Almost Everything I Can Think to Show You

Almost Everything I Can Think to Show You A resource guide for aspiring writers, editors, and book lovers.

Cathy Day’s Literary Citizenship Course Website Cathy Day, associate professor at Ball State University, has used her course on literary citizenship to create a website with an ever-growing cache of articles, links, tips, interview, and other fantastic tidbits on participating in literary culture. https: //literarycitizenship. com/

Literary Volunteering in Boston --Author Dave Eggers’ sprawling literary project, 826, has branches all over the U. S. with programs that “empower traditionally underserved students ages 6 -18 to find their voices, tell their stories, and gain communication skills to succeed in school and in life. ” http: //826 boston. org/ --The Boston Literary Cultural District is a walkable geographic area of Boston devoted to the literary arts and their history in our city. They offer internships and volunteer opportunities, and will promote literary events around the city, including ones you start yourself! http: //bostonlitdistrict. org/get-involved/ --The Boston Public Library system sponsors tutoring and other literacy programming, and accepts volunteers. http: //www. bpl. org/research/literacy. htm --Similarly, the Literacy Volunteers of Boston has programming in need of volunteers: http: //www. lvm. org/ --To work specifically with ESL and limited English populations, consider volunteering on First Literacy of Boston: http: //firstliteracy. org/

More volunteer opportunities… --Room to Read has excellent literary programs designed primarily for children, with specific interests in girls’ education. https: //www. roomtoread. org/literacygirls-education/literacy/ --The Mass Literary Organization sponsors a variety of programs, advertising volunteer opportunities at an array of literary organizations, and providing information on grants, professional development workshops, and job advertisements. http: //www. massliteracy. org/opportunities/ --Reach Out and Read uniquely focuses on the confluence of reading and pediatric care. You can help start or manage existing programs at clinics all over Boston. http: //www. reachoutandread. org/join-us/

Become a reader for a literary journal… --Ploughshares https: //www. pshares. org/engage/volunteer --Other journals often accept slush readers who can work remotely using queues established by software programs like Submittable. Love a literary journal? Check out its website for calls for volunteers!

How to find opportunities for your own work… --New. Pages has a constantly evolving list of calls for submissions. They also provide resource guides for younger writers, information on graduate creative writing programs, and upcoming conferences and fairs. --The CRW-OPPS Yahoo! Group: Managed by poet and ultra literary citizen Allison Joseph, this listserv can be joined by anyone who wishes to receive daily opportunities for writers: calls for submission, contests, job ads, internship opportunities, and the like. --Duotrope is a subscription-based service for writing offering information on literary journals and a submissions tracker. --The Association of Writers and Writing Programs is an international coalition of university and independent writing programs that hosts the annual AWP conference, and provides extensive resources for writers and job applicants. Some resources are geared specifically for undergraduates. Requires paid membership. Comes with a subscription to the Writer’s Chronicle magazine, which contains even more opportunities—calls for submission, residencies, conferences, etc.

Finding literary community beyond Boston… Many of you in this class are graduating seniors, and all of you are upperclassmen with choices ahead of you after you leave Suffolk. I’m a fan of moving to an unexpected location, and Ploughshares’ Literary Boroughs series might pique your interest in a place that wasn’t on your radar. There’s a two-parter on Boston, as well! Sometimes, the best opportunities for work are in places with obvious need. The entrepreneurial spirit can be rewarded if you’re willing to live in a small city, small town, or even rural area that needs an independent bookstore, a community writing workshop, regular and reliable tutoring services, or a publication devoted to the community.

More opportunities for your own work… --Poets and Writers magazine offers “tools for writers, ” ways to connect with other writers, and opportunities for funding writers to attend residencies, conferences, and other literary projects. Some content is free online; other content requires a paid subscription. --PEN New England is the regional affiliate of PEN USA, and offers contests and funding for marginalized writers and artists. They may also provide internship and job opportunities, if you’re willing to relocate.

Joining an online writers’ group or organization… --Fictionaut is “a vibrant literary community that is opening exciting new possibilities for short fiction and poetry. Part self-selecting magazine, part community network, Fictionaut is a way for readers to discover new voices and for writers to share their work, gain recognition, and connect with their audience and each other. ” --She Writes is “the largest community of women writers online. She Writes is your place to find community, and all of our place to foster it. Whether you're well published, just starting out, a novelist, journalist, blogger, memoirist, screenwriter, poet, playwright, agent, editor, or publicist, this guide offers a number of ways to maximize your use of She Writes. ” --VIDA: Women in Literary Arts is “a non-profit feminist organization committed to creating transparency around the lack of gender parity in the literary landscape and to amplifying historically-marginalized voices, including people of color; writers with disabilities; and queer, trans and gender nonconforming individuals. ” --Cave Canem is a nonprofit specifically devoted to “the many voices of African American poetry and is committed to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of African American poets. ” Also offers internship and volunteer opportunities.

Hodgepodge of other resources… --Brad Listi’s author podcast interview series “Other People”—off-the-radar writers, conversational host, great questions. --The Chapbook Interview: Laura Madeline Wiseman’s series that highlights chapbooks and their authors. --Great Writers Steal: Kenneth Nichol’s site devoted to deconstructing ”stealable” craft moves from published pieces. --Fiction and nonfiction author Lee Martin’s blog on craft techniques in prose writing. Lots of advice about MFA programs, too. --Brevity magazine’s blog devoted to craft in nonfiction. Some publishing advice and other professional tidbits. Includes book reviews. --The Kenyon Review blog, which features all sorts of writerly content, especially editorial advice in its “Why We Picked It” section.