enable practising poets to spend a period as members of the Faculty of English, bringing together the practice of poetry and their academic study. The cost of the Fellowship is met from the Judith E. Wilson Fund, formed from a donation to the Faculty of English by Judith E. Wilson, a life-long friend of Dame Edith Evans. The Fellowship is available for nine months from 15 September 2023. The Fellow is expected to reside in Cambridge during that period and will, it is hoped, be affiliated with a Cambridge College. They will also be invited to take some part in the work of the Faculty, by arranging workshops or readings (including, in term, three hours of formal contact time for students per week), and to pursue their own projects. The role is designed to further the writing of poetry, rather than academic research. The Judith E. Wilson Committee will discuss a possible programme of work with the successful candidate.” Salary range: £43,414-£54,949.NATHAN PERRY CHAPTER DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION POETRY CONTEST
Deadline: March 10. This poetry contest “to honor American History” invites submissions of single poems “(free or formal verse) on the theme with forty lines maximum.” Cash prizes: $100/$50/$25. Winners will be invited to read their poems at an event at the Lorain Historical Society in Lorain, Ohio. “Winners will receive prizes even if they cannot participate or do not grant permission for publication. If you cannot attend, your poem will be read by someone else at the event.”BBC NATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD
Deadline: March 13 (9am [GMT]). From the British Broadcasting Corporation with Cambridge University. Awards £15,000 for the winner and £600 for four further shortlisted stories. “The Award is open to British nationals and UK residents, aged 18 years or over on the submission deadline…who have a prior record of publication in creative writing in the United Kingdom,” as defined within the terms/conditions provided. See also criteria for the stories that may be submitted. Judging panel: Reeta Chakrabarti. Jessie Burton, Roddy Doyle, Okechukwu Nzelu, Di Speirs.HEKTOEN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST
Deadline: March 15 (noon CST). “Students currently enrolled in a medical school or program are encouraged to submit to Hektoen International’s 2022 Medical Student Essay Contest. Submissions will be reviewed by the Hektoen International Editorial Staff and a select group of contest judges who will determine the two winners of the following awards: Grand Prize: Single winner of $3,500; Runner-Up: Single winner of $2,500. Essays can be on any topic as it relates to medicine. Art, history, and literature topics are preferred. Fiction will be accepted. Original poetry and standalone artwork will not be considered (though essays on poetry and on original artwork are welcome).” NB: Eligibility applies to those “currently enrolled in medical school or can verify your acceptance into medical school; currently serving as a medical intern or resident, or currently serving as a fellow to pursue a medical specialty.”NANCY LUDMERER FELLOWSHIP FOR FLASH FICTION AND NONFICTION
Fee-free application day (for the first 15 applicants that day): March 15. Awards a five-night residency at the Porches Writing Retreat in Virginia for a writer of flash fiction or flash nonfiction.MASSACHUSETTS POETRY FESTIVAL FIRST POETRY PRIZE
Deadline: March 15. NB: “For students and those for whom $10 represents a financial burden, a no-fee submission option is available” directly on the submissions page. “The 2023 Massachusetts Poetry Festival returns to downtown, Salem, MA, May 5-7, 2023. Friday, May 5, the Festival’s opening headline event will start with a reading of a poem by a New England writer. The winner of the contest will be invited to join us at the Festival and read the winning poem in person if they are able. 1st place also comes with a prize of $250. Two honorary mentions will be awarded $50 each. The names of our winners and the text of the winning poems will be published on the Festival website.” Also note: “This contest is open to all New England writers or writers who have previously lived in New England. This year’s guest judge is Charles Coe. Those with a relationship to the guest judge that may represent a conflict of interest such as very close friends or mentees are not eligible for the contest….There are no restrictions on length or poetic style.”THE MASTHEADS SUMMER RESIDENCY
Deadline: March 15. “Five writers across disciplines (poetry, fiction, non-fiction, translation, playwriting, comics, and more) are awarded residencies,” which will take place July 1 - July 22 at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead in Pittsfield, MA. “Residents are reimbursed for travel to and from Pittsfield. They receive full room & board within walking distance of the studios, on the campus of Miss Hall’s School. This includes a private room in a small dormitory building shared with the four other residents, as well as breakfast, dinner, and a bagged lunch. Residents will also have a shared common room with a refrigerator and microwave, and access to campus amenities. Seasonal artists from other local organizations also stay on campus during the summer—an exciting interdisciplinary mix.”MOMENT INSTITUTE MIDDLE EAST FELLOWS
Deadline: March 15. “In spring 2023, the Moment Institute will host 10 American journalists interested in learning more about the greater Middle East region and the complexities of covering it in a new low-residency fellowship program. The program is geared specifically toward journalists who are already reporting or editing stories about the region, or who have plans to do so. Fellows will meet and learn from veteran Middle East journalists, experts and analysts in person, in Washington, D.C., and through virtual meetings. The fellowship includes opportunities for mentoring, brainstorming and networking. Fellows will receive a $5,000 stipend and two paid, three-day residencies in Washington.”SEWANEE WRITERS’ CONFERENCE FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Deadline: March 15. For fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and playwriting. Check the guidelines for eligibility. Scholarships cover conference tuition; fellowships cover tuition, room, and boardILLUMINATION PROSE PRIZE
Deadline: March 17. From Andrew College’s Spire Light. “One work of prose submitted as either creative nonfiction or fiction of 5,000 words or less will be awarded $100 and publication in the print journal.”JANE MARTIN POETRY PRIZE
Deadline: March 17. Based at Girton College, Cambridge University, this opportunity for those “resident in the UK” and (on February 1st 2023) “between 18 and 30 years of age” offers its winner £700 and an occasion to give a reading at a celebratory event at Girton College. “There will also be a second prize of £300 cash.” Rebecca Watts and Adam Crothers will lead the judging panel.2023 POPP AWARD (POETRY OF THE PLAINS AND PRAIRIES)
Deadline: March 17. “North Dakota State University Press seeks poetry submissions of any style for our annual Poetry of the Plains and Prairies letterpress chapbook publication. While authors may call any place home, their submissions must deftly capture the feeling of, as well as the reality of, living on the plains and prairies.” No simultaneous submissions. Award confers “$200 and a standard publication contract and national distribution.” Note also: “The author(s) must agree to give a public reading (in person or via Zoom) at a time and place in North Dakota, convenient to NDSU Press and the author, the day of, or soon after, publication.” Final judge: Brett Salsbury.ROMANCE ON THE ROAD TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION
Deadline: March 19. From Intrepid Times. “Travel is full of romance and romantic ideals, whether that’s a new relationship with a fellow traveler, a deep connection with a sublime landscape, or even the discovery of self and the self-love that follows. Romance leads us into unexplored territory, both internal and external. We may stumble into a journey we wouldn’t have taken otherwise because the possibility of love exists. For our latest travel writing competition, Intrepid Times is inviting travelers and writers from all countries, at all levels of writing experience, to explore this idea. Write an original, factual, first-person travel story about a time you experienced romance while traveling. Feel free to explore romance in all of its manifestations, but ensure that your travel story builds itself around the context of a place or experience. Editors will be looking for originality, voice, and a satisfying story arc that captures attention and makes use of imagery to pull the reader along at every step. One winner and up to three runners-up will be selected to have their work published on Intrepid Times. The winner will be paid a cash-prize of US $200, and the runners-up will receive our standard fee.” (The standard fee for contest-length work appears to be $50.)BRIDGE AWARDS RESIDENCY AT COVE PARK
Deadline: March 20. “For an artist based in Scotland whose career has been impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis, and has undergone successful treatment in the last two years and is in remission. In its first year, this two-week residency will take place during the late spring or summer of 2023 (dates negotiable). It is open to a person based in Scotland, at any stage of their career and working in any creative discipline. The aim is to provide the artist with time and space to reconnect with their practice, and to do this within the peaceful, supportive, and inspiring context of Cove Park and its national and international residency programme.” The selected artist will receive £450, plus a materials/research allowance of up to £150 and a travel allowance of up to £100.MAYA ANGELOU BOOK AWARD
Deadline: March 31. Founded in 2020 “to honor the legacy of Missouri-born author Maya Angelou,” this award “recognizes contemporary authors whose work demonstrates a commitment to social justice and diversifies contemporary American literature. The Maya Angelou Book Award recognizes works of poetry or fiction in alternating years. In 2023, the Maya Angelou Book Award will be given to a work of poetry.” Prize includes $10,000, “a reading tour of Missouri colleges, universities and libraries,” and other recognition. Note that entries must come from publishers; works with publication dates in 2022 or scheduled through November 2023 are eligible; entrants must reside in the U.S.; other eligibility criteria apply.A PUBLIC SPACE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: March 31 (application window opens March 1). Six-month fellowships open to writers internationally (writing in English) “who have not yet contracted to publish a book.” Fellowships confer a $1,000 honorarium, “editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine,” and other benefits. Previously for prose writers only, these fellowships are now open for poetry applicants as well.ELEANOR TAYLOR BLAND CRIME FICTION WRITERS OF COLOR AWARD
Deadline: March 31. A $2,000 grant “for an emerging writer of color” that is intended “to support the recipient in crime fiction writing and career development activities.” No citizenship requirements.ANNE BROWN ESSAY PRIZE
Deadline: March 31. Based at the Wigtown Book Festival in partnership with The Herald, this £1,500 prize “will be awarded for the best literary essay, published or unpublished, by a writer in or from Scotland.”PAUL ENGLE PRIZE
Deadline: March 31. From the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature. “This prize does not recognize one work, nor is it solely limited to reflecting literary achievement. Rather, the award seeks to recognize a writer, like Engle, who makes an impact on his or her community and the world at large through efforts beyond the page. It also seeks to raise awareness about Engle and his works….As of 2021, the winner receives a $20,000 cash award and a one-of-a-kind work of art.” Self-nominations are not accepted.FOLEY POETRY CONTEST
Deadline: March 31. From America (“the Jesuit Review”): “Each entrant is asked to submit one poem of 45 lines or fewer.” “Poems may address any topic.” Awards $1,000 and publication. “Three runners-up will also be published in subsequent issues.” No simultaneous submissions.NERVOUS GHOST BOOK PRIZE(S)
Deadline: March 31. Appears to award two prizes (one in prose and one in poetry). “Entries are welcome from anyone, anywhere in the United States of America. If you are currently living outside of the US, but you have a valid address inside the US, you are eligible to enter (PO boxes/ personal mailboxes are not considered valid addresses).” Winner receives “a $1000 dollar advance on royalties” and “standard publishing contract.”NATAN NOTABLE BOOKS AWARD
Deadline: March 31 (for books published between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023). Twice yearly, Natan selects a “Natan Notable Book,” “a recently-published or about-to-be published non-fiction title that will catalyze conversations aligned with the themes of Natan’s grantmaking: reinventing Jewish life and community for the twenty-first century, shifting notions of individual and collective Jewish identity, the history and future of Israel, and the evolving relationship between Israel and world Jewry. Natan Notable Book winners receive a Natan Notable Book seal and $5,000 for the author, marketing/distribution coaching and promotion from Jewish Book Council and Natan, and customized support designed to bring the book and/or the author to new audiences.”RESTLESS BOOKS PRIZE FOR NEW IMMIGRANT WRITING
Deadline: March 31. Currently open for nonfiction entries (“a memoir, a collection of essays, or a book-length work of narrative nonfiction”). Submissions “should address some combination of identity, the meeting of cultures and communities, immigration and migration, and today’s globalized society.” Among eligibility criteria: “Candidates must be first-generation residents of their country. ‘First-generation’ can refer either to people born in another country who relocated, or to residents of a country whose parents were born elsewhere….Nonfiction candidates must not have previously published a book of nonfiction in English.” Prize includes $10,000 and publication.DEBORAH ROGERS FOUNDATION AWARD
Deadline: March 31. “The Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award was the first initiative of the Deborah Rogers Foundation, set up in 2015 in memory of the much loved and respected literary agent, Deborah Rogers. In keeping with Deborah’s special talent for nurturing and supporting emerging new writers, the Award gives £10,000 to a previously unpublished writer whose submission of 15,000- 20,000 words demonstrates literary talent and who needs financial support to complete their first book. The submitted work can be fiction, non-fiction, children’s or short stories. Applicants must reside in the British Commonwealth or Eire. The winner receives £10,000 and the two shortlisted authors £1,000 each.” Judges: Abdulrazak Gurnah (Chair), Claire Adam and Annalena McAfee. NB: Check the detailed FAQ for further information; that’s where I caught mention that they “do not accept submissions from writers with agents.”2023 SEJONG CULTURAL SOCIETY ESSAY COMPETITION
Deadline: March 31. For writers ages 19-30. Essay must respond to “The Glass Shield” by Kim Jung-hyuk (translation by Kevin O’Rourke is provided). Awards cash prizes ($1000/$750/$500, plus $50 honorable mention), plus possible publication.2023 SIJO COMPETITION
Deadline: March 31. Administered by the Sejong Cultural Society, this competition awards cash prizes (in the adult division: $1000/$750/$500, plus $50 honorable mention), plus possible publication.SILVERS GRANTS FOR WORK IN PROGRESS
Deadline: March 31. “Anglophone writers of any nationality may apply for up to $10,000 to support long-form essays in the fields of literary criticism, arts writing, political analysis, and/or social reportage. Applicants should have an editorial agreement with a publication or publishing house for the work under consideration.”RICHARD WISE PRIZES
Deadline: March 31. “Anyone resident in the UK” is invited to write on the topic “Is it a crime to be poor?”. “We ask for a piece of writing that is readable, interesting and original: an essay, a blog, a short story, a poem, a play, a letter (to someone real or imaginary), a film or TV script or a personal account drawn from your own life.” A first prize of £150 and two second prizes of £50 will be awarded in three categories: “open to everyone age 18 and over”; “for anyone who has experienced detention or custody (in prison, secure hospital, young offender institution, immigration removal centre etc), not currently under the
supervision of the criminal justice system”; and “for young people up to age 18.”SHOALS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
Deadline: April 1. From the Shoals Marine Laboratory (Appledore Island, New Hampshire). This program “offers artists the opportunity to pursue their work immersed in Appledore’s beautiful landscapes, free of everyday distractions. The 5-6 selected artists reside on the island, one at a time, for 2-3 concurrent weeks between May and August. Artists blend personal creative time with art programming designed for students enrolled in SML courses.” Residency includes housing, meals, and more as detailed on the website. NB: “Two-week residencies are preferred and typically run from a Sunday to a Sunday.” (Thanks to Jennifer Messner for leading me to this one.)MARGUERITE AND LAMAR SMITH FELLOWSHIP FOR WRITERS
Deadline: April 1. From September 1-December 1, “the writing fellow will reside in a spacious private apartment inside Carson McCullers’s childhood home, the Smith-McCullers House. The fellow is provided with a stipend of $5,000 to cover costs of transportation, food and other incidentals.”WERGLE FLOMP HUMOR POETRY CONTEST
Deadline: April 1. Now in its 22nd year, this contest from WinningWriters.com “seeks today’s best humor poems” (published or unpublished). “First Prize: $2,000 plus a two-year gift certificate from our co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value). Second Prize: $500. Honorable Mentions: 10 awards of $100 each. Top 12 entries published online.” Note: “Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions).” Judges: Jendi Reiter and Lauren Singer.GWENN A. NUSBAUM/WALT WHITMAN BIRTHPLACE ASSOCIATION (WWBA) POETS TO COME SCHOLARSHIP
Deadline: April 3. “The $1500 scholarship is offered in the spirit of Walt Whitman’s poem of that title: ‘POETS to come! / Not to-day is to justify me and answer what I am for, / But you, a new brood… / Leaving it to you to prove and define it, / Expecting the main things from you.’” Open to U.S. citizens 25-25 years of age who “demonstrate a scholastic or pre-professional track of outstanding poetic writing; all poetic forms, styles, types, themes, and topics are acceptable.”
REMINDER: Multiple opportunities listed in last month’s newsletter remain open into March.
5. SUBMISSION ALERTS
Re-opened in February for submissions of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction: BALTIMORE REVIEW. Payment: “$50 via Amazon gift certificate or $50 through PayPal, if preferred.”
A reminder from HUB CITY PRESS: “Our open periods for unagented query submissions are March/April and September/October. You may only submit queries during these months.” They publish “books of literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, regional nonfiction, nature, and art. We are seeking new and extraordinary voices from the American South” (and they explain their definition of “American South” within their guidelines).
From NEW ORLEANS REVIEW: “In celebration of Disability Awareness Month, there are no submission fees for writers living with both visible and invisible disabilities for the month of March.” They pay $300 for fiction and nonfiction and $100 for poetry.
According to its website, SHENANDOAH will be open for poetry submissions beginning March 1; they’ll remain open until they receive 500 submissions. [UPDATING to note that now that the Submittable window has opened it appears that they’ll be open for a week at most; perhaps they expect the 500 submissions to arrive by then. In any case: Hurry, if you’re interested in sending them something.] Pays: $100/poem.
Ireland-based SOUTHWORD remains open for short-story submissions through the end of March. Pays: €250. “Payment to writers within the Republic of Ireland is made by cheque. Writers abroad must accept payment through PayPal.”
March is a fee-free submissions month for everyone at SPLIT LIP (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.” (Split Lip has also announced something new: They’re now looking “for micro reviews of recently released short literary work! Got a close reading of a single poem you love in the notes app of your phone? Maybe there was a line in a short story that’s been haunting you? Perhaps there’s an essay that everyone needs to be reading? Whatever it might be, send a review of it to us!” As always, read the detailed guidelines. Pays: $25.)
SUNDOG LIT opens March 1 for submissions of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction; “the first 300 submissions” are free. Pays: $25.
“As part of TIGER BARK PRESS’s ongoing commitment to printing quality poetry by a diversity of voices, the press holds an open reading period throughout the month of March each year, for full-length book manuscripts by American poets who identify as Black, as indigenous, or as people of color….Selected poets will be offered a standard publishing contract, with books scheduled for publication within one year of acceptance.”
Between March 5 and March 11, THE FABULIST will welcome short fantastical fiction, including but not limited to work addressing a special thematic interest in “anti-dystopianism.” Per their guidelines, they pay a $25 honorarium.
This one’s intended for the Canadians: Per this Twitter thread, MAISONNEUVE is accepting pitches until March 5 for its Summer 2023 issue, “which will be themed around tech.” They seek “reported features, essays and comment pieces of varying lengths, plus visual submissions in the form of comics. We love publishing things that might not easily find a home elsewhere and love working with new and emerging writers!” Via email, I was able to obtain the following information regarding payment: “Largely speaking, our rates are $0.15/word.”
March 9 is the deadline to send “new fiction and nonfiction content of approximately 1500 words” for ISLAND ONLINE’s consideration. Pays: $300. NB: Submissions from “Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only.”
March 10 is the deadline for essay submissions for BRIGHT WALL/DARK ROOM’s planned issue on siblings in film. “Whether it’s a story of rivalry, loyalty, or both, we’re interested in exploring the dynamic and complex relationships between siblings on screen. There are so many movies to choose from, the sky’s the limit: from the hilarious (Step Brothers, Twins) to the grotesque (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Sisters), from the Wes-Anderson canon (The Darjeeling Limited, The Royal Tenanbaums) to the “oh god, did they just kiss?” (Star Wars), from the incredibly comforting (Little Women, Pride and Prejudice) to the incredibly sad (The Bridge to Terabithia, You Can Count on Me).” Pays: $50.
March 10 is also the deadline for open-theme submissions at Canada-based CARTE BLANCHE, whose mandate “is to provide a venue for narrative of all forms from fiction and nonfiction, to poetry and photo essays.” Pays an unspecified honorarium. Note: “To allow our editors to read your work with care within a reasonable time frame, we have added a submission cap for the poetry section, so please submit early.”
Also open until March 10: HAMMOCK, “a platform for contemporary writing from the Indian subcontinent and beyond. We focus on new, unique and exploratory writing that goes beyond the obvious. Whether it’s fiction, narrative non-fiction, interviews, recommendations, personal essays, culture or something that doesn’t quite fit any of those, our goal is to bring you what’s fresh and pushes the envelope, while employing an author-first approach.” Per this Twitter thread, pay ranges from “60-250 USD.”
Canada-based CANTHIUS, “an intersectional feminist magazine that publishes poetry and prose by writers of marginalized gender identities,” is open for submissions until March 15. (NB: “Please note that Submittable caps the number of submissions we can receive during each calendar month. Every first of the month, the cap is reset and the forms will open again.”) Payment: “Writers accepted for publication will receive $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. Contributors will also receive a complimentary a copy of the issue and a discounted price on any further copies of the issue in which their work appears.”
Australia-based WESTERLY, which publishes “short stories, micro-fiction, poetry, memoir and creative non-fiction, artwork, essays and literary criticism,” is open for submissions until March 19 (scholarly submissions are welcome year-round). Pay rates are detailed on the website. Note: “We encourage our contributing authors to be subscribers of the journal, and support the publication which is supporting them! For this reason, we will offer any authors selected for publication who are not subscribers the option to take out a discounted year’s subscription as part-payment for their work.”
BEAUTIFUL DAYS PRESS is “accepting submissions of both full length and chapbook-length manuscripts” until March 20 (chapbooks: poetry; full-length collections: poetry and “hybrid poetical works.” Compensation: “We’re committed to compensating authors, within our means. Compensation will be agreed upon in consultation with selected authors upon acceptance.” NB: “Translations are very welcome as long as you attach to your submission written proof that you have permission to publish the translated text.”
Closing March 31: THE FIDDLEHEAD, which is currently open for submissions of poetry from Canadians only. Payment: $60 CAD/published page, plus two copies.
Also closing March 31, for short fiction and narrative essays: MIDNIGHT & INDIGO, “a literary platform dedicated to [work] by Black women writers.” Pays $0.08 per word (min. $120) for short stories and $100 for essays.
Until April 1, THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY “invites readers to submit first-person narratives (under 1,000 words)” on the topic of “Splash.” Payment: “Authors of the selected essays will receive $100 and a free one-year subscription to the magazine,” plus publication.
Also until April 1: CLINCH, “a martial arts literary magazine,” is open for submissions of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Note: “Submissions do not have to mention the martial arts—though we prefer those that do. Instead, all submissions must share in the virtues of martial arts, those of patience, meditation, and surprise, whether that be in their technique or in their content.” Pays: “$15 honorarium per accepted work, payable via our Venmo (@clinchlit) on the day of publication.”
For a special online edition on the theme of “Invisibility,” NINTH LETTER welcomes submissions of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction until April 1. “Authors whose work is selected for this special feature will receive a small honorarium ($25 per poem, $75 per story or essay) and a complimentary 2-year subscription to Ninth Letter.”
TORONTO JOURNAL is also open until April 1. “We publish short stories from anywhere in the world. We will also consider non-fiction pieces about local history (Toronto, GTA, and surrounding)….We pay $50 per piece. All published writers will also receive two printed copies of the issue in which they appear.”
Also closing April 1: WEST BRANCH, which considers poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. “Payment is awarded for accepted works in the amount of $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100. Additionally, we provide each contributor with two copies of the issue in which his/her work appears and a one-year subscription to West Branch.” 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. We currently pay $200 per assigned review.”
Also until April 1, THE WOODWARD REVIEW welcomes “poetry, prose, hybrid and digital media.” Pays: $50.
New publication:
“is the internet boudoir of off-center beauty, literature and culture. Featuring art and writing on makeup, mental health, mortality, queerness, sex, gender, nostalgia, pop culture, parenthood, weird dreams, dark thoughts, and everything else.” Seeks “affecting personal essays/hybrid nonfictions on almost any topic” and pays$150 ($100 for interviews and $50 for “creative reviews”).$150 for essays and a flat $100 for interviews and creative reviews. UPDATED INFORMATION RECEIVED VIA EMAIL.Also new(ish):
, a creation from the same source that brings us (below). Submissions “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.” Considers reprints. Payment: “$10 for the chosen poem + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.”SHRAPNEL “publishes experimental writing from emerging writers in the genres of fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, and poetry. We also converse with the Canadian literary community through book reviews, interviews, and columns. We are also keen to publish graphic narratives and comics, as well as transgenre work that is not easily categorized. Please note that Shrapnel is not currently publishing stories centred around trauma or grief.” Payment: “All fiction, CNF, and essay publications are paid $60; book reviews are paid $40; hybrid works, comics and poems are paid $30. We’re eager to raise the pay as soon as possible depending on what funding we can secure.” Note: “We’re paying extra for your voice! On top of our rates for written work, we’ll chuck in an additional $5 for writers who are able to record themselves reading their piece.” (Hat tip: Jeanne Lyet Gassman.)
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: $40 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.”
Reminder:
, 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. Note: “If this is your first time, please visit our Story Guidelines page.” Pays: $250 plus 10 free copies.
REMEMBER: Some venues listed in last month’s newsletter remain open for submissions.
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)
(Friday) Finds for Writers
#SundaySentence
Occasional Notes from a Practicing Writer
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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”). And be sure to consult our collection of Jewish Writing Resources.
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.”