Friday Find: SlushPile Hell

"SlushPile Hell" is a new blog that's been receiving a number of mentions around the Internet lately. Subtitled "a grumpy literary agent wades through query fails," the blog presents a daily snippet of a query--complete with the grumpy agent's acerbic online riposte. Good for a daily laugh (and warning!).

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and for all of the American practicing writers out there, Happy July 4th!

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Hurry up if you want to try for the 2010 Frieze Writer's Prize. Aimed to promote and encourage new art critics, the competition invites writers "to submit an unpublished 700-word review in English of a recent contemporary art exhibition. Applicants must be over 18 years old and must not have had more than three pieces of writing on art published in a newspaper or magazine." There is no entry fee. Deadline: June 25, 2010. "The winner will be awarded £2,000 and commissioned to write a review for the October issue of frieze."
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Glamour magazine's "My Real-Life Story Essay Contest": "If you have an inspiring story about a life changing event, an obstacle overcome, a relationship of passion that's defined you - then we want to read it! You may see your essay appear in an upcoming issue of Glamour...and you could win $5000 and a meeting with a top literary agent." For legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia. No entry fee. Deadline: September 15, 2010.
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Last week's WritersWeekly.com featured an article on breaking into environmental markets, complete with sample market listings.
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New from Poets & Writers: an online Literary Agents Database.
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Arts blogger(s?) sought: "KQED Arts is an online arts magazine serving and reflecting the thriving arts scene of the San Francisco Bay Area. The site provides daily local and national arts coverage; brings together all of KQED's on-air arts programming; and is incubator to the station's online originals. KQED’s daily arts blog covers music, film, performance, multimedia and visual arts in the Bay Area. KQED, located right in the heart of the Mission in San Francisco, is aiming to take our Arts coverage to the next level and is looking for smart, talented, versatile writers to help us achieve that. Writers are expected to specialize in a particular medium or community, but are free to follow their own interests, pitching ideas once a month. Each writer contributes roughly twice a month. Generous bylines, dedicated author biography pages and a modest stipend are just some of the rewards."
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Texas State University-San Marcos seeks a Publications Writer, James Madison University (Va.) is looking for a Magazine Editor and Writer, and Arapahoe Community College (Colo.) seeks a College Communications Coordinator.

Thursday's Pre-Publication Post: Come On Get Happy!

Earlier this week, the Fiction Writers Review blog spotlighted an essay by author Aryn Kyle. Titled "'This Book Made Me Want To Die' And Other Thoughts From Readers," the essay engages with comments/reviews Kyle has received with a decided point of view: that maybe, she should try to write something a little "happier":

"Mostly," Kyle writes, "what I learned about my book is that it’s depressing. Not just depressing, but 'pointlessly depressing'; 'brutal'; 'disturbing'; 'unrelentingly bleak'; and 'appalling'—just to touch on the tip of the critical iceberg. One reader claimed to be so disturbed by [Kyle's novel] The God of Animals that, upon finishing it, she had to medicate herself with sleeping pills."

But when people tell Kyle to write something "happy," she can't quite understand. "Happy like Anna Karenina? Happy like The Grapes of Wrath? Happy like Lolita or Catch-22 or Revolutionary Road? Happy like Hamlet?"

You get the idea.

Because the publication of my story collection, Quiet Americans, is still several months away, I don't yet have access to a comparable trove of reader reaction. But that doesn't mean that I can't already identify with the essay and the points Kyle has raised.

In fact, while I was reading, I couldn't help but recall one AWP conference, at which I finally met one of the TriQuarterly editors who had helped bring my story, "Matrilineal Descent," to the reading public. I'd gone over to the journal's Bookfair table to introduce myself. "Ah, yes," the editor said. "Your story. It was a laugh a minute." To which I responded—how else?—by laughing. (Attention, lucky readers! You, too, can enjoy the utter comedy that is "Matrilineal Descent" when the story reappears in Quiet Americans this winter.)

But Kyle's essay also sent me straight to the shelf where the Purple Binder (pictured) rests.

The Purple Binder, my friends, contains all the many rejection letters and e-mail messages that I received from agents and publishers who considered my collection, in one variant or another, over a five-year period. (It should not be confused with the far thicker Red Binder, which contains rejections received for individual short stories.)

I was certain that I'd find some echoes of the comments that have come Kyle's way within the Purple Binder's pages. And guess what? My memory was right.

Dear Erika Dreifus,

Thank you for giving us a look at four stories from your collection, Former Title, which [Big-Time Agent] asked me to review. I'm sorry about the delay in getting back to you, and I wish I had better news. I very much admire your writing and found all four stories very strong, but I'm afraid that this collection would be difficult to sell. The cumulative effect of your stories, with themes ranging from the Holocaust, to fetal defects to racism, is too downbeat for the editors we deal with.

Nonetheless, I think you are a talented writer. If you are not too put off by these remarks and you begin a novel, we'd love to see the first 50 pages.

Regretfully,
Associate at Big-Time Agent's Agency

P.S. Let me know if you'd like me to return your pages.

Now, a few comments:

• I've worked on the collection so long that it's really not surprising that not all of the stories that went out to this agency--supposedly my "best" stories at the time--have ended up in the final book. Among the now-excluded stories is one that was, for a long time, intended to be the title story. Hence, the need for a new title. So if you're thinking that you'll actually find the Holocaust, fetal defects, and racism prominently displayed throughout the book, well, don't get too excited, because not every happy theme I've ever dealt with in fiction has made the cut into the final collection.


• Similarly, I've been working on these stories so long that this particular correspondence dates from George W. Bush's first term, an era when it was still very common to send work via postal mail. Hence, the offer to return my pages. I guess I hadn't included a SASE.


• Here's what may be most interesting. I hadn't approached Big-Time Agent. Rather, Big-Time Agent had contacted me, based on a story that had appeared in a literary journal. And frankly, that story didn't exactly present a thousand points of light. Admittedly, it did not feature fetal defects or racism. But, in a mere 2500 words, it did manage to encompass parental death, post-9/11 anthrax attacks, incapacitating depression, divorce, and—I know you're waiting for this one—the Holocaust. Hence, my surprise that "downbeat" might present a problem for this particular agency.
  

(By the way, that part of the message about welcoming a novel didn't surprise you short-story writers, did it?)

In truth, I'm trying not to think too much just yet about what people will say about Quiet Americans once it has been published (assuming that it receives any attention at all). But if the book is faulted for not being "happy" enough, at least I'll be prepared. And in good company.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

"Calling poets! Comment Magazine's second-annual "Making the Most of College" poetry contest runs until July 1st, 2010. The question: How does a 21st-century education lead you to respond to a 19th-century visionary? Write a sonnet which interacts in some way with Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias" —a refutation? an update? a round of applause? Imagine the poem afresh for university students 2010-11. Email your submissions to comment(at)cardus(dot)ca by July 1st. First-place winner takes $100 CDN and the page 1 poem in our Fall 2010 print issue. Second- and third-place runners-up also get published later in the Fall Issue. Enter today!" No entry fee indicated. (via ImageUpdate)
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Want to explore freelance editing? You might enjoy this free teleclass.
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Meet new agent Chelsea Gilmore, who is looking for "women’s fiction, literary fiction, young adult, mysteries/thrillers, and pop culture."
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Bournemouth University (U.K.) seeks a Practitioner in Residence (Creative Writing & Journalism): "You are an accomplished creative writer with a good academic record and significant professional experience; ideally you will also have some experience of writing features and of the online environment. This post is available on a fixed term part time basis of either one day per week for a period of six months or two days per week for a period of three months."
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Two new job postings from the Poetry Foundation (Chicago): Media Director and Director of the Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute.
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Ramapo College (N.J.) is looking for a Development Writer/Publicist, George Mason University (Va.) seeks a part-time Writer, and Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design is looking for a Content Writer.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

This Monday's post will be relatively brief, since I'm busy polishing the June Practicing Writer newsletter, which will go out on Friday, before Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S. If you're not yet a subscriber, join us! It's free, and we do not share/sell/distribute your e-mail address.
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Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf opportunity for Wisconsin poets: "Woodrow Hall Editions is accepting proposals from Wisconsin poets for a project that presents poetry to the public in an unexpected or unconventional manner. An award of $500.00 will be given to help him or her implement the project. In addition, an award of $250.00 will be given to a runner-up for the same purpose. A panel of judges will make the selections. See past Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf projects for examples of the kinds of ideas the panel will be looking for. The winners must initiate their projects in summer or fall 2010. No entry fee. Multiple entries from same poet welcome." Deadline: June 1, 2010.
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Next submission deadline for Nashville Review is June 1. Check the site for guidelines and pay rates.
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From Creative Nonfiction: "For an upcoming issue, we are currently seeking experimental nonfiction for our 'Pushing the Boundaries' section ('experimental,' 'boundaries,' yes, these can be loaded terms). We want writing that blows our minds with its ingenuity, essays that not only push the boundaries of the form, but tear down the borders. Be ambitious and send us work like we've never seen before." Send by June 4. "We typically pay $10 per printed page."
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The Guide to Literary Agents blog introduces us to Sarah LaPolla, a new who works at Curtis Brown and is seeking "literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, literary horror, and young adult fiction. She loves complex characters, coming-of-age stories, and strong narrators."
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Stanford University's Graduate School of Business is looking for Bay Area residents to work as writing coaches.
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Stanford University (Calif.) is looking for a Copy Editor (appears to be a half-time position), Northern Kentucky University seeks a Director of Alumni Publications & Special Projects, and the New Hampshire Writers' Project is looking for an Executive Director.

The Wednesday Web Browser

On the Barrelhouse blog, Dan Brady argues that the Poetry Foundation's move away from blogging (see last week's Web Browser) is a bad move.
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When agent Julie Barer talks, I listen. So should you.
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Don't forget about the short story collection giveaway project!
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When I catch my breath, I'm looking forward to reading Nathan Englander's short story in the current New Yorker. Englander's Q&A with Cressida Leyshon piqued my interest, too.
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Note the new category label for "blogging." So overdue. Someday, maybe (after I've caught my breath and read the aforementioned story), I'll go back through archived posts and relabel them. (Don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen, though!)

Friday Find: 10 Questions to Ask an Agent Before You Sign

As Guide to Literary Agents blog contributor Felice Prager astutely notes, "Authors are often so excited about finding representation that they sign an agreement without knowing if the agent is an ideal match. In addition to agreement-specific issues regarding money and terms, there are other questions you should ask before you sign anything." Here are Prager's 10 such questions. I sure wish that I'd seen them before I signed with my first agent, a perfectly nice person but, as it turned out, "not quite right" for me.

Enjoy, and have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday!

Quotation of the Week: Saul Bellow

There is much to appreciate in the wonderful collection of Saul Bellow's letters to other writers that the New Yorker has published this week. (You'll need a subscription to access the correspondence online.)

The letters contain a great deal of deep, seriously-considered material. But I couldn't help focusing on one relatively short missive to Philip Roth, dated December 26, 1957.

Roth had evidently sent Bellow an early story, "Expect the Vandals." With a little online digging, I discovered that the story was published in Esquire about a year later, in December 1958. A quick recheck of Roth's literary biography confirms that at the time, he had yet to publish a book (his first, Goodbye, Columbus, was released in 1959).

Which makes Bellow's closing comments to a virtual stranger ("Dear Philip Roth") all the more meaningful:

"Look, try Henry Volkening at 522 Fifth Ave. My agent. A very good one, too. Best of luck. And forgive my having the mss. so long. I should have read it at once. But I don't live right."

Anyone know if Roth followed the recommendation?

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

New agent alert: Marissa Walsh of Shelf Life Literary is looking for "pop culture, humor, narrative nonfiction, memoir, or children's books. Concerning picture books, she is looking for younger books with very little text (800 words or fewer). Include the manuscript in the body of your query e-mail. Concerning middle grade and YA, no paranormal please. She prefers contemporary stories."
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Attention, undergraduate writers! You may want to check out The Blue Route, an online magazine from Widener University (Pa.). They're welcoming prose and poetry submissions until April 5. See the guidelines. Pays: $20. (via Duotrope.com)
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"Seeking authors for The U.S. Government and the Environment: A Reference Encyclopedia, published by ABC-CLIO. Entries vary in length from 250 to 2000 words, and all accepted entries are paid. Available entries include many excellent options."
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"The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism is offering 20 fellowships for an all-expenses-paid seminar on “Covering the Green Economy” June 28-30 in Phoenix. This three-day specialized reporting institute, combined with two follow-up Webinars, will arm attendees with information to help them recognize “greenwashing,” track federal stimulus dollars designed to create green jobs and answer consumers’ most frequently asked questions about leading environmentally sustainable lives. Through the generous support of the McCormick Foundation, fellowships cover the full cost of training, lodging, materials and most meals. In addition, fellows receive a $450 stipend to help offset travel and other costs. The full schedule for the seminar, including speakers, will be available soon." This opportunity appears to be open to freelancers. There is no application fee. Deadline: April 26.
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Coming soon! Our ever-popular newsletter will go out to subscribers midweek. The April issue contains the usual no-fee competitions listings, submission alerts, etc. Plus, there's an interview with Kim Wright, whose debut novel is earning rave reviews. Don't miss the chance to get your copy! Join our subscriber list (information is kept confidential).
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"Lincoln Memorial University (Tenn.) invites applications for the position of Writer-In-Residence. The Writer-In-Residence will teach a nine hour instructional load in creative writing, three hours of which may be negotiated for another assignment and will co-direct LMU's annual Appalachian Literary Festival."
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"The English Department of the State University of New York, College at Plattsburgh invites applications for a full-time tenure track Assistant Professor position in Creative Writing to begin Fall 2010." Responsibilities include: "teaching core courses for writing majors; general education courses; lower and upper division creative writing and literature courses. Active involvement in developing the Writing Arts Major, mentoring student writers, working with the Z-Platt student publication, and sharing editorial responsibilities for Saranac Review, the Department's literary journal, are also required. The successful candidate will be expected to engage in campus and departmental service, as well as continued publication and scholarship."
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Rochester Institute of Technology (N.Y.) is looking for a University Magazine Editor, Prince George's Community College (Md.) seeks a Writer/Editor, and Langston University (Okla.) is looking for a Media Specialist in its Office of Public Relations.

Book Promotion Offers To "Tear Down The Walls" of the Publishing Industry

A few days ago, I turned in my latest review assignment for The Writer: a piece on Stephen Markley's Publish This Book: The Unbelievable True Story of How I Wrote, Sold, and Published This Very Book (Sourcebooks, 2010). You'll have to wait a bit for the review to appear in the magazine, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share with you an interesting promotion I discovered on the Sourcebooks site when I was double-checking some information:

So you work on your manuscript for months, carefully craft a proposal and pitch letter, and send out your heart and soul to agents and publishers. And what do you get in return? A form letter saying “Thank you for your submission, but it does not meet our needs at this time.” Really?

We at Sourcebooks and Julie A. Hill and Associates know how you feel. Well, now we know, thanks to Stephen Markley and his hilarious, innovative, and amazing new memoir Publish This Book. You see, sick of getting rejections that say nothing, Stephen decided to cut to the chase and write a memoir about how hard it is to get a book published. And then try to get that book published—a book about its own creation.

Crazy, right? Well, he convinced us, getting agent representation from Julie Hill of Julie A. Hill and Associates and finally publication by Sourcebooks. And after reading his whole manuscript, we see how hard it is for you out there. So in honor of Stephen’s achievement, and all aspiring writers, we’ve decided to tear down the walls that keep writers from honest and helpful feedback about their work from the publishing industry. That means: no more form letters, but an actual critique of your submission from an agent or publishing company

How Does It Work?

1. Purchase a copy of Publish This Book.
2. Between March 9, 2010 and May 9, 2010 submit your proposal along with a proof of purchase (receipt, order confirmation, etc.) via the form below or by email.
3. Wait 2-6 months (While you’re waiting, why not read your new copy of Publish This Book? It’s amazing.)
4. Receive a 2-4 paragraph critique of your submission.

I know--you still have to buy the book, which contradicts the no-fee opportunity policy I normally follow here and in the newsletter. And in an ideal world, you'd get to read my review before deciding to buy the book. But it's something to look into. And it's a clever promotional idea that might inspire some others.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Attention, New Hampshire writers! You have until April 9 to apply for a Literary Arts Fellowship from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Up to two awards of $5,000 each will be conferred. There's no entry fee. Details here.
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I recently revisited the Jerseyworks site to discover an update. While the Jerseyworks contest seems to be no more, the editors are now paying on acceptance for content: "$10 minimum for short verse such as haiku, 20c/wd after 50 wds, $50 max per poem." The editors "are open to poetry or other forms that express/investigate the unique nature of New Jersey and that create a picture of our state for those not lucky enough to pay taxes here. We also want to filter a vision of the world through the consciousness of Jerseyworks. We seek poets everywhere. We will publish in translation and sometimes in original languages. We're looking for great poetry, and in that process we hope to be part of bringing people together."
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New literary agent David Patterson (Foundry Literary + Media) "is looking especially for the most prominent and talented journalists, scholars, and personalities in a wide variety of fields, with either outstanding narratives and/or idea-driven works of nonfiction, which can be deeply serious or terrifically entertaining, and often combine those two qualities. David will also represent fiction when he feels strongly that the author has a distinctive voice that can break out of the pack."
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Blogger needed to cover national community college beat.
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"The Scripps College (Calif.) Writing Program seeks two distinguished visiting writers for the Mary Routt Endowed Chair of Writing, one during the spring semester of 2011 and the other during the spring semester of 2012."
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From Bowling Green State University (Ohio): "The English Department seeks applicants for the College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Visiting Writer. The successful candidate will be in residence spring 2011; teach one fiction writing workshop in our BFA program and one workshop in our MFA program; give a reading and a lecture; and advise theses. Qualifications: 1) MA, MFA or Ph.D. by time of employment; 2) at least one book of fiction and critical recognition consistent with a writer of national reputation; and 3) evidence of outstanding teaching."
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Stanford University Press (Calif.) seeks a Publicity Manager, Monmouth University (N.J.) is looking for a Web Writer, and Ithaca College (N.Y.) seeks a Web Marketing Content Editor.

An Interview with Memoirist Melissa Hart

Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood: An Interview with Melissa Hart

Interview by Erika Dreifus

Melissa Hart is the author, most recently, of the memoir Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood (Seal, 2009). She teaches journalism at the University of Oregon and memoir writing for U.C. Berkeley's online extension program. Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Advocate, High Country News, Orion, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Writer's Digest. She lives in Oregon with her husband, their young daughter, and too many cats and dogs.

Melissa is ALSO, like yours truly, a contributing editor for The Writer magazine. (I always enjoy her "Literary Spotlight" columns profiling individual literary journals.) I am thrilled to present this Q&A with Melissa here.

Please welcome Melissa Hart.

Erika Dreifus (ED): Melissa, Gringa is your second memoir. Can you please describe the connections between the two books, as well as what motivated you to write Gringa specifically?

Melissa Hart (MH): I wrote my first memoir, The Assault of Laughter (Windstorm, 2005) as my Master of Fine Arts thesis at Goddard College. Inspired by teachers Jacqueline Woodson and Mariana Romo-Carmona, I wanted to tell the story of the first year in my life after my mother came out as a lesbian and lost custody of me and my two younger siblings. This was 1979; throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, women who came out routinely lost custody of their children to homophobic court systems. I thought it was critical that my story, as representative of many, come to light.

But . . . I was a young writer, and I felt that I could tell the story more skillfully a decade later. I wanted to explore the idea of growing up Anglo, heterosexual, and seemingly devoid of identity in multicultural Los Angeles with a lesbian mom, a brother with Down syndrome, and a deep desire to be a Latina. I expanded the year in Assault to include all the years of my adolescence, from the day my mother left my father to my post-college graduation trip with her to Spain. I'm indebted to Seal's senior editor Brooke Warner for helping me to shape the memoir as a coming-of-age story and a history of my mother's and my relationship, which prevailed in spite of homophobia on the part of both the legal system and my father.

ED: Both of your memoirs reveal a great deal about your family members. How have they reacted to your writing about and publishing your collective stories? How have their reactions affected your writing processes?

MH: My father and I have been estranged for almost two decades. My stepmother and I e-mail occasionally, and she felt that Assault, in particular, gave her insight into our troubled relationship. My mother is a writer, as well, and she's incredibly supportive of my work. She accompanied me on part of the book tour for Gringa. It's worth noting that she asked me not to write about a few elements of our story, and I honored that. My sister is also deeply supportive; she's told all her friends about the book and helped to organize a reading/signing event in her hometown. My brother has Down syndrome, and he doesn't read, but he does enjoy telling and retelling stories about how my sister and I used to dress him up like a girl.

ED: Food plays an important part in Gringa, and each chapter ends with an unconventionally-presented "recipe." How did the idea to include these recipes develop?

MH: I fell in love with recipes in the context of prose stories when I discovered Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate. I loved how her recipes reflected the characters' motivations and relationships. Then I came across Ruth Reichl's books, and then Diana Abu-Jaber's marvelous The Language of Baklava. Both authors incorporate recipes into their memoir, and I had these wonderful goofy recipes such as Frito Boats and my mother's Tortilla Flats which were so important to me as a child. I took so much comfort in food as an adolescent--still do, in fact--and I wanted to offer up some of these recipes to readers as one more way to illustrate key themes and plot points in the book. Food also became a symbol of culture, or lack thereof, when I was an adolescent. I adored my boyfriend's mother's authentic Mexican dishes, for example, and being able to make a savory salsa or a dozen tamales became my benchmark of acceptance into his culture.

ED: What was the biggest challenge you faced in writing Gringa?

MH: The biggest challenge I faced in writing Gringa was not knowing quite what the book wanted to be. Initially, it looked like a series of linked essays that were all over the place in content and theme. My agent at the time, Michelle Andelman, reined me in and noted with great insight that the memoir format might work better as a method of telling the story. In Gringa's next incarnation, I included several chapters between "O Christmas Tree" and "Citizens of the World"--chapters which explored further my problematic relationship with my boyfriend--but my editor felt that they disrupted the coming-of-age trajectory of the story. I cut five chapters and wrote five new ones in a two-month period. I'm a really slow writer, so getting these out and polished on a tight deadline was challenging.

Creating the book trailer for Gringa was also extremely challenging. Last summer, a colleague at the journalism school taught me FinalCut Pro and I became writer, director, food stylist, chef, actress and cat wrangler for this rather goofy trailer.

ED: How did Gringa find its home with Seal Press?

MH: Michelle Andelman shopped the book around to a few publishers, and we felt a particular affinity for Seal and for Brooke, in particular. Seal Press publishes exciting books on unexpected topics related to women, and Brooke enjoyed the humorous social commentary that informs so much of the book. I'm so happy to have worked with Seal; this is a dynamic publishing house with a professional and devoted staff.

ED: What else would you like to tell us?

MH: I teach a memoir writing course for U.C. Berkeley's online extension program which is open to all. I post my upcoming workshops pretty regularly on both my website and my Facebook fan page. I love teaching and working with other writers; I come away inspired and excited to sit down at my computer.

Thank you so much, Melissa!

A version of this interview appeared in the March 2010 issue of The Practicing Writer.

What Does "Submission-Ready" Mean to You?

"Working on a story. Am determined to get it submission-ready!"

So read a post I "tweeted" on Monday. Lo and behold, somebody actually read what I wrote. And she wrote, in turn:

"@erikadreifus what does submission-ready mean to you?"

What an excellent question. Not just for me, but for all of us practicing writers.

My response on Twitter basically said that I couldn't possibly address the question in 140 characters. I promised to do so here, instead.

So here's what I think "submission-ready" means to me: I think it means that I've brought the work in question to a point where I can't envision further edits/changes/improvements. At least, not imminently. And I believe that an editor/agent/publisher will read past the first few lines/pages and take the work seriously.

Now, it does happen that I submit a story or essay or poem (or novel or short story collection), receive a series of rejections (the best ones provide some constructive comments/feedback), and am then prompted to revisit the work. I might ask others who haven't yet shared their time and insights to read and comment, too. Although I won't necessarily withdraw the work from any journal/contest/agent/publisher where it might still be waiting to be read/decided on, I'll refrain from submitting it anywhere else until I've had time to consider changes and, more often than not, revise further. In this sense, "submission-ready" is not a constant. It evolves. Because, unfortunately, what I might consider initially "submission-ready" may not necessarily be "acceptance-ready"! In fact, the story that sparked my tweet is one I believed "submission-ready" quite awhile ago, but am revising once again.

I'm eager to hear from others on this. What does "submission-ready" mean to you?

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

"Established in 1999 and supported through a generous grant from the Samuel Goldberg & Sons Foundation, the Goldberg Prize for Jewish Fiction by Emerging Writers is among the very first of its kind to highlight new works by contemporary writers exploring Jewish themes. The prize spotlights promising new talent, and is awarded to an American fiction writer for a first or second full-length work that was published in the previous calendar year. Submissions must be made by the publisher. The award includes a prize of $2,500, as well as a one-week residency at Ledig House International Writers Colony in New York’s Hudson Valley." There is no entry fee. Deadline: March 1, 2010.
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"Oysters & Chocolate is now seeking submissions for our upcoming erotica anthology, to be published by Seal Press (2011)." Work must be previously unpublished. Pays: $100 plus two copies of the book. Deadline: March 15, 2010.
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The Guide to Literary Agents blog interviews agent B.J. Robbins, who seeks "quality fiction—both literary and commercial—and general nonfiction, with a particular interest in memoir, biography, narrative history, pop culture, sports, travel/adventure, medicine and health."
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As mentioned in the latest issue of The Practicing Writer, 'tis the season to apply for admission to the Sozopol Fiction Seminars in Sozopol, Bulgaria. "An advanced discussion among writers of fiction in Bulgarian and English, this gathering hosts fiction writers from Bulgaria and from English-speaking countries, including but not limited to the U.S. and the U.K. All participants are selected on a competitive basis. For three intense days, the participating writers are given the opportunity to explore their craft through mutual exchange under the guidance of one English-speaking and one Bulgarian fiction writer. In addition to the morning workshops, the programme includes special guest lectures and informal roundtables on various issues from the lifecycle of the book, including how to work with agents, editors, translators, and publishers." English-language workshops are led by Elizabeth Kostova. The 2010 seminars will take place May 27-June 1. Participants receive scholarships covering tuition, room and board, in-country transportation, and 75% of international travel." There is no application fee. Deadline: March 15, 2010.
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Wayne State College (Neb.) is looking for an Instructor/Assistant Professor of Creative Writing. "Completed MFA or PhD required for appointment at rank of Assistant Professor; completed Masters degree required for appointment at rank of Instructor. Successful teaching experience and substantial publication record required. Four courses per semester divided among fiction and poetry workshops, literature, and composition. Advising and committee work as assigned. Responsibility for WSC Press, Plains Writers Series, poetry and fiction slams and undergraduate literary magazine. A strong commitment to undergraduate teaching and to developing collegial relationships with colleagues is expected."
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Lafayette College (Penn.) seeks an Alumni Communications Editor, East Carolina University (N.C.) is looking for a Public Communication Specialist, and the New York University School of Law seeks a Writer.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

New litmag based at Vanderbilt University: "Nashville Review publishes the best in literary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and comics. Both distinguished and emerging writers are encouraged to submit. Nashville Review also publishes lyrics and audio by up-and-coming musicians." Pays: "Contributors are offered a flat fee of $100." (via Duotrope.com)
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"America’s premier amateur philosophy contest, The Great American Think-Off, releases its 2010 essay and debate question: 'Do the wealthy have an obligation to help the poor?' In writing essays on this question, potential debaters may address individuals, groups, or nations as the essayist determines." Deadline for essays: April 1, 2010. There is no entry fee. "A panel of judges will select four finalists to come to New York Mills, Minnesota, for the final debate to be held June 12, 2010. The names of the four finalists, who each receive $500 plus travel, food and lodging expenses, will be announced May 1, 2010. The winner is decided by the audience attending the debate on June 12th and she or he will be named 'America’s Greatest Thinker for 2010.'" (Thanks to B. Susan Bauer for sharing info on this competition.)
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Attention, Ohio poets! You may enter the New Words 2010 Poetry Contest until February 26, 2010. Administered by the Akron Art Museum, this competition offers cash prizes of $150, $125, and $100. There is no entry fee. A competition reading will be held on April 25. Details here. (via Winning Writers)
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The Guide to Literary Agents blog presents an interview with agent Kristin Nelson, who is looking for "literary and commercial fiction for adults; young adult and middle grade books for kids. Concerning nonfiction, she is only interested in memoir."
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The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is looking for an Assistant Professor of English (Poetry Writing) and St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) invites "fiction or creative non-fiction writers with significant publications and teaching experience...to apply for the position of Viebranz Visiting Professor of Creative Writing for the academic year 2010-2011."
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Ithaca College (N.Y.) seeks a Writer/Editor, Dallas County Community College (Texas) is looking for a Manager of Student Publications, and the Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.) invites applications for the position of Director of Leadership Communications.
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Subscribers to our free monthly newsletter will receive the February 2010 issue by week's end. Not yet a subscriber? It's never too late to join us!

The Theory of Light and Matter: An Interview with Andrew Porter

A version of this interview also appears in the January 2010 issue of The Practicing Writer.

The Theory of Light and Matter: An Interview with Andrew Porter
by Erika Dreifus

Andrew Porter is the author of the short story collection, The Theory of Light and Matter, which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction and has just been republished in paperback by Vintage/Knopf. His fiction has appeared in One Story, Epoch, The Pushcart Prize Anthology and on NPR's "Selected Shorts." He currently teaches creative writing at Trinity University in San Antonio. Recently, Andrew responded to a series of questions about his work.

ERIKA DREIFUS (ED): Andrew, the Vintage Contemporaries (Knopf) release of The Theory of Light and Matter signals a reincarnation of sorts, given that the book was originally published by the University of Georgia Press as a winning manuscript within the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction series. Please tell us the story of how the collection has come to be republished and describe any changes that may have been made to the manuscript for the newer version.

ANDREW PORTER (AP): Well, the Vintage/Knopf deal happened fairly quickly, and I was very fortunate it happened at all. At the time, my collection had been out in hardcover for about four months, and because it had done well in terms of sales and reviews, the University of Georgia Press had offered to publish a paperback edition the following fall. Around the same time, I was approached by my current agent, Terra Chalberg, who expressed an interest in trying to sell the paperback rights to a larger house. The University of Georgia Press was open to this idea, but said that they could only give Terra about two weeks to do this, as they were currently making the final decisions for their fall catalogue. I knew that the odds were against us, but I also figured that there was nothing to lose, so I gave Terra the thumbs up and two weeks later she had managed to attract several offers, all of which included the publication of my novel-in-progress as well.

Anyway, I've been around the writing world long enough to know that this type of thing doesn't happen very often, and I still feel extremely grateful to Terra for making it happen. As for changes, I only made a few small ones, and they're probably so minor that I doubt anyone would even notice.

ED: All 10 stories in The Theory of Light and Matter are told by a first-person narrator. You're probably asked about this a lot, but could you address your obvious affinity for the first-person point of view? What do you find so appealing and effective about it?

AP: I like a lot of things about the first person. I like the intimacy of it, for one, and also the idea of assuming a persona, but probably my favorite thing about the first person is the fact that it's an inherently unreliable point of view. This might seem like a disadvantage to some, but I think that the unreliability of it- the fact that every narrator is telling his or her story through a somewhat biased lens-can actually be a great source of complexity and tension.

ED: What do you consider the biggest challenge of the first-person p.o.v., and how do you, as a writer, negotiate it?

AP: For me, the hardest part of working in the first person is dealing with the obvious limitations and constraints of telling a story through just one lens. When I'm working on a short story, this isn't such a problem, but when I'm working on something longer, like a novel, it becomes increasingly difficult to deal with the constraints and limitations of a single perspective. For example, I'm working on a novel right now, and though I'd initially planned to write this novel in the first person, I soon realized that it was simply too large a story to tell through just one character's perspective, and so I switched over to the third-person omniscient and this has really freed me up.

ED: Although I found all the stories distinctive--in U.S. regional setting, in variations between male and female narrators, etc.--there is one story that seems sharply different from the rest. I'm thinking of "Skin," which, at less than two pages, is by far the shortest story in the collection. But it's not simply this story's length that seems atypical. The accompanying compression seems combined with a shift in tone that I can't quite articulate. I'm curious not only about the inclusion of this short-short story, but also about its placement in the sequence as the penultimate piece.

AP: Well, the stories in this collection are largely about memory and the way we reconstruct memory, and so even though "Skin" is by far the shortest story in the collection, I think I liked the fact that it approached this theme of reconstructing memory in a slightly different way. Not only is it much shorter than the others, but it also uses a very different style of narration, beginning as it does in the present tense, then shifting to the future tense, then ending again in the present, all the while reminding the reader that the events of the story have taken place in the past. This isn't something I really do in any other story in the collection, and so I think that's one of the reasons I decided to include it. As for why I decided to make it the penultimate story, that's a good question. I think I was pretty firmly committed to the order of the first eight stories, and since I knew that I didn't want to end with it, well, there was really only one place left for me to put it.

ED: You've mentioned your novel-in-progress. Can you describe that project at all (and tell us when we can expect it to be available)?

AP: I tend to be pretty superstitious when it comes to talking about works-in-progress, but I can tell you that the novel is set in Houston and that it involves a family going through a crisis. I hope to finish the novel at some point in the next year, and so I guess it might be available as soon as 2012.

ED: Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?

AP: I'll be doing a number of readings in New York, California, and Texas over the next few months. All of the details about these reading can be found at my website: www.andrewporterwriter.com.

Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me, Erika. This has been a lot of fun!

ED: Thanks so much, Andrew!

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Interesting changes in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition: "Amazon.com, along with Penguin Group (USA) and CreateSpace, is pleased to announce the third annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, the international competition seeking the next popular novel. For the first time, the competition will award two grand prizes: one for General Fiction and one for Young Adult Fiction. The 2010 competition will also now be open to novels that have previously been self-published. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance." Note: "Open submissions for manuscripts will begin on January 25, 2010 through February 7, 2010." No entry fee.
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From the WritersMarket.com newsletter: "There is still time to enter the 5th annual Freelance Success Stories contest. This free contest is looking for real stories of freelance success. These should be personal stories (first person) and true. First place will receive $750 and publication in the 2011 Writer's Market. Submission rules: Stories should be 800-1,500 words. Submit as .doc (not .docx) or .txt attachment, or in the body of the e-mail message. Subject line should read Freelance Success Stories (or there's a chance it could be deleted without being read). E-mail submissions only to writersmarket[at]fwmedia[dot]com."
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WOW! (Women on Writing) plans a March issue on Young Adult (YA) lit. Guest editor Margo Dill is looking for a variety of interviews and articles. Check the detailed call for submissions here. Pays: $50-$150/article.
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Memoir (and) is currently reading contest submissions for prizes in memoir in prose or poetry and in graphic memoir. Cash awards ($500/$250/$100 for prose or poetry and $100 for graphic memoir), plus publication and copies of the journal. No entry fee. Deadline: February 15, 2010. (via Kathleen A. Ryan/Women of Mystery)
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It wasn't easy, but I managed to finish the semiannual updates to both our guide to paying markets for essayists and the one for book reviewers. (Clicking on the links will allow you to check out the free previews for each guide, complete with complimentary sample listings.) Give yourself a holiday gift (or two!).
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Recent posts on the Guide to Literary Agents blog will help you meet agent Adriann Ranta, who is looking for "fiction and limited nonfiction, with an emphasis on children’s, middle grade, and young adult books. She is most interested in realistic, true-to-life stories with conflicts based in the real world. She likes edgy, dark, challenging voices, unique settings, and everyman stories told with a new spin." You can also get to know agent Josh Getzler, who seeks "mysteries, thrillers, literary and commercial fiction, young adult and middle grade (particularly adventures and mysteries for boys)." Plus, there's a "new agent alert" spotlighting Natalie Fischer, who is looking for "historical and narrative nonfiction (including memoir, biography, and popular science/culture) and literary and creative fiction in these areas: historical, young adult/teen, women’s, romance (contemporary and historical), cross-cultural, and select paranormal."
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Norwich University (Vt.) has advertised a "One-year Appointment as Visiting Instructor/Assistant Professor of English - Creative nonfiction or advanced writing. There is a possibility of extending this position to a second year."
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Kent State University (Ohio) seeks a Writer, the University of Chicago (Ill.) is looking for a Senior Marketing Writer and Strategist, and Boston University seeks a Writer/Editor.

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

Think you can write a 700-word children's story about "a personified Onion"? If so, you could win £700 (and see your work published as a children's book) through The Secret Seed Society Competition. No entry fee. Deadline: October 5, 2009. NB: You'll be expected to hand over copyright, so proceed only if that's acceptable to you.
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The annual "Happy Tales" literary contest, run by Humanities Montana and asking writers to "take any literary work with a sad, disturbing, or negative ending and supply a happy, affirmative, uplifting, humorous ending," offers a prize of $200. No entry fee. Deadline: September 30, 2009.
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Looking for a literary agent? These agents are looking for writers.
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Shepherd University (W. Va) is looking for a Web Content Provider/Writer, Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.) seeks a Senior Writer, and Washington National Opera would like to hire a half-time Communications Coordinator.
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Several free classes/workshops to share with you: Freelancer Linda Formichelli is offering free teleclasses "on topics ranging from how to write a killer query to how to organize your assignment workflow"; Aracelis Girmay will be leading a "Black Artist as Activist" poetry workshop in Brooklyn for writers ages 16-25; and starting in October, the Audre Lorde Project (also in Brooklyn) will be hosting "Tongues Afire: A Free Creative Writing Workshop for Queer Women, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color."
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Did you miss our last opportunity-laden newsletter? You can catch a reprint for the next couple of weeks here. But to make sure you receive the October newsletter right when subscribers do, subscribe! It's free, and your e-mail address won't be shared with anyone.

The Wednesday Web Browser

Ever wondered what you might glean from a workshop at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference? Over on the Hayden's Ferry Review blog, Eugene Cross shares what he learned last month from Charles Baxter.
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And for another perspective on the same conference, check out Celeste Ng's dispatch on Fiction Writers Review (sequel to follow).
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Many thanks to Lisa Romeo for letting us know that the very learned editor/agent/writer Betsy Lerner is keeping a blog (where I have discovered the exciting news that an updated edition of the excellent Forest for the Trees is in the works).

Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

From LaChance Publishing: "We're gearing up for an eye-opening anthology called Women Reinvented. It will feature inspiring, first-person, TRUE stories of up to 2,400 words by women who have made new lives for themselves. Have you?" Paying opportunity (although pay rates are not disclosed in the announcement I've linked to, the publisher's Web site indicates payment to be "up to $150.")
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According to the Guide to Literary Agents blog, agent Diane Freed of FinePrint Literary Management "is looking for nonfiction projects in the categories of advice/relationships, spirituality, inspiration, health/fitness, memoir, narrative nonfiction, popular culture, lifestyle, women’s issues, the environment, and humor. Her fiction interests generally are commercial and literary fiction, including women’s commercial fiction."
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Entertainment Weekly (Los Angeles) "is offering a part-time editorial internship starting in mid-September. The position pays $10/hour and will last three months. In addition to office duties such as transcribing, interns will have the opportunity to write for the magazine and/or its website, EW.com."
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According to MediaBistro's job listings (you'll need a free subscription to access them), MediaBistro itself is looking for an "Essay to Memoir" instructor.
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"The Department of English at Pomona College seeks a distinguished writer of fiction for appointment to the Roy Edward Disney '51 Professorship in Creative Writing. Responsibility to teach creative writing and literature courses of one's own choosing; load negotiable. The Roy E. Disney Chair is a senior appointment; salary commensurate with rank and accomplishment."
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"The English Department of Willamette University invites applications for the tenure-track Hallie Brown Ford Chair in Writing. We seek a fiction writer of distinguished achievement who is dedicated to the teaching of writing and prepared to work with the department on developing the curriculum in creative writing. Substantial publication and an MFA or equivalent are required. The Ford Chair will customarily teach four courses per year and organize a series of readings and other events. Salary is competitive."
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"Penn State York invites applications for an Assistant Professor of English (tenure-track, 36 weeks)to begin August 2010 or as negotiated. Responsibilities: Teach creative writing (poetry preferred) and business writing (both intermediate and advanced). Administer undergraduate writing program and oversee writing tutoring. Secondary responsibilities may include one or more of the following: teaching introductory and advanced theatre arts, philosophy of literature/literature of philosophy, American literature after 1865, and/or introductory composition; and/or supervising student literary magazine."
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"Western Michigan University invites applications for a tenure-track academic year position in Creative Writing (Fiction), to begin December 14, 2009, at the rank of Assistant Professor, pending budgetary approval."
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New England Law (Mass.) is looking for a Publications Writer/Manager; Smith College (Mass.) seeks an Assistant Editor; and Rutgers (N.J.) is looking for an Editor/Writer.