Black Writing Bulletin #15 - Publishing and Employment Opportunities
Get paid for your writing.
Hello Creatives!
How is your Spring going? For some reason, May is always the busiest month of the year for me. I can almost never keep up, and I fear that everything will fall apart because of something I missed. These feelings tend to creep in for most around hectic times like the December holiday season, graduations, and back-to-school for those of us who parent children.
And if you are a “side hustle creative” like me, the very idea of setting time aside to write feels like a joke. But don’t let the challenges of life snuff out your creativity. Writing is much more that putting words on a page. There is research. There is planning. There is idea generation. Those are all important parts of the process too.
For me, I had a burst of inspiration last week. I realized an emotional reaction my protagonist should have toward the beginning of my novel that will change the texture of everything that comes after. It’s one small thing, but it is an important thing. And making that small but monumental bit of progress kept me connected to my work and ensured that I’m still making progress, even in the busiest of times.
- Daren
This week, there are featured opportunities to publish at:
BICOSTAL REVIEW
Bicoastal Review is a quarterly journal of poetry, nonfiction, interviews, photography, and art that fosters cross-genre conversations, often about—but not limited to—topics of the U.S. East Coast and West Coast. We have published writers and artists from around the world, and support emerging poets, women, LGBTQIA+ writers, and writers of historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Deadline: Rolling Submissions
Submission Fee: Free
Details here.
BRIDGE JOURNAL
We welcome submissions in poetry, literary fiction and creative nonfiction, visual art, cultural criticism, design, and hybrid work from established as well as emerging writers and artists. We are especially interested in work that embraces the world and continues, however subtly, the ongoing global conversation about culture and society that Bridge has championed from its beginning in 1999.
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Submission Fee: Free
Details here.
Head over to the main Substack page to view previously shared opportunities.
This is your sign to get your work out there. Submit to literary journals. Get your essay published. Take your writing seriously.
Fiction Submission Opportunities
BRIDGE JOURNAL
We welcome submissions in poetry, literary fiction and creative nonfiction, visual art, cultural criticism, design, and hybrid work from established as well as emerging writers and artists. We are especially interested in work that embraces the world and continues, however subtly, the ongoing global conversation about culture and society that Bridge has championed from its beginning in 1999. We also accept reviews and interviews, which we publish throughout the year at our online magazine, bridge-chicago.org. Back issues are available in our member’s area archives. A free membership is required for access.
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Submission Fee: Free
Details here.
EPIPHANY
We hope that when you read Epiphany: A Literary Journal, you'll get a sense of the great variety of stories, poems, essays, and genre-bending work that we like, and the recurring themes to which we keep returning. We hope that you'll enjoy and connect with the work of your fellow writers, and that you'll feel you're a valued part of our community, rather than just another lonely writer sending your beloved work out into some unsympathetic void. We hope you'll see what makes us different. We hope you'll feel you have a stake in our endeavor.
Deadline: June 15, 2025
Submission fee: $15
Details here.
Non-Fiction Submission Opportunities
BICOSTAL REVIEW
Bicoastal Review is a quarterly journal of poetry, nonfiction, interviews, photography, and art that fosters cross-genre conversations, often about—but not limited to—topics of the U.S. East Coast and West Coast. We have published writers and artists from around the world, and support emerging poets, women, LGBTQIA+ writers, and writers of historically underrepresented backgrounds. We celebrate political poetry and poetry of place. The writing we publish often addresses social issues such as environmental destruction, the impact of digital media, the nuances of immigrant histories, traumas of modern life, and the politicization of gender and sexuality. We have published sonnets, haikus, triolets, prose poems, found poems, elegies, and more. We also invite contributors to consider intertextuality and respond ekphrastically to our past publications.
Deadline: Rolling Submissions
Submission Fee: Free
Details here.
BRIDGE JOURNAL
We welcome submissions in poetry, literary fiction and creative nonfiction, visual art, cultural criticism, design, and hybrid work from established as well as emerging writers and artists. We are especially interested in work that embraces the world and continues, however subtly, the ongoing global conversation about culture and society that Bridge has championed from its beginning in 1999. We also accept reviews and interviews, which we publish throughout the year at our online magazine, bridge-chicago.org. Back issues are available in our member’s area archives. A free membership is required for access.
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Submission Fee: Free
Details here.
EPIPHANY
We hope that when you read Epiphany: A Literary Journal, you'll get a sense of the great variety of stories, poems, essays, and genre-bending work that we like, and the recurring themes to which we keep returning. We hope that you'll enjoy and connect with the work of your fellow writers, and that you'll feel you're a valued part of our community, rather than just another lonely writer sending your beloved work out into some unsympathetic void. We hope you'll see what makes us different. We hope you'll feel you have a stake in our endeavor.
Deadline: June 15, 2025
Submission fee: $15
Details here.
Poetry Opportunities
BRIDGE JOURNAL
We welcome submissions in poetry, literary fiction and creative nonfiction, visual art, cultural criticism, design, and hybrid work from established as well as emerging writers and artists. We are especially interested in work that embraces the world and continues, however subtly, the ongoing global conversation about culture and society that Bridge has championed from its beginning in 1999. We also accept reviews and interviews, which we publish throughout the year at our online magazine, bridge-chicago.org. Back issues are available in our member’s area archives. A free membership is required for access.
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Submission Fee: Free
Details here.
COPPER CANYON PRESS
For the May 2025 Open Reading Period, poets and translators are invited to submit a 15 to 20 page manuscript sample along with a query letter. We have a cap of 1,000 submissions and will make an announcement via our website and social media platforms when this limit is met and the window for submitting has closed.
Deadline: Until submissions are filled
Submission fee: $35
Details here.
BICOSTAL REVIEW
Bicoastal Review is a quarterly journal of poetry, nonfiction, interviews, photography, and art that fosters cross-genre conversations, often about—but not limited to—topics of the U.S. East Coast and West Coast. We have published writers and artists from around the world, and support emerging poets, women, LGBTQIA+ writers, and writers of historically underrepresented backgrounds. We celebrate political poetry and poetry of place. The writing we publish often addresses social issues such as environmental destruction, the impact of digital media, the nuances of immigrant histories, traumas of modern life, and the politicization of gender and sexuality. We have published sonnets, haikus, triolets, prose poems, found poems, elegies, and more. We also invite contributors to consider intertextuality and respond ekphrastically to our past publications.
Deadline: Rolling Submissions
Submission Fee: Free
Details here.
EPIPHANY
We hope that when you read Epiphany: A Literary Journal, you'll get a sense of the great variety of stories, poems, essays, and genre-bending work that we like, and the recurring themes to which we keep returning. We hope that you'll enjoy and connect with the work of your fellow writers, and that you'll feel you're a valued part of our community, rather than just another lonely writer sending your beloved work out into some unsympathetic void. We hope you'll see what makes us different. We hope you'll feel you have a stake in our endeavor.
Deadline: June 15, 2025
Submission fee: $15
Details here.
TUPELO PRESS
In our just-published anthology, The Last Milkweed, we asked poets to walk with us into a dark wood. Now, considering the “political climate” and the concomitant need for an antidote, we will next publish a companion anthology that embraces all takes on themes of rebirth and renewal--from optimistic to numinous, from luminous to satirical, and everything in between. Accordingly, Tupelo Press wants to read your submissions for a poetry anthology, The Writes of Spring. You might or might not want to keep in mind that when Igor Stravinsky premiered his ballet “The Rite of Spring” in Paris on May 29, 1913, both the music (his) and choreography (by Vaslav Nijinsky) were so “unconventional” that a riot broke out in the audience. Therefore, send us poems—whether conventional or unconventional—for a poetry & photography anthology inspired by springtime, with all of its metaphorical & mythical resonances. Jeffrey Levine will supply the photos. You’ll supply the poems. Newly-sprouted work only, please, nothing previously published.
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Submission fee: $15
Details here.
CHARTREUSE LIT
We’re excited by poems. Poems that risk a whole lot. Poems that push the boundaries of what language can do. Poems that inspire us. Poems about doom. Or the moon. Or. Poems that don’t necessarily look like poems. If this sounds like your work, we’re eager to read it. We welcome your poetry submissions for our first issue! We only consider unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are a necessary evil. If part of your submission is accepted elsewhere, please give us the opportunity to congratulate you by letting us know. Please submit up to 5 poems (no more than 5 pages) in one .docx or .pdf file.
Deadline: until submissions are filled
Submission fee: free
Details here.
Contests, Awards, and Fellowships
THE MACGUFFIN'S 30TH ANNUAL POET HUNT CONTEST
Guest judged by Darrel Alejandro Holnes. The contest opens on April 1 and closes June 15. One (1) First Place Winner will receive a prize of $500 and publication. Up to two (2) Honorable Mentions may also be awarded and published. Each entrant will receive one free issue of The MacGuffin that includes the winners of Poet Hunt 30. Grand Prize Winners from the following 10 years, former Poet Hunt guest judges, and past and present staff members and their families are not eligible to participate.
Deadline: June 15, 2025
Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $15
Details here.
THE MASTERS REVIEW BEST EMERGING WRITERS AWARD
It’s that time of year again! The Masters Review’s long-running anthology series returns for the fourteenth year. If you’re a writer of fiction or creative nonfiction who has not yet published a novel or memoir with a major press, this is the contest for you. Best Emerging Writers 2025 will showcase a collection of prose from ten writers who are on their way to greatness. Selecting this year’s best emerging writers is the terrific Andrew Porter, author of The Disappeared, the forthcoming novel The Imagined Life, and more.
Deadline: June 9, 2025
Prize: $700
Entry Fee: $20
Details here.
SUSAN KAMIL EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIP
The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowship Program annually provides financial support, professional and creative development, personalized mentorship, and community engagement to nine early-career, New York City-based fiction writers. The Fellowship also marks the beginning of a lifelong relationship with The Center. Alumni remain a vital part of our community, launching their debuts on our stage, participating in our programs, and offering support to new Fellows. Our 125 Fellowship alumni have published over 60 books, reflecting The Center’s mission to nurture and champion exciting new voices. Fellows have gone on to receive prestigious honors and awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the Whiting Award, the NAACP Image Award, the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award, the Gotham Prize, and the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35.
Deadline: May 31, 2025
Payment: $5000
Details here.
JAMES A. WINN PRIZE IN NONFICTION
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 2025 judge is Elizabeth Goodenough.
Deadline: May 31, 2025
Prize: $1500
Entry Fee: $20
Details here.
THE DYNAMO VERLAG BOOK CONTEST
The Dynamo Verlag Book Contest invites book-length manuscript submissions in poetry, prose, or any textual combination or reinterpretation of the aforementioned genres. The winning manuscript will be published by Dynamo Verlag in the calendar year following the contest year and its author will receive a $1,000 advance against book royalties (paid upon and at time of publication), as well as our professional in-house editorial, design, and publicity services (an estimated $3,000 value). Submissions are $18 and include a copy of the winning book OR a title from our back catalog. Submissions will be accepted until August 31, 2025, or upon receiving 300 submissions, whichever happens first. We may extend the deadline as needed.
Deadline: August 31, 2025
Prize: $1000
Entry Fee: $18
Learn more here.
Positions and Residencies
DZANC HOUSE YEAR-ROUND RESIDENCY
Dzanc House is a home and a hub for regional and national literary and cultural arts programming, and now offers a dedicated residency program, aimed at providing a nurturing space for emerging artists and writers to hone their craft and develop their unique voice. Our residencies are open to writers, poets, translators, artists (working in all mediums), actors, directors, dancers, etc. from all over the world. Submissions will open on April 1 and close on September 1, 2025. Please contact Dzanc House via email with any questions: residency@dzanchouse.org).
Deadline to Apply: September 1, 2025
Entry Fee: Free
Details here.
ONLINE WRITING RESIDENCY, ANAPHORA ARTS
Anaphora Writing Residency is a ten-day program designed exclusively for writers of color. The residency offers workshops, readings, craft talks, and discussions with professionals from the literary and publishing industry. The goal of the program is to nurture emerging and established writers of color, to create opportunities for publication, and establish a wide network of support for writers of different backgrounds.
Date: August 14 - 23, 2025
Entry Fee: $2,800
Details here.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE LITERATURE AND CULTURES OF THE BRITISH/GLOBAL LONG 18TH CENTURY
The University of Pennsylvania Department of English invites applications for a tenure-track, Assistant Professor position in the literature and cultures of the British/global long 18th century. We are especially interested in applicants whose research and teaching interests include one or more of the following: race and empire, Indigenous studies, environmental humanities, early Atlantic or Caribbean studies, genre studies, media and material cultures, gender and sexuality. The successful candidate would be teaching survey courses in the long 18th-century, from the Restoration to Romanticism, as well as advanced courses in their areas of interest.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: Not specified
Details here.
EDITOR (NYC HYBRID)
Leading romance publisher Harlequin Books is looking for a trend-forward editor to work on a new, exciting branch of our publishing business. Reporting to the Senior Editor, the editor will acquire and develop commercially successful books that stand out in a dynamic romance market for Afterglow Books, Carina Adores, and Harlequin Books, as well as our digital-first publishing program, Carina Press. This creative, hands-on editor will have a dedication to compelling storytelling; an interest in publishing a wide range of voices and subgenres, including spicy and queer romance; a passion for author care; and an understanding of multiple publication formats, from print to digital, audio, and beyond.
Deadline: until position is filled
Payment: $65,000 - $75,000
Details here.
SENIOR WRITER (COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS WRITER-EDITOR)
The Senior Staff Writer plays a critical role in telling SLU’s story and strengthening engagement with our students, alumni, and institutional partners. The Writer will lead a wide range of projects; developing compelling and persuasive content for the School’s website and promotional material; conducting interviews with students, alumni, and faculty to tell their stories; preparing newsletters and other communications to the School’s community; drafting the Dean’s remarks for commencement, award ceremonies, and other events; and other projects and deliverables as needed. To support organizational goals and initiatives, the Senior Staff Writer works closely with the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer to outline strategy and processes for impactful public relations campaigns and identifies ways to amplify the SLU brand. This will include drafting timely press releases, statements, op-eds, crafting long-term media strategies, as well as curating an on-going list of relevant journalists. As a key member of SLU’s communications and marketing team, this person is expected to work collaboratively and partner with colleagues across the School as needed.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: $79,188 to $99,532
Details here.
INTERNATIONAL SALES ASSISTANT - PART TIME
We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented International Sales Assistant to join our dynamic team. This role will provide crucial administrative and logistical support to our international sales group, ensuring smooth operations and contributing to the success of our global publishing efforts. This is a hybrid position, requiring 2 days per week in our NoMad Manhattan office.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: $20/hour
Details here.
THE HUGO BURGE FOUNDATION RESIDENCY
Scotland. This is a residency for an established author or non-fiction writer. We allow applicants to decide if they consider themselves established but suggest that the author has been published more than once. This is a fully funded residency that includes exclusive studio space, accommodation in one of our Hobbit Pods, and a weekly stipend of £350. There are no expectations about what you will use the residency for but we would expect the selected artist to conduct at least one public event such as a creative workshop (for adult participants), a talk, demonstration, performance or educational activity. You will be able to spend time with other visual artists and makers on site, along with another visiting artist also on residency. Our Creative Director, Dr James Fox will provide mentorship during your stay.
Deadline: June 13, 2025
Entry Fee: Free
Details here.
PRODUCTION AND PUBLISHING ASSISTANT
Broads and Books, which publishes the audio literary magazine Midwest Weird, is currently seeking a volunteer Production and Publishing Assistant. Depending on interest, the Production and Publishing Assistant may be responsible for assisting with episode production across shows, creating and managing newsletters, assisting with marketing and analytics, and more. Audio experience is not required, but interest in audio is. This is a remote, volunteer position that will require up to 5 hours of work per week. The assistant will ideally be based in the Midwest. The position offers publishing, production, and audio experience; idea pitching; and a personalized environment with mentorship. Interested applicants should email a note sharing information about themselves, and what appeals to them about the role, to Amy Lee Lillard at info@broadsandbooks.com.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: Not specified
Details here.
PUBLICIST
Macmillan Audio seeks a creative and enthusiastic Publicist who is results-driven and thrives in a fast-paced environment. This position will handle publicity for our award-winning audiobooks for adults and children, and across all genres. The publicist will work directly with New York Times bestselling authors securing reviews, features, and interviews for our authors and narrators.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: $60,000 - $65,000
Details here.
PRO TEM INSTRUCTOR (CREATIVE WRITING)
The Creative Writing Program is seeking qualified applicants for its open instruction pool. Positions are limited duration appointments potentially renewable for up to a total of three years. In limited circumstances, there is the possibility of renewal beyond three years based on programmatic need, funding and performance. Potential courses are typically at the undergraduate level.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: Not specified
Details here.
OPEN RANK - LECTURER IN WRITING AND LANGUAGE STUDIES
We seek applicants who are dedicated to serving The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's student body as a Lecturer of Writing and Language Studies (First Year Writing Program) beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. Responsibilities include (1) delivering quality instruction in an award-winning first year writing program across multiple campuses (Edinburg, Harlingen, Brownsville), (2) teaching corequisite college-readiness and/dual enrollment first year writing courses as needed, and (3) engaging in service and professional development activities in the Department of Writing & Language Studies.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: Not specified
Learn more here.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Responsibilities include teaching undergraduate courses in post-production, animation, sound design, visual effects design, and, if necessary, film studies and creative writing in English. The successful candidate will be expected to carry out research and creative works in their areas of specialization while disseminating their work in national and international academic and artistic forums. The candidate will also collaborate in the organization of film festivals and screenings for the UPRM community, the Mayagüez community, and neighboring areas. The candidate must provide mentoring to undergraduate UPRM students, especially those enrolled in the Film Certificate and any other film program developed in the future.
Deadline: Until position is filled
Payment: $62,256.00
Learn more here.
Events
IN PERSON & ONLINE | SUMMER READING GROUPS
The Center for Fiction’s Registration for our summer reading groups is now open! Dive deeper into books you already love or explore canonical authors and titles you may have been reluctant to approach alone. Expect vibrant discussions about life and craft guided by experts, authors, and scholars with a group of dedicated bookworms and casual readers alike.
Dates: May to September
Tickets: Free
Details here.
THE NEW YORK CITY POETRY FESTIVAL
For one weekend every July, the New York City Poetry Festival unites the vast and diverse New York City poetry community on the idyllic summer paradise of Governors Island. This year's theme, Poetopia: Reimagining Poetic Futures, invites festival-goers to co-create a world where poetry is a communal resource, hierarchy dissolves, and language is truly free. With eight stages, headliner readings, live performances, open mics, vendor villages, and immersive experiences, NYC PoFest is a place where poetry comes alive in every form imaginable.
Dates: June 12 -13, 2025 11:00am - 6:00pm
Tickets: Free
Details here.
BROOKLYN POETS POETRY WORKSHOPS
We offer a variety of workshops taught by award-winning poets, both online via Zoom and in person at 144 Montague Street in historic Brooklyn Heights. Our small, intensive poetry workshops are capped at twelve students to ensure students are empowered to engage with the topic, instructor and each other’s work with attention, curiosity and care. Students can expect to come away from our multi-week workshops with new poems and feedback to help their work continue to grow. All workshops are open to students of all experience levels, though Level III workshops may require a writing sample. Level I workshops generally focus on form and other foundational aspects of writing. Level II workshops are intended to push students beyond their usual practice by engaging with contemporary and alternative topics and modes of writing. We offer workshops in three seasons: Winter–Spring, Summer and Fall. At the beginning of each season, we award fellowships to promising students in need to enroll in one of our workshops for free. Each workshop season culminates in a Workshop Showcase, which all students are invited to participate in.
Dates: Varies by workshop
Entry Fee: $95 - $495
Details here.