Prose Reader

Prose readers get the first crack at all submissions in their specified genre, and are expected to review fiction and nonfiction (and hybrid) submissions regularly and consistently. Reviewing submissions includes voting, providing comments, and participating in occasional discussions about pieces on the bubble. (Est. commitment: 3.5 hrs/week.)

Before applying please familiarize yourself with the journal by visiting our About page, and perhaps also an issue or two.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

I. STATEMENT

Please briefly (no more than a page double-spaced) explain what qualifies you for this position, and what you would add to the journal’s literary and/or artistic community. You are encouraged to include things such as experience in the specific field(s), writing publication, and other commendations and accolades, but this Adroit Statement should NOT read like a résumé.

At the end of the day, the statement should highlight your history, passion, and experience with the areas of the position and creative writing. Feel free to discuss other topics you feel are appropriate, as well as any specific connections, measures, or initiatives you might have (or aspire to have) with The Adroit Journal’s staff community.

2. PLEASE UPLOAD A WRITING SAMPLE (8-10 pages of poetry or 12-15 double-spaced pages of prose) *for all Editorial roles

ELIGIBILITY:

We are fully open to all readers and writers. At this time, for editorial roles, we are not open to editorial staff on the masthead of other internationally-staffed unaffiliated literary journals. Publications that consider solely campus work, or work with specific geographic eligibility requirements, do not apply to this restriction. Non-editorial roles are exempt from this proviso.

As we seek to fill open positions sooner rather than later, we consider applications on a rolling basis.

***Unless otherwise specified, all positions are volunteer and remote in nature & have a start-date of ASAP.***

Click here to view our Call for Interviews & Reviews, full of titles we'd especially love to see covered.
Thank you for your interest in interviewing or reviewing for us.
Interviews & Reviews -- we are currently accepting completed reviews and interviews for consideration on our blog.
At this time, we have a preference for reviews.
IMPORTANT: Please consult our style guide for reviews and/or our style guide for interviews prior to submission. Thank you!
Click here to view our most recent interviews and reviews.

The Gregory Djanikian Scholarships

Gregory Djanikian was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and came to the United States when he was eight years old. He has published seven poetry collections, the latest of which is Sojourners of the In-Between (CMU Press). His work appears in American Poetry Review, Best American Poetry, Boulevard, Poetry, Southern Review, and TriQuarterly, among others. Until retiring, he was the longstanding Director of Creative Writing at the University of Pennsylvania, where he greatly enriched both the Adroit Journal as well as its staff of emerging writers.

We recognize and encourage the gift of such support by offering it ourselves; in honor of Greg's contribution to emerging student and non-student writers at Penn and around the world, we recognize six emerging poets as Gregory Djanikian Scholars in Poetry each year.

All emerging writers who have not published full-length collections are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status), and are encouraged to submit. Writers with forthcoming debut full-length collections are eligible so long as collections won't appear earlier than April 2025.

Gregory Djanikian Scholars receive $200 and publication of their portfolios of poems in a future issue of the Adroit Journal. Finalists will be awarded copies of Greg's latest collection, Sojourners of the In-Between, and a list of semifinalists determined by the editors will be released with results.

*            *            *

Now Open to Entries for 2024-2025 Djanikian Scholars!

Submissions are open from Wednesday, November 15th through December 31st.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions may include up to six poems (max of ten single-spaced pages). Simultaneous submissions, previously published submissions, and submissions recognized by outside organizations are accepted, provided that a) a full catalogue of publication history for enclosed poems is included in the submission (please note publications at the top of your submission and in the cover letter) and b) at least one poem in the submission remains unpublished. Submitters should promptly add a note to their entry on Submittable if work disclosed as unpublished is accepted elsewhere. If the entire submission is unavailable, it will be disqualified. 

Writers are welcome to additionally submit enclosed work to the Adroit Prizes as well as through our general submission portal during those submission periods. We are also happy to consider revisions of work previously submitted to the Adroit Prizes, to the Djanikian Scholars opportunity, or through the general submissions portal (including work currently in progress or work that has recently received an editorial decision). Finally, please note that each writer may not send more than one entry per year for Djanikian Scholars.

As mentioned above, all emerging writers who have not published full-length collections are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status), and Gregory Djanikian Scholars will receive $200 and publication in a future issue of the Adroit Journal.

We have set a non-refundable submission fee of $15. If you require financial assistance, you may submit a fee waiver with the Djanikian Scholars fee waiver request form. You can find both fee waiver request forms by clicking here.

Please direct any questions to editors@theadroitjournal.org.

The Anthony Veasna So Scholarships

Anthony Veasna So (1992-2020) was an American writer of short stories that often drew from his upbringing as a child of Cambodian immigrants and were described by the New York Times as "crackling, kinetic and darkly comedic." His debut short story collection, entitled Afterparties, was published posthumously by HarperCollins in 2021 and was simultaneously named a New York Times Bestseller and a winner of the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize for Best First Book.

Anthony was not just one of the most talented new writers to grace this decade—he was also a member of the Adroit family, having served as a prose editor for four years. Anthony was as an inspiration to all of us, and to so many writers around the world. In honor of Anthony's contribution to both the Adroit Journal's staff community and the world's fiction readers, we will recognize six emerging fiction writers each year as Anthony Veasna So Scholars in Fiction.

All emerging writers who have not published full-length collections or novels are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status), and are encouraged to submit. Writers with forthcoming debut full-length collections are eligible so long as collections won't appear earlier than April 2025.

Anthony Veasna So Scholars receive $200 and publication of one piece from their portfolio in a future issue of the Adroit Journal. Finalists will be awarded copies of Anthony's collection, Afterparties, and a list of semifinalists determined by the editors will be released with results.

Now Open to Entries for 2024-2025 Veasna So Scholars!

Submissions are open from Wednesday, November 15th through December 31st!

Submission Guidelines

Submissions may include up to three stories (max of 9,000 words total). Simultaneous submissions, previously published submissions, and submissions recognized by outside organizations are accepted, provided that a) a full catalogue of publication history for enclosed work is included in the submission (please note publication history at the top of the submission and in the cover letter) and b) at least one piece in the submission remains unpublished. Submitters should promptly add a note to their entry on Submittable if work disclosed as unpublished is accepted elsewhere. If the entire submission is published, it will be disqualified. 

Writers are welcome to additionally submit enclosed work to the Adroit Prizes as well as through our general submission portal during those submission periods. We are also happy to consider revisions of work previously submitted to the Adroit Prizes, to the Veasna So opportunity, or through the general submissions portal (including work currently in progress or work that has recently received an editorial decision). Finally, please note that each writer may not send more than one entry per year for Veasna So Scholars.

As mentioned above, all emerging writers who have not published full-length collections are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status), and Anthony Veasna So Scholars will receive $200 and publication in a future issue of the Adroit Journal.

We have set a non-refundable submission fee of $15. If you require financial assistance, you may submit a fee waiver with the Veasna So Scholars fee waiver request form. You can find both fee waiver request forms by clicking here.

Please direct any questions to editors@theadroitjournal.org.