2024 ART WRITING INCUBATOR
Burnaway
DEADLINE: May 3, 2024 by 11:59pm EST
INFO: The Art Writing Incubator is an annual online writing intensive, which cultivates the next generation of critics and art writers through a series of workshops with leading culture writers and artists from around the world and one-on-one tutorials with Burnaway’s editors. Much of the program is funded by Critical Minded, which supports emerging writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, and writers in rural communities.
The Art Writing Incubator theme this year is Process is Critical. The 2024 AWrI will examine process as more than a means to an end for artists and writers. Instead, process is rehearsal, reaction, reflection. It is re-writing and re-examining. The incubator will consider how sharing process in criticism offers revelation.
Burnaway’s Arts Writing Incubator program has equipped participants with tools for pitching, writing statements, and producing considered criticism for the last seven years. The five-week program begins with a session hosted by Burnaway’s editorial masthead and subsequent weeks led by guest speakers. In addition, Burnaway has invited a renowned cultural figure to give a keynote public talk addressing the yearly theme. Over the course of the program, students will formally propose, develop, and complete a short-form writing project with one-on-one feedback from Burnaway’s editors. Following the completion of the program, these works will be compiled into a small chapbook circulated on Burnaway’s platform.
The 2024 Art Writing Incubator will be held virtually. Applications, available April 1st, are open to anyone over the age of 18 with a connection to our coverage area – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and The Caribbean. The Art Writing Incubator intends to foster new writers and champion under-represented voices. It is supported by Critical Minded.
Additional information will be shared about the 2024 Keynote and Guest Speakers during the application period.
COST: Tuition for the 2024 cycle is $275. Thanks to generous funding from Critical Minded, Burnaway will consider additional needs-based support for selected participants that indicate.
INFO SESSION: There will be a Q&A session on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 from 7-7:45 PM EDT. You can register for and attend the session here: https://lu.ma/a749bvl2.
burnaway.org/programs/2024-art-writing-incubator/
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MARBLE HOUSE PROJECT
DEADLINE: May 6, 2024 by 11:59pm EST
INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.
Marble House Project accepts approximately 60 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old. Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond.
All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.
Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.
Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and staff. Artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application. Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you.
RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2025
March 11th - April 1st
April 6th - April 29th
May 6th - May 27th
June 3rd - June 24th
July 8th - July 22nd. Parent / Artist Residency
Parent artist residency. This residency is only for parent artists who will be attending with their children. Children must be four years old by the start of the residency. Please note that if you only apply for this residency it is very competitive. If you choose other dates you will also be considered for those as well. To find out more about the family friendly residency please visit http://www.marblehouseproject.org/residencyprograms/
October 7th - October 28th
November 3 - November 24th
marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit
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93rd Annual Writing Competition
Writer’s Digest
EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: May 6, 2024
INFO: The 93rd Annual Writing Competition is open for submissions. Winners will be announced in our Nov/Dec 2024 issue.
Writer’s Digest has been shining a spotlight on up-and-coming writers in all genres through its Annual Writing Competition for over 90 years. Enter our 93rd Annual Writing Competition for your chance to win and have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen.
PRIZES:
One Grand Prize winner will receive:
$5,000 in cash
An interview with them in Writer’s Digest (Nov/Dec 2024 issue) and on WritersDigest.com
A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote
A coveted Pitch Slam slot at the Writer's Digest Conference where the winner will receive one on one attention from editors or agents
Publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com
The First place winner in each category will receive $1,000 in cash and publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com.
The Second place winner in each category will receive $500 cash.
The Third place winner in each category will receive $250 in cash.
The Fourth place winner in each category will receive $100 in cash.
The Fifth place winner in each category will receive $50 in cash.
The Sixth through Tenth place winners in each category will receive a $25 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com.
All top winners will also receive:
Their names and the title of their winning piece listed in Writer’s Digest and on WritersDigest.com
A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine
A one-year subscription to Writer’s Digest Tutorials
20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
A special graphic recognizing their winning status
All Honorable Mentions receive:
Their names and the title of their selected piece listed on WritersDigest.com
20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University
A special graphic recognizing their winning status
CATEGORIES:
Inspirational/Spiritual
Memoirs/Personal Essay
Nonfiction Essay or Article
Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
Mainstream/Literary Short Story
Rhyming Poetry
Non-rhyming Poetry
Humor
Children’s/Young Adult Fiction
writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/annual-writing-competition
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LIFE ON THE MARGINS
Tell-All Boston
DEADLINE: May 9, 2024
INFO: TELL-ALL BOSTON is seeking nonfiction submissions of your true stories about being marginalized, living on the edge, feeling othered, or pushed to the borders. What is your interpretation of margins? Submit your piece (1,000 words max) by MAY 9th, to tellallboston@gmail.com. We will select 3-4 writers to read on
stage during our special "Life on the Margins" live event. TELL-ALL is Boston's only live-on-stage reading series dedicated
to the craft of memoir and personal essay.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:
Your submission should be approximately 1,000 words. We can’t consider anything longer than 1,000 words.
The live reading time is limited to 5 minutes. Practice before you submit.
Submit your best writing to tellallboston@gmail.com by Thursday, May 9. Only one submission at a time, please.
Attach your submission as a Word or PDF file. We can’t accept links to Google docs.
Include a short bio (100 words maximum) in the body of the email. If you would like us to share your social media accounts, please also include your social media handles in your bio.
Also attach a headshot in .jpg or .png format.
We will notify accepted readers shortly after the submission deadline.
Questions? For more details on how to submit, please visit the Tell-All Boston FAQ’s page or email tellallboston@gmail.com.
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Milkweed Fellowship (MINNEAPOLIS, MN)
Milkweed Editions
DEADLINE: May 13, 2024
INFO: The Milkweed Fellowship is grounded in our belief that books have the potential to change the way we see the world, and that equity is essential to a vibrant, diverse, and empowered literary ecosystem.
This paid, one- to two-year immersion program is designed to offer the tools, experience, and exposure necessary to pursue a career in book publishing. Intended to provide an alternative route to leadership in an industry where the prerequisite to an entry-level position is typically an unpaid internship, this learning-oriented position seeks to provide entry to those historically underrepresented among workers in book publishing—Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and those with disabilities—so they may advance, discover, and champion transformative literature for years to come. This position is based on-site in our Minneapolis office and is full time (40 hours per week, for 12–24 months), beginning in September 2024 or earlier. Compensation includes a salary of $40,000 per year, generous paid time off, and health and dental benefits.
WHO WE ARE: Milkweed Editions is one of the nation’s leading independent literary presses. Based in Minneapolis, our mission is to identify, nurture and publish transformative literature, and build an engaged community around it. As a mission-driven independent book publisher, we publish 25–30 new books of literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction each year, as well as continuing to print and support authors published in prior years such as Robin Wall Kimmerer, Ada Limón, Fady Joudah, Jos Charles, Elizabeth Rush, and J. Drew Lanham. Our books and authors have been winners of or finalists for the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Our authors currently include six MacArthur Fellows and the U.S. Poet Laureate. Milkweed Editions is located in Open Book, a literary and book arts center that also houses Milkweed Books, our independent bookstore. Open Book is accessible by light rail and bus lines.
RESPONSIBILITIES + OPPORTUBNITIES:
The 2024–25 Milkweed Fellow will be offered a holistic publishing experience, working across disciplines to learn the trade of book publishing from seasoned professionals. The Fellow will take part in all stages of our publication process, and will be closely trained for some or all of the below responsibilities. Staff mentors will work with the Fellow to develop specific goals, discover the Fellow’s strengths, and, as appropriate, we will tailor project assignments and experiences to individual interests and skills. Key responsibilities may include:
Text design and layout of book interiors
Read, evaluate, and discuss submitted manuscripts
Design and layout communication materials for advancement and engagement
Research and solicit submissions and potential collaborators
Assist in drafting contracts and tracking payments to authors
Work with our editors to provide feedback on manuscripts under development
Proofread and fact-check manuscripts
Draft promotional and descriptive copy and related digital content for forthcoming titles
Partner with staff across team to assist on the promotion, distribution and design of new books
Research potential partners and new sales/event/media outlets
Support outreach, fundraising, and community engagement efforts
Participate in staff meetings
Correspond with authors, agents, contractors, partners, and other publishers
Research and write grant proposals
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
An avid reader with abundant enthusiasm for literary community and the business of publishing
A creative, industrious person interested in the craft of bookmaking
Excellent written, verbal, and organizational skills
Fluency in other languages and cultures
A strong sense of initiative and a drive to seek out opportunities
A collaborative, enthusiastic team spirit
A commitment to increasing access to and equity in literature
Someone who believes in the power of books to foment change
Please let us know if you have special experience or interests in any of the following (non-required) areas: academic research, translation, grant writing, ecological community building, text design, bookselling, book reviewing, editing, Adobe Creative Suite, communication design, copywriting, fundraising, or anything that you see as relevant to this Fellowship experience.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Must be able to talk on and manipulate a phone, participate in meetings, type on a keyboard, sit for extended periods, and move about an accessible office, but we are open to making this position accessible for those for whom these demands may present a barrier, using the resources available to us. We’re listening.
TO APPLY:
Applicants should submit the application materials listed below as one combined PDF via Submittable. Please include your last name in the file name of your application document (i.e., Taylor_Application.pdf). Learn more about Milkweed on our website.
Cover letter addressed to Ruby Hoglund, Executive Assistant, including answers to the following application questions (up to 2 pages single spaced): Why are you interested in working in the publishing industry and what areas are you most curious about? What are your career ambitions and what would help you achieve them?
Résumé (1–2 pages)
Writing sample: Write about the potential for literature to impact the future of humanity and the more-than-human world. Please cite specific texts. (1 page, single spaced).
We are committed to making publishing an increasingly diverse and inclusive industry. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, gender and sexual identities, and disability statuses.
It is the policy of Milkweed Editions to afford equal employment opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, status as a disabled veteran, status with regard to public assistance, or any other protected class recognized by applicable laws.
milkweed.org/2024-call-for-fellowship-applications
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2024-2025 BIPOC CRITICS LAB cOHORT
The Public Theater
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024
INFO: Are you interested in being a part of the next generation of BIPOC arts journalists? Join our next BIPOC Critics Lab Cohort, in partnership with founder & cultural critic, Jose Solís! Applicants who were not accepted to any past cohorts are encouraged to apply again; previously accepted Lab participants are ineligible to re-apply. Applications are now open until Wednesday, May 15. The application asks applicants to answer a series of general background questions, as well as upload answers to three prompts:
Please upload a resume of your proudest moments.
Please respond to the question, “What are my dreams for criticism over the next year?” in the medium you see fit.
In 100 words or less per review, please write three short reviews of the listed topics.
The Public Theater is hosting cultural critic Jose Solís’ BIPOC Critics Lab in the 2024-25 season. After successfully hosting the 2023-2024 cohort, The Public is honored to continue Solís’ commitment to creating an educational space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) writers in the realm of cultural criticism.
Sessions for the Lab will span the course of The Public’s 2024-25 season. Those chosen to participate will receive offers to join the cohort in late June, with the cohort officially beginning in mid-September. This iteration of the cohort will be a hybrid model of online sessions and option in-person activities.
The program begins with ten 90-minute weekly sessions on Zoom for cohort members to define “What My Criticism Will Be”, to take place in Fall 2024. Additional learning opportunities will take place in the spring on a semi-regular basis. Participants who meet the attendance requirements will be assigned a future commissioned piece with compensation.
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS: Members are required to attend the first cohort session, and eight out of ten of the weekly sessions in Fall 2024. If a member misses the first session they are automatically removed from the cohort, and if they miss a later weekly session, they are expected to watch the recording.
Please reach out to us at BIPOCCriticsLab@publictheater.org for any inquiries.
About the BIPOC Critics Lab
The BIPOC Critics Lab was founded in 2020 by Jose Solís as a first-of-its-kind program designed to train and create work by emerging BIPOC theater journalists. Solís noticed a gap in training based on his own experience as a cultural critic in the field and created an educational space for BIPOC writers who had not been welcomed into cultural criticism, whether due to systemic oppression, lack of opportunity, or because they didn’t know they were allowed to see themselves as critics. Solís solicited applicants for the first cohort through Twitter where over 100 BIPOC participants expressed interest in participating. From 2021-2023, The Kennedy Center hosted the BIPOC Critics Lab online as a part of the American College Theater Festival. In the summer of 2023, a cohort was also co-hosted by the Stratford Festival and Intermission Magazine. During its 2023-2024 season, The Public Theater hosted its first BIPOC Critics Lab cohort. Alumni of the program have gone on to write and work as editors for outlets such as The Los Angeles Times, Andscape, Elle, Glamour, American Theatre, Broadway News, 3Views, Brooklyn Rail, and Token Theatre Friends.
Following the tenets of dialogue, compassion, and nurturing one’s unique voice, future critics who participate in the cohort will contribute to the creation of a custom program that fits their specific needs and encourages them to pursue the path of criticism that best serves them. Participating in the cohort is at no cost to members. Selected members will have the opportunity to learn all aspects of arts journalism through a variety of mediums beyond the written word. BIPOC experts in the field also serve as guest speakers for the Lab. Writers who meet the attendance requirements at the culmination of the program will be assigned a futurecommissioned piece with compensation.
publictheater.org/programs/bipoc-critics-lab-cohort/
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EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIPS
Miami Book Fair
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 by 11:59pm EST
APPLICATION FEE: $0
INFO: Miami Book Fair’s Emerging Writer Fellowships program offers a life-changing experience to fresh literary voices. Three program recipients will enjoy critical mentorship from a nationally established author in their respective genre, as well as a host of other strategic supports.
EWF supports developing writers who demonstrate exceptional talent and promise by providing them with time, space, and an intellectually and culturally rich artistic community. The program’s goal is to actively support these writers – who are working to complete a book-length project within a year – and help them launch their literary careers. Emerging Writer fellows are granted professional experience in arts administration, teaching creative writing, and other opportunities; a $50,000 stipend; and strong literary community support to allow for 12 glorious months of uninterrupted time to craft their works.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
List of Application Materials Needed
Proposal for manuscript-in-progress
Statement of need
Manuscript sample
CV
Recommendation letters (2)
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Applicant may apply only once per submission cycle, regardless of genre.
Only online submissions are accepted through our submission manager, Submittable. Applicants may verify the receipt of their manuscripts by logging into Submittable.
Miami Book Fair assumes no responsibility for manuscripts not received due to user error. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your application early.
There is no fee to apply.
Aside from the Submittable Cover Page, there should be no identifying information in any of the submitted materials.
Academic Nonfiction, Translations, Graphic Narratives, Children’s Literature and Young People’s Literature (including Middle Grade and Young Adult), and Film or Play Scripts are not eligible.
FORMATTING GUIDELINES:
The following materials must be submitted (acceptable files are PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, RTF). There should be no identifying information in any of these materials. Any applications that do not comply with this strict formatting will be immediately disqualified. Application file must include:
Proposal to complete a manuscript-in-progress that can be feasibly completed within the year-long fellowship (not to exceed one single-spaced page). Must include synopsis of project. Name the document [PROPOSAL_GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE]. (example: Proposal_Fiction_Beloved) Within the body of the document there should be no identifying information (this includes your name).
Statement of need: Tell us why it is important that you receive this fellowship now. Name the document [STATEMENT_GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE]. (example: Statement_Fiction_Beloved)
Sample of manuscript-in-progress (paginated, include title of manuscript in header):
Prose: 50-70 pages in Times New Roman, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.
Poetry: 20-30 pages in Times New Roman, single-spaced (unless style requires special formatting)
Name the document [GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE].doc (example: Fiction_Beloved.doc)
CV (education, professional experience, full publication list, honors and awards, etc.). Name the document [LASTNAME]_[FIRSTNAME]_CV.doc (example: Smith_Jane_CV.doc) Within the body of the document there should be no identifying information (this includes your name).
Applicant must also request that two (2) recommendation letters be submitted online or emailed to Ismery Pavon at Ipavon@mdc.edu within seven (7) calendar days after the application deadline.
Letters of recommendations should include information relevant to writing, dedication, any relevant strengths, and skills regarding the applicant’s writing, work ethic, and ability to engage with community.
Letters of recommendations can include college professors, mentors, and anyone who can speak for the applicant’s writing, work ethic, skills, and community involvement.
Applicants should provide this link to recommenders so they can directly upload their recommendation letter by the deadline: https://mdc.formstack.com/forms/emerging_writer_fellowships_letter_of_recommendations
IMPORTANT DATES:
Application deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on May 15, 2024
Winners Notified: Mid—September
Fellows Arrive: January 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026
Final project manuscript and completed survey of fellowship from fellows submitted by January 31, 2026
miamibookfair.com/fellowships/emerging-writer-fellowships-submission-guidelines/
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2024 Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant
Creative Capital
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant supports emerging and established writers who write about contemporary visual art. Ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 in three categories—articles, books, and short-form writing—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies. The program also supports art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. As long as a writer meets the eligibility and publishing requirements, they can apply.
To be eligible for this grant, an arts writer must be:
an individual;
applying for a project about contemporary visual art;
an art historian, artist, critic, curator, journalist, or a writer in an outside field who is strongly engaged with the contemporary visual arts;
a U.S. citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or holder of an O-1 visa (if your application advances to the final round, you will need to submit current documentation);
at least twenty-five years old by Oct 1 in the application year;
a published author (specific publication requirements vary depending on grant category; see the project-specific eligibility requirements).
By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, dance, film, media, music, performance, sound, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art.
An arts writer is NOT eligible for this grant if they are:
applying on behalf of an organization;
applying for a project in which their primary involvement will be as an editor;
a full-time student in a degree-granting program (with the exception of those students who are simultaneously maintaining professional careers as arts writers);
an artist, writer, or curator writing an interpretive essay on their own practice;
applying for a project that is primarily fiction, poetry (including ekphrasis), or memoir;
applying for a project based on a PhD dissertation or MA thesis;
applying to conduct a Q&A interview (or series of Q&A interviews);
applying to assemble an archive or database;
applying for a project on Andy Warhol;
applying for a project that will be published by a commercial gallery;
applying for a Creative Capital Award for any project in the same grant year (including as a collaborator);
applying with the same project for which they have received a Creative Capital Award (including as a collaborator);
applying with the same project for which they have received a curatorial research fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts (including as a collaborator);
a grantee of The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant;
a recent juror of the program (evaluators are eligible to apply after one grant cycle; panelists are eligible after two grant cycles);
a current employee, consultant, board member, or funder of Creative Capital or The Andy Warhol Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.
artswriters.org/application/guidelines
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RAGDALE ARTIST RESIDENCY
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 by 11:59pm CST
INFO: Ragdale is a non-profit artists’ community located on architect Howard Van Doren Shaw’s country estate in Lake Forest, IL, 30 miles north of Chicago. In 1976, Shaw’s granddaughter, Alice Judson Hayes, transformed her family’s summer home into an artist's retreat to provide time and space for artists to create important new work.
Today, Ragdale annually hosts nearly 140 visual artists, writers, dancemakers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists at all stages of their careers for 18-day residencies, making it one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. Ragdale offers a retreat setting where at any given time, up to a dozen creative individuals experience uninterrupted time for dedicated work, a supportive environment, family-style dinners, and dynamic artist exchanges within a backdrop of 50 acres of idyllic prairie.
Residency Awards, up to 140 awarded in 2025:
18-day residency session for individuals. Based on personal financial considerations, artists determine their own residency fee, and may opt to pay according to our suggested income-based sliding scale. No financial aid application is required. Admitted residents are responsible for their own travel.
FELLOWSHIPS: We currently offer 12 fellowships each year. All qualified applicants may apply for fellowships. A fellowship award includes an 18-day fee-waived residency for individuals and a stipend of at least $1000 to participate in the Ragdale Youth Engagement educational outreach program. All applicants who apply for fellowships will be considered. Please note that applicants may be awarded a residency without a fellowship award. Fellowship awards are disclosed upon acceptance.
Late applications cannot be accepted. If you are applying for the Waud Fellowship, the application deadline is 11:59 PM CST June 30.
ELIGIBILITY:
Ragdale encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, and to that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply. While there are no publication, exhibition or performance requirements for application, applicants should be working at the professional level in their fields. Ragdale encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply and does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
GUIDELINES:
All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application:
A completed online application form includes:
A one-page artist’s statement and work plan explaining your work and what you plan to do while in residence.
A one or two-page CV or resume that summarizes your professional background.
Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted.
If you would like to be considered for a fellowship, we require an eligibility statement of 500 words or less for each fellowship you would like to be considered for. An eligibility statement explains how you qualify for the selected fellowship and how a fellowship would support your work at this time.
There is an application fee of $25. This amount covers the cost of application processing. Ragdale does not profit from application fees. If you are not in a position to cover the processing fee, please reach out to the Residency Manager, Deanna Miera at deanna@ragdale.org, to request a fee-waived application.
*PLEASE NOTE: Letters of Recommendation are no longer required or accepted.
EVALUATION:
Applications are reviewed by Ragdale’s Curatorial Board and staff. Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:
Work samples: Documented works are original, inventive, and exciting.
Work samples indicate relevance in their contemporary field.
Work sample presentation: Work samples are high-quality and technically proficient in execution, and are professionally presented and documented.
Artist’s experience: Artist statement and CV/Resume reflects continued development of ideas, serious inquiry into subject matter, and exceptional aesthetic investigation in the chosen medium.
Work plan: Artist demonstrates they will maximize the benefits of a residency at Ragdale. What is the reason for seeking time and space in this particular residency program and is there a sense of urgency reflected in the goals described?
NOTIFICATION: Applicants are notified of admission status via email in September.
COLLABORATIONS: Artists collaborating on a project must submit individual application forms and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at Ragdale. Clearly specify your work and living space needs i.e. how many private studio and/or sleeping quarters are needed. You may also submit an example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress). Any specific concerns can be directed to Regin Igloria, Artistic Director at regin@ragdale.org, before applying.
TIMELINE:
May 15: Application Deadline
September: Notification of Residency or Fellowship award.
QUESTIONS? All inquiries should be directed to Artistic Director, Regin Igloria (regin@ragdale.org), and Residency Manager Deanna Miera (deanna@ragdale.org). Please do not reach out through Submittable.
ragdale.submittable.com/submit
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VCCA RESIDENCY
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: Residencies can be transformative to an artist’s process and the effect on an artist’s career profound. A residency at VCCA gives artists the time and space to explore and go deeper into their work. Away from the constraints of “the real world” and in an accepting environment of talented peers, one can dream and create with the feeling that anything is possible.
VCCA’s Mt. San Angelo location in Amherst, Virginia, typically hosts 360 artists each year in residencies of varying lengths (no minimum; up to six weeks) with flexible scheduling. A residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a private individual studio, three prepared meals a day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VCCA is surrounded by natural wonders and hiking trails. Many local sites and additional inspiration can be found in short drives to Lynchburg (20 minutes), Charlottesville (1 hour), Roanoke (1.5 hours), or Richmond (2 hours).
VCCA Fellows are selected by peer review on the basis of professional achievement or promise of achievement in their respective fields. Separate review panels are created for each category (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting/screenwriting, children’s literature, performance, film/video, book arts, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, installation art, music composition, etc.). Panelists undergo periodic review and rotate regularly to ensure VCCA admission decisions are guided by high caliber artists who represent a diversity of styles and tastes.
All VCCA residency and fellowship applications are accepted online via SlideRoom. The standard application fee is $30. If the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, artists should reach out to Artists Services at vcca@vcca.com to request an application fee waiver at least five days before the deadline.
FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: A variety of fully-funded fellowship opportunities are available at each application deadline. In addition, significant financial assistance is available throughout the year.
vcca.com/apply/residencies-at-vcca/
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The Watering Hole Virtual Summer Retreat
The Watering Hole
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024
SUBMISSION FEE: $10
INFO: Over a three-day period (July 19-21, 2024), Summer Retreat participants will be able to attend two readings, evening community activities, and daily classes/workshops (3 hours each) in three major genres:
Short Stories (Fiction) with DeLana R.A. Dameron (Redwood Court, How God Ends Us, Weary Kingdom)
Essays (Creative Non-Fiction) with Julian Randall (The Dead Don't Need Reminding, Refuse, Pilar series, Black Boy Joy)
Poetry Manuscript with Crystal Simone Smith (Founder and Editor of Backbone Press, Among These Blues, Ebbing Shore)
Our mission is to build Tribe through genuine relationships and help poets reach their best work.
Writing Facilitators: T.B.A.
APLICATION PROCESS:
A Cover Letter (with aesthetics statement) and
A writing sample of 3 poems
ELIGIBILITY: You must be 21 years of age by July 19th.
ADDITIONAL HELP:
The poems may be written or audio. We accept a variety of file types. The poems must have been written within the last two years). Do not include your name on these materials. Judging will be blind.
The cover letter must be written (not audio). If you need help with the basic cover letter format, check out our blog post of Cover Letter Advice. The type of aesthetics statement that we ask for is a paragraph or two that details...
who influences your writing,
what challenges have you faced on your creative journey,
what you seek to accomplish in your poems,
and what The Watering Hole means to you as a writer of color.
This will contextualize the poems in your submission and help us get to know you as an artist. You may also optionally include how your writing or aesthetic informs what you do, where you work, or any work you do in the arts community or vice versa. Make certain your submission is your final version. Corrections and new versions will not be accepted.
twhpoetry.submittable.com/submit
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The Emerging Writer’s Contest
Ploughshares
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 at noon EST
ENTRY FEE:
Subscribers - $0
Non-subscribers - $30
INFO: The Emerging Writer's Contest is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish or self-publish a book. Read past winners of the contest here.
We award publication, $2,000, review from Aevitas Creative Management, and a 1-year subscription for one winner in each of the three genres. Submit to the Emerging Writer's Contest through our submission manager. You must be logged in to access our submission manager.
The 2024 contest judges are Dantiel W. Moniz (Fiction), Porsha Olayiwola (Poetry), and Augusten Burroughs (Nonfiction).
PUBLICATION:
The winning story, essay, and poems from the 2024 contest will be published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Ploughshares.
ELIGIBILITY:
You are eligible if you:
Have yet to publish a book (including eBooks, translations, books in other languages/countries, self-published works, and poetry chapbooks with a print run of more than 300).
Have no book forthcoming before April 15, 2025.
Are not affiliated with Emerson College or with Ploughshares as a volunteer screener, intern, student, staff member, or faculty member.
Will not have a relationship with Emerson College before April 15, 2025 (example: if there is a chance you will attend the Emerson MFA program in the coming year or if your work has been accepted for publication for an upcoming issue).
SUBMITTING:
The contest is now open. We will announce the winners in mid-September of 2024.
Fiction and Nonfiction: Under 6,000 words
Poetry: 3-5 pages
Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager.
Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager.
No entries via email or mail will be considered for the contest.
Submitted work must be original and previously unpublished in any form.
For poetry, we will be reading both for the strongest individual poem and the general level of work, and may choose to publish one, some, or all of the winner's submitted poems.
International submissions are welcome, but we ask that you please be in touch via email for more information about this process.
We cannot accommodate revisions once a manuscript has been submitted.
If submitting work with images, please acquire permission beforehand and, if possible, ensure any images are high resolution (300 dpi).
We strongly encourage typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced), and numbered pages.
Cover letters are not necessary. Please remove all identifying information from your submission as they will be read anonymously.
Simultaneous vs. Multiple Submissions
We only consider one submission per author for the duration of the contest, regardless of genre. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are fine as long as we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere via email (pshares@pshares.org) or our online contact form.
FEES:
If you are a current subscriber through our Winter 2024-2025 issue, your contest entry is free of charge. You will still be prompted to "checkout" but you will not be required to enter payment information and will not be charged. If you're not sure when your subscription expires, feel free to email us at pshares@pshares.org.
If you are not a subscriber, or your subscription expires before our Winter 2024-2025 issue, the submission manager will prompt you to pay the $30 fee at checkout. The fee includes a 1-year subscription to Ploughshares (beginning with the Spring 2024 issue and ending with the Winter 2024-2025 issue) and free submissions to the 2024 regular reading period.
If you are an international submitter, please be in touch via email for more information about this process.
pshares.org/submit/emerging-writers-contest/guidelines
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Cokie Roberts Fellowship for Women’s History Application Information
National Archives Foundation
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 by 11:59pm ET
INFO: The Cokie Roberts Research Fund for Women’s History will support one to three annual fellowships for emerging and established historians, journalists, authors, or graduate students who perform and publish new research to elevate women’s history using the records held by the National Archives. This fellowship is intended to support the cost of travel and time to conduct research and publish works related to original research conducted at the National Archives.
ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be emerging or established historians, journalists, authors, or graduate students with proven writing skills, a demonstrated passion for women’s history, and the ability to perform in-person research at a National Archives facility. Applicants can be based anywhere in the U.S.
AWARD: Up to $12,500
NOTIFICATION: Application notifications will be in the summer of 2024.
archivesfoundation.org/cokie-roberts-fellowship/
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The Studios at Key West
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024
INFO: The Studios of Key West, the premier arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, offers a residency program for emerging and established artists and writers from around the world. We provide residencies to visual artists, writers, composers, musicians, media artists, performers, and interdisciplinary artists.
The program grants nearly 40 artists each year the time and space to imagine new artistic work, engage in valuable dialogue and explore island connections.
The Studios’ residency program is community-based and built upon the hope that visiting artists will take inspiration from Key West’s rich artistic past and present, and will engage with — and be inspired by — the remarkable people and culture that surrounds them.
Key West’s official motto, “One Human Family” reflects our commitment to living together as caring, sharing neighbors dedicated to making our home as close to paradise as we can. To that end, we encourage artists of all races, nationalities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities to apply.
DURATION: Our residencies are one month; they run from the 2nd day of the month to the last day of the month. For example: if you are awarded a residency in June, you would plan to arrive on June 2, and would plan to depart by June 30.
We’re sorry, but we are currently unable to offer residencies of less than one month. If you are accepted to the program, please plan to be in residence for the full month.
COST: There is no fee for the residency once an artist has been accepted into the program. However, artists are responsible for their travel to Key West, as well as living expenses and incidentals.
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Monson Arts Residency
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024
INFO: Monson Arts’ residency program supports emerging and established artists and writers by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices. During each of our 2-week and 4-week programs throughout the year, a cohort of 5 artists and 5 writers are invited to immerse themselves in small town life at the edge of Maine’s North Woods and focus intensely on their work within a creative and inspiring environment. They receive a private studio, private bedroom in shared housing, all meals, and $1,000 stipend ($500 for 2-week programs).
Applications for a residency at Monson Arts are open to anyone at any stage of their career, working in visual arts, writing, and related fields (i.e. audio, video, photography, movement, screen and playwrights). Open calls for residency applications currently take place 3 times throughout the year with deadlines on January 15, May 15, and September 15. Each application period corresponds to specific residency offerings 3-6 months out.
Residents’ studios are located in newly renovated Main Street buildings that have been designed specifically for visual artists and writers. All of our studio spaces are outfitted to be as flexible as possible so that we can accommodate a variety of creative practices. Our visual arts studios are spacious and light-filled with large work tables and sinks. Shelving and portable storage carts are available as needed. Access is available to woodshop and metal shop facilities in nearby buildings for any fabrication needs. Our writing studios are comfortably furnished with work tables, office chairs, bookshelves, and reading chairs. For those working in time and sound based media: apply to the Writing category if quiet contemplation would be best for your project or the Visual Arts category if you need room and the opportunity to make and play sounds out loud.
Residents live in newly renovated historic homes throughout town, within walking distance to studios and everything that downtown Monson has to offer. These are mostly 3 bedroom structures that are fully furnished and comfortable all four seasons of the year. Houses all have shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas with laundry machines, telephone, and other amenities as well. Wifi is available in all of our buildings through high speed fiberoptic service.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Up to 5 pages of work samples / 15 pages for playwright or screen writing
A letter of intent for your time at the residency
C.V. or Resume (limited to 6000 characters)
Two reference names
monsonarts.org/residencies/overview/
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WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
The Associates of the Boston Public Library
DEADLINE: May 17, 2024 at 11:59pm
INFO: The Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence program is intended to:
Provide an emerging children’s writer with the financial support, editorial assistance, and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults.
Encourage the imagination of young readers, and in so doing draw attention to the importance of authors and the essential role they perform in nurturing developing minds and furthering our culture.
Promote the awareness of the Boston Public Library and its resources, by establishing a living link between Library and the community.
WHAT DO FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS GET?
$23,000 stipend.
Up to $2,000 of additional funding for coaching / editorial assistance.
Private office space at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.
Completed manuscript will be added to the BPL’s Archives.
Opportunity to publicly present your manuscript at a fall reading.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?
All genres welcome! Eligible projects include fiction, non-fiction, a graphic novel, script, memoir, or poetry intended for children or young adults.
Since this program is intended for emerging authors, applicants should not have already published any books.
The recipient must work for a minimum of 19 hours per week during the year-long residency.
Applicants must be able to legally work in the US.
TERMS OF RESIDENCY:
You will work a minimum of nineteen (19) hours per week from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.
You will participate in a public reception at the BPL on October 1, 2024 to mark the beginning of your residency.
You will complete a submission-ready manuscript by the end of residency, which you will present at a second public reception, on a mutually agreed upon date.
You will include an acknowledgment of the Associates of the Boston Public Library in all work created during the residency, and during any media opportunities stemming from the program, using mutually agreed upon language.
Optionally, you may participate in or create a program for Boston Public Library patrons such as a teen writing workshop or a presentation to Boston-area students, as mutually agreed upon with BPL Youth Services staff. (Participation would be only a small portion of your time and is not required.)
APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply, please complete the application form (below) and upload a proposal (5 pages max.) and writing sample (15 pages max.) by Friday, May 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm. The documents should be double spaced with one inch margins and at least 11 point font. The attachments should not include any biographical information, since there will be a blind judging process. See questions #13 and 14 below for more details.
Basic questions about the application will be answered via email (via hello@AssociatesBPL.org); no calls please. Questions regarding how to present your work will not be considered. Inquiries concerning applications under review will not be answered.
If using Submittable creates an undue burden for you, you can alternatively mail your submission to: Writer-in-Residence Program, Associates of the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.
Late applications will not be considered. Once submitted, applications cannot be altered by either candidates or Associates staff.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Finalists will be evaluated by a panel of judges, which includes a rotating group of authors, librarians, booksellers, publishers, editors, book designers, teachers, and/or citizens representing different areas of the world of children’s literature. Associates staff do not vote in this process.
The judges do not know the candidates’ names, gender, educational qualifications, or any background information. This blind judging process is focused solely on the quality of the submissions.
Submissions will be judged on the merit of the original writing. Work suspected of being derived from or enhanced by an AI writing program will only increase the chance that it will be eliminated from consideration by the judges.
The candidates selected to be the 2024-25 Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence will be notified by Monday, July 29, 2024.
KEY DATES:
Application Deadline: Friday, May 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm
Notification: Monday, July 29, 2024
Residency Period: October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025
associatesbpl.org/events-and-programs/writer-in-residence-program/
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CRAFT SHORT FICTION PRIZE 2024
Craft
DEADLINE: May 19, 2024
INFO: Welcome to the CRAFT 2024 Short Fiction Prize! Since our launch in 2017, CRAFT has been a premier online home for the contemporary short story. We admire self-assured style and unabashed ingenuity, a willingness to explore and expand the form.
For this year’s contest, Guest Judge Deesha Philyaw dares writers to indulge, to be bold and defiant:
For me, a short story succeeds when I see, on the page, the writer indulging their own desires, interests, quirks, and demons; when I see the writer daring to write like themselves, eschewing mimicry and playing it safe. Not being daring for the sake of being daring or performative, but daring because they’re defying the person or rule that told them, “You can’t write about that,” or “You can’t write like that,” or “You can’t write.” I’m looking for fearlessness and audacity. I’m looking for characters making a mess of it all, then putting the pieces of themselves back together (or not). I’m a Virgo, so naturally I want the writer to mind the details—physical, emotional, and spiritual.
The first-place winner will receive a $2,000 award, online publication, a subscription to Journal of the Month, and—new this year—a writerly Tech Bonus worth up to $500! The second- and third-place finalists will receive $500 and $300, respectively, along with online publication. The 2024 Short Fiction Prize opens on March 18 and closes on May 19, 2024. Send us your most audacious short stories!
GUIDELINES:
CRAFT submissions are open to all writers.
International submissions are allowed.
Please submit work primarily written in English, but some code-switching/meshing is warmly welcomed.
We seek short fiction only for this contest: 1,000 to 5,000 words in length.
We review literary fiction but are open to a variety of genres and styles—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.
Submit previously unpublished work only—we do NOT review reprints for contests (including work posted on blogs, personal websites, social media, etc.). Reprints will be automatically disqualified.
We allow simultaneous submissions—writers, please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is accepted for publication elsewhere.
We allow multiple submissions—please submit each piece as a separate submission accompanied by an entry fee.
This contest requires a $20 entry fee per submission.
All entries will also be considered for publication in CRAFT.
Please double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.
Include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).
We do not require anonymous submissions. However, we do anonymize the fifteen shortlisted stories before sending them to the guest judge.
Writers from historically marginalized groups will be able to submit for free until we reach fifty free submissions. This free categorywill close when we reach capacity.
AI-generated work will be automatically disqualified.
Entries that do not adhere to these guidelines will be automatically disqualified.
We do not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, disability, family status, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, or for any other reason.
Additionally, we do not tolerate discrimination in the writing we consider for publication: work we find discriminatory on any of the bases stated here will be declined without complete review.
AWARDS:
Winner receives a $2,000 cash award, a free four-issue subscription from Journal of the Month, and our Tech Bonus: their choice of an iPAD 10th Generation, reMarkable 2, or a Freewrite Traveler (up to $500 value).
Second- and third-place finalists receive $500 and $300, respectively.
The top three stories will be published in CRAFT, each with an introduction by the guest judge.
Each publication will also include an author’s note (craft essay) by the writer.
FINE PRINT:
Friends, family, and associates of the guest judge are not eligible for consideration for the award.
Our collaboration with editorial professionals in the judging of our contests and the awarding of our prizes does not imply an endorsement or recognition from their agencies, houses, presses, universities, etc.
Read our 2023 contest winners for examples of work chosen in the past.
As we only consider unpublished writing and will publish the winning pieces in October 2024, anything under contract to publish prior to January 2025 should not be entered.
OUR GUEST JUDGE: Deesha Philyaw is the author of the debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, which won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 2020/2021 Story Prize, the 2020 Los Angeles Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies focuses on Black women, sex, and the Black church, and is being adapted for television by HBO Max with Tessa Thompson executive producing. Deesha is also a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and a Baldwin for the Arts Fellow. Her debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman, is forthcoming from Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, in 2025. Find her on Twitter @DeeshaPhilyaw.
craftliterary.com/craft-short-fiction-prize-2024/#
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ANNE LABASTILLE MEMORIAL WRITERS RESIDENCY
Adirondack Center for Writing
DEADLINE: May 19, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a free, two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen: three from the Adirondack region (aka “The North Country”… see FAQ below for specifics) and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.
The residency is generously provided by the estate of Anne LaBastille, who wrote books capturing challenges of the region, including Woodswoman and Beyond Black Bear Lake from her cabin on Twitchell Lake. During the residency, writers will paddle to the site of her property and explore the lake with locals.
The Lodge at Twitchell Lake provides an abundance of physical space, and each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom. There are plenty of writing spaces in and around the property. Internet access is available, but limited (email ; Zoom ). Most cell phones will not work (a landline is available).
Covid-19 Requirements: Proof of vaccination is required. Residents who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons will be required to provide proof of negative test upon arrival and can contact ACW with any COVID-19-related questions: info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Residency Dates: September 22 – October 6, 2024
Notification: July, 2024
FEE: There is no cost to attend the residency.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Cover Letter: In the space provided in Submittable (no attachments), include a brief, third-person bio and a work plan detailing your goals for this residency.
Writing Sample: Please send up to 10 pages of your best writing in the genre you will working in at the residency. Prose: 10 pages max. Poetry: 10 poems max. NOTE: Make sure your name does not show up anywhere in your writing sample. Writing samples that include your name will not be considered. Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications.
adirondackcenterforwriting.org/residency/
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Call for submission: 2024 WWS SUBMISSION CONFERENCE
Women Who Submit
DEADLINE: May 28, 2024
INFO: The 2024 WWS Submission Conference will be held Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Plaza de la Raza in Lincoln Heights. The third conference in a series, the 2024 conference is the first to be offered in person thanks to a partnership with Plaza de la Raza and a grant from the Latino Community Foundation and California Arts Council. Online options will be made available for those experiencing barriers to attending due to health, finances, travel, family care, and more. The Women Who Submit Submission Conference is a biennial (every other year), one-day speaker program created by women and nonbinary writers for women and nonbinary writers to empower marginalized voices to submit work for publication and achieve success in publishing and academia. The first WWS Submission Conference was held as an online event in the heart of lockdowns in August 2020 thanks to a grant from the Eastside Arts Initiative and individual donors.
The WWS Submission Conference seeks to feature writers, translators, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians, publicists, professors, and more from the Southern California region to discuss pathways to success. Women Who Submit works to center individuals from marginalized communities including, but not limited to, people who identify as Trans and/or nonbinary, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and Disabled. WWS focuses on an anti-capitalist model of generosity, shared leadership, inclusion & accessibility, and resilience. More on our core values can be found here.
ABOUT PROPOSING PANELS + WORKSHOPS:
For the 2024 WWS Submission Conference, Beyond the Writing: Building Community, Advocacy, and a Literary Career, Women Who Submit is accepting proposals for panels and workshops to be produced in person at Plaza de la Raza with a hybrid option. All panels and workshops will take place on Saturday, August 10, 2024, between the hours of 9am-5pm. Up to three in person panels and three in person workshops will be accepted.
CRITERIA:
Women Who Submit is looking for proposals that celebrate, investigate, or highlight a variety of writers’ experiences that focus on strategies and pathways to success. Proposals should consider varied viewpoints and are encouraged to be intersectional and inclusive in topics, guest speakers, and moderators.
Proposals must be submitted by a registered member of Women Who Submit – either from Los Angeles or one of the WWS chapters. However, panels and workshops can include partners from outside the WWS community.
Any individual member may submit up to two proposals. This could be two panels, two workshops, or one and one. Any individual speaker or facilitator is only allowed to feature on one accepted proposal.
Panels and workshops will be allotted 75 minutes.
Panels proposals must include a moderator and 3 guest speakers.
Workshop proposals can include 1 or 2 facilitators.
Proposals will be selected based on diversity*, synchronicity with core values, synergy of topics, and how well the proposal addresses essential issues affecting women and nonbinary writers.
ACCEPTED PROPOSALS WILL RECEIVE:
$100 per panelist/moderator
$150 per co-workshop facilitator or $300 for a single workshop facilitator
Free lunch on the day
Promotional support including flyers for social media and posts on the Women Who Submit, Plaza de la Raza, and partnering social media accounts
Recognition in the WWS Submission Conference program
IMPORTANT DATES:
Submissions close: May 28, 2024
Notification of acceptance: June 14, 2024
WWS Conference: Saturday, August 10, 2024
womenwhosubmitlit.org/wws-submission-conference/
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Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers
GrubStreet
DEADLINE: May 30, 2024
INFO: GrubStreet’s Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers provides financial and professional development support to two self-identified Black writers interested in teaching classes, participating in events, and working with our instructors and staff to deepen our curriculum. The fellowship includes compensation of $25,000, artistic mentorship, and access to the GrubStreet community and the Muse and the Marketplace conference. In time, the program aims to offer sustainable support to Black Writers and create a cohort of fellows who have direct access to GrubStreet resources, classes, and events. We also hope the fellows can influence GrubStreet’s pedagogy and cultural vision based on their experience and feedback.
COMPENSATION:
$25,000 per fellow for the year.
Access to mentorship from GrubStreet’s Education Director and fellow instructors.
Free access to the Muse and the Marketplace during the fellowship year and the option to lead a paid session at the conference.
Access to additional GrubStreet events.
A dedicated space at GrubStreet’s new home to work on personal writing projects.
60 hours (or roughly 20 weeks) of free GrubStreet classes, which can be taken during or after the fellowship.
A two-year GrubStreet membership.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Teaching one ten-week class.
Teaching one six-week class.
Teaching one week-long teen camp.
Teaching one three-hour seminar (plus, the option to teach more for additional payment).
Moderate or participate in a Boston Writers of Color’s event.
Meet with the Director of Faculty and Fellowships periodically to track progress.
Meet with new fellows at the end of your own fellowship year.
The fellowship begins September 3rd, 2024 and runs through the end of August 2025.
WHO SHOULD APPLY:
This fellowship is open to writers who self-identify as Black, are 18 or older, are able to work with both adult and teen audiences, and have a passion for expansive pedagogy, curriculum development, and professional growth. Ideal candidates will have some publication and teaching experience. Preference will be given to those working on their first book or a larger project. MFAs, a long publishing record, or extensive teaching experience are not requirements to apply, though feel free to tell us if you have any of these things.
Covid-19 Update: GrubStreet’s programming is currently taking place both virtually and in-person. We hope fellows will be able to join us in-person later in 2024 and 2025. Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to join us in Boston when it's safe to do so.
HOW TO APPLY:
The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers Application Form will require the following:
A personal statement (500 words max), which should include:
Your background as a writer and teacher.
Your personal philosophy or approach to creative writing workshops.
How this particular fellowship fits your interests and goals as a writer and educator.
Your CV or resume.
A writing sample (20 pages limit for prose; 12 pages for poetry; 25 pages for scripts; and 20 pages for other or fused genres) that best exemplifies your current trajectory as a writer.
Two personal references (name, email, and phone number) who can speak to your experience and dedication to writing and teaching.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Deadline: Thursday, May 30th, 2024.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel composed of GrubStreet’s program staff.
Final decisions will be announced at the end of June.
Program kicks off on September 3rd, 2024 and runs through the end of August 2025.
QUESTIONS?
If you have specific questions about the Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers, email programs@grubstreet.org or call the office anytime at 617.695.0075.
grubstreet.org/write/teaching-fellowship-for-black-writers
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Susan Kamil 2024–2025 Emerging Writer FellowshipS
The Center for Fiction
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024
INFO: The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowships offer grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers. Learn more about the Fellowships and meet our current Fellows below.
ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIPS:
During the one-year Fellowship period, Fellows receive:
A grant of $5,000
The opportunity to have their manuscript revised and critiqued by an experienced editor
Access to write in our Writers Studio
The opportunity to meet with editors, authors, and agents who represent new writers at monthly dinners
Two public readings as part of our annual program of events
A professional headshot for personal publicity use
Inclusion in an anthology distributed to industry professionals
Tickets to our First Novel Fête and/or Annual Awards Benefit
Complimentary admission to all Center events
A 25% discount on writing workshops at the Center
A workshop on reading as performance, conducted by Audible
centerforfiction.org/grants-awards/nyc-emerging-writers-fellowship/
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FROM BIOPIC AUTISTIC WRITERS + ARTISTS
Lucky Jefferson
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59pm EST
INFO: BIPOC autistic writers and artists are invited to embrace their inner wildflowers by sharing poems, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, art, and more for this digital publication.
We invite you to:
Describe the inner life and beauty of introspection/introvertedness
Share experiences being on the spectrum
Share experiences being a BIPOC artist or writer on the spectrum
Share experiences with sexuality (and beyond) on the spectrum
Examples of what we're looking for: “When does the kosanba rest?” by Leslie McIntosh / bad road by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
COMPENSATION (UPON ACCEPTANCE):
$15 — Haiku, Short Poems (<14 lines), Micro Fiction (under 100-300 words)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
$25 — Prose, Short Story, Flash fiction, Creative-Nonfiction, Hybrid/Experimental (under 1000 words)
SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD
$25 — All Artwork (includes comics, paintings, etc.)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website, in print, and will be eligible to be publicized on social media.
luckyjefferson.submittable.com/submit
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: 'Awake' Zine - Issue 6, How We Make Fire
Lucky Jefferson
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59pm EST
INFO: Awake is a digital zine and collection of work by Black authors that explores the power we each hold. For a second time, Awake, [Issue 6], will be in print!
Use the prompt below to complete your submission:
What survival skills are necessary to exist?
Submit poetry, essays, creative nonfiction, and more, about your experiences outdoors and how Black people survive, thrive, navigate oppression and privilege in nature.
*All poetic expressions are welcome (haikus, creative non-fiction, art, poetry, etc.)*
Examples of what we're looking for: The Bison Run with Chango by Frank X Walker / First Fire by Camille T. Dungy
COMPENSATION (UPON ACCEPTANCE):
$15 — Haiku, Short Poems (<14 lines), Micro Fiction (under 100-300 words)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
$25 — Prose, Short Story, Flash fiction, Creative-Nonfiction (under 1000 words)
SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD
$50 — Hybrid, Experimental, Essays, Long-form pieces. (under 2000 words)
SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD
$50 — All Artwork (includes comics, paintings, etc.)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website, in print, and will be eligible to be publicized on social media.
luckyjefferson.submittable.com/submit
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EMERGING WRITER AWARDS
Key West Literary Seminar
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST (Letters of recommendation must be received by the following week)
ENTRY FEE: $12
INFO: We are now accepting applications for the 2025 Emerging Writer Awards. These awards recognize and support writers who possess exceptional talent and demonstrate potential for lasting literary careers.
Winners of the the Scotti Merrill Award, Cecelia Joyce Johnson Award, and Marianne Russo Award receive full tuition to our Writers' Workshop Program and the 42st annual Seminar, "Family," as well as round-trip airfare, full lodging support, and a $500 honorarium. Winning submissions will be published in our program book and recipients will have the opportunity to read their work on stage. To participate in both programs, award winners will be in Key West from January 5 - 13, 2025.
Each Emerging Writer Award is tailored to a particular literary form. The Merrill Award recognizes a poet, while fiction writers may apply for either the Johnson Award (short story) or the Russo Award (novel-in-progress). Poets and writers who have not yet published a book with a major publisher are eligible to apply.
GUIDELINES FOR THE CECELIA JOYCE JOHNSON AWARD FOR SHORT STORY:
COVER LETTER: In approximately 350 words, please tell us about your background, motivations as a writer, and previous accomplishments.
File name should adhere to the following model: “Lastname_Firstname_cover.doc” and your name should appear at the top-right-hand-corner of the page.WRITING SAMPLE: Please submit a complete short story of 20 pages or fewer (12-point font, double-spaced). File name should adhere to the following model: “Title_of_Short_Story.doc” and your name should not appear on the manuscript.
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION: One letter of recommendation is required. In the application form below, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email..
*Applications missing the letter of recommendation are incomplete and will not be considered. Application deadline is May 30 and your letter of recommendation must be received no more than a week later.
REFERENCES: Please provide the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.
Due to an increased volume of applications and our thorough review process, we are implementing a $12 application fee to cover review costs. Award winners will be notified by November 1.
ELIGIBILITY: Writers of any age who live in the United States and have not yet published a collection with a major publisher are eligible to apply. If you are the author of a book that is self-published, published with an independent press, or had a print run of 500 or fewer copies, you may or may not be eligible. If you think your eligibility may be called into question, please provide relevant details about prior publications as part of your cover letter. We reserve the right to make all final decisions regarding eligibility.
GUIDELINES FOR THE MARIANNE RUSSO AWARD FOR A NOVEL-IN-PROGRESS:
COVER LETTER: In approximately 350 words, please tell us about your background, motivations as a writer, and previous accomplishments.
File name should adhere to the following model: “Lastname_Firstname_cover.doc” and your name should appear at the top-right-hand-corner of the page.WRITING SAMPLE: Please submit an excerpt from your novel of 25 pages or fewer (12-point font, double-spaced). Preface this excerpt with a single page containing a “pitch” of 250 words or fewer; this should provide an outline of your novel and any context that may be useful to the reader.
File name should adhere to the following model: “Title_of_Novel.doc” and your name should not appear on the manuscript.LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION: One letter of recommendation is required. In the application form below, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email..
*Applications missing the letter of recommendation are incomplete and will not be considered. Application deadline is May 30 and your letter of recommendation must be received no more than a week later.
REFERENCES: Please provide the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.
Due to an increased volume of applications and our thorough review process, we are implementing a $12 application fee to cover review costs. Award winners will be notified by November 1.
ELIGIBILITY: Writers of any age who live in the United States and have not yet published a collection with a major publisher are eligible to apply. If you are the author of a book that is self-published, published with an independent press, or had a print run of 500 or fewer copies, you may or may not be eligible. If you think your eligibility may be called into question, please provide relevant details about prior publications as part of your cover letter. We reserve the right to make all final decisions regarding eligibility.
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2024-25 Frances Ellen Watkins fellowship
The 19th
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024
INFO: Named for the “mother of African-American journalism,” the program was launched to provide recent graduates, mid-career alums and former students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with full-year, salaried fellowships with full benefits in the areas of reporting, audience engagement and news product and technology.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellows will spend a year working in reporting, audience engagement, product or technology roles with full-time salaries and benefits, made possible by the generous support of Michelle Mercer and Bruce Golden. Fellows will receive on-the-job training, mentorship and professional development opportunities. We also provide career coaching to prepare fellows for their path after their fellowship.
FELLOWSHIP TRACKS:
Our cohorts include three reporting fellows, one audience engagement fellow and one product & technology fellow.
Fellows in the reporting track should expect to gain more experience in:
Covering issues deeply through original reporting, researched context and nuanced framing
Pitching stories they want to follow through the lens of equity and representation
Identifying and developing areas of expertise within their reporting
Exploring storytelling across digital platforms and in-person events
Centering the voices and experiences of people on the margins, who are often affected the most at the intersections of gender and policy
See stories reported on by our 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 fellows.
Fellows in the audience engagement track should expect to gain more experience in:
Finding, pitching, producing and reporting out audience-centric stories that live first and foremost on off-platform channels like Instagram. For example, our callout for Black country music fans, or our roundup of Women’s History Month quotes from our current fellow cohort
Optimizing and distributing journalism across platforms — such as on our site, via search, on social and in newsletters — to meet different audiences where they are
Crafting accurate, compelling headlines, social and newsletter copy, and visuals on deadline
Working with different roles across editorial, audio, event and product teams to execute on audience engagement projects
Using key newsroom platforms and tools to draft and schedule social media posts, update our homepage, monitor real-time metrics and trending topics, and produce an article or newsletter
Fellows in the product and technology track should expect to gain more experience in:
A specific engineering focus, building on existing skills in PHP and/or WordPress development, front-end engineering in HTML, CSS and JavaScript or data science quantitative analysis
Testing product feasibility, writing technical requirements and estimating timelines
Collaborating with engineers, product designers, researchers and managers to build, test and launch new features for products, like our website, republishing tools, apps like Apple News, and revenue and audience databases. For example, our current fellow built analytics dashboards for staff.
Communicating about technical progress, roadblocks and tradeoffs in a way that is understandable for non-technical stakeholders
Making technical decisions based on factors like ethics, security, performance and accessibility
WHO CAN APPLY:
Eligible candidates should be any one of the following:
A recent graduate (within two years of graduation), early-career (three to four years’ experience) or mid-career alum (5-10 years’ experience) of a Historically Black College or University
A graduating senior of a Historically Black College College or University with a graduation date prior to the anticipated fellowship start date of October 2024
An individual who attended a Historically Black College or University for at least two years, and either transferred or did not graduate
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This can include conditional student/work visas, provided The 19th will not be required to take additional steps in sponsorship
Eligible candidates should also have the following:
Some relevant experience in their chosen fellowship track
A genuine interest in growing their career in journalism
Alignment with The 19th’s values and community guidelines
HOW TO APPLY:
When submitting an application, prospective fellows will need to submit the following:
A cover letter explaining why you want to work at The 19th, and what impact this fellowship program would have on your career goals
Your résumé
Relevant samples of your work
Feel free to reach out to jobs@19thnews.org if you have any questions.
19thnews.org/apply-for-a-19th-news-fellowship/
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call for submissions: “Transition” Issue
Callaloo
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 at 11:59pm
INFO: Callaloo invites submissions on the theme of “Transition”.
Transition: the only constant is change…
n. the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.
v. undergo or cause to undergo a process or period of transition.
We like to believe that things are certain, static, reliable, when in fact everything is constantly in flux. At every moment, our bodies are aging, our children are growing up, our environment and the ground beneath our feet are shifting. We marry, we divorce, we move, we lose jobs or choose new ones, violence enters our lives, we get sick, we lose loved ones, we are failed by our leaders, we are surprised by good fortune. Sometimes the shifts are within us—like a discovery or a loss of faith—other times our world changes around us, leaving us in search of our center. With each shift, we grow and adapt, or we resist.
Callaloo seeks scholarship, personal essays, fiction, poetry, and visual art focused on the question of how we grapple with or choose change, assimilate it, make ourselves anew in the face of it. Submissions might focus on (but should not be limited to):
Political change, upheaval, transfer of power, and war
Shifts in family structure
Immigration, migration, changes in home and language
Identity and allegiance: sociocultural, gender, racial, spiritual
Crossing class/education barriers
The natural environment/landscape/climate
Birth, aging, illness, and death
Sexual awakening, discovery
Moving through developmental stages (childhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age, senior years)
The impact of technological and scientific discoveries
Theft and loss
Articles should follow the MLA Style Guide (3rd edition).
callaloo.submittable.com/submit
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Calls for submissions: MQR Mixtape—DANGER, or: Speak Anyway
Michigan Quarterly
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024
INFO: In “Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work” Edwidge Danticat writes, “to create dangerously” means “to create fearlessly, boldly embracing the public and private terrors that would silence us, then bravely moving forward even when it feels as though we are chasing or being chased by ghosts.” To contend with the danger of the everyday demands courage and boldness, the doubt notwithstanding.
For this issue, MQR Mixtape seeks original, brave, and inventive work that bears witness to and reckons with human peril. We are particularly interested in work that troubles its genre, language, and the very idea of “danger” or speaking. For this issue, we seek honest work that contends with what impels them to stay silent but demands an unsilencing through art. What is the place of humor in works about imperiled lives? What does a dangerous story look like? What does a dangerous essay look like? What is the literary possibility of danger?
We want to know, so please submit:
Fiction: up to 5,000 words
Nonfiction: up to 4,500 words
Poetry: 1–4 poems, up to 6 pages total
Hybrid work, visual art and/or audiovisual: 250 word abstract and sample
Only previously unpublished work will be considered. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted by another publication. Please send only one submission per window; subsequent submissions will be rejected automatically.
GUEST EDITOR: Kabelo Sandile Motsoeneng has published fiction and literary journalism in Joyland, Lolwe, Prairie Schooner and others. Currently a Zell Fellow at the University of Michigan, Motsoeneng obtained his MFA in Fiction at the Helen Zell Writers’ Program and studied English and Human Rights Studies at Trinity College. Motsoeneng has been awarded the Avery Hopwood Prize in the Novel, the Frederick Busch Prize, among others. He’s currently working on a novel set in Johannesburg, where he grew up.
sites.lsa.umich.edu/mqr/submit/
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James A. Winn Prize in Nonfiction
Michigan Quarterly
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024
INFO: The Winn Prize is awarded annually to a work of nonfiction of exemplary quality submitted for consideration. One essay submitted for this prize will be awarded $1,500 and publication in MQR. All submissions will be considered for publication.
The 2024 judge is Elizabeth Goodenough.
Elizabeth Goodenough has taught at Harvard, Claremont McKenna, and Sarah Lawrence Colleges as well as at University of Michigan’s Residential College, School of Education, and School of Information. She graduated from Smith College, received an MAT and PhD from Harvard University, and published Infant Tongues: The Voice of the Child in Literature (Wayne State Univ. Press, 1994), Secret Spaces of Childhood (U of Michigan Press, 2003) and Under Fire: Childhood in the Shadow of War (Wayne, 2008). Her co-produced, award-winning PBS documentary, Where Do the Children Play? included companion volumes: A Study Guide to the Film (WSUP, 2007) and A Place for Play (National Institute for Play, 2008). Summer 2024 she participates as a U-M Road Scholar. What the Presidents Read: Childhood and Family Favorites, co-edited with Marilynn Olson, will be published by Rowman & Littlefield in Fall 2024.
sites.lsa.umich.edu/mqr/submit/
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The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation Grant for Writing on Sculpture
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST
INFO: In this grant program, the Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation’s goal is to encourage and support sculptors, whether emerging or established, and writers about sculpture.
About the Grant
The JBSF offers one $20,000 grant per year.
The JBSF grant program operates on a 2-year cycle with alternating grants that support writing in even years and sculpture in odd years. Applications are now open for writing on sculpture, and the recipient will be announced later in the year. The sculpture grant application will be available in 2025.
The writing grant is specifically for a writer who generates fresh writing and thinking on the history, aesthetics, purposes, imagination or situation of sculpture.
Supported categories of writing include essays and books.
Essays: magazine essays, catalogue essays, book essays
Books: research or manuscripts currently in process or nearing completion.
Types of writing that are supported include art criticism, art history, memoir, psychoanalytical study, philosophical meditation and literary study.
The grant recipient is expected to complete the project within one year of receiving the award.
The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, or national origin; on the grounds of disability; on the basis of age; or on the basis of sex.
DEADLINE AND ANNOUNCEMENT DATES:
Applications are now open for writing on sculpture.
Applications must be submitted through the JBSF Grant Application Form. We must receive your application no later than 11:59pm EST on May 31, 2024. See the Application page for more information about the Grant Application Form.
Expect notification of awards no earlier than November 15, 2024.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
You are eligible to apply for the grant in writing on sculpture if you meet the following requirements:
You are an individual.
You are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or you hold an O-1 Visa.
At least one example of your writing has been published for the first time within the last five years (between January 1, 2019, and the present).
Types of eligible work:
Books, essays, memoirs.
Minimum requirements for submitting writing samples:
Up to three published writings from magazines, literary journals, or other publications (including online). The samples can originate from the same publication (although submitting samples from diverse publications is encouraged).
No sample should be longer than 2,500 words. If the original text exceeds 2,500 words, the sample can be an excerpt from it.
The samples should demonstrate your strength as a writer and their relevance to your project proposal.
The following types of work are NOT eligible: pre-publication material, such as proofs; work that has appeared in a publication for which you are the publisher or editor; collaborative writing; news reporting; letters to the editor; social media posts; essays on one’s own art or writing practice; student publications (including dissertations-theses).
You are not eligible if you are an employee, consultant, or board member of the Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications must be submitted electronically through the JBSF Grant Application Form. It is strongly recommended that you submit several days before the application deadline to avoid technical or submission issues. You will receive confirmation of a successful submission within 24 hours.
All writing samples and attached materials must be in English.
Questions or concerns regarding the Application Form can be directed to info@jonathanandbarbarasilverfoundation.org.
IMPORTANT: Your application will be automatically rejected without panel review if:
One or more required forms or attachments are missing
Your writing sample(s) exceed the word count requirement
Incorrect or insufficient publication information is provided
You have already received a grant from the JBSF during the last 5 years
You are not a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or O-1 Visa-holder
The writing samples are not in English
The application is not responsive to the mission and values of the Foundation
Your project proposal includes referential content about your own art or writing practice
APPLICATION REVIEW:
The selection process is two-tiered; evaluators first determine eligibility, and then three panelists chosen by the JBSF will review the proposals in closed sessions.
Evaluation is based on the vitality of the writing, the potential of the project proposal to contribute to the field of sculpture, appropriateness of the project to the Foundation’s mission, and confidence in the writer’s ability to complete the project.
APPLICATION SUBMISSION:
Budget: The applicant will attach a budget, in paragraph form (a max. of 250 words) that itemizes the expenses necessary to complete the proposed project. Briefly describe the categories of expenses and the amounts for each category the grant will cover.
Eligible expenses:
Writer’s fee (amount incurred by creating time to write)
Research
Travel (airfare, car rental, ground transportation, lodging, meals, per diem)
Living expenses (including childcare)
Fees for image permission
Reproduction and copying costs
Costs relating to editing, transcription, or translation
Expenses relating to the following are NOT eligible and your application will be rejected if your budget proposes to use the grant funds for any of these: loans or other debts: reimbursement of payments already incurred; purchase of land or building; tuition expenses; fees paid to third parties for promotion, marketing, or sale of work; commissioning work by others; health-related expenses (dentistry, hospitalization, etc.).
The applicant will list any contributions that have already been raised, as well as any other pending sources of income for the project (for example, other grant applications).
AWARD NOTIFICATION:
Announcement of the grant recipient will be made in November 2024, but no earlier than November 15.
The recipient will be notified of the grant award via an email with the subject line: Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation: Award Notice XXXX-XX to Your Name
Award documents will be provided in a separate email, including the award letter and reporting requirements (see below).
*Important: The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation grant program is pending approval from the Internal Revenue Service. The award funds will be disbursed after the Foundation is approved.
AWARD ACCEPTANCE: RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Reporting Requirements
The project is expected to be completed within 1 year of receiving the award.
The Foundation expects a progress report on the project 6 months after receiving the award, as well as a final report after the full year. If the work has not been completed, the final report can summarize your progress.
Progress Report: the one-page report should include (1) A description of all activities supported by the grant and (2) grant-supported activities planned for the remainder of the grant period (i.e. research or travel).
Final Project Report: The grant recipient’s completed work will be considered their final report. Plans for publication are recommended but not required.
Conversation with the Director: A conversation about the project with the Artistic Director of the Foundation will take place at the Foundation Space (67 West Street, Brooklyn, NY) as part of their Final Report. The event will be live streamed, recorded, and posted to the JBSF website. This will be an opportunity for the writer to receive feedback on their work.
An outline of expenditures
A one-page report on the Awardee’s experience with the grant
Grant recipients assume legal, financial, and administrative responsibility for complying with the terms included in the grant award documents.
Failure to comply with these requirements may result in suspension or termination of the award and the Foundation’s recovery of funds.
Copyright and Cataloging Information
You may copyright any material that is subject to copyright and was developed under the JBSF award during the grant period.
We reserve the indefinite right to reproduce, publish, or make available for research work produced under the JBSF grant period.
ACCESSIBILITY:
Individuals who do not use conventional print or electronic media may access the information in the Grant Application Form by contacting the JBSF at info@jonathanandbarbarasilverfoundation.org for assistance.
jonathanandbarbarasilverfoundation.org/2024-writers-grant-about
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african women’s non-fiction writing workshop
Cassava Republic Press
DEADLINE: May 31, 2024
INFO: Cassava Republic Press is calling on all African women non-fiction writers! We are delighted to be hosting a residential writing workshop this July for African women living on the continent and interested in writing non-fiction.
Enter now for a chance to work closely with an acclaimed Black women author and have your work published in an anthology called, Taboo!
Coupled with our Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Prize, this project is part of our mission to nurture and encourage more Black women to write critical, thoughtful and inspiring works of non-fiction by providing them with a sanctuary for their creative expression and intellectual exploration.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
This is a 10-day residential workshop of creativity and collaboration in Johannesburg from June 30th – July 11th 2024, led by an acclaimed Black women author, whose name will be announced soon. The workshop offers writers the opportunity to refine their craft and engage critically with the long tradition of non-fiction writing as they explore their own unique voice. The workshop will culminate in a final essay to be published in an anthology by Cassava Republic Press.
Travel within the continent, accommodation and food will all be provided for, and participants need only bring themselves and a willingness to learn and complete their essay!
THE WORKSHOP THEME
The workshop’s theme, Taboo, is an invitation for writers to explore subject from different angles, leading to a published collection of essays on the theme.
Taboos are practices that are forbidden, restricted and even controversial. They are shaped by social and religious customs, and vary across cultures. What does taboo mean to you? It is a question that sparks curiosity and invites introspection. This could be a historical or theoretical exploration of the origins of different taboos, or a more journalistic piece on the effects of breaking an existing taboo or if the theme hits closer to home, perhaps a personal essay on navigating a taboo and the felt experience. This theme is an invitation to provoke and stimulate discourse;and the anthology will stand as a testament to the allure of the forbidden.
Final essays will be a minimum of 5,000 words and should be beautiful, thoughtful, rigorous and bring a fresh insight to the conversation.
cassavarepublic.biz/african-womens-non-fiction-writing-workshop/
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2024 Tenth Anniversary Open Prose Chapbook Submissions
Split/Lip Press
DEADLINE: June 1, 2024
ENTRY FEE: $10
INFO: It's Split/Lip Press's Tenth Anniversary and this year, we're doing an open prose call for our chapbook period, which means we're open for fiction vs. nonfiction vs. hybrid vs. secret fourth options—we want to read it all. Seven members of the SLP editorial team (managing director Caleb, marketing directors Gage and Abby, short story/flash fiction editor Pedro, novel/novella editor Kate, nonfiction/hybrid editor Athena, and director Kristine) will be serving as both your first-round readers and your final editorial team decision-makers, which means there's no "reading team" filter—your chaps are going directly to the top! We will be reading, discussing, and voting democratically as a team to decide on our Tenth Anniversary Chapbook selection.
We are currently looking for previously unpublished prose chapbook manuscripts that are considered complete projects as they stand—we do not view chapbooks as "a taste of a longer work" but, instead, as the beautiful, brief books they are. Collections of individual pieces which gain power through their proximity to one another, or a single, sustained long work—we're open to and interested in both!
Individually published pieces within the manuscript are absolutely fine (and expected!) but the chapbook should not have been published as a BOOK before. Our definition of "chapbook" is under 80pg, but we've got a little flex, so don't let those guidelines exclude your work if you're pretty close to that page count. If your book is significantly longer, keep us in mind during our novel/novella reading period in July, our nonfiction/hybrid full-length reading period in October, or our short story/flash fiction collection reading period in January!
First and foremost, we seek out manuscripts that question boundaries (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional—you get the gist). Our editors are drawn to work with a twist, whether that means blending fact with fiction, employing speculative elements, placing lyricism alongside criticism, and/or image-based work interacting with text.
To get an idea of what we've historically loved, please check out our current chapbook offerings:
Heather Bartel's forthcoming Exit the Body, Tucker Leighty-Phillips' Maybe This is What I Deserve, Claudia Putnam’s Double Negative, Kelly Ann Jacobson's An Inventory of Abandoned Things, Calvin Walds’ Flee, Samantha Edmonds’ The Space Poet, Tyler Barton's The Quiet Part Loud, Shasta Grant's Gather Us Up and Bring Us Home, SJ Sindu’s I Once Met You But You Were Dead, and Kara Vernor's Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song.
We'd love it if you'd add a copy of any (/all) of our chapbooks to your submission, and we'll happily throw in free shipping as a thanks!
Historically under-represented perspectives are WELCOME and ENCOURAGED and HIGHLY SOUGHT—we want to help bring your voice to the world!
Our press mission
We publish boundary-breaking fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid books, lifting the transition boards that prevent fluidity and smashing those we cannot pry up. We love work that questions the concept of truth, and work that reinterprets what we think we know. We prize experimentation (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional); we welcome the unanswerable. We want to see the dark and the light side of the moon—or we want to see it obliterated. If your book is a wedge in a crack, Split/Lip Press is the hammer helping you split the wall apart.
All books published at Split/Lip Press have been discovered during our open reading periods—we do not solicit manuscripts and do not accept manuscripts sent outside of our reading periods. Every author has the same opportunity to join us! However, Split/Lip Press does not tolerate manuscripts celebrating racist, homophobic, or misogynistic perspectives, and will discard such manuscripts unread. We believe in breaking boundaries at Split/Lip, but we will not assist agendas of hate.
Basic formatting details
TNR 12 (or similar), double-spaced (unless you are specifically using special formatting—which we'd love to see), and PLEASE remove your name from the manuscript and file name—we want to review your manuscripts without names attached. There is a box on the submission form where, if you choose, you may indicate any information about positionality which may be helpful for the readers to know.
Please note that while we love and welcome work which includes images/diagrams/etc, we are unable to reproduce color images and all images would need to appear in black-and-white within a 6" x 9" printed book, so please keep that in mind when submitting.
Hugs + thanks
We work closely with our authors on all elements of their book, from design to promotion. We are engaged in the literary community, and as writers ourselves, we know how important it is to have a book that you love that is supported by a press that loves you. We'd love for you to be part of the Split/Lip Press family.
Simultaneous submissions are obviously welcome. Our reading process is a process and we move quickly and efficiently, but we also don't interrupt it prematurely. So if another publisher snags you first, we just ask that you withdraw your submission (and congrats to you!).
We intend to reply to all submissions by July 15, 2024, so please do not query about the status of your manuscript before that date. If you haven't seen anything from us by 7/15/24, check your status in Submittable and double-check your email spam filter because Submittable's messages sometimes get stuck there—we will definitely respond!
splitlippress.submittable.com/submit
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: “ALL MY LOVE'“ ISSUE
Plantin
DEADLINE: June 5, 2024
INFO: Plantin is an online illustrated magazine dedicated to becoming an un-gated platform for writers belonging to the Black immigrant experience. They are currently seeking submissions for their next issue: "All My Love."
Love is a wonderful, vital thing (especially in our current times). They are especially looking for work relating to queer/trans/non-binary expressions of love and romance or navigating queer dating and partnership.
Send your short stories or poetry about your OTP or the time all the signals magically connected.
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call for submissions: The Futurities Issue
Mizna
DEADLINE: June 6, 2024
INFO: Before speculative writing, we must have speculative thought. Before thinking and feeling into the future, we must acknowledge our past and bear witness to our catastrophic present.
We write this call amid an ongoing genocide in Gaza—a genocide occurring before the world’s eyes, enabled by the world’s powers, a genocide that will yield generations of incommensurable grief and consequences, and, as of today, a genocide with no end in sight, a genocide that intends never to look back on its own crimes. Gaza is not alone in facing catastrophe—in Sudan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Morocco, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, and elsewhere throughout the region and the world, people are facing forced displacement, devastating violence, economic precarities, and uncertain futures. In approaching the subject of SWANA futurities, we face the very real question: In a moment when the present is so urgent, why bother discussing or imagining any future at all? Our short answer is: Because apathy is an intended effect of the forces who want to eradicate our Palestinian kin and exhaust our efforts of resistance and solidarity.
As we embark on this project, it is crucial to name that this genocide emerges from the future-oriented, settler-colonial project of Zionism; a project which exemplifies how notions of utopia and futurity can be instrumentalized to serve fascist and genocidal intentions. Our present moment manifests from long histories of extractive capitalism and colonial ambition that have come to shape the realities of the SWANA region and beyond, and constrain our abilities to imagine futures without these systems in place. To sow fear for the future and helplessness in the present is precisely the point; to colonize time and portray the desired outcomes of empire as inevitabilities is precisely the point. These tactics that work to manage and anticipate the expansion of colonial power have stoked the rise of genocidal futurities spanning Manifest Destiny, the Translatlantic Slave Trade, world-scale European colonialism and fascism, and the various trajectories of diaspora, migration, and forced displacement that converge in our staff, artists, and communities. This includes the stolen Dakota land on which we live and work in Minnesota and the endurance of systemic racism and police brutality in the United States. In this sense we know we are not alone in facing precarity, and that the stakes of this work are high.
The doomsday futurities that circulate throughout the SWANA region are not merely narratives; they alter the very fabric of how we move through time and space. In recent decades, the SWANA region has been dubbed the site of the “forever wars,” a barbaric desert locked in endless conflict, plagued by religious fundamentalism, and unable to “learn.” War itself demands a specific conceptualization of temporality, as urgency interrupts our relations to past and future, stretching the experience of the present into a looping, ruptured infinity. The region is also variegated in its projections and manifestations of futurity: oil-rich Gulf countries exploit migrant workers and decimate local ecosystems to consolidate wealth; governments brand themselves as progressive while curtailing populist movements. Elsewhere, Western military incursions and economic sanctions have likewise coopted SWANA futures and intensified present precarities in the name of “progress.”
We issue this call with faith in our ability to transform and imagine our futures, which are in fact undetermined, unsettled. In recent months, many have pointed to the joy and steadfastness of Palestinians amid incomparable catastrophe. In the words of Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, “Part of our resistance to the finality of genocide is for us to talk about tomorrow, plan for tomorrow, work on healing the wounds of our people. The aim of this war is that there would no Palestinian tomorrow. We own tomorrow. Tomorrow is a Palestinian day.”
The stakes of futurity
What dreams and tomorrows can we imagine that grapple with the urgencies of today? What forms of writing can intervene in the projections of unending trauma and destitution seemingly prescribed for the SWANA region and beyond—those narratives that compel us to assume a predetermined future? How can we, by writing imagined alternatives, reject the catastrophes we are condemned to and disrupt the systems of oppression that rely on deliverable forecasts of violence, dispossession, and immiseration?
This issue is inspired by the literary, aesthetic, and chronopolitical movement of Afrofuturism. We resonate deeply with Afrofuturism’s concern, as Kodwo Eshun writes regarding the role of the artist in combating the Global North’s predatory and demoralizing forecasts of African and Afrodiasporic futurities, “with the possibilities for intervention within the dimension of the predictive, the projected, the proleptic, the envisioned, the virtual, the anticipatory and the future conditional . . . a space within which the critical work of manufacturing tools capable of intervention within the current political dispensation may be undertaken.” We are equally engaged with Indigenous futurisms, queer futurities, anti-capitalist Gulf Futurism, ecofuturism, and beyond. Situating ourselves in a constellation of proleptic liberation movements, we welcome any and all contributions from authors engaging with these and related modes of thought. Through speculative writing, we aim to foster conversations that shed the chains of colonial futurities, while also remaining lucid, creative, and rigorously attendant to the action that must take place in the present in order for such futures to be realized.
We seek work that writes with the gravity of the fact that our present moment is the projected and sought future of the status quo. We seek work that takes seriously the need to intervene with agency and take action in the present if we ever wish to see a freer, alterable future.
Who we are and what we seek
Mizna is a SWANA-run and -focused literary journal, and the work you submit should speak to our audience and mission. We welcome all SWANA peoples and those in community with us who seek to contribute interventions, incitements, speculations, and agitations geared to shift currents in collective action, imagination, morale, history, and plausibility through literature.
Writing of all forms: Poetry, prose, short stories, essays, creative nonfiction, visual poetry, comix, songs, spells, manifestos. Work that writes against form or incorporates multiple forms.
Speculative works rooted in our world but not necessarily taking place in the world we know. We are open to science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, magical realism, alternate history, utopia and dystopia, fairy tales, steampunk, cyberpunk, solarpunk, climate fiction, theory fiction, ecopoetics, and others related to this genre.
More Octavia Butler, less Arthur C. Clarke.
Works that look to the past for inspiration and can shift our thinking in the present. For example, reimaginings of SWANA folktales, myths, legends, and stories.
Historical fiction with speculative elements inspired by explorations of settings and conditions for revolutionary movements. For example: the Arab Workers Movement (Mouvement des Travailleurs Arabes) and the Black Panthers’ refuge in Algeria in the early ’70s.
Works that give voice to, and create a platform for, minoritized peoples in Western and SWANA contexts alike. Please be aware of your positionality when submitting this type of work.
Works that challenge the notions of progress and linear time.
We are not looking for:
Indulgences in escapism, uncritical technocapitalist sci-fi, utopian projects collaborating with empire, or the over-intellectualization of liberatory struggles.
Academic writing or term papers. Your work can be complex and theoretical, but it should be clear and legible to a nonacademic audience. Easy on the jargon!
Visual art submissions.
General Submissions Guidelines
Submitters do not need to be SWANA- or Arab-identifying, but work submitted should be mindful of Mizna’s aesthetic and the social realities of our audiences, as well as be a contribution to ongoing conversations in and beyond our communities. We encourage submitters to read back issues of Mizna before submitting work for consideration.
Mizna focuses on debut writing; please submit previously unpublished work. We do not accept visual art submissions. Simultaneous submissions are permissible, though we ask to be notified as soon as possible if the submission is accepted elsewhere. There are no submission fees. Selected contributors receive a $200 honorarium, a one-year subscription to Mizna, and five copies of the issue.
Please include a short cover letter (200 words or less) as the first page of your submission, with a brief overview of the work you are submitting and why you are submitting to Mizna. Include a note disclosing any simultaneously submitted works.
Poets should list the poems they are submitting.
Prose submissions should include a brief, 1–2 sentence overview of the submission (e.g., a synopsis if it is a story or narrative essay, or an overview of the argument for more expository essays). Keep in mind that we are a literary magazine.
Include a brief (50 words or less) author bio.
Add a maximum of one sentence for any additional information you would like the editorial team to know about the work.
Include contact information: email, phone number, and mailing address.
Please submit as .doc or .docx files. Submitting pdfs is allowable only for pieces with complex layouts. We do not accept other file formats (e.g., .pages). Prose submissions should be double spaced and limited to 5000 words. Please do not send us your term papers or thesis manuscripts for consideration. Poetry submissions should be limited to four poems of any length. Verses exceeding our page width will be treated with a run-over indent.
Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be considered.