3 positions available
Part-time: no more than 75 hours in total per position
Term: 2 issues of the magazine
Fee: £500/issue (paid proportionally per month) – i.e. £1,000 in total
Start date of first position: 1st November 2020 (to 1 July 2021)
Start date of second position: 1st July 2021 (to 31 March 2022)
Start date of third position: 1st April 2022 (to 30 November 2022)
We are excited to announce an opportunity for three contributing editors from backgrounds under-represented in Poetry Wales to work with us in creating the magazine. Applications from individuals with existing expertise in publishing, editing, and/or the world of poetry are very welcome. However, no previous publishing/editorial experience is required for these roles: these are professional development positions which include training and mentoring (as appropriate to the successful candidate). As such, alongside applications from already experienced individuals, we also encourage those with little or no prior experience of the literature and publishing sector to apply. You may have transferrable skills and experiences from other areas of your life which could be relevant to this opportunity. We are looking for individuals with a passion for and some knowledge of this field.
You will support the magazine’s Editor and Marketing Officer, developing your skills across your first issue in post. Supported by and in consultation with the Editor, you will then edit your own section of the magazine in your second issue. You will also get the chance to showcase and celebrate writing you love in one of the UK’s leading poetry magazines, and in turn make a difference to the lives and careers of other writers.
Any vibrant poetry culture must include diversity at editorial level, and any exciting poetry magazine must incorporate a variety of viewpoints. These opportunities are specifically open to candidates with backgrounds traditionally under-represented in and by the magazine, with the long-term aim of nurturing the poetry editors of Wales’s future. Applications from bilingual or multilingual applicants are very much welcomed.
The successful applicants will:
- Develop skills in decision-making on submissions, copy-editing, proof-reading, and other editorial duties as appropriate, in discussion with the Editor.
- Contribute to developing exciting content for the website, developing skills in areas such as social media and visual branding.
- Support the Editor and Marketing Officer in working with writers to sustain and enhance the profile of the magazine.
- Edit a short section of the magazine, supported by and in consultation with the Editor – a selection of poems, a review, an article, or a section of online materials.
Successful candidates will have:
- Strong potential as a poet and/or editor
You will be asked to provide evidence of existing work, e.g. from collections, anthologies, magazines, pamphlets, or publications online OR a submission of unpublished poems/poetry-related work.
- Bold and innovative ideas
We are looking for someone who will contribute new and exciting ideas to the life of the magazine.
- A knowledge of and passion for contemporary poetry
The candidate will have an interest in poetry from Wales and beyond.
- Self-motivation and determination
You will have to work to publication schedules and other deadlines.
- Enthusiasm for working as part of a team
This role will require you to work alongside a variety of people who will offer support and help you develop your skills.
Please note, a university degree is not required for this role.
The working hours of this role are for the successful candidates to determine in discussion with the Editor and Publisher. However, we would not expect you to exceed a total of 75 hours on this opportunity.
To apply for the first of these three posts, please submit the following to mickfelton@serenbooks.com by 11 October:
- A 2-page cover letter outlining the ways in which you fulfil the requirements of the role, your editorial vision, and ideas for content in the magazine.
- A current CV.
- Six of your published or unpublished poems, OR in the case of non-poets, examples of reviews, essays, or blogposts about poetry.
For any questions or informal discussions about the role, please contact editor@poetrywales.co.uk or jannatahmed@serenbooks.com
About Poetry Wales
Founded in 1965, Poetry Wales is Wales’s foremost poetry magazine, publishing internationally respected contemporary poetry, features and reviews in its triannual print and digital magazine. Poetry Wales platforms contemporary poetry from Welsh and international writers, in its mission to sustain and preserve the artistic works both inspiring our literary present and shaping our literary future.
The magazine is very open to tradition and experiment, publishing poetry from a wide range of approaches. Against this background of dynamic contrast, it offers a lively and informed critical context for the best contemporary poetry.
This year, the magazine celebrates 55 years of publishing international contemporary poetry from its home in Bridgend, Wales.
Recent Poetry Wales initiatives include: Wales Poetry Award, a new poetry competition for adults sponsored by Literature Wales; a new bilingual competition for young people aged 10-17 across Wales and the UK; Poetry Wales on Tour, a range of live events across Wales; and Poetry Wales workshops, including online workshops.