Update: SRBemerging critics fellowships

2019 CA-SRB Emerging Critics Fellowships

The Sydney Review of Books invites applications for the 2019 CA-SRB Emerging Critics Fellowships.

Applications close on Tuesday 19 March 2019.

At the SRB we publish the best critics in the country and we are always looking to extend the range of the essayists who contribute to the critical landscape, and to expand our engagement with Australian literature. That’s why, with the support of the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, we established a fellowship program in 2016 to foster diverse, provocative and original critical voices. This year, the focus of our fellowship program will be on developing critical voices tuned into new works of Australian literature.

We are offering three fellowships to emerging Australian critics: each fellow will have the opportunity to write three essays on new Australian books for publication on the Sydney Review of Books in 2019. Fellows will receive editorial support and mentorship as they write these essays, as well as each being paid $3000.

Who can apply?
We strongly encourage critics from diverse backgrounds to apply for this fellowship. Applications are open to Australian residents and Australians abroad. Each of the three fellowships will be awarded to an applicant from a different state or territory.

Am I an emerging critic?
There are no age or experience limits to applying for this fellowship. That said, we are looking for applicants who are seeking to develop their portfolio and their critical practice. You may wish to detail in your cover letter the ways in which you envisage this fellowship will serve your professional development.

Applicants who are on an academic career path should explain their particular interest in writing for a general audience rather than an academic one in their cover letter.

How do I apply?
Apply via Submittable here.

Send us a one-page cover letter and three 300w pitches for prospective critical essays on Australian literature suitable for publication in the Sydney Review of Books. In these pitches you should seek to indicate the range of your critical interests and practice.

If you’d like to include a brief CV with links to previously published work, please do so.

We understand that many emerging critics juggle multiple gigs and deadlines – as writers or otherwise – in order to make ends meet. Fellowship recipients will be expected to work on essays slated for publication in July, September and October. Before you apply for this fellowship please consider whether these deadlines are a manageable addition to your workload.

The deadline for applications is 19 March 2019.

A new process
The 2019 fellowships will operate differently to previous years. Rather than workshopping EOI pitches for publication, the SRB editor will allocate books for review to fellowship recipients, at least two of which will be new works of Australian literature. This will foster the ability of fellowship recipients to approach new works and and produce original critical responses to them.

At the Sydney Review of Books we encourage the kind of critical writing that has all but disappeared from the mainstream media. Applicants may hold to traditional models for their essays or to work to extend the range and flexibility of the review essay form. Fellowship recipients will write three original 2000-word review essays for publication on the Sydney Review of Books in June, August and September 2019. A hands-on editorial process will allow fellows to develop and extend their critical reach throughout the project.

Applications close on Tuesday 19 March 2019.

A shortlist will be released on 29 March and the names of the 2019 fellowship recipients will be announced on Friday 5 April.

In sum
Please apply via Submittable here. You’ll need to send us a one-page cover letter and three 300w pitches for prospective critical essays on Australian literature suitable for publication by the Sydney Review of Books. If you’d like to include a brief CV with links to previously published work, please do so. Do not send complete essays – we will not read them.

Questions?

Please direct any queries to SRB editor Catriona Menzies-Pike on editor [at] sydneyreviewofbooks.com.


We are grateful for the support of the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund in establishing the Emerging Critics Fellowship.