64 Writing Jobs, Internships, Lit Mag Opps, Fellowships, and More

Jobs for Writers (5.29.25) | Remote roles at Split Lip Press and Oxford University Press, poetry fellowships paying up to $20k, and how to break in to the world of communications

May 29, 2025

∙ Paid

Welcome to Sub Club’s Jobs for Writers!

This week, I’m adding a couple of content-ish jobs. Now, I wouldn’t usually do this—I’ve been in the content trenches, and I don’t think it typically applies here to the vibe I’m trying to curate—but these content jobs aren’t like other content jobs. They’re at places that are creative themselves (one is with a city’s philharmonic association, for example) and could be useful as a way to wedge yourself more into the creative landscape.

I’m also adding in a few marketing and communications jobs—inspired, in part, by this week’s How to Break In—too. A good few are at universities, because I want you to have that in.

Though these jobs may be a little different than what I usually share, the good news is they pay pretty decently. Because, look: At the end of the day, we all are trying to be true to ourselves when possible, but we’re also trying to make money when possible. It’s called capitalism, baby! Ugh, I regret that.

Before we get to how someone else got the gig, a quick question: How did you break in? We want stories about how people got their jobs in writing, editing, publishing, academics, or whatever else that’s writing-adjacent. I’m counting sales! Audio! PR! As long as it’s in the realm of the creative-ish writing world, it’s fair game.

» Get the details and submit your entry here «

Selected entries will get $50 or a one-year comp.

How to Break In to Communications—and What “Communications” Even Is—with Chiereme Fortune

This week, we’re changing things up a little.

Working in something strictly editorial—or, shall we say, editorialesque—is certainly the dream for many of us. But the reality is that gigs that aren’t solely focused on writing, but that involve writing in some capacity, are a lot more accessible. And Chiereme Fortune, Director of Communication at Voices for Virginia’s Children, has been able to combine the whole, “writing in some capacity,” with work that actually aligns with her values. “My current role has helped me make a transition back into changework,” she writes. “Writing doesn’t seem like work when I know it directly impacts young people in our state.”

Below, Chiereme and I touch on her work at Voices for Virginia’s Children, a non-profit focused on creating equitable policy outcomes for young people ages 0–24 through legislation and advocacy; what exactly “communications” is and how writing fits into it; and the best way to balance full-time work with freelance gigs and creative pursuits.

rachael vaughan clemmons: What's your background?

Chiereme Fortune: I’ve been in the communication world for over a decade as a freelancer, contractor, full-time traditional employee, and as a remote worker. I’ve done everything from writing speeches for Ivy Leaguers, copywriting dissertations, doing voice over and script writing work for funeral memorial videos, and spent hours pressing send on media pitches for roles that paid me in peanuts and recommendations in the early days of my career and in tough financial seasons when I just needed extra work.

What helped me thrive throughout the years has been keeping a solid digital portfolio and the word we writer types usually loathe: networking (in my own introverted way).

rvc: Here's a question I've always wanted to ask but was always too scared to: What is communications? And how do writing skills show up in a communications role?

CF: Haha. It's more confusing than it needs to be, in my opinion. I define communications as the broader categorization of the many methods used to uplift and convey a brand or organization's message. Some would argue that communications, marketing, and public relations are distinct fields; however, after ten years of doing all three in various roles and contracts, I can tell you that the lines are blurred and you really need to include tactics from each area of focus to create a robust brand and effective messaging. It's not all about storytelling, selling, or reputation—it's all three in my experience!

rvc: How did you end up at Voices for Virginia’s Children?

CF: I got my current role with a cold turkey application, a convincing interview, and a work sample. Other gigs came through connections, having the right skills at the right time, and asking complete strangers if I could ask them about their career. It actually works sometimes.

rvc: What does your day-to-day as a Director of Communications look like?

CF: As a Director of Communications at a small but mighty policy-focused non-profit, I wear all the hats: key messaging, web content management, social media marketing, development (fundraising) communications, physical assets, copy editing for everything we publish, crafting content for the website, publications, occasional speech writing, thought leadership strategy with our CEO, writing and pitching for media placements with local media outlets, and trying to keep our statewide audience engaged in the Virginia politics that affect children and families through whatever means will engage them. Oh, and I'm currently a one-woman show.

And if that wasn't enough, I also plan and facilitate a quarterly professional development group for other nonprofit communicators to network and develop our skill sets in community. Non-profits are usually forced to change the world on a shoestring budget, so this is my way of crowdsourcing our professional development.

rvc: You’ve mentioned that you do other gigs outside of Voices for Virginia’s Children. Can you expand on what kind of freelancing work you’re doing?

CF: I've always been interested in the idea of making money writing online, so I set out on a side quest to figure it out. I ended up getting lost in information vortexes for several years until I realized that I might need a bit of help to break into the side hustle writing market.

I was reading a debt-freedom blogger at the time who shared several posts on her freelance writing earnings. I devoured each article and took the bait when she started offering coaching sessions. After 30 days of going through a prerecorded course and 4 coaching sessions, to check my implementation of the information, I started cold pitching and landed my first two clients.

I'd love to say that I stuck with freelancing, but eventually I got into a full-time role that was 50% speechwriting and that took up a lot of my time. I realized I had a knack for it after writing for a few members of the senior leadership team at my job, and I began to verbally tell folks about my role and my speechwriting. That led to a few friends connecting me with various folks they knew who expressed a need for a speechwriter or mentioned a communications support need in professional groups they were a part of. I took those cues to mean that word-of-mouth would be my best bet, but I still created a website and had a digital portfolio on hand just in case.

Since then, previous clients, referrals, and casual conversations at networking and personal events have led to more leads than my concerted efforts to write for hire online. I still intend to beef up my online presence and offerings, but for now, relationship marketing is the most fruitful for me.

rvc: I want to go back to this idea of approaching networking as an introvert. What does that look like for you? What are some tactics you utilize?

CF: Yes! Love this question. First, I created my own event series because the more control I had over the environment, the better I felt, and I desired to learn in community. Second, I was offered a mentor and accepted without knowing who they were or what specific expertise they offered in communications, other than the fact that they had a track record of success in the state, and I knew that they could help me meet folks in a more casual and curated way.

If you haven't found someone to serve as a mentor in your locality, I'd recommend paroozing Eventbrite and Meetup to find more of what you like and enjoy. I like poetry and comedy, so I would go to professional events that had elements of artistic expression and/or interesting concepts, like Creative Mornings! Creative Mornings is an international network of professionals across industries that host free learning events all over the world. I joined the local chapter here in Richmond, and it's been a very casual, creative, and fun way to connect with folks across industries. Their icebreaker is a 10-minute rock-paper-scissors competition for everyone in the room!

rvc: I'd also love to hear more about your creative work—I see that you write poetry and do spoken word—and how you balance that with your Real Job. Does writing both creatively and professionally ever burn you out? If so, how do you manage that?

CF: After getting shingles at 28, I was forced to learn how to slow down. It was not an easy process or learning curve, but thankfully, I've figured out a bit of a flow for my work and passion projects that doesn't cause too much exhaustion (most of the time).

A few tips that have worked for me: always plan a rest day after travel; include 'admin' timeblocks on your work calendar for the first few days you return so you can catch up on email and updates; and lastly, calendar out practice and preparation time/side hustle work time on your personal calendar.

rvc: Any advice you have to share for folks balancing freelance work and creative work?

CF: Many of my most profitable opportunities actually came through applying for grants, fellowships, exchanging my business cards at events, and reaching out to old contacts and letting them know I was looking for work or recommendations. You can start from anywhere!

Is your job—or a friend’s job, or a friend’s friend’s job—looking for a writerly person to do something… writerly?

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