Monday Markets for Writers: No Fees, Paying Gigs

dollar-sign-mdMonday brings the weekly batch of no-fee competitions/contests, paying submission calls, and jobs for those of us who write (especially those of us who write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction).

  • From McSweeney’s Internet Tendency: “For the 6th consecutive year, it’s column contest time.” Deadline; September 22 (10 pm Eastern). Pays: “The top five selections will each receive a $500 lump sum and a one-year contract to write your column (twice a month or thereabouts) for McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. We do reserve the right to choose fewer (or more) winners than our planned number of five.” No entry fee.
  • I’ve mentioned The First Line many times over the years. Now, the team behind that magazine is trying something new: The Last Line. “We’ve got a last line for you, and we want you to give us the story that ends there. We’ll follow the same guidelines as The First Line (300-5,000 words), with the twist that all of your stories must end with the last line provided.” Pays: “We pay on publication: $25.00 – $50.00 for fiction (all U.S. dollars). We also send you a copy of the issue in which your piece appears. You’ll receive your money and issue at the same time.” Deadline: October 1.
  • Until 11:59 p.m. (Atlanta, Georgia time) on October 20, 2014, Robert Lee Brewer will be accepting pitches for articles in the 2016 Writer’s Market. “So, what do I prefer? The best way to figure that out is to read a recent edition or two of Writer’s Market….Anyone familiar with the book will know that I’m looking for articles that will help freelancers find more success from a business perspective. Previous articles have tackled queries, book proposals, taxes, record keeping, business management, and more. If you’re an experienced source and can interview other sources, that is ideal. However, I’m unlikely to assign featured interviews with writers (as I tend to tackle those myself). I’m also not interested in articles on the craft of writing. While I think those pieces are extremely valuable, they’re just not a good fit for Writer’s Market. If you’re in doubt, go ahead and pitch it.” Pays: “[W]e do pay competitive rates for freelance articles. However, I don’t discuss those rates until the piece is assigned.” NB: Brewer has posted a similar call for the next Poet’s Market, with a slightly earlier deadline (October 15).
  • From Sharkpack Poetry Review: “SPR is looking for 1-3 poetry critics/theorists/close readers to join our team. Appointees will contribute majorly to the General Criticism, Comment, and Book/Chapbook Reviews categories. From our website: ‘In practice, the PACK seeks to create a space for pithy, incisive reviews of contemporary poems and poetry of the living past—poems as stand-alone art objects, extant outside the contexts of books and anthologies.’ Ideal writers will have a lively and unique essay style; fluency with literary terminology; superior grammar; a deep investment in poetry; and be self-starting. Writers at SPR have great latitude in choosing which poems and books to review; an individual of ‘Contributor’ status will write 5-7 pieces per year. Pay is $15-25 per article, with a small yearly bonus to full-time contributors.”
  • “Colgate University [New York] invites applications for the Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship in Creative Writing. Writers of nonfiction and fiction who have recently completed an MFA, MA, or PhD in creative writing, and who need a year to complete their first book, are encouraged to apply. The selected writers will spend the academic year (late August 2015 to early May 2016) at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. The fellows will teach one creative writing course each semester and will give a public reading from the work in progress. The fellowship carries a stipend of $37,500 plus travel expenses; health and life insurance are provided.”
  • “For appointment beginning in the fall of 2015, we seek a writer of fiction to teach two semesters at The George Washington University as the Jenny McKean Moore Writer-in-Washington.”
  • Good news for those seeking creative-writing teaching jobs in colleges and universities: The MLA Job Information List is back after its summer hiatus. I found 34 listings under “creative writing” last Friday. Access to the list is free, though you’ll need to create an account. I’m not going to list all the jobs I saw there (though I’ve already shared and am sharing here a bunch I’ve discovered via other sources), so be sure to bookmark the page and check it weekly if you’re interested in academic employment.
  • “The Department of English at the University of New Hampshire invites applications for a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor with demonstrated expertise to teach creative nonfiction and fiction writing workshops and form-and-technique courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Candidates must have published at least one book of nonfiction, preferably memoir or personal essay, and have a record of significant fiction and nonfiction publications in magazines and journals.”
  • “The Department of English at the University of Louisville [Kentucky] invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Creative Writing, specialization in fiction, with position to begin in Fall 2015.”
  • “The English Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln seeks a specialist in fiction writing, for a tenure-track appointment at the assistant professor level.”
  • “The Agnes Scott College [Georgia] Department of English invites applications for a tenure-track position at the level of assistant professor in creative writing with a specialization in fiction. Desirable secondary fields include screenwriting and cross- or multi-genre work, among others.”
  • Syracuse University [New York] seeks part-time faculty to teach two courses in spring 2015. Qualifications: “MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing is required. Looking for a fiction writer who writes literary fiction, has some publications, fellowships, and college teaching experience.”
  • From Rochester [New York] Institute of Technology: “Situated within a vibrant technological university, the English Department seeks a scholar in digital writing and new media production for a tenure-track position. Qualifications: Ph.D. or MFA in English or related field in Digital Humanities at time of appointment, evidence of outstanding college teaching, including the production of and experience using creative or critical digital projects in the classroom. Candidates should also have a developing research agenda and publication record. The candidate will specialize in one or more of the following: hypertext poetry and/or prose, interactive fiction, digital storytelling, game studies, or locative narrative, as well as having experience teaching with visual media such as film, television, and graphic art.”
  • “Zócalo Public Square, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Ideas Exchange that blends live events and humanities journalism, seeks an ambitious and dynamic Associate Editor to join our team.”
  • New York job at the 92nd Street Y: “Reporting to the Director of the Poetry Center the Poetry Center Assistant will assist in administering all Poetry Center programs, including the Main Reading Series, Books and Bagels, Children’s Reading Series, the Schools Project, and the Poetry Center/Union Settlement Association Adult Literacy Outreach Project. The job holder will also assist with the Writing Program as well as providing support the Director, Tisch Center of the Arts on other administrative duties.”