The Practicing Writer 2.0: September 2022
60+ 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 welcome back to the regulars!
For updates and additional opportunities between newsletters, please check the “Practicing Writing” blog and follow Erika Dreifus on Twitter (@ErikaDreifus) and/or Facebook.
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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!
It’s back-to-school season for many of us. If you’re in that group, I wish you a healthy, happy, and successful new year, whether you’re teaching or studying (or both!).
Speaking of new years—by the time the next (October) newsletter goes out, Jews around the world will have marked the beginning of our own new year: 5783. You’ll find a bit more about that in this issue’s featured resource, which may seem familiar if you were with us last year.
Now, if you’ll indulge me with something else that’s both timely and possibly familiar to some of you (in this case, to anyone who has read my story collection Quiet Americans): One of the stories in that collection, “Homecomings,” has recently been re-published.
Set in 1972, “Homecomings” combines some family history (yes, my own great-grandmother died early that year; and yes, some months thereafter, my German-Jewish-born grandparents returned to Europe for the first time after having fled in the late 1930s; and yes, my younger sister was born not too long after that) with a searing historical event: the terrorist attack on the Israeli team at the Munich Olympics, which began in the early morning hours of September 5. (If you need a refresher on this subject, you might also check my 2012 review of a nonfiction book about it.)
I wrote the first draft of “Homecomings” about 20 years ago, when I was an MFA student. (I’ve also written about the experience of workshopping the story.) It’s a story for which I won a deeply meaningful prize. It has never before been published online, and I’m immensely grateful to Moment magazine for wanting to share it with readers as we note the somber 50th anniversary of what is often remembered as the “Munich Massacre.”
One final note: Careful readers may notice that the online version of the story has been tweaked just a little bit from what’s printed in Quiet Americans, something I feel a bit less ambivalent about after catching some online validation for the practice of never-ending revision.
Thank you for taking a moment to join me in honoring the memories of the slain.
Erika
2. SUCCESS STORIES
Buckle up, everyone—we have a bunch of subscriber successes to celebrate this month!
From Kay Smith-Blum:
Thanks to discovering Grande Dame Lit via a recent newsletter of yours, I submitted a short fiction piece I’ve been working on for a year. After an initial rejection with suggestions for edits and to resubmit - am pleased to say my tale, “Lines,” [was] published on August 4, 2022….I never would have found them if not for your newsletter. Thank you!!
From Jane Snyder:
You mentioned Chicken Soup for the Soul in your newsletter. I don’t normally think about submitting, but I had an essay that fit the theme they had posted. I never heard back and sent the essay elsewhere with no acceptances. Lo and behold, after eighteen months I got a reply and they wanted my story. So, “Dinner with My Dad,” [is] in the newest volume in the book series. I’ve already read an advance copy and I’m proud to be joining the Chicken Soup family--in this especially poignant volume! Thanks for the reminder that they are always open for submissions!
From Aimee R. Cervenka:
I am pleased to share that one of my poems will be going out with tea and chocolate to subscribers of Off Topic Publishing’s Poetry Box series next month--how cool is that? An opportunity I learned of through this newsletter, so thank you!
From Annette Pearson:
I’ve just had an excerpt from a work-in-progress accepted by Kaleidoscoped which will be published in September. Thank you so much for providing the information about their themed issue on “Ghosts and Gossip” in your newsletter!
From Janet Garber:
Thanks to your newsletter, I became aware of many Jewish outlets and was successful in having two pieces published in Jewish Women of Words. Exciting for my words to appear in Australia! [ED note: Janet’s likely referencing an earlier issue’s mention of this resource that I’ve compiled, which, as I’m always careful to mention, is not limited to fee-free and paying venues: bit.ly/JewishWriting.]
Please share news from your writing practice that may be connected with this newsletter or our other resources. I love to note those successes in this space!
3. FEATURED RESOURCE
Here, I’m going to re-up a slightly altered version of a message that I conveyed last year at this time.
We all want to be inclusive in our literary-program planning. To that end, I suggest bookmarking this Hebcal.org page about the calendar of Jewish holidays and festivals.
Note especially the bolded dates when work is not permitted (and without going into details, I’ll explain that travel other than walking is also restricted). Please try to avoid scheduling events at those times. (Again, trying to avoid a detailed explanation, I’ll just note that for many Jews, these observances also affect their participation in any event scheduled only for a Friday night or Saturday, the weekly Jewish Sabbath or Shabbat.) And if you’re planning long-term, note that you can adjust the calendar for future years, because while the dates are consistent on the Jewish calendar, they land somewhat differently on each secular one.
The Jewish people are diverse. You may know self-identified Jews for whom traveling or Zooming or writing on Shabbat or one of the holidays on the Hebcal page poses no conflict. (NB: Hanukkah is NOT a holiday that requires anyone to abstain from work, food, or travel.)
But when you schedule events for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur or several other holidays (or, again, Shabbat), you will exclude many other Jews from participation.
I know that it’s not feasible to meet everyone’s needs all the time; to the extent that you are simply mindful of this issue, your effort will be appreciated.
Here, again, is the page I recommend.
4. CURRENT CONTESTS, COMPETITIONS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
YOUNG LIONS FICTION AWARD
Deadline: September 9. This $10,000 prize administered by the New York Public Library is awarded “to a writer age 35 or younger for a novel or a collection of short stories.” Eligibility limited to U.S. citizens with books published in 2022. Publisher must submit books.SECRET LIFE OF DATA SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Deadline: September 12 (9am BST). “We are looking for creative stories that bring to life the secret life of data – perhaps imagining this life as a journey, a quest, a romance, or a tragedy; thinking of a computer’s internal architecture as a house, a jungle, a zoo, or a city; and the data as characters facing danger in the form of various digital threats and vulnerabilities. This competition is part of the Digital Security by Design DSbD) Futures programme delivered by the ESRC funded Discribe Hub+. Shortlisted stories will be published in a Secret Life of Data Anthology and will help the DSbD research community think more creatively about the movement of data through new computer chip architectures.” Prizes: 1st prize-£1000, 2nd prize -£500, 3rd prize -£250. Open to writers everywhere. (Hat tip: Almond Press.)THE FORGE FLASH PROSE COMPETITIONS
Submissions: September 1-14 (“or when we receive 300 entries per category”). Prizes: “First-place winners will be awarded $500.00 (writers who reside outside the United States must be able to receive payment via Paypal) and publication.”FALCONER 150 ESSAY COMPETITION
Deadline: September 15. “Inspired by the multifaceted life and work of Hugh Falconer (1808-1865) botanist, geologist, palaeontologist,” this contest “celebrates 150 years since the Falconer Museum first opened to the public. The winning essay will be awarded £150 in prize money, with other prizes for three more essays. All winning essays will be published online and some will be included in an anthology about Hugh Falconer.” (Thanks to Sian Meades-Williams for alerting me to this one.)RUSSELL FREEDMAN AWARD FOR NONFICTION FOR A BETTER WORLD
Deadline: September 15. From the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Honor the late Russell Freedman, “Newbery Award winner and one of the modern masters of narrative nonfiction.” Entrants are asked to complete an application form; twenty finalists will be selected and their books will be provided to the judging committee. “Any nonfiction book published for children or young adults, released between January 1 and December 31, 2022, is eligible. You do not have to be a member of SCBWI to submit. However, your book must be published by a publisher on the SCBWI PAL list (shown in the dropdown field for the Book Publisher).” Prize includes “$2500, recognition in all SCBWI publications, and a virtual forum to give a speech before the entire children’s book community.”HADASSAH-BRANDEIS INSTITUTE RESEARCH AWARDS
Deadline: September 16. These grants “support research or artistic projects in Jewish women’s and gender studies across a range of disciplines.” Awards are “open to applicants regardless of gender or religion” and “applications (in English) from outside the United States are welcome.” Awards “junior grants” up to $2,000 and “senior grants,” up to $5,000, for “established scholars and professionals.”ART OF UNITY CREATIVE AWARD
Deadline: September 30. From the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) in conjunction with Yahad-in Unum Mid America. “The most important hallmark of Holocaust remembrance and education is the phrase ‘never again.’ Unfortunately, tribal divisions, ethnic cleansing and genocides continue in the 21st Century. We are looking for submissions in any creative media (which can be exhibited online), and which highlight aspects of human unity, and positive cross-pollination between groups, ethnicities, religions and/or nations.” Confers first ($100), second ($75) and third ($50) place awards, as well as three honorable mentions, in four categories: Poetry, Short Story, Essay, and Youth (18 and under).CREATORS OF JUSTICE LITERARY AWARDS
Deadline: September 30. From the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF). Confers first ($100), second ($75) and third ($50) place awards, as well as three honorable mentions, in three categories: Poetry, Short Story and Essay. Seeks submissions on “any human rights theme” that highlight “the IHRAF values of beauty, sincerity, vulnerability and celebrating diversity.”CULLMAN CENTER FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: September 30. From the New York Public Library’s Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, for “outstanding scholars and writers….Foreign nationals conversant in English are welcome to apply. Candidates for the Fellowship will need to work primarily at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building rather than at other divisions of the Library.” Confers stipend of up to $75,000, “the use of an office with a computer, and full access to the Library’s physical and electronic resources.” Fellowship term runs from September through May.PATRICIA ESCHEN PRIZE FOR POETRY
Deadline: September 30 (“23.59 GMT”). “The 2022 competition does not have a theme – poems can be on any subject that kindles your imagination, to a maximum line length of 40 lines for each poem.” For unpublished work. Open to international entries. Prizes: In the adult division, there will be a first prize £1000; a second prize of £500; and a third prize of £300.” There are also prizes for a children’s competition. Judges: Katrina Naomi and Penelope Shuttle. UPDATED TO NOTE THAT THOUGH COPYRIGHT REMAINS WITH AUTHORS, TERMS MAY NOT APPEAL TO ALL WRITERS. REMINDER: ALWAYS READ THE TERMS!SEJONG INTERNATIONAL SIJO COMPETITION
Deadline: September 30 (“11:59pm CDT USA”). “The sijo is a traditional three-line Korean poetic form organized technically and thematically by line and syllable count. Using the sijo form, write one poem in English on a topic of your choice.” Cash prizes: “Winner: $500 USD; Runner-up: $250 USD; Honorable Mentions: $100 USD.” Note: Nancy Jorgensen has recently published “Secrets to a $500 Poem,” an article that discusses this contest.SPECULATIVE LITERATURE FOUNDATION WORKING CLASS WRITERS GRANT
Applications: September 1-30. Awarded annually “to speculative fiction writers who are working class, blue-collar, financially disadvantaged, or homeless, who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction due to financial barriers which make it hard to access the writing world. Such lack of access might include an inability to purchase a computer, books, and tuition, or to attend conventions or workshops. Often, these writers, many of whom work more than one job, have less time to write. The SLF seeks to bring more of these marginalized voices into speculative fiction.” Grant amount: $1,000. Note: “Unlike our other grants, you may choose to receive this grant anonymously or pseudonymously.” Note also that “while we are based in America…this grant is available to international writers.”WILLIE MORRIS AWARDS FOR SOUTHERN WRITING
Deadline: September 30. Celebrates “honest, optimistic writing about the U.S. South” and recognizes “works in three genres—fiction, nonfiction and poetry. A national panel of judges reviews hundreds of nominated books and poems looking for works that ask readers to engage with the complexities of the U.S. South.” Prizes: “Fiction and nonfiction winners receive a cash prize of $12,000. The winner of the poetry category receives $3,000. Winners also receive an expenses-paid trip to Oxford, Miss., where we celebrate the winning writers as part of the Oxford Conference for the Book.” Note that current University of Mississippi students and employees are ineligible. For fiction and nonfiction, “books must be published during the submission year and cannot be self-published. Advanced reader copies or proofs for books that will be published in October, November or December of 2022 are eligible.” For poetry, “poets may submit one original, unpublished poem no longer than three pages that evokes the American South.”CAMARGO FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: October 1 (5:59 p.m. in New York/23:59 in Paris). “With this 2023-2024 edition, the Camargo Foundation’s historic residency program, known in recent years as the ‘core program’ returns to its original name, the Camargo Fellowship. Based on feedback from the residents, we are making several adjustments to the Camargo Fellowship program….We have adapted the length of the residencies so that they span a period of 10 weeks. We have increased the resources provided to the residents. Finally, we have given the Fellowship program pride of place within Camargo’s activities.” Selected applicants “are awarded residencies in a stunning, contemplative environment where they have the space, time, and freedom to think, create, and connect.” NB: “A stipend of EUR 350 per week is provided (EUR 3500 for the entire duration of the residency), as is funding for basic transportation to and from Cassis per Fellow. In the case of air travel, basic coach class booked in advance is covered.”FURIOUS GAZELLE HALLOWEEN WRITING CONTEST
Deadline: October 1. “Send us your Halloween-themed poetry, fiction, short plays, and creative non-fiction.” Prizes: “The first-place winner will receive $50. Runners up will receive publication and a $5 honorarium.”GINOSOKO LITERARY JOURNAL FLASH FICTION CONTEST
Deadline: October 1. The theme for this contest is “the sacred.” Submissions may be no longer than 1000 words. Prize: $1,000. (Thanks to Pamelyn Casto’s Flash Fiction Flash newsletter for the tip about this one.)LUSCHEI PRIZE FOR AFRICAN POETRY
Deadline: October 1. Annual award of USD $1,000, under the auspices of the African Poetry Book Fund. “Established in 2015 and named for the literary philanthropist Glenna Luschei, this Pan African Poetry Prize is the only one of its kind in the world and aims to honor and promote African poetry written in English or in translation and to recognize a significant book published each year by an African poet. Each year, a significant African writer judges the contest.”NATAN NOTABLE BOOKS AWARD
Deadline: October 1 (for non-fiction titles published for the first time between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023). This twice-yearly award for nonfiction books on Jewish themes “highlights vital books and authors, and brings innovative and important ideas to the attention of diverse audiences. Around Passover and the Jewish High Holidays, 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.” Prize: “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.”THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY CHILDREN’S HISTORY BOOK PRIZE
Deadline: October 1 (received). This award “encourages authors to continue to create engaging and challenging narratives that provide a window into the past for middle readers and their families. The winning author is awarded $10,000. The jury comprises librarians, educators, historians, and families with middle-grade readers.” Note that only books published in 2022 are eligible.PERITO PRIZE
Deadline: October 1 (23:00 GMT). International award for “outstanding new short fiction of between 1000 and up to 2000 words” that “is centred around the theme of accessibility, inclusion, diversity & inclusive environments.” Confers £500 and publication to first-prize winner. “You should be OK with participating in the Anthology and ideally with the podcasting and other items on the Perito website and social media and other related promotional activities.”AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY FELLOWSHIPS FOR CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTISTS AND WRITERS
Deadline: October 5. Confers residencies of four weeks for “historical research by creative and performing artists, writers, film makers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history, literature, and culture.” Note: “For fellows who reside on campus in the Society’s scholars’ housing, located next to the main library building, the stipend will have the room fee deducted from the $2,000 stipend. (Room fees range from $700 to $500 per month.) The stipend will be $2,000 for fellows residing off campus. Fellows will not be paid a travel allowance.”
REMINDER: Multiple opportunities listed in last month’s newsletter remain open into and/or through September. Be sure that you haven’t missed them!
5. SUBMISSION ALERTS
A prefatory note: Occasionally, a publication that has not charged submission fees in the past will add one without posting an announcement in advance (or without posting one that I’ve encountered). Since I research and confirm listings ahead of the start of each month, it can happen that a publication that I believe is still fee-free will appear as newly fee-charging only after the newsletter goes out (and the actual submission platform opens). In these instances, I update the online, archived versions of the newsletter as soon as I become aware of the change, but the version in your email won’t reflect those updates. I apologize for any inconvenience. Please remember: As I mention toward the end of each and every issue, I strive for utmost accuracy as I provide this free service, but you should always, always verify opportunities for yourself!
In any case: Here’s hoping that no such updates will be necessary this month, when LOTS of new reading periods will begin.
Re-opening for submissions on September 1 (and closing at the end of October):BRICK,“an international literary journal published twice a year out of Toronto. With a focus on literary non-fiction—and a willingness to stray when our hearts are taken—the magazine prizes the personal voice and celebrates life, art, and the written word with the most invigorating and challenging essays, interviews, translations, memoirs, belles lettres, and unusual musings we can get our hands on.” Pays: “$55–660, depending on the length of accepted work, plus two copies of the issue the work appears in and a one-year subscription to the magazine.”Updated on September 1: It now appears that BRICK will re-open on October 1, closing again at the end of October.Also re-opening on September 1 (for print-journal submissions): THE CINCINNATI REVIEW. Pays: $25/page for prose; $30/page of poetry. They’ll be open for the month—unless they hit a cap; submit early!
Re-opening for submissions on September 1 (and remaining open until November 1): FOGLIFTER, a literary journal “of the most dynamic, urgent LGBTQ+ writing today. It’s a space where queer and trans writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace.” Pays: “Contributors receive two copies of the issue in which they appear and a $50 honorarium (via PayPal).”
Open for unagented query submissions in September (and October): HUB CITY PRESS, which publishes “books of literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, regional nonfiction, nature, and art. We are seeking new and extraordinary voices from the American South. Well-crafted, high-quality works by new and established authors. We are particularly interested in books with a strong sense of place.” NB: “We can no longer accept queries for poetry collections or short story collections during our open submission period.”
Another one re-opening on September 1: THE JOURNAL OF COMPRESSED CREATIVE ARTS, which accepts “fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way. Work is published weekly, without labels, and the labels here only exist to help us determine its best readers.” Pays: $50.
From THE KENYON REVIEW: “Our general submission period opens on September 1 and closes on September 30, 2022. In 2023, our magazine will feature two themed issues, one focused on WOMEN’S HEALTH and one on FOOD. We invite work that broadly considers these two themes. There will also be submission calls from guest editors to come; check back in September for more information. In addition to guest-edited folios and thematic materials, we’ve reserved a significant portion of publication space for work that might be categorized as general submissions. When you submit your work you will have the option to identify it for general consideration or for one of the themed issues.” Pays unspecified amounts on publication.
NASHVILLE REVIEW is open for submissions of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and translation throughout September. Payment: “$25 per poem and $100 for prose and art pieces.” NB: “We cap the number of submissions to be considered at 750 per section.”
At SHENANDOAH, prose submissions “will be open from September 1, 2022 to September 15, 2022 (or until we reach 800 submissions).” Pays: “$100 per 1000 words of prose up to $500.”
Open during September (or at least until they may need to “shut free subs early due to a really-rad-but-also-overwhelming response”): SPLIT LIP. Pays: “$50 per author for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art, and $25 for interviews/reviews for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies.” Two notes: 1) fee-free subs are open to Black writers and artists year-round and 2) for interviews/reviews (which also pay), follow the instructions to query off-Submittable.
During the month of September, the UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA PRESS is open for poetry-book manuscript submissions from Canadian citizens and landed immigrants. (Collections of short fiction and manuscripts of creative nonfiction “including books of travel/adventure literature for our Wayfarer series,” are received year-round. “We do not publish novels.”)
UPSTREET also re-opens, for fiction and creative nonfiction, on September 1. Pays: “between $50 and $250 for short stories or essays,” plus one copy and a discount on additional copies purchased.
September 5 is the deadline for submissions at TACO BELL QUARTERLY, which seeks “literary/creative essays, short stories, fiction/prose, poems, comics, art, one act plays, fever dreams, multimedia, stupid status updates, criticisms, manifestos, recipes and anything else that explore any and all elements of Taco Bell. Or not. Shoehorn a chalupa in your short story. Maybe we’ll love it. An elegy for the discontinued menu items? Fine. An experimental essay about marine biology and the XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito? Awesome. Review the new Beefy Fritos Burrito and how it reminds you of the time your grandma died? We want it. Something that introduces us to inventive form, dynamic language, and strong voice. Or perhaps it does none of the above….We lean towards pieces that are queer and center their pain/joy in a Taco Bell.” Pays: $100.
Per a recent newsletter, CUTLEAF will be open to nonfiction submissions from September 6 to September 30, 2022, “and we can’t wait to spend time with your words! We’re interested in essays of many forms, but we prefer a narrative and literary approach to the essay. We do not limit our point of view to the merely factual, but welcome new approaches such as speculative nonfiction, essays based in metaphor, essays in verse, and other re-imaginings of the format.” Payment: “from $100 to $400 for published nonfiction prose.” NB: The same newsletter issue mentions a September 5 deadline for another opportunity, one that was mentioned in our own May issue: the EASTOVER PRESS RURAL WRITERS OF COLOR SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY.
UK-based LUNATE welcomes “short stories of approximately 2,000 to 5,000 words” until September 9. Pays: “All published writers will receive a copy of the journal and a fee of £75.”
Until September 11, Arts Access Australia “is inviting d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent writers and poets to submit a poem, flash fiction, short story, non-fiction work or personal essay for our online magazine WRITING PLACE.” The magazine “is published annually as part of Meeting Place, our annual forum on arts, culture and accessibility. The submitted works should tie in with the Meeting Place 2022 theme around the rights of the individual, as creator, worker, and human. Submissions are open to Australian and international d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent writers and poets.” Payment: AUD$200 (exclusive of GST).”
Australia-based SCIENCE WRITE NOW is open for submissions on “Science, Disability, and the Body” until September 12 (11:59 AEST). Payment: “We pay $0.30/word up to $390 for new writing, $70 for a single poem or $180 for three poems, $40 for reprint stories or essays, and $20 for reprint poems.”
Also based in Australia, ISLAND is open to poetry submissions for its print journal (from Australia and New Zealand residents only) until midnight on September 13. Payment: “$125 per poem published, less the cost of a 4-issue subscription if you are not a current subscriber.”
Meantime, ISLAND ONLINE seeks (also only from Australia and New Zealand residents only, and also until midnight on September 13) “new short essays and works of fiction under 1500 words. Essays can be wide-ranging in theme – we will consider pieces reflecting on nature and the environment, the arts, society and culture. While we will certainly consider more traditional forms, we have a strong interest in experimental and literary approaches to form and content.” Pays: $200. (You’ll find one more fee-free and paying opportunity with Island, with a deadline later in September, later on this page.)
GUTTER will close on September 15. This “magazine of new Scottish and international writing, dedicated to creating space for poetry and prose in Scotland and beyond,” also features “essays in our non-fiction section, Scance, which takes its name from the versatile Scots word for all things investigative, exploratory, conversational and unbelievable. Gutter is open to essays on any subject - previous essays have covered birdwatching, substance abuse, community care and historical memoir – as long as the work has literary merit.” Payment: “a flat fee of £25 for work published in the mag, regardless of length or style. This will be paid by cheque….Published authors will also receive a complimentary copy of the issue.” (Thanks to @Duotrope for the reminder here.)
September 15 is also the deadline if you want to pitch NARRATIVELY’s deputy editor Jesse Sposato, who is “assigning and editing a series about TURNING FAILURE ON ITS HEAD, i.e., times when failure in one area turned out to be positive in another, or when failure taught you an important lesson that helped shape you.” Per the thread, “rates start at $1,0000.” (Caught this one thanks to Kaitlyn Arford.)
And another September 15 deadline: QWERTY, “a graduate student-run magazine at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton,” will close for submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry (and artwork and photography) on that date. Query for reviews/interviews. Pays: “a small honorarium (CDN $15)” and a contributor copy.
Slated to re-open on September 15: general submissions of poetry and creative nonfiction (there’s a fiction backlog at the moment) at THE FIDDLEHEAD. Payment: “$60 CAD per published page, plus two complimentary copies of the issue with your work. Contributors may purchase additional copies of an issue at a discount.”
Another Canadian publication that will re-open on September 15: GRAIN. Pays: “All contributors, regardless of genre, are paid $50 per page to a maximum of $250, plus two copies of the issue in which their work appears. Visual work published inside the magazine (in black and white) and on the cover (in colour) is paid at the same page rate as text contributions to a maximum of $500.” On their website they mention that they have “a monthly Submittable cap, and if we reached the said cap, online submissions will be closed until the following month. If you’d like to submit but our account is full, you can either submit by mail or wait until the 1st of the following month.”
Also slated to re-open on September 15: POETRY magazine. Pays: “For text poems, we pay $10/line with a minimum honorarium of $300 per poem. For visual poems, audio poems, and video poems, we pay $300 per poem. If a piece is published in multiple formats, such as print and video, we pay for each format.”
Canadian publisher Renaissance will open a submissions window on September 15 for MIGHTY, “an anthology of disabled superheroes,” for which editors Emily Gillespie and Jennifer Lee Rossman “are actively seeking stories written by and about people who are physically disabled, developmentally disabled, neurodiverse, blind or low vision, d/Deaf, mentally ill, have invisible disabilities, manage chronic conditions, and anyone else who identifies with this community. If you are comfortable with the word ‘disabled’ being used to describe yourself and your character, we want to read your story.” Payment: “0.08CAD per word” and a copy.
I’ve been advised via email that THE MAINE REVIEW will hold a fee-free window from September 15 to September 21 in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Pays: “Fiction and Nonfiction writers receive a $25 honorarium per published flash (1,000 words or fewer) and a $50 honorarium for work 1,001 words or more. Poets receive a $25 honorarium per published poem.”
Also in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, TYPEHOUSE, starting September 15 (and continuing until October 15), will welcome no-fee submissions from “all Hispanic/Latine/x creators, not limited to those in the US.” They consider poetry, prose, and visual art, and they pay $25.
From DOROTHY, A PUBLISHING PROJECT, “an award-winning feminist press dedicated to works of fiction or near fiction or about fiction”: “Our next open reading period will begin mid-September of 2022. At that time, we will be considering manuscripts for our Fall 2024 season.”
RECKONING, with a tagline of “creative writing for environmental justice,” remains open until September 22. Theme: “oceans.” Note: “We’d love to publish more work in translation! We’re currently open to considering writing in Spanish, French or Swedish for potential translation. For work already translated into English, we pay the same rate to both author and translator.” Payment: “8 cents per word (US) for prose, $30 per page for poetry, art negotiable, minimum $25 per piece.”
THE PURITAN, which is based in Canada and welcomes writers “from anywhere in the world,” accepts submissions year-round; submissions received by September 25 will be considered for the fall issue. Pay rates detailed on the website.
Submissions for the third cycle of the ISLAND ONLINE AUSTRALIAN NATURE WRITING PROJECT are open until September 28. “Through a series of seminars, mentorships and publishing opportunities, Island seeks to encourage the development of new creative literary responses to bolster an underrepresented literary genre in Australia: Nature Writing.” Pays: “$400 will be paid for each successful piece on publication.” Limited to Australian citizens and residents.
September 30 is the deadline for submissions for a Renaissance Press short-fiction anthology to be titled THERE’S NO PLACE: TALES OF HOME BY STORYTELLERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS, which will be edited by HE Casson. Pays: “0.08CAD” and a copy.
Closing October 1: Canada-based CARTE BLANCHE, which is planning a “Hybridity” issue for which they “invite contributors to submit works that defy categorization. This can include prose poetry, flash fiction, photo essays, poetry comics, cross-genre literature, and everything in-between.” Note that a cap applies for poetry submissions. Pays: “a modest honorarium.”
Also closing October 1: GORDON SQUARE REVIEW. Pays: “$25 per prose piece and $10 per poem.”
And also closing October 1: short story submissions for THE LAST LINE; all stories must conclude with this year’s chosen line (provided in the guidelines). Pays: $20-$40 for fiction (USD), plus one copy (check the note for international submitters).
THE COMMON, in collaboration with guest co-editor Miguel M. Morales, “will publish a portfolio of writing from the farmworker and farm laborer community: the migrant, seasonal, and often immigrant laborers who make up much of the US agricultural workforce.” They welcome work “from current and former farmworkers of all ages, as well as those raised in farmworker families who experienced the stories and effects of this work through their parents or other relations.” They seek “original unpublished submissions of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid works. We welcome writing from emerging and established writers as well as those with no previous publication history or writing background.” Note that pieces “may be submitted in English or Spanish. For work in other languages, please arrange to have at least two pages translated into English as a sample. We will commission translations for works we are interested in publishing. Translated pieces for which the translator has secured the rights are also welcome.” Payment: $200 for prose pieces and $40 per poem. Submissions are now open and will close February 1, 2023.
A reminder from ROXANE GAY: “I am reading submissions to The Audacity’s Emerging Writer Series. Read the guidelines and submit your best writing. Submissions will be open until I have 24 essays.” Note that writers “are paid a flat rate of $2,000” and that “you can only have three publications or fewer and no books or book contracts.”
TRANSFORMATIONS, “a project of the Narrative Storytelling Initiative at Arizona State University and a publishing channel of the Los Angeles Review of Books,” is open for submissions year-round. “Please send us a brief pitch about your transformation narrative, a brief bio & links to other writing. We also accept ‘snapshot’ essays & books excerpts!” Asked for pay rates on Twitter, they responded: “All contributors, with the exception of academics, are paid ~$75 for their work. The final amount is up to the discretion of the Transformations editors.”
Multiple opportunities here. First, I noticed a recent post on the WRITER’S DIGEST site that included a mention that the magazine is “currently accepting submissions for our ‘For All Ages’ column—a 1,200-word, guest-written column about the craft of writing and the business of publishing for children, middle grade, and young adult readers (though we argue those books can and should be enjoyed by adults as well). Topics should be specific and written by those with experience in that area. Examples include: rhyming or page turns in picture books, advice for setting up school visits to connect with readers, using accurate and contemporary language and references for YA, etc.” Clicking over to the guidelines page as instructed, I then noticed several other developments in the works, including plans for two additional columns that are scheduled to launch with the March/April 2023 issue: “Next Draft,” which “will include an article of advice about how to edit or revise one’s writing” and “On Nonfiction.” Consider yourselves advised! Payment: “For manuscripts, we pay 30–50 cents per word, on acceptance, for first world rights for one-time print use and perpetual electronic use. Should we want to reprint anything we’ve purchased from you in anything other than electronic format, we’ll pay you 25% of the original purchase price per use. Contributor copies are sent to writers and artists whose work appears in that issue.”
Also in the realm of “writing on writing”: WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING is currently accepting pitches for two of their newsletters (you’ll need to scroll down a bit to reach the appropriate section). “The Markets Newsletter publishes at the end of each month and features interviews with editors of literary journals, agents, and book publishers, market profiles, and craft of writing pieces that tell you how to write for a specific market. The Author Marketing Newsletter publishes bimonthly mid month and features how-to articles and round-ups on a variety of topics to help authors market their books. We are open to pitches for both.” Pays: “Most articles pay $50 or $75. In-depth pieces that require many different sources to cover the topic and have a higher word count pay $100 or $150. Pay is on publication by PayPal only.”
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. 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.
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.”