Writing Fellowships: A Public Space

We are pleased to announce that applications will open on March 1, 2023, for the 2023 A Public Space Writing Fellowships. The aim of these fellowships is to seek out and support writers who embrace risk in their work and their own singular vision. Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply. Submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and—this year, for this first time—poetry are welcome. Three fellowships will be awarded.

During the six-month fellowship, fellows will receive:
—editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine;
—a $1,000 honorarium;
—a one-year subscription to A Public Space;
—a guest pass to attend Master Classes with A Public Space during the term of the fellowship;
—the opportunity to participate in a public reading and conversation with A Public Space editors and contributors.

Eligibility: Only writers who have not yet published or been contracted to write a book-length work with a U.S. publisher are eligible. International applicants are encouraged to apply, but we are only able to consider submissions in English. Only one submission per person is allowed. Please do not submit a piece you have previously submitted to A Public Space, either through the Fellowship category, the General Submissions category, or an Open Call. A Public Space reserves the right to invite submissions.

Timeline: Submittable will be open for Fellowship submissions from March 1 – March 31, 2023, only. Submissions for the Fellowships close at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on March 31, 2023. Successful applicants will be informed no later than May 15, 2023. The fellowship period will be June 1, 2023 – November 30, 2023.

Procedure: Only electronic submissions will be considered. Applications must be submitted through the Fellowship category in Submittable. (The category will not be available until March 1.) There is no application fee. Please submit the following:

—A CV
—A cover letter containing a one-paragraph biographical statement; one paragraph that is a favorite of yours from a book you've read, be it recently or long ago; and a brief statement telling us why this particular passage is meaningful to you.
—One previously unpublished piece (for prose, one fiction or nonfiction piece with a limit of 8,000 words; for poetry, a sequence of poems, a long poem, or hybrid work, with a limit of 15 pages) If selected, the submitted manuscript is the piece that will be published in the magazine.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please note that if any part of the submitted work is accepted elsewhere, you will be required to withdraw your entire application; replacement submissions will not be accepted once the deadline has passed.

Only PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx) are accepted. The cover letter and manuscript should be submitted as separate files. Incomplete applications will not be considered and will be returned unread.