Friday Find: September Giveaways for Writers

Oh, this is good: Starting tomorrow, and running through the entire month of September, you have the chance to get yourself some very helpful writing tools--free of charge. Christina Katz ("The Writer Mama") is running this party, and The Practicing Writer is attending (two of our e-books will be up for giving on Saturday, September 8). Learn about all the other goodies to be distributed, and read the rules for getting your hands on them, right here. NB: You don't need to be a Writer Mama yourself to participate (or a Writer Papa for that matter--those of us who don't have kids of our own are welcome, too, for a change). When you join the party, please tell Christina that Erika, "The Practicing Writer," sent you.

Just a note for all this blog's faithful readers (and yes, I know you are out there!): Like a lot of people in the USA, I'm taking Monday off. So please be sure to check back here on Tuesday. In the meantime, newsletter subscribers can look forward to a September issue filled with markets, opportunities, and more arriving later today. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Fairy Tales for Writers

The nice folks over at A Midsummer Night's Press were kind enough to send me a review copy of a new title they thought I might appreciate, and they were right. Lawrence Schimel's Fairy Tales for Writers is a tiny book (really, more like a booklet) that rewrites old tales, essentially as poems, especially for us writers. They've posted two samples on the Web site, so you can go ahead and read "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Little Mermaid" for yourselves. (If I had to plan ahead to celebrate Christmas, and were thinking about stocking stuffers for a writer in my life, Fairy Tales for Writers would seem perfect.)

The Wednesday Web Browser

Roy Peter Clark assists us once again, this time in analyzing the effectiveness of long sentences.
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NPR brings us more about Connie Schultz--and an excerpt from her latest book.
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Yesterday the New York Times reported that five months after David Halberstam's death in a car accident last April, "some of this celebrated journalist's closest friends and colleagues will be banding together to cover different legs of a nationwide publicity tour for his final book," a history of America and the Korean War. To check dates and locations for that tour, click here.
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I'm very happy to lead you to a new essay, published in The Forward, from my friend Andrew Furman.

Low-Residency (or Summer Study) MFA and MA Programs

For three years (2004-07) I maintained (and routinely updated) a "Primer on Low-Residency MFA Programs," which was for sale online. This summer I made the guide freely available (you can find it through Friday, August 31, here). At the end of this month, however, I will retire that text from circulation.

A portion of the primer was devoted to listing current low-residency MFA programs for writers. While I won't provide full contact information or details about any of the programs here on this page, I will do my best to keep it current (with working links) and complete. Please leave a comment if you have any problems with the links and/or know of programs to add.

I hope this list will be a useful resource to writers looking for low-residency (or summer study) graduate programs in creative writing.


Albertus Magnus College
Antioch University Los Angeles
Antioch University McGregor
Ashland University
Bennington Writing Seminars
Carlow University
Chatham University
City University of Hong Kong
Converse College
Drew University
Eastern Kentucky University
Fairfield University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Goddard College
Goucher College
Hamline University
Hollins University
Lancaster University (UK)
Lesley University
Murray State University
Naropa University
National University (fully-online program)
New England College
Pacific University
Pacific Lutheran University/Rainier Writing Workshop
Pine Manor College
Queens University of Charlotte
Seattle Pacific University
Seton Hill University
Sewanee School of Letters
Southern New Hampshire University
Spalding University
Stonecoast/University of Southern Maine
University of Alaska (Anchorage)
University of British Columbia (Canada)
University of California (Riverside)/Palm Desert
University of Nebraska
University of New Orleans
University of Texas-El Paso (fully-online program)
Vermont College of Fine Arts (MFA in Writing)
Vermont College of Fine Arts (MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults)
Warren Wilson College
Western Connecticut State University
Western State College of Colorado
Whidbey Writers Workshop
Wilkes University

Updated May 10, 2010

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Make/shift, a new publication that "embraces the multiple and shifting identities of feminist communities," seeks submissions for its third issue. "We accept pitches and submissions on a rolling basis, but priority for Issue 3 will be given to those received by September 1, 2007." Pays: $.02/word plus two copies. More info here. (via Duotrope.com)

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"We are a Vancouver-based company seeking freelance writers for a new adventure travel site aimed at women and beginner adventure enthusiasts, seeking to travel North America./We are looking for 500-700 word articles that will be introductions and beginner's guide to various adventure activities such as hiking, mountain climbing, rock climbing, canoing, skydiving, fishing, whitewater rafting, whale watching, birdwatching, skiing, snowboarding, caving, scuba diving and snorkeling." Pays: $15/article. See the announcement here.

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If you're a resident of Westchester Country, New York, you may be eligible to enter the Nicholson Political Poetry Prize competition. Prizes: $500 (adult category) and $250 (student category, grades 9-12 at Pelham Memorial High School). There's no entry fee. Winning poems will be published in the Pelham Weekly. See the Web site for full guidelines and submission instructions.

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The University of Hartford is looking for an Assistant Professor of English. This is a tenure-track creative writing position. "We seek a poet interested in working in an active undergraduate creative writing program. Candidates with additional teaching interests in contemporary U.S. ethnic literatures and/or Anglophone literatures are especially welcome, as are those who can teach genres other than poetry (fiction, creative nonfiction, drama). Requirements include an MFA in creative writing or a PhD in English or a related discipline, significant publications and promise of sustained productivity, and evidence of committed and successful teaching." See the announcement at HigherEdJobs.com.

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I'm really enjoying my online poetry class with Gotham Writers' Workshop (and have signed up for another round this fall). If a Gotham class interests you, consider this "100 Word" contest, which awards a free 10-week writing workshop (plus publication in the Gotham Winter 2008 brochure and online at WritingClasses.com). There's no entry fee; only one submission per entrant. No simultaneous submissions. Deadline: September 22, 2007.

Sorry to have relatively few offerings today! But please do look forward to the next issue of our newsletter, which will be out to subscribers later this week, sometime before I leave for Labor Day Weekend on Saturday morning. As usual, it will be packed with opportunities for fictionists, poets, and creative nonfiction writers. And, as usual, it's free! If you're not yet a subscriber, it's never too late to join us.

Friday Find: Poets & Writers (September-October issue)

If, like me, you're waiting for the print issue of the September/October Poets & Writers to arrive (I'm especially eager to read my friend Andrew Furman's article on "The Creative Nonfiction Crisis"), you can sneak a peek into some of the contents online this weekend. As usual, the "News & Trends" pieces are accessible on the Internet, with this issue including Sarah Weinman (also on creative nonfiction); Joe Woodward on On the Road's anniversary; and Kevin Larimer's columns on small presses and literary journals. Enjoy!

Grace Paley (1922-2007)

Grace Paley has passed away.
In Memoriam.

The Pedestal Magazine's Interview with Edward Hirsch

The new issue of The Pedestal Magazine is online, and features an excellent interview with poet Edward Hirsch. I met Hirsch at a conference a few years back, and still recall sitting in the audience, stunned, as he read from a poem that mentioned my grandmother's hometown: Mannheim, Germany. (The last place I expected to be reminded of my grandmother's European hometown had to be that middle-of-America conference location: Tulsa, Oklahoma.) But Hirsch's grandfather hailed from Mannheim, too. I've sensed a kinship with Hirsch, and taken a special interest in his work, ever since.

The Wednesday Web Browser

Getting ready to face a new group of freshmen in those writing courses? You can get a glimpse into their mindset here. (I love these annual lists, although they do make me feel old!)
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Attention, book reviewers! Publishers Weekly offers a sneak peek into some noteworthy galleys of winter (2008) books.
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Linkage to/discussion of an issue of some importance to me: fiction inspired, or set against the context of, "current events." Why can't people just remember the wise words of dear old Henry James, and allow fiction writers to choose their own subjects? Go ahead and criticize the execution but for God's sake, just let people write what they want to write! Don't read the book if you already know the subject matter is not to your liking!

Late-breaking Job Listing

Didn't manage to include this one yesterday, and didn't think I should wait until next week to post it: a tenure-track Assistant Professor position open at Colorado College. "The English Department at Colorado College seeks a fiction writer with a strong record of publication and teaching. Terminal degree such as MFA, PhD or equivalent preferred. Opportunity to teach courses in broad undergraduate liberal arts curriculum." See the announcement at the Chronicle's Careers site.

Monday Morning Market/Job Listings

I'm so sorry I didn't find this announcement from Poetry magazine earlier, but you still have some time to follow up: "In June, July, and August 2007, Poetry will only consider work from poets who have not previously appeared in the magazine." This could be a terrific opportunity for our practicing poets! Read the guidelines here.

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Interesting (no-cost) contest: The Observer/Jonathan Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize is for aspiring graphic novelists with "an imaginative and original story to tell." It's open to anyone aged 16 or over who is a resident of the UK or the Republic of Ireland (employees of companies connected with the competition excluded). One entry per participant. The winning entrant receives 1,000 pounds Sterling; the runner-up receives 250 pounds Sterling. Prizes will be awarded at the Comica Festival in London on October 20, 2007; the winner's graphic short story will be printed across a full page of The Observer. Submissions due by September 3, 2007. Details here.

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New "Everyday Hero" anthology series for Adams Media will feature "uplifting true stories about the experiences and relationships that inspired and enriched our lives, namely those with our mothers, our fathers, and our teachers (also mother figures, father figures, and mentors)." Each volume "will be divided to highlight the variety of ways real life mothers, teachers, and fathers go beyond the call of duty to heroism." The deadline for "My Teacher is My Hero" is coming up very fast (September 1, 2007), but if you want to submit something on "My Mom is My Hero" you have until November 30; the deadline for "My Dad is My Hero" is February 28, 2008. Pays: $100 for each published story, plus one copy. "Prizes will be awarded to the top three stories in each volume: $250 for First Prize, $150 for Second Prize, and $100 for Third Prize." Submission details and guidelines here.

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National University is looking for "a fulltime, Assistant Professor in Creative Writing at our Los Angeles campus." Requirements include M.F.A. or Ph.D. by date of hire and publications in fiction or literary nonfiction. Details at HigherEdJobs.com.

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Tenure-track job opening for an Assistant/Associate Professor at Missouri Western State University, "to join a team of writing faculty that shares responsibility for a variety of courses and programs. Candidates should have competencies in two or more writing areas, including composition theory, advanced composition, composition pedagogy, creative writing, media writing, digital media, web design, and/or technical writing." Details at the Chronicle Careers site.

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The Pet Gazette, a regional monthly publication in Massachusetts, is "looking for one or two freelancer writers to contribute feature-length articles for the Pet Gazette on an occasional basis. Topics could range from the how-to to current events such as dog-fighting scandal [sic]. They should also be localized to our area." Pays: "Our normal rate $150 for a fully-developed feature (1200-1800 words). I might consider more if for [sic] a seasoned writer with a really compelling idea, but we are not a large outfit and thus can't afford anything much more than that." See the posting on the AbsoluteWrite.com forum board for more information.

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Last week I updated From (A)lgren to (Y)eats, a guide to eponymous literary contests that is a special resource reserved for our Practicing Writer newsletter subscribers. So I learned what's going on these days with a bunch of competitions. For instance, information is now available for those interested in the next Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize. Co-sponsored by the Institute for Latino Studies and the Creative Writing Program at the University of Notre Dame, this biennial competition is open to any Latino/a poet who is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States and has yet to publish a full-length book of poems. Awards a $1,000 prize and publication by University of Notre Dame Press, plus an invitation to read from the winning work, along with the judge, at the Institute for Latino Studies (all expenses paid). The final judge in 2008 will be Martín Espada. No entry fee. Deadline: January 18, 2008. Check the site for more information.

Friday Find: Your Suggestions

Here's a twist on our weekly routine: I'd love for you to use the "Comments" feature and direct me to "finds" you've discovered. And here's my real, selfish hope: Please point me to a "find" (or more than one) to help me with my ongoing work in my poetry class. Specifically (as my fellow classmates and instructor can attest), I'm looking for "how-to" guidance on the following craft-related issues:

1) line breaks;
2) punctuation in poetry; and
3) capitalization in poetry.

So there's your assignment, should you choose to accept it! Thank you in advance, and have a great weekend!

Short Fiction Now Online

Late that autumn afternoon Sharon stood by the stove stirring carrots, the phone crunched between her ear and shoulder and transmitting those words: We've got trouble. Something must really be wrong. Nancy was not an alarmist. If she could have waited for an e-mail exchange, she would have.

That's the opening paragraph to my short story, "Vigilance," which appears in the new issue of The Externalist: A Journal of Perspectives. To read the rest of the story, click here. Enjoy!

The Wednesday Web Browser

You already know how challenging I find it to craft endings (especially in fiction, but also, I'm finding, in poetry). Here are Roy Peter Clark's latest thoughts on that subject.
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A new poem in the New Yorker by our new Poet Laureate.
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I haven't yet decided what to think about "Amazon Vine," a newly-announced program that "rewards [Amazon.com's] elite reviewers by giving them access to advance copies." I like the idea of "rewarding" good and dedicated reviewers, wherever they can be found. I'm just not clear yet on how this is all going to actually work.

Back Home

Had a great time away, and picked up some news for those of you who may be visiting Nantucket, Massachusetts, later this month: "Bookmark on the Beach" is slated for Sunday, August 26, 2007. It will feature Debby Applegate, Christopher Hitchens, Robert Pinsky, and Josh Ritter, among others, and a special tribute to David Halberstam is planned. Details here.

(By the way, my little niece loves the book I brought her, and has even begun coming up with some "poetry" [rhymes] of her own.)

Friday Find (A Few Hours Early)

"Writers and Money."

Caught your attention yet?

Victoria Strauss gives us a lot to consider on the subject in this meaty post. That's the Friday find for you to chew on over the weekend.

And speaking of the weekend, I am going on vacation (a Friday morning to Monday evening vacation, but a vacation nonetheless). I am going to the beach! I am going to benefit from the generosity of my sister and brother-in-law (and their interest in having adoring Aunt Erika around to help care for the two little ones, ages 4 and 1) and share in their enviably longer stay in paradise.

As my "house gift," I am bringing along a new book for my niece, a book I discovered via the Publishers Weekly "Children's Bookshelf" newsletter: Karen Jo Shapiro's I Must Go Down to the Beach Again and Other Poems. It's a really cute little volume (take a look here) and I can't wait to read it to my niece and her baby brother.

So I'll see you back here Tuesday. Have a great few days!

Teaching Notes

A job announcement and a "bigger issue," all wrapped up in the same post! What a day!

First, the job announcement: Interested poets should check out this announcement for a tenure-track position teaching at Shippensburg University (Pennsylvania).

And on a related note, I wanted to call everyone's attention to something I read online this week.

As you may have noticed, I do post calls for adjunct teaching jobs in writing here. But I also recognize the limitations/disadvantages of such positions. I want to make sure that everyone else who visits the blog has a similar awareness. So I'm going to point you to another one of my favorite must-read blogs (must-read in the context of my day job in higher education administration, anyway). The blog is called "Confessions of a Community College Dean" and the recent post on adjunct teaching (addressing a question from a [fiction] writer, as it happens), is here (and it seems to have elicited quite a bit of reader response already).

What about you, my dear practicing writers? What insights/experiences do you have to share?

The Wednesday Web Browser

Here's something fun for those of us with a fondness for the comma.
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Though I don't belong to the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), I do enjoy the publicly-available sections of the Society's monthly newsletter. The September 2007 issue is now online, and as usual, it includes a number of relevant reads: an interview with an agent, an article titled "Should You Self-Publish," questions and answers on "the business and etiquette of writing," and a review of Walter Mosley's new novel-writing book.
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Children's writers, there's a new blog for you to check out.

What a Week for Charles Simic

Last week was pretty memorable for poet Charles Simic. On Thursday, August 2, he was named the next United States Poet Laureate. That same day, the Academy of American Poets named him the 2007 recipient of the Wallace Stevens Award--an honor that is accompanied by a $100,000 prize.

Here are just a few online locations where you can learn more about Simic and his work:

The Charles Simic "archive" at PoetryFoundation.org;
Another Simic archive (Poetry Archive, UK); and
An excerpt from Simic's memoir, A Fly in the Soup (2000).

Plus:
Artful Dodge interview (1993);
Cortland Review interview; and
Paris Review interview (2005).

And finally, here's a list of Simic's New York Review of Books publications.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Attention, New York writers! "Artists' Fellowships are $7,000 cash awards made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use." For the current grant cycle, applications are welcome in the fields of fiction, playwriting/screenwriting, and other (visual/performing) art fields. The application deadline is October 3, and there's no application fee. There are, however, several eligibility criteria (for example, I am not yet eligible to apply because I have not lived in New York long enough). Check the NYFA site for more information and application materials.

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And here's something for writers in Washington, D.C.: "Poets & Writers, Inc. is pleased to invite you to apply for the 2008 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award." This award is open to writers in different states each year. This year Washington D.C. resident poets and fiction writers who have a) never published published a book, or b) have published (self-published books do not count) no more than one full-length book in the genre in which they are applying, and c) have resided in D.C. for at least two years prior to manuscript submission are eligible. Prize in each genre includes $500; a trip to New York City in October 2008 to meet with editors, agents, publishers, and other writers; and an optional one-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming. There's no application fee. Deadline: December 1, 2007. Details and entry form here.

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Crab Orchard Review is looking for submissions (fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction) for a special issue on "'The In-Between Age: Writers on Adolescence.'" Pays: $20/published magazine page ($50 minimum for poetry, $100 minimum for prose). Submission deadline: October 31. Guidelines here. (via CRWROPPS)

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If you're planning to pitch Fit Pregnancy, you may find this profile of new Associate Editor Jennifer Carofano helpful.

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Thinking of pitching ELDR, a new publication whose tagline is "Celebrate Aging"? Read this column about the magazine for more information about its focus and editorial interests.

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Received an announcement last week from A Midsummer Night's Press about two new annual anthologies: Best Gay Poetry and Best Lesbian Poetry. For the 2008 editions, they're looking for poetry published during 2007. "Poems can have appeared in print or online magazines, journals, or anthologies; we are also willing to consider poems from books or chapbooks first published in 2007, even if the poem was originally published previously in periodicals, so long as the poet has the right to reprint the poem." The publisher tells me that compensation will be determined once the final number of contributors is known (dividing up a small budget). Deadline: December 1, 2007. Submission information here.

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The University of the Arts (Philadelphia) is looking for an "established poet/teacher...to teach one or two sections of Poetry Writing Workshop at The University of the Arts." See the announcement at HigherEdJobs.com.

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The State University of New York at Buffalo is searching for an associate/full professor of English. Specifically, they seek a "Prestigious poet committed to the innovative traditions of modernist and contemporary poetry. Candidates must currently hold the rank of associate professor or professor and/or have an extensive and distinguished record of publication. Candidates must demonstrate an ability to teach solid and inventive undergraduate courses, and bring fresh perspectives to the study of poetry and poetics as demonstrated by a record of writing and teaching interests appropriate to seminars in large M.A./Ph.D program." Application deadline: October 15, 2007. More information at HigherEdJobs.com.

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The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Boston) is calling for adjunct faculty to teach Expository Writing. See the announcement at HigherEdJobs.com.

Housekeeping Note for Our Newsletter Subscribers

As many of you know, our newsletter is hosted by Yahoo!Groups. And they're doing a bit of housekeeping over there. Subscribers, please take a moment to read this message. And please make sure that your contact e-mail is current so that you'll keep receiving the newsletter. Thank you!

Friday Find: Expense Tracker

Use this chart (provided courtesy of Write4Kids.com) to keep track of your monthly writing-related expenses. (Nice find, isn't it?)

No-Cost Contest Update

It wasn't easy (mostly because of a troublesome technical glitch), but the job is complete: The latest version of our famous Guide to No-Cost Literary Contests and Competitions has been uploaded and is ready for you! As always, "dead" programs have been removed; new opportunities have been added; and all links have been checked (and updated as appropriate). The result of this semi-yearly update: 266 competition possibilities for your writing, not one of which requires entry or processing or application or reading fees. Read more about this fabulous guide (and download a free preview with several sample listings) right here.

The Wednesday Web Browser

Get Thee to a Writers' Colony. This 2004 article will show you how one writer did exactly that.
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Ten years' worth of freelancing wisdom boiled down to a single post from Linda Formichelli.
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On this one, Scott, I'm with you. Especially that last line.