Established in 2017 as a literary magazine for fiction, CRAFT expanded in 2020 to publish creative nonfiction as well. We explore how writing works, reading pieces with a focus on the elements of craft, on the art of prose. We feature previously unpublished creative work, with occasional reprints, as well as critical pieces including craft essays and interviews. All published creative pieces include an author’s note and an editorial introduction that both discuss stylistics in the work.
We do not charge fees for our fiction or creative nonfiction submissions, or for our craft categories, and we are a paying market. Our general submissions are open year-round with no capacity limits. We value accessibility—keeping CRAFT free to read and free to submit to is our priority. We work with all writers, established as well as emerging. All creative work published in CRAFT comes through submission; we do not solicit fiction or creative nonfiction.
We offer editorial feedback on short prose, as well as fast-response categories whenever possible.
So that our notifications to you are not filtered as spam/junk, please whitelist/add to contacts: notifications@email.submittable.com.
By submitting to CRAFT, submitters agree to receive correspondence about future published works and submission opportunities from CRAFT. You can unsubscribe at any time.
2023 CRAFT Short Fiction Prize | $2,800 Awarded
Send us your best short stories! Submissions are open March 1 to April 30, 2023. Guest Judge Nana Nkweti will choose three stories from a select shortlist of fifteen. We're looking for short stories that ring with excellence on every level of craft—intricate characterization, meaningful narrative development, and unforgettable voice. We want openings that spark and fire, middles that maintain momentum and tension, and endings that resonate long after we leave the page. We'll curate the top fifteen entries for Nana Nkweti to review anonymously, and here's what she'd like to see:
Short stories are for savoring. The umami of a metaphor, well-met. The sweetness of syntax. The bite of characters in conflict with the world and with themselves. These narratives are incredibly self-contained yet offer up a smorgasbord of thoughts and emotions that stick to your ribs. I look forward to reading work that consumes me—with an image, a phrase, an epiphany that will take days if not months to fully digest. Let’s nourish and be nourished in the reading and writing of the works to come.
GUIDELINES:
- CRAFT submissions are open to all writers.
- International submissions are allowed.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary code-switching 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 during the first open week (or so) of the contest until we reach fifty free submissions. This free category will close when we reach capacity or on March 10, 2023.
- 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 (you will be refunded, less fees).
AWARDS:
- Winner receives $2,000 and a free four-issue subscription from Journal of the Month.
- Runner-ups receive $500 and $300, respectively, for the second- and third-place finalists.
- 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 2022 contest winners for examples of work chosen in the past.
- As we only consider unpublished writing and will publish the winning pieces in October 2023, anything under contract to publish prior to January 2024 should not be entered.
OUR GUEST JUDGE:
NANA NKWETI is a Cameroonian-American writer, Whiting Award winner, and AKO Caine Prize finalist whose work has garnered fellowships from MacDowell, Vermont Studio Center, Ucross, Byrdcliffe, Kimbilio, Hub City Writers, Stadler Center for Poetry, Wurlitzer Foundation, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Clarion West. Her book, Walking on Cowrie Shells, was hailed by The New York Times as “raucous and thoroughly impressive” with “stories to get lost in again and again.” The collection is a Saroyan International Prize shortlistee, a New York Times Editors' Choice, Indie Next pick, recipient of starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage; and has been featured in The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, Oprah Daily, The Root, NPR, and Buzzfeed, amongst others. The work features elements of mystery, horror, myth, and graphic novels to showcase the complexity and vibrance of African diaspora cultures and identities. She is a professor of English at the University of Alabama where she teaches creative writing courses that explore her eclectic literary interests, ranging from graphic novels to medical humanities onto exploring works by female authors in genres such as horror, Afrofuturism, and mystery. Find Nana on Twitter @nanankweti.
OUR CONTEST PARTNER:
JOURNAL OF THE MONTH sends a new print literary magazine to your mailbox on a regular basis. Which one? What you receive changes month to month, but every participating magazine is a highly regarded actor in the contemporary literary scene that publishes exciting fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry from new and established voices.
OPTIONAL EDITORIAL FEEDBACK:
You may choose to receive editorial feedback on your piece directly through the contest submission form. We will provide line-level marginal notes, as well as a two-page global letter discussing the strengths of the writing and the recommended focus for revision. While editorial feedback is inherently subjective, our suggestions are always actionable and encouraging. We aim to have feedback completed within twelve weeks. Should your story win, no feedback will be offered and your fee will be refunded. Work that we critique is not eligible for future CRAFT contests. For general information about our Editorial Feedback Platform, learn more here.
Editorial Feedback Platform
Need new eyes on your short prose?
We would love to work with you!
CRAFT offers editorial feedback on creative prose up to 6,000 words. We've carefully chosen a team of qualified editors to provide thoughtful critique. For each piece sent, you'll receive line-level marginal notes, as well as a two-page global letter discussing the strengths of the writing and the recommended focus for revision. While editorial feedback is inherently subjective, our suggestions will always be actionable and encouraging. Please allow up to twelve weeks to receive your feedback materials.
For your convenience and savings, we offer two options—single letters and triple letters. Rates are detailed below. Triple letter packages offer an 8% discount. This form is for single letters, but you can find the triple-letter option here, if desired.
All work sent through this event will also be considered for publication in CRAFT. Should we accept your work, the feedback fee will be refunded.
If you have questions about submissions, please send an email to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com
Testimonials from Previous Recipients of CRAFT Editorial Feedback:
As a published author of 75+ academic and professional articles, reports, and two (academic) books, I have to say that David K. Slay's feedback on my fledgling short story "John Huff" was the most thorough, perceptive, and helpful feedback and writing coaching I have ever received. I am very grateful for their attention to detail, voice, and flow—something I craved as I continue my journey into this daunting genre. —Marjorie S.
I was so pleased with the feedback I received from Kyle Cochrun. His comments demonstrated that he understood what I was trying to accomplish with the essay and that he was 'thinking with me' as he closely read my draft. He didn't make a single comment that left me scratching my head—in fact, just the opposite. His feedback was like a private class in essay writing, and helped me see how to look at my drafts for unplumbed opportunities and to apply the strengths he identified to develop those opportunities. I've already completed the revisions and believe the piece is much stronger for his guidance. —Aggie S.
Rates for Single Letters:
- Flash fiction / flash creative nonfiction up to 1,000 words (one flash piece or up to three micro* pieces totaling fewer than 1,000 words): $59
- Short story / creative nonfiction essay from 1,000 to 3,500 words (one piece): $79
- Short story / creative nonfiction essay from 3,500 to 6,000 words (one piece): $99
*For our purposes, micros should be about 333 words maximum apiece, please. Include all three micros in ONE document.
How you can help us when sending work for our review:
- Please send only .doc or .docx files if possible, so that we can use MS Word's Track Changes for our marginal notes.
- Kindly double-space and use Times New Roman 12.
Guidelines:
- CRAFT Editorial Feedback is open to all prose writers.
- Please send fiction or creative nonfiction only.
- International submissions are welcome.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary codeswitching is warmly welcomed.
- Please adhere to the 6,000-word-count maximum.
- If sending up to three micros, include all pieces in ONE document.
- Work that has received editorial feedback is not eligible for submission to CRAFT contests.
- We strongly discourage simultaneous submissions in conjunction with editorial feedback. If your piece is already under review by our team and you withdraw it, we will not be able to offer a refund. If you withdraw your piece before we have begun feedback, we will be happy to let you substitute another piece of equal length.
- 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 (you will be refunded, less fees).
Editorial Feedback Platform
Need new eyes on your short prose?
We would love to work with you!
CRAFT offers editorial feedback on creative prose up to 6,000 words. We've carefully chosen a team of qualified editors to provide thoughtful critique. For each piece sent, you'll receive line-level marginal notes, as well as a two-page global letter discussing the strengths of the writing and the recommended focus for revision. While editorial feedback is inherently subjective, our suggestions will always be actionable and encouraging. Please allow up to twelve weeks to receive your feedback materials.
For your convenience and savings, we offer two options—single letters and triple letters. Rates are detailed below. Triple letter packages offer an 8% discount. This form is for triple letters only.
All work sent through this event will also be considered for publication in CRAFT. Should we accept your work, the feedback fee will be refunded.
If you have questions about submissions, please send an email to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com
Testimonials from Previous Recipients of CRAFT Editorial Feedback:
As a published author of 75+ academic and professional articles, reports, and two (academic) books, I have to say that David K. Slay's feedback on my fledgling short story "John Huff" was the most thorough, perceptive, and helpful feedback and writing coaching I have ever received. I am very grateful for their attention to detail, voice, and flow—something I craved as I continue my journey into this daunting genre. —Marjorie S.
I was so pleased with the feedback I received from Kyle Cochrun. His comments demonstrated that he understood what I was trying to accomplish with the essay and that he was 'thinking with me' as he closely read my draft. He didn't make a single comment that left me scratching my head—in fact, just the opposite. His feedback was like a private class in essay writing, and helped me see how to look at my drafts for unplumbed opportunities and to apply the strengths he identified to develop those opportunities. I've already completed the revisions and believe the piece is much stronger for his guidance. —Aggie S.
Rates for Triple Letters:
- Flash fiction / flash creative nonfiction up to 1,000 words (one flash piece or up to three micro* pieces totaling fewer than 1,000 words): $149
- Short story / creative nonfiction essay from 1,000 to 3,500 words (one piece): $199
- Short story / creative nonfiction essay from 3,500 to 6,000 words (one piece): $249
*For our purposes, micros should be about 333 words maximum apiece, please. Include all three micros in ONE document.
How you can help us when sending work for our review:
- Please send only .doc or .docx files if possible, so that we can use MS Word's Track Changes for our marginal notes.
- Kindly double-space and use Times New Roman 12.
Guidelines:
- CRAFT Editorial Feedback is open to all prose writers.
- Please send fiction or creative nonfiction only.
- International submissions are welcome.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary codeswitching is warmly welcomed.
- Please adhere to the 6,000-word-count maximum.
- If sending up to three micros, include all pieces in ONE document.
- Work that has received editorial feedback is not eligible for submission to CRAFT contests.
- We strongly discourage simultaneous submissions in conjunction with editorial feedback. If your piece is already under review by our team and you withdraw it, we will not be able to offer a refund. If you withdraw your piece before we have begun feedback, we will be happy to let you substitute another piece of equal length.
- 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 (you will be refunded, less fees).
Welcome to CRAFT.
Submissions for CRAFT Creative Nonfiction are open year-round and offer payment of $200 for accepted original work. This category is for essays and standalone excerpts between 1,000 and 6,000 words. See our Flash Creative Nonfiction category for essays of fewer than 1,000 words.
As we have always done with our fiction as well, each published work of creative nonfiction will include an author’s note and an editorial introduction that both focus on the craft of the piece. We review literary nonfiction, but are open to a variety of styles—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.
If you have questions about submissions, please send an email to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com
GUIDELINES:
- CRAFT Creative Nonfiction submissions are open to all writers.
- We accept longform creative nonfiction only in this category; please, no academic work (we have a separate category for Critical Writing & Interviews).
- International submissions are allowed.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary codeswitching is warmly welcomed.
- We adhere to a 6,000 word count maximum (for essays of fewer than 1,000 words, please choose the more appropriate Flash Creative Nonfiction category).
- We review literary nonfiction, but are open to a variety of genres and styles including memoir, lyric essays, personal essays, narrative nonfiction, speculative creative nonfiction, and experimental prose—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.
- We do consider reprints, though we are unable to pay for these pieces.
- We allow simultaneous submissions—writers please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is selected for publication elsewhere. If you withdraw your work, you may submit another piece in the same genre.
- We no longer allow multiple submissions—please send only one piece of longform creative nonfiction at a time, until you've heard back from us.
- If your work is declined, we ask that you wait three months before submitting again to the same genre, unless an editor requests more work from you.
- Please, please, double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.
- Please send your piece as a Word doc.
- Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).
- 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.
Welcome to CRAFT.
Submissions for CRAFT Flash Creative Nonfiction are open year-round and offer payment of $100 for accepted original work. This category is for essays and standalone excerpts fewer than 1,000 words. See our Creative Nonfiction category for essays between 1,000 and 6,000 words.
As we have always done with our fiction, each published work of creative nonfiction will include an author’s note and an editorial introduction that both focus on the craft of the piece. We review literary nonfiction, but are open to a variety of styles—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.
If you have questions about submissions, please send an email to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com
GUIDELINES:
- CRAFT Creative Nonfiction submissions are open to all writers.
- We accept flash creative nonfiction only in this category; please, no academic work (we have a separate category for Critical Writing & Interviews).
- International submissions are allowed.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary codeswitching is warmly welcomed.
- We adhere to a 1,000 word count maximum (for essays between 1,000 and 6,000 words, please choose the Creative Nonfiction 1–6K category)—please send only ONE flash creative nonfiction piece between 401 and 1,000 words.
- OR, up to three micros (400 words or fewer each / fewer than 1,000 words total) may be submitted in a single document—this file counts as ONE submission.
- We review literary nonfiction, but are open to a variety of genres and styles including memoir, lyric essays, personal essays, narrative nonfiction, speculative creative nonfiction, and experimental prose—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.
- We do consider reprints, though we are unable to pay for these pieces.
- We allow simultaneous submissions—writers please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is selected for publication elsewhere. If you withdraw your work, you may submit another piece in the same genre.
- We no longer allow multiple submissions—please send only one piece of flash creative nonfiction at a time (unless you're sending three micros, of course), until you've heard back from us.
- If your work is declined, we ask that you wait three months before submitting again to the same genre, unless an editor requests more work from you.
- Please, please, double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.
- Please send your piece as a Word doc.
- Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).
- 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.
Welcome to CRAFT.
Submissions for CRAFT fiction are open year-round and offer payment of $200 for accepted original work. This category is for short stories and standalone fiction excerpts between 1,000 and 6,000 words. See our Flash Fiction category for stories of fewer than 1,000 words.
We are thrilled to be able to pay for published stories, but subsequently must be highly selective in our choices.
To serve our aim of exploring the art of fiction, each published story includes an editor’s introduction as well as a craft essay (author’s note) by the writer. This essay will be requested upon acceptance.
If you have questions about submissions, please send an email to:
contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com
GUIDELINES:
- CRAFT fiction submissions are open to all writers.
- We accept short fiction and standalone excerpts only in this category.
- International submissions are welcome.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary codeswitching is warmly welcomed.
- We adhere to a 6,000 word count maximum (for stories of fewer than 1,000 words, please choose the more appropriate Flash Fiction category).
- 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.
- We do consider reprints, though we are unable to pay for these stories.
- We allow simultaneous submissions—writers please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is selected for publication elsewhere. If you withdraw your work, you may submit another piece in the same genre.
- We no longer allow multiple submissions—please send only one piece of short fiction at a time, until you've heard back from us.
- If your work is declined, we ask that you wait three months before submitting again to the same genre, unless an editor requests more work from you.
- Please, please, double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.
- Please send your story as a Word doc.
- Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).
- 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.
Welcome to CRAFT.
Submissions for CRAFT Flash Fiction are open year-round and offer payment of $100 for original work. This category is for flash fiction up to 1,000 words. See our short fiction category for stories between 1,000 and 6,000 words.
We are thrilled to be able to pay for published stories, but subsequently must be highly selective in our choices.
To serve our aim of exploring the art of fiction, each published story includes an editor’s introduction as well as a craft essay (author’s note) by the writer. This essay will be requested upon acceptance.
If you have questions about submissions, please send an email to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com
GUIDELINES:
- CRAFT Flash Fiction submissions are open to all writers.
- We accept flash fiction only in this category.
- International submissions are allowed.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary codeswitching is warmly welcomed.
- We adhere to a 1,000 word count maximum (for stories from 1,000 to 6,000 words, please choose the more appropriate short fiction category)—please send only ONE flash fiction piece between 401 and 1,000 words.
- OR, up to three micros (400 words or fewer each / fewer than 1,000 words total) may be submitted in a single document—this file counts as ONE submission.
- 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.
- We do consider reprints, though we are unable to pay for these stories.
- We allow simultaneous submissions—writers please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is selected for publication elsewhere. If you withdraw your work, you may submit another piece in the same genre.
- We no longer allow multiple submissions—please send only one piece of flash fiction at a time (unless you're sending three micros, of course), until you've heard back from us.
- If your work is declined, we ask that you wait three months before submitting again to the same genre, unless an editor requests more work from you
- Please, please, double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.
- Please send your story as a Word doc.
- Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).
- 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.
This form is currently open ONLY to BIPOC and other mis- and underrepresented writers.
While our submissions for short and flash prose are always free and always open, we are currently offering a fast response option for free to BIPOC writers and other historically mis- and underrepresented writers.
This form is for both short fiction and longform creative nonfiction (short stories, standalone excerpts, and creative nonfiction essays) between 1,001 and 6,000 words, and for flash and micros (both fiction and creative nonfiction) up to 1,000 words.
We will respond to your piece within four weeks of submission.
We pay $200 for accepted short stories or longform creative nonfiction, and we pay $100 for accepted flash or micro pieces. To serve our aim of exploring the art of prose, each published piece includes an editor’s introduction as well as a craft essay (author’s note) by the writer. This essay will be requested upon acceptance.
If you have questions about submissions, please send an email to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com
GUIDELINES:
- This fast-response category is open only to BIPOC writers and other historically mis- and underrepresented writers.
- International submissions are allowed.
- Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary code-switching is warmly welcomed.
- For this category, we review previously unpublished work only.
- For short fiction and longform creative nonfiction, we adhere to a 6,000 word count maximum.
- For flash, we adhere to a 1,000 word count maximum—please send only ONE flash prose piece between 401 and 1,000 words.
- OR, up to three micros (400 words or fewer each / fewer than 1,000 words total) may be submitted in a single document—this file counts as ONE submission.
- We review literary prose, but are open to a variety of genres and styles—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.
- We allow simultaneous submissions—writers please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is selected for publication elsewhere. If you withdraw your work, you may submit another piece in the same genre.
- We no longer allow multiple submissions—please send only one piece at a time (unless you're sending three micros, of course), until you've heard back from us.
- If your story is declined, we ask that you wait three months before submitting again to the same genre, unless an editor requests more work from you.
- Kindly double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.
- Please send your submission as a Word doc.
- Include a brief cover letter with your publication history and any relevant content warnings (if applicable).
- 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.
- Please do not submit work to this category if you do not identify as BIPOC or as a writer from another demographic who has been historically mis- or underrepresented in publishing.
Interested in writing critically for CRAFT? Please see the guidelines below and select the appropriate dropdown option when you submit your work. We do not consider previously published material (reprints) in this category.
We review essays on writing craft, critical literary analyses, and interviews. Please visit our Craft Section to see the type of content we publish.
All work in this section is concerned with fiction or creative nonfiction. Please do not send critical work about poetry, film, or any other genres. Those pieces aren't for us. Please do not send personal essays—send those to our creative nonfiction forms. We pay $50 for craft and critical essays, $50 for most standard interviews, and $100 for hybrid interviews (a critical essay paired with a Q&A).
Craft and critical essays range from 1,500 to 2,500 words concerning the craft of fiction or creative nonfiction. We recommend familiarizing yourself with our archive. Most essays we publish offer a careful examination of craft elements in fiction or creative nonfiction.
We welcome queries, pitches, and completed interviews with fiction or creative nonfiction writers. We will want to know if the interview is already approved as well as which elements of craft will be explored. We often schedule interviews well in advance—please contact us as soon as possible with your proposed interview.
We no longer allow multiple submissions—please send only one piece per genre at a time. If your craft/critical submission is declined, you may submit again to the genre immediately. Overall, you may have one piece of fiction (either short or flash), one piece of creative nonfiction (either flash or creative essay), and one craft piece under consideration at one time.
Details:
Craft and Critical Essays
Please send completed essays concerning the craft of fiction or creative nonfiction, and include in your cover letter what you're exploring and why it is a good fit for us. Submissions should be 1,500 to 2,500 words and should consist of a careful examination of craft. We only consider completed pieces.
Interviews & Hybrid Interviews
Typically our interviews run around 2,000 to 2,500 words and our hybrid interviews run 3,000 to 4,000 words, 1,000 to 1,500 of which comprise a critical essay about one or more of the interviewee's books. We consider both completed pieces and queries/pitches.
CRAFT is a market for literary fiction and creative nonfiction; we will consider new readers who are comfortable with evaluating submissions in one or both genres.
If you enjoy literary work and the deep exploration of writing craft, and three to four hours each week of reading submissions sounds like fun, we encourage you to apply. Our readers work remotely and set their own schedules. This position involves a minimum commitment of six months. Applicants who advance to the second stage will be required to complete a reading test.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an unpaid, volunteer opportunity designed to give readers experience in the field. If interested, please send a cover letter, résumé/CV, and at least one writing sample to begin the application process.
We look forward to hearing from you!