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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

AI

What is AI? AI is artificial intelligence which simulates human intelligence processes by the use of computers or machines. Some argue it has great value in writing the mundane, like blog posts, ad copy, and such. The computer is fed a collection of writing which it uses to create a document. 

I was recently in an online Zoom chat, and AI came up. Half the room argued that they use it like a thesaurus or a prompt or to get ideas on how to write better. They lean on it when they are at a loss for words. I get finding a word in a thesaurus, on occasion. I struggle with finding phrases, paragraphs, or more like anyone else. Bust I test myself to the nth degree to dig myself out of a hole before I seek assistance. I learn better and retain longer from those efforts. 

Here lately, I've received a lot of submissions, many from the other side of the world from the United States, and they sound vaguely robotic. What I used to call theoretical and too academic is fast becoming suspicious for being AI. Several topics are routinely pitched to me, and its amazing how similarly they are worded. Not exact, mind you, because I check for plagiarism, but similar while saying the same thing. You'd be amazed at how many ESL writers use AI to make up for their limited English.

So I started adhering strictly to the guidelines at www.fundsforwriters.com/submissions. The pieces need anecdotes, personal experiences, links, and voice. The bio has to list the writer's online presence (that wasn't created just two weeks ago) so I can confirm who they are. And I refuse to deal with a broker who handles a stable full of writers. The second a submission smells like AI, is the instant that writer is blocked from future submissions. 

I follow a newsletter that belongs to a site called PlagiarismToday, and I enjoy their posts. A recent one is titled, 3 Simple Ways to Detect AI Writing, and while this piece is directed at academia, it makes sense to all writing assignments. While I don't use the first two detection methods, I apparently am doing the third, Creating AI-Resistant Assignments. AI can only use what is in its data set. So if I'm asking for personalized experiences and anecdotes, AI does not necessarily compute. 

As you can tell, I am not an AI fan. I'm sure things will get worse before they get better with this tool, but the answer to it as of the current day is this: 

Write like an individual.
Develop your unique voice.
Use material that nobody else would.
Use experiences nobody else has. 

Turns out AI is going to make writers have to be more creative in their work, and I'm not so sure that's a bad thing.

"Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar." – Edward R. Murrow

"The most original authors are not so because they advance what is new, but because they put what they have to say as if it had never been said before." – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I've been told that AI is a tool no different than a thesaurus. Well . . . you shouldn't get ultra-dependent upon a thesaurus either. The harder you have to think, create, and write, the deeper you write, the better you get, the more unique you become. And surprise . . . the more sales you make.

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Featured article

How Parenthood Opens Writing Opportunities 

By Jennifer Sizeland

I began my full-time writing career a few months before having my baby, and that new parental perspective helped provide the inspiration for many articles. 

I write nonfiction in the form of reported articles on everything from health to travel, but also more personal opinion pieces where I share my view on the world. As pregnancy, childbirth and new motherhood are intense experiences, they can add new layers to writing and inspire fresh ideas.

Parenthood is a brand new life chapter which can alert you to themes or topics you hadn't considered before. Even from early on in pregnancy, new idea avenues just pop up. 

But where does parenthood fall in terms of genre? Is it health, society, politics, general parenting, food (weaning tips), drink (non-alcoholic cocktails), travel, a photo essay, opinion, career, entertainment, environment or another lifestyle-based niche? I found I could relate almost anything back to parenting as it is a subject that permeates all aspects of life. The topic works across all types of publications and even has international appeal.

Parenthood is also a niche within itself as not everyone is a parent, or has a baby or young child. It can be a less crowded field for those drawing on personal experience, especially one which is current and anchored in today's society. Popular parenting blogs can pay as much as general news websites.

Having a child also introduces you to people that you might never have met otherwise, like fellow parents, health professionals, nursery workers or other professionals that can provide new perspectives for new material.

I think that in terms of the craft of writing itself, I have become more vulnerable as emotions are closer to the surface but also more. Parenthood is fast-paced and distractive, so write all thoughts down as soon they happen. Whether on your phone or a pad in the diaper bag, keep something handy to capture the wealth of ideas.

In terms of the craft of writing itself, I have become more vulnerable as emotions are closer to the surface but also more focused as I have much less time to do it.

These are some of the ideas and angles that motherhood inspired in my first year of writing after the baby arrived:

As breastfeeding is another important issue that parents face but isn't really discussed as much as it should be, I wrote about it for health publications The Femedic and Get Me Giddy.

From a career perspective, having a child can impact your finances so I researched and wrote about this issue for the Media Diversity Institute.

The lens of parenthood can really shine a light on many unexplored, and previously uninformed, areas for you to write about. I'm grateful that my life experiences have bolstered my career and as my child grows older, new writing opportunities will continue to open. 

It has also better connected me to the audience as my writing is more relatable to those experiencing similar situations in parenthood, so much so that I get more messages from readers about these articles than any other.

A side perk is that writing about these experiences becomes a wonderful way to capture those moments in time that you might otherwise forget.

BIO: Jennifer Sizeland is a freelance writer and assistant producer with 12 years of experience in the media industry. She has written for many publications including the BBC, the Independent, Metro, Manchester Mill, Get Me Giddy, the Media Diversity Institute, Funny Women and her own sustainability blog called Land of Size. She lives in Manchester and you can follow her on Instagram at @lifeofsize or Twitter at @landofsize.

4297884 © Yanik Chauvin | Dreamstime.com

 

COmpetitions

THE WRITER ESSAY CONTEST
https://www.writermag.com/the-writer-contests/essay-contest/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2023. Submit your very best essay in 2,000 words or less. Any theme, subject, or genre is fair game, as long as it is nonfiction. The Writer Plus and VIP Members can take advantage of their FREE entry. First prize $1,000, publication in a print issue of The Writer magazine, publication on The Writer’s website, and a one-year VIP The Writer membership. Second prize $500, publication, and one-year membership. Third prize $250, publication and one-year membership. 

FLASH FICTION 500 COMPETITION
https://flash500.com/
£5 ENTRY FEE. Limit 500 words. This quarterly open-themed competition has closing dates of 31st March, 30th June, 30th September and 31st December 2023. First: £300. Second: £200. Third: £100.

ALPINE FELLOWSHIP POETRY PRIZE
https://alpinefellowship.com/poetry-prize
NO ENTRY FEE NOTED. Deadline March 1, 2023. Awarded for the best poetry on the theme of the Alpine Fellowship 2023 - Flourishing. The winner of the Poetry Prize will receive a cash prize, and the runners up will receive travel expense support that must be used to attend our 2023 symposium which will be held from 10th-13th August 2023 in Fjällnäs, Sweden. irst place: £3,000 cash grant. Second place: £1,000 travel expense. Third place: £1,000 travel expense. Open internationally. You may submit one poem or a collection of poems as long as ALL the poems in the collection speak to the theme. There is a maximum of 500 words per entry. There is no minimum required word count.

WILD ATLANTIC WRITING AWARDS
https://www.irelandwritingretreat.com/wawa
ENTRY FEE 10 EURO. Deadline March 31, 2023. Theme: Hope. As with all our competitions, there will be two separate categories - flash fiction and creative nonfiction. Limit 500 words in both categories. Any genre for the flash. The winner in each category will receive 500 euro in cash or a voucher worth 1,000 euro redeemable towards any one of our retreats of your choice this year. With the writer’s permission, the top ten stories in each category will be published on the ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’ website, with a short bio and photograph of the writer.

THE HEARTLAND REVIEW CHAPBOOK CONTEST
https://www.theheartlandreview.com/chapbooks
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 1, 2023. Pays $500 grand prize and ten copies. Submit no more than 30 pages of your best poetry. 

CREATIVE WRITING INK POETRY PRIZE
https://creativewriting.ie/creative-writing-ink-poetry-prize/
€6 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2023. Open internationally. Poems do not need to follow any particular theme or genre, but must be written in English. Poetry should not exceed 42 lines. First prize: €1000, plus a free creative writing course of the winner’s choice and publication on the site.

HENTOEN INTERNATIONAL
https://hekint.org/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 15, 2023. Students currently enrolled in a medical school or program are encouraged to submit to Hektoen International’s 2022 Medical Student Essay Contest. Winner receives $3,500, runner-up $2,500. Essays can be on any topic as it relates to medicine. Art, history, and literature topics are preferred. Essays should be under 1,200 words.

MIRACLE MONOCLE AWARD FOR YOUNG BLACK WRITERS
https://miraclemonocle.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2023. The winner of the prize will receive a $200 prize, publication in the journal, and a letterpress broadside of the winning piece. We welcome work in the following genres: poetry, flash (creative nonfiction and fiction), and experimental and hybrid literature. Only pieces that are publishable in broadside format (approximately 300 words or less) will be considered for this prize. Writers must be 25 years old or younger and identify as Black.

THE EVERY ANIMAL PROJECT
https://www.everyanimalproject.com/contact/
We are currently accepting submissions around the theme of courageous animals for our first anthology, debuting in December 2023, The Dog Who Wooed at the World. Stories should explain how an animal’s bravery inspired and moved you. Stories must be true (non-fiction). They must relate to non-human animals (of any species) and can be about your personal experiences/growth because of an animal, an issue threatening animals today, or other aspects of the human/non-human animal relationship. One winning author will receive a $300 prize, and the second place author will receive $200. All other authors with stories chosen for the book will receive a $50 award, along with a free copy of the book upon its publication in 2023 a week before its release to the general public. Stories not chosen for the book will have the opportunity to be featured online on the blog, with a $20 award. Please keep your submission roughly between 500 and 3,000 words.

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

Gutsy Great Novelist Writing Retreat

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BREAD LOAF WRITERS' CONFERENCE FELLOWSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID
https://www.middlebury.edu/writers-conferences/writers-conference/apply/financial-aid
Deadline February 15, 2023. Bread Loaf is able to offer substantial financial aid to writers at different levels of experience and publication. Financial aid is awarded in recognition of published work or literary promise, and financial need has no bearing on our decisions, except as noted. Writers are invited to apply to the conference at three general levels—Contributor, Scholar, or Fellow. Contributor - Contributors are strong writers with a range of experience but see themselves as in the early stages of their literary careers or as ongoing learners of the literary arts. Though some may have a literary background and/or MFA, some may not, and many at this level will not have started publishing yet in magazines and periodicals. Scholars - Scholars are writers who have begun to distinguish themselves by publications in literary journals and magazines or by other prizes, fellowships, or awards. Fellow - Fellows are writers who have published their first or second book within the past four years. They assist a faculty member in workshop and do not have their own work reviewed. The conference is in Middlebury, VT. 

GEORGIA PROJECT GRANTS
https://gaarts.org/what-we-do/grants/projectgrant/
Deadline February 3, 2023. Project Grants support single art projects such as an art exhibit, a theatre production, a series of workshops for children, or an artist residency. Project Grant applicants also can apply for capacity building projects, such as developing a strategic plan, creating a development plan, or providing professional development. Grant Request: Between $1,000 and $8,000. Projects Must Take Place: July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024 for FY24 grants. Eligible Applicants: Non-profit organizations, government entities, public libraries, schools and colleges/universities. (NOTE: Writers can work with these organizations to be funded through this grant.)
 
M-AAA ARTISTIC INNOVATIONS GRANTS
https://www.maaa.org/artistic-innovations-grant-now-open-2/
Deadline February 16, 2023. This grant program offers up to $15,000 in support of expenses incurred in the art-making process and premiere of these endeavors. M-AAA supports individual artists and organizations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. ALSO - M-AAA is seeking panelists to help with the selection process for Artistic Innovations grants. Applicant have lived in the Mid-America Arts Alliance region full-time for at least three years prior to the application due date and if awarded remain a resident during the entire grant period of activity. 

BOGLIASCO FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIPS
https://bfny.org/en/apply
Deadline March 1, 2023. The Bogliasco Foundation supports the Arts and Humanities by providing residential Fellowships at its study center in Italy’s most vibrant, historic crossroads, where gifted artists and scholars of all cultures come together to connect, create and disseminate significant new work. To be eligible for the award of a Fellowship, applicants should demonstrate significant achievement in their disciplines, commensurate with their age and experience. Special Fellowships include travel support and/or stipends to recipients. 

NBC TV WRITERS PROGRAM
https://www.nbcuniversallaunch.com/tv-writers-program
Opens in February and closes in March. The NBC TV Writers Program is our premier program for emerging diverse episodic television writers with the goal of creating the next generation of showrunners and content creators. During the eight-month program, writers develop an original pilot to which they retain all rights.  They are paired with NBCUniversal programming executives from the NBCU Television and Streaming portfolio and Universal Studio Group who mentor them, as they write their original pilot and polish samples for staffing consideration. Writers also attend weekly evening workshops to enhance their creative and professional skills, including branding, pitching, and interviewing, as well as expand on their knowledge of the ever-changing television landscape. Applicants must be authorized to work legally in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not offered to program participants.

COASTAL RESILIENCE STORY GRANTS
https://earthjournalism.net/opportunities/coastal-resilience-story-grants-2023
Deadline February 6, 2023. EJN is offering reporting grants to journalists worldwide to support the production of in-depth stories that will call attention to coastal resiliency and solutions for coastal issues. Applicants can be from any country in the world; applicants from coastal countries reporting on their home communities are preferred.

TRANSLASH NEWS FELLOWSHIPS
https://translash.org/the-spring-2023-translash-news-fellowship/
Deadline February 8, 2023. TransLash News & Narrative is accepting applications from trans and gender-nonconforming journalists based in the following states for Spring 2023: Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas. TransLash News Fellows cover U.S. politics and daily life for trans and gender nonconforming folks during their three-month residencies. Journalists are paid $750 per written article. The proposed schedule for Spring 2023 includes providing two articles in each month of March, April and May. The TransLash News Fellowship is open to new and experienced journalists. We seek writers who are passionate about the TGNC community and committed to ethical reporting. A demonstrated experience with news coverage is preferred. In 250 words or less, tell us what you’re looking forward to writing about for the spring, and include your areas of expertise. Attach your resume and at least three relevant clips. Send all materials to gabrielle@translash.org with the subject line TRANSLASH NEWS FELLOWSHIP_LAST NAME.

  

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

APPETITE FOR DISTRACTION
https://www.appetitefordistraction.xyz/about
Appetite for Distraction is a newsletter that dissects how tech is bridging the gap between art and commerce. Rates start at $300 to $400 per original piece. Interviews are paid out at $250. Direct pitches to Yash Bagal, Music and Technology Editor at yash@appetitefordistraction.xyz with the subject line “AfD Pitch: [Your Pitch Title]”

AUDUBON
https://www.audubon.org/news/how-pitch-stories-audubon
Seeks journalism about how climate change is affecting birds and ecosystems, and new approaches to address the crisis. Rates are roughly $.50/word online and $1/word for print. Our editors are interested in shorter pieces that generally run fewer than 1,200 words for both our quarterly print magazine and website. We also consider a wide range of freelance pitches for longer pieces, from in-depth investigations and trailblazer profiles to package features and reported or personal essays; these usually range from around 1,500 words to 4,000 words, and our sweet spot is about 3,000 words. 

THE BODY
https://www.thebody.com/write
They are always in need of highly skilled, knowledgeable writers to help us cover stories on HIV/AIDS and related issues. Seeks reported articles, op-eds, and in-depth reporting. Rates start at $350 for interviews and can go up to $600 for deep dives. 

AG ALERT
https://www.agalert.com/
A publication for California Farm Bureau. Ag Alert, a weekly newspaper the covers California agriculture, is looking for freelance reporters based in different regions of the state to write about farming, ranching and agricultural communities. Candidates should also be able to take high-quality photographs suitable for Ag Alert section covers. Pays $250 for articles ranging from 700 to 900 words, with potential higher rates for extra field reporting, plus $50 for photographs and mileage for longer-distance assignments. Freelancers often produce multiple engaging pieces from farming regions or agricultural events. To apply, please send a resume and two to five writing samples to Peter Hecht, chief editor of publications, at phecht@cfbf.com.

PROPERTY ONION
https://propertyonion.com/
Each article will need to be between 1000 to 1500 words. We will give you subject matters to write about but also welcome ideas from the writers themselves. Our reimbursement is in the median range of $100 to $150 per article plus you will get great exposure on our website. Please include your resume and links to several examples of your work when applying to: gina.stern@propertyonion.com. Propertyonion.com, a real estate subscription-based platform for off-market properties, is looking for experienced, talented freelance content writers who understand the Real Estate Industry primarily in Florida and Ohio, from a realtor or investors perspective.

THE TENNESSEE LOOKOUT
https://tennesseelookout.com/about/
The Tennessee Lookout is your watchdog, telling the stories of politics and policy that affect the people of the Volunteer State. Our investigative reporters and journalists explain what’s happening, why it’s happening, and who it helps or hurts. We expose the relationships between politics, people and policy and we hold the powerful accountable. Send pitches and writing samples to info@tennesseelookout.com.

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR - HOME FORUM
https://www.csmonitor.com/About/Contributor-guidelines/Contributor-Guidelines-The-Home-Forum
The Home Forum is searching for upbeat personal essays of from 600 to 800 words. These are first-person, nonfiction explorations of how you responded to a place, a person, a situation, an event, or happenings in everyday life. Tell a story with a point; share a funny true tale. Describe a self-discovery. The humor should be gentle. We accept essays on a wide variety of subjects and encourage timely, newsy topics. However, we don't deal with the topics of death, aging, medicine, or disease. We do not publish work that presents people in helpless or hopeless states. We pay $250 for an essay, upon publication.

THE FOUR FACED LIAR
https://www.the4facedliar.com/submissions
We accept fiction and creative nonfiction (up to 4000 words); flash fiction (up to 1000 words); poetry (up to three pages). We believe writers and artists should get paid for the work they produce and we are delighted to offer payment of €200 for a short story or CNF piece, €100 for a poem or piece of flash. They have periodic open submissions. Watch on Twitter or their website for those dates. 

 

Publishers/agents

FAIRLIGHT FLASH
https://www.fairlightbooks.co.uk/submissions/
Fairlight Books is open to literary submissions of short stories, novellas (between 25,000 and 50,000 words) and novels. We are happy to accept submissions of longer fiction direct from authors. 
Please mark the submission clearly in the subject line to state whether it is a literary submission of a short story, novel or novella.  If you are sending a novel or novella, please send the first 10,000 words only. Please include a short letter or email telling us about yourself and your writing (often called a ‘query letter’). For longer fiction, please also include a one-page synopsis of the novella or novel’s storyline. We are interested to receive work that sits between literary fiction and genre / book-club fiction, in which case we are looking for: compelling, three-dimensional characters; a plot that absorbs and surprises the reader; some originality to the treatment of the genre; and, in the case of historical fiction, a demonstration of an in-depth understanding of the period. We are also interested to receive genre-defying fiction which might contain elements of multiple genres, but blending them in an original way. 

STRANGE ATTRACTOR PRESS
http://strangeattractor.co.uk/news/submission-guidelines/
Strange Attractor Press is an independent publishing house, founded in 2003, based in London, UK. 
Publishes nonfiction and selected fiction to include literary, sci-fi, fantasy and novels with supernatural elements. 


 

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