Join us for Pub(lishing) Crawl on Wednesday, April 26, at 3-9pm in BK 404. This year’s program features Erin Berthon on career trends in creative writing, editors Andrew Tonkovich and Jamie Campbell of Citric Acid, short story writers Yoon Choi and Lisa Cupolo, YA author Elise Bryant, and poet Diana Khoi Nguyen. Reception and book signing too!

Because Prof. Jim Blaylock has decided to retire at the end of this semester, Pub Crawl this year honors his coming up with the idea in the first place and leading it every spring, in addition to celebrating the many years he directed the MFA program and has mentored our MFA students. Jim has more novels to write and more Hawaiian shirts to wear on Hawaiian beaches, but this is the last Pub Crawl he’ll head up, so I hope you’ll be there to thank him in person.

The next Write to Read is set for Wednesday, May 3, at 7pm, at Chapman Crafted, hosted by MFA alums Andrew Beckner and Matt Goldman. The featured guest is Liz Harmer, an MFA alum and author of the new novel Strange Loops. We’re excited to announce that Liz Harmer has agreed to teach full time at Chapman University next year, including directing thesis projects.

Also, mark your calendar for the English Grad Programs End-of-Year Celebration on Tuesday, May 16, at 6:30pm. The festivities will include an MFA Poetry Reading and refreshments. Alums, friends, and family are welcome to join current students and faculty.

If you are an alum of the MFA or MA/MFA program and have gone on to a PhD program, we are interested in hearing from you. See more below. Of course, we’re always happy to hear about your other writerly or career achievements too.

—Dr. Anna Leahy, Director of MFA in Creative Writing

Farewell, Professor Blaylock!

Professor Jim Blaylock will be retiring at the end of the semester after 30+ years of service to the MFA in Creative Writing and Department of English. If you'd like to join us for the farewell celebration here on campus, you can RSVP online.

Faculty Achievements

Alum Achievements

Student Achievements

Job, Internship, and Fellowship Opportunities

Internship: SUPERCOLIDER offers an internship program for current and recent graduate students. This includes opportunities for volunteer or work-study/internship credits in exchange for mentorship and collaboration. SUPERCOLIDER offers partnerships with local and (inter)national universities for quarterly, bi-annual, or yearly internships both remote and in-person. Roles and responsibilities vary depending on expertise, which include: art + sci + tech research and compilation, marketing and promotion, and exhibition and programming support.

Fellowship: The Emerging Critics Fellowship is open to critics of all experience levels who seek to review and write about books for print and digital outlets. Applicants may or may not have previously published book reviews. The National book Critics Circle (NBCC) seeks a broad range of diverse applicants, especially those who have demonstrated a genuine interest and commitment to engaging in a critical conversation about books. 

The NBCC is interested in encouraging people who are great thinkers and writers but who need support along the path to becoming an active critic. Our fellowship aims to break down financial and geographical barriers for emerging critics. In particular, BIPOC critics, LGBTQIA+ critics, critics with disabilities, and critics from historically resilient communities are encouraged to apply. Applications are due May 5.

Events

HerStry Literary Magazine and The Babes Who Write are hosting the third annual virtual writers’ conference Reaching for the Heart of It on April 22. The conference will be held on Zoom and consist of a full day of craft workshops, agent panels, publishing advice, and more.

The Historical Novel Society North America conference will take place from June 8-10, 2023, at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio, TX. #HNS2023 is the place for authors and lovers of historical fiction to meet and mingle, to learn new writing techniques, to pitch their writing project to an agent, and to share their writerly passions. The conference includes options to attend in-person or virtually, with registration deadlines of May 15 and June 4, respectively.

Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference offers morning workshops in a wide range of genres and afternoons of craft seminars, panels, one-on-one consultations, and open mics. The 2023 Conference will be held from August 3-5, 2023. Registration for the next conference will be open from March 15-June 30, 2023.

Inlandia is offering free writing workshops in poetry, prose, nonfiction, and memoir. The focus varies from writing about Black art to food writing to writing for children and young adults, and workshops for seniors will be available. To become part of the Inlandia community of writers, register today! All workshops are free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Pub(lishing) Crawl 2023 

Pub(lishing) Crawl returns on Wednesday, April 26! Among the featured guests are editor Andrew Tonkovich, debut story collection authors Yoon Choi and Lisa Cupolo, YA author Elise Bryant, and poet Diana Khoi Nguyen. In addition, Career Advisor Erin Berthon will kick off the program with a special session on trends in jobs for creative writers.

Volunteer Opportunities

American Book Review (ABR) is seeking volunteer book reviewers and contacted our program precisely because of our reputation as book reviewers. ABR is published in hard copy and a digital edition available through university libraries and subscriptions. Books are assigned for review rather than an open call for completed reviews. Assigned reviews are almost certain to be published in ABR. The wait-time for publication is long, but these are also substantive reviews and make a good portfolio for gaining paid work as a reviewer. Dr. Leahy is happy to meet with any student assigned a book review to discuss a draft. If interested, contact Cris Mazza at cmazza@uic.edu. 

BookLife Fiction Prize

BookLife seeks student critics for the BookLife Fiction Prize. Students interested in becoming a critic should email Matia Burnett at mburnett@publisheresweekly.com.

BookLife Book Reviewer

BookLife also has paid opportunities for students interested in reviewing indie books. Interested students should reach out to alum Marrissa Childs at mchilds@chapman.edu. 

The Friends of the Orange Public Library are looking for volunteers to work in book donation services, internet services, the resale bookstore, or other roles. Visit foplca.com or orangepubliclibrary.org to submit a Volunteer Application.

Poets interested in reading submissions for Narrative should contact Dr. Anna Leahy for possible volunteer opportunities.

Publication Opportunities

DIAGRAM/New Michigan Press seeks submissions for the 2023 chapbook contest. A prize of $1,000, publication by New Michigan Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a chapbook of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid-genre work. Ander Monson will judge. The deadline to submit a manuscript of 18 to 44 pages with a $24 entry fee is April 28.

Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize/University of Pittsburgh Press seeks submissions for the 2023 prize in poetry. A prize of $5,000 and publication by is given annually for a debut poetry collection. The deadline to submit a manuscript of 48 to 100 pages and a curriculum vitae with a $25 entry fee is April 30.

Ghost Story website awards the Supernatural Fiction Award twice yearly for a short story with a supernatural or magic realism theme. The winning work will also be published in the print anthology 21st Century Ghost Stories—Volume III. The deadline to submit a story of 1,500 to 10,000 words with a $20 entry fee is April 30.

Trio House Press is currently seeking manuscripts for the 2023 Trio Award for First or Second Book for emerging poets. Poets with fewer than two books of poetry published are encouraged to apply. The deadline is April 30.

Pidgeon Pages is currently seeking submissions of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, and submissions for their annual fiction contest. Submission for prose and poetry are accepted on a rolling basis, the deadline for the fiction contest is May 1.

The Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize is given annually for a debut poetry collection. The winner is also invited to teach a weeklong writing workshop at Kent State University and give a reading with the judge, Marilyn Chin. Dr. Anna Leahy's first full-length poetry book was a prize winner. The recipient will also receive $2,500 and publication by Kent State University Press. The deadline to submit a manuscript of 50 to 70 pages with a $30 entry fee is May 1.

The Cow Creek Chapbook Prize awards a prize of $1,000, publication by Pittsburg State University, and 25 author copies. Chad Abushanab will judge. The deadline to submit a manuscript of 15 to 30 pages with a $15 entry fee is May 15.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Regal House Publishing will be given annually for a novella. Pub Crawl featured writer Lisa Cupolo is a Regal House author. The deadline to submit a novella of 17,000 to 40,000 words with a $25 entry fee is May 15.

The Max Ritvo Poetry Prize will award a prize of $10,000 and publication by Milkweed Editions for a debut poetry collection by a U.S. poet. Louise Glück will judge. The deadline to submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a $25 entry fee is May 31. 

To mark the 50th Anniversary year since the death of JRR Tolkien, The Oxford Centre for Fantasy seeks new new voices in the fantasy genre for their Children's Fantasy Prize. Award recipient will receive £2,000 as well as mentorship with an editor at Pushkin Children’s Books. The deadline to submit is May 31.

Action, Spectacle seeks art, comics, commentary, fiction, interviews, memoir, music, poetry, and reportage.

Kaleidoscope (a publication of United Disability Services) seeks fiction, nonfiction, poetry, artwork, and book reviews that challenge and overcome stereotypical, patronizing, and sentimental attitudes about disability. No fee, and it's a paying outlet.

Fresh Words is looking for poetry, short stories, essays, and plays for their regular monthly issues. Pieces are to be sent to freshwordsmagazine@gmail.com.

Poets & Writers has an extensive list of literary journals with website links and reading periods included, and you can filter by genre. There is also a good list of contests that rolls according to impending deadlines and a list of book review outlets.