FundsforWriters - August 12, 2022

FundsforWriters - August 12, 2022 - 1,000 Fans

Published: Fri, 08/12/22

VOLUME 22, ISSUE 32 | AUGUST 12, 2022

Message from Hope

August is still my least favorite month. Nothing's changed since last week's newsletter. Yeah, the picture to the side here looks exquisite . . . the sun shining and water so blue.

But the humidity is 70 percent and the temperature in the nineties. While we need the rain after a summer of drought, it drives the humidity to 90 percent. Even boaters back off their mid-day jaunts because it's so dang hot.

Which means we take care of indoor tasks, right? We're back to 1,000 words per day on the latest novel, and am up to 10,000 words in eight days. Of course, I've probably jinxed it now.

I met a reading fan just today at a coffee shop. She bought five books from me, wanting them autographed, and asked I deliver them in person. We had a fun chat. She asked me what everyone asks me . . . how do you come with all these ideas?

Honestly, there is no one place. I fall back on my old job where I did internal investigations. I ask hubby about his old cases (he's a retired federal agent). I read the news. I eavesdrop. I do any and all of that until some quirky idea grips hold and I start building on it.

But I also tell people that the more you write the more your brain is lubricated to think outside the box, and the more your mind and senses become more attuned to the world around them, endlessly hunting (and finding) for triggers. Writing only when you feel like it is not the key. Waiting for ideas to drop in your lap won't happen. Writing daily, keeping the gears oiled and moving, and paying attention to the world, are what aid idea production. You develop a habit of world-watching.

“Love is the quality of attention we pay to things,” says poet J.D. McClatchy. If you really love to write, you give it the attention it needs.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website | Sign up for Newsletter
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TOP SPONSOR

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

CONTEST ENTRY FEES

Someone recently emailed me, upset that a book contest charged a $70 entry fee. The first prize was a strong four figures, and I knew the credibility of the sponsor. Therefore, I had no problem posting the contest. The complainer called the contest predatory and told me not to respond to their complaint. Apparently they just wanted to vent to me, but I could not let this generalization go. Of course, I replied.

Generalizations like this hurt the industry, I said, and went on to state the following.

As I teach at conferences and to anyone who will listen, contests that do not charge entry fees are more likely to: not pay out, pay less, attract less quality writing, and be less reliable. Unless there is a deep-pocket sponsor, someone has to come up with the prize money, cost of advertising, and payment to the finalist judges.

Having judged many contests, sometimes being paid and sometimes not, I know what it takes to judge a contest that allows book-length submissions. A judge can receive 100+ books in the mail/email to judge in six weeks, and there are often multiple judges. If anyone says there is one judge, that judge is only reviewing the finalists deemed by, goodness knows, however many others on the side charged with culling the number down. The simple handling of entries is mind-boggling.

But to have an $8,000 prize on top of handling the logistics of this size contest? That's a lot of money for someone to just be gracious enough to donate. And frankly, a contest fee is often a good tool to cull those who do not take contests seriously.

For nine years, I ran an essay contest with two categories. One required an entry fee and paid out $500. The other had no entry fee and paid out $50. Overwhelmingly, year after year, the best material was submitted under the entry fee category. People do not edit as well when it costs nothing to enter.

Therefore, I am pretty adamant about this logic, having proven the point and watched it proven elsewhere over and over. While you have the occasional scam, an entry fee is not the measure.

SUPER SPONSOR

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

- September 12, 2022 - 20th Anniversary Chapin Library Book Club, Chapin, SC, 1 PM

- June 3-10, 2023 - Writing Retreat on the Maine Coast - Special Guest - Sponsored by Joan Dempsey, author and teacher

Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. There's starting to be life out there!

SUCCESS QUOTE

““When artists create pictures and thinkers search for laws and formulate thoughts, it is in order to salvage something from the great dance of death, to make something that lasts longer than we do.”

– Hermann Hesse

SUccess Story

Dear Hope,

In a recent post you mentioned how a writer had inquired about receiving an increased amount, over your standard fee. (The writer had suggested several articles to be included on your weekly blog.) The inquiry included the writer's qualifications, etc., and her presentation ultimately justified the requested increase.

This made an impression on me. I write freelance articles on a semi-regular basis for an area publication. Following the example above, I wrote the editors and stated why I felt the increase was due. They agreed! I would not have stepped forward to do this if I hadn't read FundsforWriters.

Thank you for the consistent encouragement for writers of all genres. I look forward to reading your column each week as it connects me to a worldwide network of writers.

Ann Dallman
Menominee, MI

Ann's first Middle Grade novel, Cady and the Bear Necklace, has won the following awards: The Historical Society of Michigan State History Award 2020; Midwest Book Award UP Notable Book Award 2020; Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist; New Mexico-Arizona Book Award Winner (Multicultural) and Readers' Favorite 5-Star Review. Her second book in the series, Cady and the Birchbark Box, was published in June by Modern History Press of Ann Arbor, MI.

- - -

If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com

Featured article

1000 Fans

By C. Hope Clark-

The Web abounds with writers who ponder how to develop that proverbial network that's supposed to represent their 1,000 true fans...those fans who are supposed to make growth possible. Those fans who want anything we have to offer, and tell others about it. In case you are not familiar with the concept, read these articles. You need to know.

A 20-Step Process for Finding Your 1,000 True Fans (from 2008)
http://www.copyblogger.com/20-steps-1000-fans/

1000 True Fans? Try 100 (today)
https://future.com/1000-true-fans-try-100/

1000 True Fans (today)
https://elitecontentmarketer.com/1000-true-fans/

The logic is that if you could find 1,000 true fans willing to pay $100 a year for your work, you develop a $100,000 income. The theory is over a decade old. Is it still applicable?

Of course it is.

In some circles, outside that of books, of course, the logic has expanded to finding 100 fans willing to buy $1,000 worth of product in a year, and yes, there are ample examples of products out there where this works. Sports clothing, video games, home interior products learn to use their brand and cater to the repeating customer.

The problem with that theory in the publishing industry, however, is that writers cannot create $1,000 worth of product in a year. Even if you had $1,000 worth of titles in your backlist, any given reader buys each book once. Heck, $100 worth of sales per reader per year is impossible. But let’s say you write two books a year, each costing $16 (print). That’s $32 per year. Multiply that times 1,000 loyal fans, that’s $32,000.

Today, however, fourteen years after the 1,000 fan theory was born, we have sites like Patreon.com, Kickstarter.com, Ko-fi.com, BuyMeaCoffee.com, SubscribeStar.com, and Memberful.com, and they make that $100 per year from 1,000 loyal fans more possible. These sites allow you to create subscriptions or unique product for your loyal fans, those willing to pay for your work. Offering them exclusive stories, novels, or material . . . treating them like they are golden, ups the odds of you achieving that higher annual income.

So . . . to earn those true-blue 1,000 fans, you need to:

Return emails to anyone with the slightest interest in your work, without exception. Regardless of what you think of them, regardless of how serious you think they are about their writing, regardless of how quirky, angry, bubble-headed, or tacky they are, you answer them, and you lead them to a website with your products, or better, exclusive products.

Be liberal in your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok connections and friends. Unless the friend request is blatantly fake, like from some middle-aged man standing in front of his convertible or a tycoon from another country, give them a go. If you’ve spent any time on social media, you can spot the fakes. Don’t be so picky . . . just be smart. And of course, lead them to your website or subscriber page.

Be bold in your profiles (Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Pinterest, Google, LinkedIn, etc.). Liberal means being upfront about the writer you are. Show others you mean business in this writing business. Be professional with your mugshot. AND . . . lead them to your website or subscriber page.

Once they arrive, whether you have a newsletter or keep a blog, whether you provide unique story material or simply sell your books, you must maintain steady communication. If you don't have time for your fans, why should they have time for you?

Smile. Enjoy others company. The more people feel appreciated, beloved and respected, the more they will reward you with their business.

Sounds like work, doesn't it? Of course it is. But it's the most rewarding work, outside of writing your stories, that you can accomplish. That’s assuming you want to put WRITER on your tax return under PROFESSION.

BIO - C. Hope Clark is editor of FundsforWriters.com and author of the Carolina Slade Mysteries, the Edisto Island Mysteries, and the Craven County Mysteries, published by Bell Bridge Books.

COmpetitions

BENJAMIN SALTMAN AWARD
https://redhen.org/awards/benjamin-saltman-poetry-award/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2022. This award is for a previously unpublished original collection of poetry. The awarded collection is selected through an annual competition that is open to all poets. Name on cover sheet only, 48 page minimum, 96 page maximum. Prize is $3,000 and publication by Red Hen Press.

QUILL PROSE AWARD
https://redhen.org/awards/quill-prose-award/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2022. Prize is $1,000 and book publication by Red Hen Press. Name on cover sheet only; 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double spaced). Prose can be fiction or nonfiction. Limited to writers who consider themselves queer.

AESTHETICA CREATIVE WRITING AWARD
https://aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award/how-to-enter/
ENTRY FEE: Poetry £12 | Short Fiction £18. Deadline August 31, 2022. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words. Winners receive £2,500 for the Poetry Winner, £2,500 for the Short Fiction Winner and publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual.

SMOKELONG QUARTERLY FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://www.smokelong.com/the-smokelong-quarterly-award-for-flash-fiction/
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 15, 2022. The grand prize winner of The Smokey is automatically nominated for The Best Small Fictions, The Pushcart, Best of the Net, and any other prize we deem appropriate. In addition to all this love, we will also pay the grand prize winner $2,500. Second place: $1,000. Third place $500. Finalists: $100. All finalists and placers will be published in the special competition issue in December 2022. Your entry must be 1,000 words or fewer, excluding the title. There is no minimum word count requirement.

RED HEN PRESS FICTION AWARD
https://redhen.org/awards/red-hen-press-fiction-award/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2022. Submit at least 150 pages of prose (25,000-word minimum). Prize is $1,000 and book publication by Red Hen Press.

SUNDOG COLLABORATION CONTEST
https://sundoglit.submittable.com/submit/230691/2022-collaboration-contest
$3 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2022. We’re looking for writing teams of two or more people to submit their fiercest story, poem, essay, or hybrid piece of 1,000 words or less (one piece per entry). We also welcome a collaboration between writers and visual artists! If money is a barrier, please submit one piece for free. If you can, we'd suggest a $3 contest fee. Winners will be published in our spring issue, out in March 2023, and split a $300 prize and the eternal fulfillment that comes with publication.

SERVICESCAPE SHORT STORY AWARD
https://www.servicescape.com/short-story-award
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline November 30, 2022. For this award, any genre or theme of short story is accepted. All applicants should submit their original unpublished work of short fiction or nonfiction, 5,000 words or fewer, to be considered. Along with receiving an award for $1,000 USD, the winner will have his or her short story featured within our blog, which reaches thousands of readers per month.

OBJECTS IN MOTION CONTEST
https://onthepremises.com/current-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 2, 2022. For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which the story’s main character(s) spend most (even better, all) of the story’s time in constant motion. For instance, they could spend the whole story in a moving vehicle.

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

VERMONT ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/artists/artist-development
Deadline September 6, 2022. Artist Development Grants support Vermont artists at all stages of their careers. Grants can fund activities that enhance mastery of an artist’s craft or skills or that increase the viability of an artist's business. Funding may also support aspects of the creation of new work when the activity allows the grantee to accept a rare and important opportunity.

CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG ARTIST SUPPORT GRANTS
https://artsandscience.org/
Deadline September 12, 2022. Artist Support Grants fund professional and artistic development for emerging and established artists to enhance their skills and abilities to create work or to improve their business operations and capacity to bring their work to new audiences. Artists representing visual, craft, performing, traditional, and interdisciplinary art forms are encouraged to apply. Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to spending a significant portion of their time on their work as artists. The Artist Support Grants will support projects occurring between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, but all funds should be expended by June 30, 2023. Artists may request up to $3,000. Those applications selected for funding will receive the full award they are eligible for. ASC is accepting applications from creatives living in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Rowan counties.

CULTURAL CENTER OF NEW YORK MILLS ARTS RETREAT
https://www.kulcher.org/programs/artist-retreat/
Deadline October 1, 2022. The Arts Retreat at the Cultural Center in New York Mills, MN provides artists uninterrupted time for creative development and exploration, plus a unique taste of life in rural Minnesota. Artists from all disciplines (written, performance, audio, and visual) will be considered. Residencies are awarded based on artistic merit and commitment to the arts. We provide stays of two to six weeks for one artist at a time in a one-bedroom house with access to studio space. There is no charge for residencies.

PRAGUE – UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE CREATIVE TWO-MONTH RESIDENCY 2023
https://www.unescoprague.org/rezidencni-pobyty-2023
Deadline August 31, 2022. The project Prague City of Literature offers residency stays for foreign writers and translators. There are six residencies available for 2023, each lasting two months. Prague City of Literature reimburses the resident for a return ticket, provides accommodation for free and a stipend of CZK 15,000 (approx. 600 euro) per month.

GRANADA RESIDENCE PROGRAMME
https://granadaciudaddeliteratura.com/en/2022-granada-writers-in-residence-programme
Deadline September 1, 2022. The Granada Writers in Residence Programme is targeted at writers residing in any country in whichever language they write. A month’s stay (30 nights) in Granada for two writers, between November 3 and December 2, 2022, at the Corrala de Santiago of the University of Granada. Granada UNESCO City of Literature will cover the travelling expenses of each of the writers selected. The writers in residence will undertake to participate in public activities related to the local literary system, as proposed by the programme’s organisers, as well as will devote the time of the residency to carry out their literary project, and agree not to get involved in other public activities with other institutions or in other cities without prior notification to those responsible for the Programme.

JAN MICHALSKI FOUNDATION RESIDENCE FOR WRITERS
https://fondation-janmichalski.com/en/residences
Although open to all kinds of writing and all languages, the residency program does give priority to writers and translators. The residencies can vary in length and can be for either individuals or pairs of participants in the case of projects involving more than one discipline. Each year some forty authors from around the world, from the fledgling writer to the seasoned old hand, can count on a certain period of time they may dedicate to developing a writing project. A percentage of the residences is dedicated to nature writing, a form of fiction or creative non-fiction that raises awareness of nature, prepares for a sustainable way of living, and helps to better understand socio-environmental interconnections and the impact of human actions on nature. Two week-, one-, two-, three- or six-month stays are available. There are no age or nationality restrictions. Beginners are accepted. Residents’ travel costs to and from their home address will be covered by the Foundation. Residents are granted a monthly allowance of CHF 1200.

RHODE ISLAND OPPORTUNITY GRANTS
https://risca.online/grants/opportunity-grant/
Open to artists over the age of 18 who live in Rhode Island. Amounts up to $1,000. Opportunity Grants provide Rhode Island artists funding for concrete opportunities that will support professional growth. This grant is available to artists working in all disciplines at any stage in their career.

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

NAUTILUS
https://nautil.us/about-us/
Our stories take you into the depths of science and spotlight its ripples in our lives and cultures. We believe any subject in science, no matter how complex, can be explained with clarity and vitality. We venture into the fields of anthropology, geology, and paleontology. We infiltrate the labs of astronomy, genetics, and physics. When science ventures into the arts, we follow. There’s a story in everything and we follow the story wherever it leads us. Our writers—journalists and scientists—educate and enlighten and entertain. Our illustrators put your imaginations into flight. Science is an amazing journey. Rates vary but typically fall within $.50-$1/word. Pitch Brandon Keim, Editor at brandon9keim@gmail.com

POP JUSTICE
https://airtable.com/shrOeV4Mdbn4M79yQ
Pitch pop justice, Scalawag's new series exploring copaganda in pop culture. Scalawag believe it’s time to examine how pop culture warps our understanding of policing and justice—and ultimately stalls overdue calls for abolition. Pop Justice, our new series, is here to do just that. Here are our pay rates if you do want to write for us: $800 for a reported story, $500 for a personal essay or long media review (1,000 words+), and $300 for a short media review (under 500 words).

THE MARGINS
https://aaww.org/the-margins-2022-rates/
The Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW) is devoted to creating, publishing, developing and disseminating creative writing by Asian Americans, and to providing an alternative literary arts space at the intersection of migration, race, and social justice. The Margins is our award-winning magazine of literature, arts, and ideas, dedicated to inventing the Asian American creative culture of tomorrow.

Poetry - $50 – $100 for a single poem, depending on length. Rate for multiple poems is negotiated based on length.

Fiction - $150 for flash fiction (500 to 1,000 words in length), $300 – $450 for longer works of fiction (up to ~4,000 words).

Nonfiction - $300 – $450 for essays, cnf, memoir (from 2,000 to 3,500 words), $150 – $300 for essays, cnf, memoir (from 900 to 2,000 words), $450 for criticism and reportage by freelancers (~3,000 words), $300 for criticism and reportage by freelancers (~1,500-2,000 words), $60 – $150 for micro and flash essays.

Interviews & Conversations - $175 for each of two participants in a conversation, $175 for interviewer (who is interviewing a writer).

FREELANCE ECOMMERCE CONTENT WRITERS NEEDED
https://boards.greenhouse.io/brainjolt/jobs/4587432004
https://brainjoltmedia.com/
We're looking for innovative, experienced writers who know how to create articles that are multifaceted (i.e. Rank on Google, drive purchase intent through high converting SEO-optimized copy & are inherently clickable). You are obsessed with data and work quickly and accurately. You bring expertise, knowledge, and fun to a variety of topics... whether you’re writing about 35 of the best outdoor furniture sets on Amazon or the Best Clothing to Shop for In the Winter Season. This is a contract, remote position that pays $150 USD per article.

CEMETERY GATES MEDIA
https://cemeterygatesmedia.com/submissions/
Deadline August 15, 2022. Accepting original 500-1,500-word flash horror fiction for the second installment in our Campfire Macabre series. No reprints. Paying $.08/word. Send stories to cemeterygatesmedia@gmail.com attached in doc or rtf. There will be four to five themes. Please only write one story per theme. You may submit stories for more than one theme, but please submit all your stories at one time in the same email.

UNIDENTIFIED FUNNY OBJECTS
https://alexshvartsman.com/ufo-unidentified-funny-objects/
Deadline August 25, 2022. Unidentified Funny Objects is an annual anthology of humorous sci-fi/fantasy. Length is 500 to 6,000 words. Payment is ten cents/word.

HIDDEN VILLAINS ARISE ANTHOLOGY
https://inkdpub.com/submissions/
Deadline August 31, 2022. Theme: Hidden Villains Arise – Bold, imaginative fantasy, horror, and sci-fi sculpted to thrill and entertain readers with the bizarre or delve into the shadows. There is no restriction as to how you incorporate the theme into your story as long as the genre falls within Sci-Fi, Horror, or Fantasy. Limit 7,000 words. Anticipated Pay: Between $0.05 and $0.08 per word for accepted stories.

Publishers/agents

ANANKE PRESS
https://anankepress.com/about-ananke-press/submissions/
Please make sure you are submitting a novel or a short story collection (80-110K words), rather than a novella (under 50K). We are drawn to what is broadly defined as speculative fiction: fantasy, science fiction, slipstream and weird, including magical realism. A speculative element is a must.

BOROUGHS PUBLISHING GROUP
https://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/about
We love Romance. We’re seeking submissions from writers who can deliver the emotional punch readers crave. Space cowboys, gargoyles, the hunk next-door and crusty cops welcome. Boroughs Publishing Group will not limit your imagination; we encourage creative freedom. Stick to the tropes of the genre or push the envelope, as long as you’re providing well written incredible story-telling in the romance genre, we’re game.

ENTANGLED PUBLISHING
https://entangledpublishing.com/about-us
Entangled Publishing is a 100 percent women-owned independent publisher of romantic fiction, in both adult and young adult markets. They have many imprints addressing all romance levels.

BLUEMOOSE BOOKS
http://www.bluemoosebooks.com/about
Bluemoose Books is an award winning independent publisher based in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. We do not publish children's books, YA or poetry. Please send the first three chapters and a synopsis. At Bluemoose we see ourselves as a delicatessen as opposed to a supermarket. We don’t stack them high and sell them cheap but put them at the front of the store with a big bow on each one because we’re passionate about what we’re doing and proud of what we’re publishing.