Are you interested in a career in independent publishing? In exploring the role of the editor and imagining new possibilities for the future? Applications for the 2026 Editorial Fellowship at A Public Space are now open. In addition to working alongside APS staff on the magazine and other programs, fellows have the opportunity to create and oversee an open call and edit a piece for the magazine. The deadline to apply is February 28. Find additional details, including work by previous fellows and a link to the application, here.
Posts by: Ex Libris
Libby Kalmbach Clark, an alumna of the MAWP program at DePaul University, published her essay Borders as Fiction in Witness, a magazine of the Black Mountain Institute. Libby is a nonfiction writer and a legal representative at the National Immigrant Justice Center. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, Ascent, and the Prairie Schooner blog. She lives and works in Chicago. For more information, visit her website here.
Chris Tran, a graduate student in the MAWP program, had her poem “Look At Us” published in the Chicago Sun-Times this past weekend. The poem is a response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE officials and a tribute to her: Say her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Remember her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Look at us and insist / All of this is meant for good. You brand her a domestic terrorist, / But herein lies: / Beloved mother and wife / Daughter / Neighbor / Poet Justify your murder /… Read Article →
Check out these writing contests for January through September 2026: One Room, One Hour Contest – Open submissions One essay on what you encounter. $1,000 for no more than 1,000 words will be awarded to winning entries posted to Substack. Essays accepted through the end of the year. Give it a whirl and see what you see. New Millennium Writing Awards – January 31, 2026 $1,000 EACH for Best poetry, fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction. All winners published in our anthology and online. Kentucky Visions Short Story Contest – January 31, 2026 Enter your fiction (up to 7,500 words) for a chance to… Read Article →
Professor and Fiction Editor for Wildhouse Publishing Rebecca Johns-Trissler will be in conversation with Kaethe Schwehn, the author of The Gospel of Salome on Sunday, January 25 at the International Museum of Surgical Science from 3-4 p.m. The discussion will center on researching for historical fiction, the erased histories of female physicians in ancient times, and the novel itself, which was reviewed in the Chicago Review of Books. The event is free but requires registration, and guests who attend will receive free access to the International Museum of Surgical Science!
Submit your writing for consider in the 46th issue of Crook & Folly! Check out the submission form here. Guidelines: Submissions are open from January 12th – February 22nd, with incentive period running from January 12th – February 1st. This is a great opportunity to have staff take a look at your pieces before the final deadline. What can you submit? Poetry – 1 to 3 poems Fiction – no more than 3500 words Creative Nonfiction – no more than 3500 words Flash Fiction – no more than 800 words Dramatic Lit – no more… Read Article →
From the Poetry Foundation: Join DCASE, Chicago Public Library and the Poetry Foundation as we celebrate Chicago’s new Poet Laureate, Mayda A. del Valle! The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Chicago Public Library and Poetry Foundation are pleased to invite you to an evening celebrating Chicago’s new Poet Laureate, Mayda A. del Valle. The event is free but requires registration here. Chicago Cultural Center, G.A.R. Hall 5:30 p.m. – Doors open 6 – 7:30 p.m. – Program 7:30 – 8 p.m. – Informal Reception & Mingling The night will feature remarks from City leaders,… Read Article →
Join Rebecca Johns-Trissler’s Novels II class on Thursday, January 15th at 6 p.m. in room 301 ALH for an author visit by Anna Sortino (MAWP ’19). Anna is the author of three YA novels published by Penguin Teen: Give Me a Sign (2023), On the Bright Side (2024), and Stops Along the Way (forthcoming in May 2026), which have been honored by starred reviews from such places as Kirkus and Publishers Weekly and “Best Book of the Year” from more places. She is also working on an adult title next. Please note that this event… Read Article →
Join us at Uncommon Ground for a reading featuring DePaul graduate writers! If you are a graduate student in the MAWP or MFA program and are interested in reading your poetry or short prose (can be an excerpt of a longer piece), email Kendall Polidori at kpolidor@depaul.edu for a spot. Reading spots are limited, so please reach out ASAP! When: Thursday, January 29 from 6-8 p.m. Where: Uncommon Ground (3800 N Clark St) The event is free and open to the public, so even if you aren’t reading, please come out and support!
Join the DePaul Women’s Center for a weekly book club every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in SAC 150 or via Zoom. This quarter, the book club is reading Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. The Women’s Center has physical and digital copies of the book available. Stop by SAC 150, or email womenscenterdepaul@gmail.com for more information!
Join the LatinX Book Club, sponsored by the Center for Latino Research and the LatinX Cultural Center, for a discussion of Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin. DISCUSSION DATES:February 17, 2026March 3, 2026 All meetings will be from 4:30 – 5:30pm at the Latinx Cultural Center (360 O’Connell Hall). The first 15 students who register will receive a free copy of the book. Students who receive a free copy of the book will be required to attend all the discussion meetings. Discussion will happen in English, but the original text is in Spanish. We encourage students… Read Article →
I hope everyone had a restful break, and has an easy transition back to classes for Winter Quarter! Here are a few announcements, reminders and submission deadlines to keep in mind as you get back into the swing of things. 1. REMINDER: The deadline to apply for graduate assistantships for the 2026–2027 academic year is January 15, 2026. If you’re interested, please send the following materials directly to Prof. and Director Michele Morano (mmorano@depaul.edu): 2. Check out this fantastic article in Oxford American written by Francesca T. Royster, professor of English at DePaul, about musician Willie… Read Article →