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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.
Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff. In the Literary Magazines database you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to know before submitting your work to the publications that share your vision for your work.
Whether you’re pursuing the publication of your first book or your fifth, use the Small Presses database to research potential publishers, including submission guidelines, tips from the editors, contact information, and more.
Research more than one hundred agents who represent poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers, plus details about the kinds of books they’re interested in representing, their clients, and the best way to contact them.
Every week a new publishing professional shares advice, anecdotes, insights, and new ways of thinking about writing and the business of books.
Find publishers ready to read your work now with our Open Reading Periods page, a continually updated resource listing all the literary magazines and small presses currently open for submissions.
Since our founding in 1970, Poets & Writers has served as an information clearinghouse of all matters related to writing. While the range of inquiries has been broad, common themes have emerged over time. Our Top Topics for Writers addresses the most popular and pressing issues, including literary agents, copyright, MFA programs, and self-publishing.
Our series of subject-based handbooks (PDF format; $4.99 each) provide information and advice from authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers. Now available: The Poets & Writers Guide to Publicity and Promotion, The Poets & Writers Guide to the Book Deal, The Poets & Writers Guide to Literary Agents, The Poets & Writers Guide to MFA Programs, and The Poets & Writers Guide to Writing Contests.
Find a home for your work by consulting our searchable databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, and more.
Poets & Writers lists readings, workshops, and other literary events held in cities across the country. Whether you are an author on book tour or the curator of a reading series, the Literary Events Calendar can help you find your audience.
Get the Word Out is a new publicity incubator for debut fiction writers and poets.
Research newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications that consistently publish book reviews using the Review Outlets database, which includes information about publishing schedules, submission guidelines, fees, and more.
Well over ten thousand poets and writers maintain listings in this essential resource for writers interested in connecting with their peers, as well as editors, agents, and reading series coordinators looking for authors. Apply today to join the growing community of writers who stay in touch and informed using the Poets & Writers Directory.
Since our founding in 1970, Poets & Writers has served as an information clearinghouse of all matters related to writing. While the range of inquiries has been broad, common themes have emerged over time. Our Top Topics for Writers addresses the most popular and pressing issues, including literary agents, copyright, MFA programs, and self-publishing.
Let the world know about your work by posting your events on our literary events calendar, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.
Find a writers group to join or create your own with Poets & Writers Groups. Everything you need to connect, communicate, and collaborate with other poets and writers—all in one place.
Well over ten thousand poets and writers maintain listings in this essential resource for writers interested in connecting with their peers, as well as editors, agents, and reading series coordinators looking for authors. Apply today to join the growing community of writers who stay in touch and informed using the Poets & Writers Directory.
Find information about more than two hundred full- and low-residency programs in creative writing in our MFA Programs database, which includes details about deadlines, funding, class size, core faculty, and more. Also included is information about more than fifty MA and PhD programs.
Whether you are looking to meet up with fellow writers, agents, and editors, or trying to find the perfect environment to fuel your writing practice, the Conferences & Residencies is the essential resource for information about well over three hundred writing conferences, writers residencies, and literary festivals around the world.
Poets & Writers lists readings, workshops, and other literary events held in cities across the country. Whether you are an author on book tour or the curator of a reading series, the Literary Events Calendar can help you find your audience.
Discover historical sites, independent bookstores, literary archives, writing centers, and writers spaces in cities across the country using the Literary Places database—the best starting point for any literary journey, whether it’s for research or inspiration.
Search for jobs in education, publishing, the arts, and more within our free, frequently updated job listings for writers and poets.
Establish new connections and enjoy the company of your peers using our searchable databases of MFA programs and writers retreats, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.
Each year the Readings & Workshops program provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops. Learn more about this program, our special events, projects, and supporters, and how to contact us.
Get the Word Out is a new publicity incubator for debut fiction writers and poets.
The Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community, providing them with a network for professional advancement.
Find information about how Poets & Writers provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops.
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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.
Every day the editors of Poets & Writers Magazine scan the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know.
In our weekly series of craft essays, some of the best and brightest minds in contemporary literature explore their craft in compact form, articulating their thoughts about creative obsessions and curiosities in a working notebook of lessons about the art of writing.
The Time Is Now offers weekly writing prompts in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to help you stay committed to your writing practice throughout the year. Sign up to get The Time Is Now, as well as a weekly book recommendation for guidance and inspiration, delivered to your inbox.
Every week a new author shares books, art, music, writing prompts, films—anything and everything—that has inspired and shaped the creative process.
Listen to original audio recordings of authors featured in Poets & Writers Magazine. Browse the archive of more than 400 author readings.
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Read select articles from the award-winning magazine and consult the most comprehensive listing of literary grants and awards, deadlines, and prizewinners available in print.
Training/Education
University of Illinois at Chicago. MA, English (Program for Writers), 2005
Community writing workshops (fiction/poetry/CNF) with Mollie Ramanujan, Maureen Seaton, Reginald Gibbons, Barry Silesky, Sharon Solwitz and others
University of Chicago Law School. JD, 1983
Brown University, BA, Human Studies, 1974
Publications: Poetry
Running Wild (anticipated March 2024, Finishing Line Press, Georgetown KY) - 70-page poetry collection
Knife Lake Anthology (June 2006; Pudding House Publications, Cincinnati OH) 20-page poetry chapbook [out of print]
Individual poems have appeared in the following anthologies: Where I'm At (2022: Chicago, IL After Hours Press); Brute Neighbors (2011: DePaul Poetry Institute); A Writer's Congress : Chicago Poets on Barack Obama's Inauguration (2009: DePaul Poetry Institute); I Will Bear This Scar (2005: New York, iUniverse Inc.); Where we Live: illinois poets (2003: greatunpublished.com); Body: Landscape/mindscape (2003: Chicago, the fuzion project); and HerMark 2001 (2001: Chicago, WomanMade Gallery);
and in the following journals/periodicals: AfterHours, Buckle&, Cimarron, Evening Street Review, Folio, Naugatuck River Review, /nor (New Ohio Review), Passager, Poetry East, Rhino, River Oak Review, Sanskrit, Spoon River Review, Squaw Valley Review, Third Coast
Publications: other
Opera Dramaturgy: program notes/glossary for "Two Remain," Chicago Fringe Opera, 2022)
Journalism: Opinion, “Rodney Adkins: An American Tragedy” (on imposition of death sentence in local felony murder case), published 2007 in Wednesday Journal (Oak Park, Illinois); numerous articles/photographs in Brown Daily Herald (Providence, RI college newspaper) and Pioneer Press (Winnetka, IL), 1970-72
Women's History: Researched, wrote, co-edited and copy-edited Bar None: 125 Years of Women Lawyers in Illinois (Chicago Bar Association Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1998), a volume of biographical sketches of pioneer Illinois women lawyers; coprooduced (fundraised, co-wrote and coordinated) traveling graphical exhibit shown 1998-2000 at historical societies and other venues in Illinois
Fiction: Hellcoal Pamphlet Series Vol II No 2 (1972), "Triple Solitaire" (short story)
Performance/Teaching/Production
Regular guest at Traveling Molly's open mic (online), 2000-present
Producer, WBEZ-FM Radio, 2009-2010: Field produced and edited numerous soundmarks, short onsite interviews of local listeners used as statio IDs.
Oak Park Temple (Reform Jewish Synagogue) - Co-wrote/produced "Interviews," a historical “radio play” (table read) for four characters and a narrator; wrote/played role of Esther, a fictional Chicago Jewish woman of the early 20th century
Interview/reading: Featured poet on “Wordslingers with Michael C. Watson,” WLUW--88.7 FM, Chicago, March 2008: archived at “Wordslingers Vox Café” (http://wordslingers.org)
Lincoln Square Arts (Chicago) and Unity Temple (Oak Park, IL) - Wrote/directed “story theatre” staged reading of Knife Lake Anthology (original short poetry collection) and Reconciliation (documentary work-in-progress), January-June 2007
Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center 2004-2005: Facilitated youth poetry workshops including visits from Li-Young Lee, Charlie Rossiter and others
Northwest Cultural Council and RHINO Poetry Forums - led community (adult) poetry workshops at Northwest Cultural Council, Rolling Meadows, IL and RHINO Poetry Forums in Normal and Evanston, IL
Other radio and live poetry readings include Dana Hall School for Girls, Wellesley MA (2010); LIP Series, Chicago (2007); Poetry Center of Chicago “American Poets Reading” series (2003); and WGLT Poetry Radio, Normal, IL (2002, 2007). Live reading (audio) archived at Poets Against the War (www.poetsagainstthewar.org).
Producer, CBA Television Productions, Inc., “You’re Fired: A Legal Guide to Employment Terminations” (Chicago Bar Association, 1993); host, Law Day 1994 CAN-TV half hour call-in segment on employment law.
Awards and Honors
Illinois Arts Council Fellowship in Poetry (2002-2003)
Residencies at Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest, IL (1999, 2004, 2006, 2007); at Mary Anderson Center for the Arts, St. Francis, IN (2002)
Nominated for Pushcart Prize, October 2002 (for "Dark Night", published Folio 2002)
Jo-Anne Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Awards (Evanston, IL): First and Third Place, Adult Category, 2004; First Place, Adult Category, 1997 and 2000
1997: Chester A Jones Foundation, National Poetry Competitin, Commendation "The Epicenter"
Other Experience
CEO, TAMPAM Farms, Inc., Glencoe, Illinois, 2002-2007.
Founding member, Abolition in Illinois Movement (AIM), 2007-2011 (advocating abolitioin of Illinois death penalty). Member of founding board, Oak Park River Forest Area Walk-in Ministry, 2005-2006. Co-founder, Southeast Oak Park Community Organization, 2004. Board member (1990-1992) and education committee chair (1989-1992), Chicago Foundation for Women.
Attorney in private practice, 1983-1992
Associate Editor, writer and photographer, Brown Daily Herald (Providence, RI), 1972-74.
Radio host and commercial copywriter, WBRU Radio (Providence, RI), 1970-71.