Bellevue Literary Review (BLR) is an award-winning, independent literary magazine that features poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction that connect writers and readers in the most human of themes: health, healing, illness, and disease.  Please familiarize yourself with the journal by visiting our website and past issues.

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Poetry Editor (volunteer), Bellevue Literary Review

BLR is seeking a Poetry Editor. Candidates must have significant poetry editing experience—either at a journal or in a teaching position. This is not a junior position, as the Poetry Editor will be leading a team of assistant editors.

Please note that this is a volunteer position. BLR offers a modest yearly honorarium, and also helps promote editors’ writings with social media, newsletters, and events.



Responsibilities:

BLR publishes two issues per year. We use Submittable and receive ~2,000 poetry submissions per year.

The Poetry Editor’s job is to:

• read and assess poetry submissions in a timely fashion on an ongoing basis (a team of reviewers helps make the first cut)
• work with the poetry team (four Assistant Editors) to choose the final selections
• work with authors to edit and polish their writing as needed 
• ensure that the poetry team remains on schedule with the production calendar
• facilitate open communication with the poetry team and the larger masthead. Organizing a team and engaging collaboratively within a team framework are necessary skills
  
   

Strong communication skills, rigorous time management and successful adherence to deadlines are a must.

Schedule: 

BLR staff meetings occur 3-4 x per year (mostly online), but we are back to in-person events and gatherings, so we will give strong preference to candidates in the NYC area. Additional poetry editorial meetings are held at the discretion of the poetry team. 

As a volunteer position, scheduling is flexible, but the Poetry Editor would be expected to put in the equivalent of 3-4 hours per week. 

Editors are welcome to participate in BLR events—online or in-person readings, conversations, and author interviews—as well as our educational, social media, and outreach initiatives, but this is optional.

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BLR recognizes that BIPOC, marginalized, and other underrepresented identities face unique challenges when accessing and engaging with the medical humanities. The poetry team strives to promote and serve writers whose work broadens the field of poetic inquiry. We look forward to speaking with applicants whose literary aesthetic engages with this mission.

Application materials: 

• Cover letter that addresses editing experience
• CV, including two references (BLR contacts references only if the application advances)
• Please engage with a poem published within the last five years–either a poem that speaks to your literary aesthetic or one that stretches you–along with your thoughtful analysis. Length: 250-500 words.