Poets & Writers Magazine

For more than twenty years, Poets & Writers Magazine has been a trusted companion to writers who take their vocation seriously. Within its pages, our readers find provocative essays on the literary life, practical guidance for getting published and pursuing writing careers, in-depth profiles of poets, fiction writers, and writers of creative nonfiction, and conversation among fellow professionals.

Poets & Writers Magazine • Volume 52 • Issue 5

EDITOR’S Note • THINGS HAVE NOT GONE ACCORDING TO PLAN

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Ukrainian Children Turn to Poetry

Page One • Where New And Noteworthy Books Begin

More MFA Programs Closing

Small Press Points

Literary MagNet

Kyla Kupferstein Torres of Callaloo

The Time Is Now • Writing Prompts and Exercises

Getting Real About Time • HOW DATA MODELING CAN HELP YOU COMPLETE YOUR NEXT BIG PROJECT

Family Farms and County Fairs • A DIFFERENT KIND OF BOOK TOUR

Surprise! • THE ROLE OF THE UNEXPECTED IN SHORT STORIES

THE TRIUMPH OF A HEART • IN HIS THIRD NOVEL, SMALL RAIN, PUBLISHED BY FSG IN SEPTEMBER, GARTH GREENWELL EXPLORES MORTALITY AND MEANING-MAKING, ASKING DEEP QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO LIVE A FULL LIFE ORIENTED TOWARD ART, OPEN TO THE BEWILDERING BEAUTY OF OUR OWN HUMANITY.

Small Rain

ALONE Together • IN A NEW ESSAY COLLECTION, WE’RE ALONE, EDWIDGE DANTICAT BRINGS PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND REPORTAGE TO BEAR ON TRAGEDIES AND TRIUMPHS SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE, THE ONGOING TRAUMA OF COLONIALISM, AND THE CHALLENGES OF MOTHERHOOD, ALL WITH AN ARTIST’S AWARENESS OF THE DELICATE PRECARITY OF LIFE.

They Are Waiting in the Hills

The New Nonfiction 2024

David Martinez

Wei Tchou

Zara Chowdhary

Lydia Paar

Neesha Powell-Ingabire

Agents & Editors IBRAHIM AHMAD • Ibrahim Ahmad, the former editorial director of Akashic Books, now an executive editor at Viking, talks about his experience moving from an indie press to one of the Big Five publishers and what grabs his attention in a submission.

WHAT I LEARNED THE HARD WAY • EIGHT LESSONS IN ART, PERSPECTIVE, AND PERSEVERANCE

Write As You Live

Seek a Wilder Beauty Than “Craft”

Write What You Want to Read

There Are No Such Things as Chapters

Sweat the Page

The Hard Way Is Still a Way

Not All Praise Is Productive

Dwell in Gratitude

OLDER IN THE MFA • DRAFTING A RICH SECOND HALF

SO MUCH TO FALL IN LOVE WITH • FINDING EASE IN MAKING YOUR ART

The Nuts and Bolts of Distribution • HOW YOUR BOOK ENDS UP IN STORES

Building a Community of Readers • BEST PRACTICES FOR AUTHORS WHO TRULY LOVE BOOKSTORES

Deadlines • POETS & WRITERS MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES state, national, and international prizes in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, and translation. We list only prizes of $1,000 or more, prizes of $500 or more that charge no entry fee, and prestigious nonmonetary awards. Applications and submissions for the following prizes are due shortly. Before submitting a manuscript, first visit the sponsoring organization’s website for complete guidelines. When requesting information by mail, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). See Submission Calendar for deadlines arranged by date. arranged by date. For announcements of recently awarded prizes, see Recent Winners.

Submission Calendar

Recent Winners

Conferences & Residencies • POETS & WRITERS MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES application information for writers conferences, literary festivals, and residencies of interest to poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and translators. Applications for the following events...