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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
THOSE PUBLIC APPEARANCES
From a reader:
<<As the weather warms, I notice your list of readings/signings growing. Recently I looked at (another author's) site and saw that before covid she had constant speaking engagements. The schedule looked exhausting! Another acquaintance hired a publicist to set up his tour. So would you write more about setting up engagements now that we can get out and about again? Some publishers set up tours, some don't. If you're self-published of course, you're on your own.
How do you choose the places? How far ahead do you book? Would you hire someone to do it for you? What do publicists charge? This whole thing seems overwhelming organizationally.>>
This is a lot of ground to cover, mainly because no two authors do the same when it comes to appearances. Frankly, unless you are a big-named author, and we're talking sales in the 50,000+ range, you are on your own in this appearance business.
The big publishing houses will set up appearances for their big names, but not necessarily pay for all their expenses. Step down to the solid mid-list people, and they get assistance from the promotion department, making sure books are at various places for signings, creating advertisements, maybe even paying for ad space in publications, but don't cover the cost of the trips. The days of a publishing house taking care of appearances is over.
Now, anyone can hire a publicist, and in that business you usually get what you pay for. Expect to pay four figures per month.
But what are you wanting in terms of publicity? Are you barging headlong into this author business, seeking a fulltime living and a couple dozen titles under your belt? Or is authoring a hustle, a part-time gig to fill in the gaps while letting you do something else you love or find more fulfilling?
Individually, authors can make connections. Become acquainted with librarians, not as the person who writes a couple books, but AN AUTHOR. Become familiar with the Chamber of Commerce, the bookstores, the book clubs, and the service organizations. Be seen around town, at events . . . AS AN AUTHOR. Don't just tell them who you are, but suggest what you can do for them. Make it sound appealing. Polish your speaking, because your first impression at these events is you, and only after
you've impressed do they buy the book.
I was in the car line at my grandsons' elementary school just this week and the principal stopped me (backing up cars), and struck up a conversation about my Edisto bumper sticker. His face lit up when he made the connection. "You're Ms. Clark? My family has read your books." That's what I mean about owning yourself, at a minimum in your hometown.
Additionally, write for publications. Write for blogs. Create a newsletter. People will see your writing and make contact. I have a column in the local town's magazine which helped put me on the map.
How do I find speaking engagements? First, they are book clubs, bookstores, and libraries, like I mentioned above. I make myself readily known online and in person whenever I have the chance. Even my grandchildren tell their teachers I am an author, the seven-year-old saying his grandmother is famous. The librarian asked for a photo when the kids and I checked out books recently.
It doesn't happen quickly, but it happens, and the result is dependent upon how hard you work it. There are no short cuts. Let everyone know wherever you go and have a chance, that you are an author. Not a part-time writer, not somebody who has a hobby, and not somebody who has one book. This has to sound like a dream come true for you, and something you hope you never stop doing. Maybe that's the biggest asset you can have . . . you're own happiness in what you are
doing.
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HOPE'S APPEARANCES
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- March 4, 2023 - Black Creek Literary Festival, Darlington Library, Darlington, SC - 10AM - 2 PM
- March 6, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- March 21, 2023 - Moveable Feast presenter - 11 AM - 2 PM - Lunch site Hot Fish Club, Murrells Inlet, SC - second signing afterwards at My Sister's Books,
- April 3, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- April 29, 2023 - Edisto Library - 4 PM - 1589 SC Highway 174, Trinity Episcopal Church, Edisto Island, SC - book club discussion with Hope
- May 1, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- June 3-10, 2023 - Writing Retreat on the Maine Coast - Special Guest - Sponsored by Joan Dempsey, author and teacher
- July 10, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- August 7, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- September 4, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- September, 2023 (date TBD) - Chapin Library, Chapin, SC - 4-5 PM and 6-7 PM - open to the public
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. There's starting to be life out there! |
SUCCESS QUOTE
"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
SUccess Story
I want to thank Hope Clark for putting together the FundsforWriters newsletter. This publication is an amazing resource for writers looking for ways to earn money and/or awards for their writing.
Because of this newsletter, I learned of the residency at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center and was blessed to be chosen as an 2023 recipient to finish my third manuscript tentatively titled The Granny Woman: An Appalachian Tale.
I’m so grateful for such retreats because they have been instrumental in the publishing of my two historical fiction novels Sunflowers Beneath the Snow and An Enemy Like Me.
Teri M. Brown
www.terimbrown.com
= = =
If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com
Featured article
Using your Career as a Blogging Tool
By Rachel Carrington
Most writers have had or still work a full-time career. In our working years, we acquired knowledge for that job, and whether we retire or segue into full-time writing, we often think that information isn’t relevant any longer in our lives, but it is. Said experience could be beneficial for future writing income, especially when it comes to blogging.
As a paralegal for over thirty years, I left the job still in possession of that experience, so I decided to use it to write blog posts for attorneys and legal blogs. One of my current clients is my former boss.
Get started by making a list of potential topics you’d be comfortable writing about. Draft a few posts about those topics. Become accustomed to writing general information about the information your job required, not about the job itself. I don’t write about what it’s like to be a paralegal. Instead, I write posts like how the legal system on television differs from real life or what you can expect when hiring an attorney.
One of the best ways to use your knowledge is to solve problems or answer questions. If you’ve been in retail service, you could easily write a blog post like “5 Ways to Tell a Customer No and Still Have a Happy Customer.” This way, you’re not providing a deluge of information that you’ve amassed over twenty or thirty years. Thinking solution-based topic will help, but there are other avenues to consider as well.
Consider the unique aspects of your job, the things that people on the outside will probably never see yet might be interested in. I’ve written about what really happens at a murder trial, the view from inside a judge’s chamber, and what happens when you cross the line in court. You could write about people you’ve met on the job, especially celebrities or politicians, the events you’ve seen, where you’ve gone, especially if your job involved travel, and even
the unpleasant experiences you had to endure. If it has to do with your job, then it’s fodder for the blog.
Once you’ve amassed a few drafts of firm topics, turn to Google for research. Keep the search terms tight; otherwise, you’ll receive a broad spectrum of blogs that might not fit what you know. For example, if you’ve been in landscape maintenance, search for “gardening blogs that accept guest posts.” My search came up with a list of 85 blogs that accept guest posts on this topic. You can refine the search for any industry, although you may have to switch up the
terms to make sure you’re in your target area.
Just FYI: Today I Found Out is a site that publishes unique information that isn’t easily found on the web. It would be a perfect fit if your job entailed something unusual like wrangling snakes.
With your list of blogs gathered, weed out the ones that only accept articles in exchange for exposure (unless they have a huge following), polish your pitch or your post, and get started. It’s wise to collect several published blog posts under your belt before approaching your former or current employer. You must be able to show them that you can present knowledge in an easily understood, readable manner that’s beneficial to the public. You’ll be showing your boss that
you can help and collect customers with these blog posts.
Even if you don’t want to write for your former boss, you have plenty of other options. Why let all that knowledge go to waste when it can provide an extra boost of income?
BIO - Rachel Carrington is a full-time freelance writer and published author. You can find her work at The New York Times, Startrek.com, The Writer, and more. Visit her on the web at www.rachelcarrington.com.
COmpetitions
GEMINGA 2023 FOR TINY PROSE, POETRY, GRAPHIC NOVELS
https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit/246999/geminga-2023-500-for-tiny-prose-poetry-graphic-novels-or-art
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2023. No restrictions on theme or category. Word limit is 100 for fiction and nonfiction. Micropoetry is limited to 140 characters. Graphic novelsshould be four pages or less. Prize: $500, publication for the winner, publication offered to runners-up and finalists. Note that fiction and nonfiction entries can receive feedback for an additional fee. This is entirely optional and will not impact the judge's decision.
NARRATIVELY PROFILE PRIZE
https://narratively.com/introducing-narrativelys-2023-profile-prize/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 14, 2023. We’re seeking surprising and awe-inspiring stories about one-of-a-kind people or groups. In addition to publishing your work on Narratively.com and including it in a special Narratively 2023 Profile Prize Digital Collection, we’ll award the top three writers the following cash prizes: Grand Prize $3,000, Finalist $1,000, Finalist $1,000. We’ll support our Grand Prize Winner and Finalists by working to adapt their
stories into larger projects. Beyond this, our Grand Prize Winner will join Narratively for a series of three exclusive and collaborative video conversations, one with each of our guest judges, to discuss exciting ways to build on their story and how to take the next step in their writing career. Limit 1,500-7,000-word range.
BBC SHORT STORY AWARDS
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2XmClPLpVPQb822td6DKR5S/2023-bbc-short-story-awards-open-for-entries
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 20, 2023. The BBC National Short Story Award is one of the most prestigious for a single short story, with the winning author receiving £15,000, and four further shortlisted authors £600 each. The stories are broadcast on Radio 4 and available to listen to on BBC Sounds, and also published in an anthology by Comma Press. The Award is open to British nationals and UK residents, aged 18 years or over.
MASSACHUSETTS POETRY FESTIVAL PRIZE
https://festival.masspoetry.org/festival-calls/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 15, 2023. The winner of the contest will be invited to appear at the Festival and read the winning poem in person if they are able. 1st place also comes with a prize of $250. Two honorary mentions will be awarded $50 each. The names of our winners and the text of the winning poems will be published on the Festival website. This contest is open to all New England writers or writers who have previously lived in New England. For students and
those for whom $10 represents a financial burden, a no-fee submission option is available. (Thanks www.erikadreifus.com)
THE FOLEY POETRY CONTEST
https://americamedia.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE NOTED. Deadline March 31, 2023. Submit one poem of 45 lines or fewer. Poems should not be under consideration elsewhere. Poems may address any topic. The winning poem will be announced in early June and published in the print edition of America. The cash prize is $1,000. Three runners-up will also be published in subsequent issues.
TADPOLE PRESS
https://www.tadpolepress.com/100-word-writing-contest
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 30, 2023. Word limit 100 words. All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. Any genre. The theme is using humor as healing. First place $1,000. Second place a writing coaching package valued at $450. Third place a developmental and diversity editing package valued at $250.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING
FELLOWSHIP FOR PARENT WRITERS
https://www.writerscolony.org/fellowships
The Writers' Colony is offering a unique fellowship opportunity for a one-week residency and a $500 stipend to provide time and space for a parent writer to focus on their work. The My Time fellowship is funded by the Sustainable Arts Foundation. Writers may submit work in any literary genre: poetry, fiction, plays, memoir, screenplays, or nonfiction.
THE BRIDGE AWARDS RESIDENCY
https://covepark.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Bridge-Awards-Residency-2023-Application-Guidelines.pdf
Deadline March 20, 2023. A new residency for an artist based in Scotland whose career has been impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis, and has undergone successful treatment in the last two years and is in remission. Cove Park is located on a 50-acre site overlooking Loch Long on Scotland’s west coast. The appointed artist will receive:
• A two-week residency and a fee payable to the artist of £450
• A materials/research allowance of up to £150
• A travel allowance of up to £100
• Private accommodation on site and, if required, a private studio space
• The full support of Cove Park’s team and access to all communal facilities on site, including work and meeting space in the Jacobs Building, the library, and kitchen.
A PUBLIC SPACE
https://apublicspace.org/news/detail/the-2023-a-public-space-writing-fellowships
Deadline March 31, 2023. The aim of these fellowships is to seek out and support writers who embrace risk in their work and their own singular vision. Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply. Submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and—this year, for this first time—poetry are welcome. Three fellowships will be awarded. During the six-month
fellowship, fellows will receive: editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine; a $1,000 honorarium; a one-year subscription to A Public Space; a guest pass to attend Master Classes with A Public Space during the term of the fellowship; the opportunity to participate in a public reading and conversation with A Public Space editors and contributors. Only writers who have not yet published or been contracted to write a book-length work with a
U.S. publisher are eligible. International applicants are encouraged to apply, but we are only able to consider submissions in English. A Public Space is an independent nonprofit publisher of an eponymous award-winning literary, arts, and culture magazine, and A Public Space Books. Location New York, NY.
AL SMITH INDIVIDUAL ARTIST FELLOWSHIP - KY
http://artscouncil.ky.gov/KAC/Showcasing/ASF-EA-guidelines.htm
Deadline March 15, 2023. The Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship is a competitive $7,500 award given to working, professional Kentucky artists who have achieved a high level of excellence and creativity in their work and who have demonstrated significant achievement in their field. Fellowships are based upon the quality of the work samples submitted by the artist. Fellowship
awards are unrestricted and may be used in any way to enhance the artist's career.
THE EMERGING ARTIST AWARD - KY
http://artscouncil.ky.gov/KAC/Showcasing/ASF-EA-guidelines.htm
Deadline March 15, 2023. The Emerging Artist Award is a competitive $1,000 award given to working, professional Kentucky artists who are in the early years of their career (typically the first 10 years of professional work) and who have achieved a high level of excellence and creativity in their work. Emerging Artist Awards are determined by the quality of work samples submitted
by the artist. Emerging Artist Awards are unrestricted and may be used in any way to enhance the artist's career.
GRUNEWALD GUILD RESIDENCIES
https://grunewaldguild.com/artists-in-residence/
Residencies are available to individuals at all levels of artistic development who are prepared to work independently and whose artistic processes can be successfully supported by the Guild’s studio facilities. Although our spaces are primarily designed for visual artists, we welcome residents working in all creative disciplines, including writers, musicians, and performers. Our residency program is volunteer-based, and we provide artists with lodging,
meals (with our programming), staple foods (non-program times), & studio space at no cost in exchange for part-time volunteer service to the Guild. Artists in residence commit to spending a minimum of 20 hours/week in the studio working on their own projects, as well as 15-20 hours/week in volunteer service to the Guild community. The residencies are usually 4-6 weeks. Location Leavenworth, WA.
SEWANEE WRITERS CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
http://www.sewaneewriters.org/apply/
Deadline March 15, 2023. Fiction application manuscripts should be 20-30 pages. Poetry application manuscripts should be 10-15 pages. Nonfiction application manuscripts should be 20-30 pages. Playwriting contributor and scholarship application manuscripts should be a play or an excerpt of a play (please send 20 pages minimum), standard playscript format. All writers who attend the
Sewanee Writers’ Conference receive partial funding. Contributors receive assistance covering two-thirds of the actual cost to attend. Additional funding is awarded to fellows and scholars. Conference Fees (After Assistance) - Contributors - $2,000 ($1,100 for tuition and $900 for room and board); Scholars - $900 (Conference covers tuition); Fellowships - Conference covers tuition, room, and board. The Conference offers a limited number of fellowships and scholarships on a competitive
basis. Award applicants who would like to be considered for a contributor position should they not receive an award must submit a separate contributor application in addition to the award application. Location Sewanee, TN.
FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS
BOLTS
https://boltsmag.org/pitch-us/
Bolts is always seeking to work with freelancers to report on critical voting rights and criminal justice stories across the United States. We encourage pitches that fit our mission to grow coverage of the local and state politics, elections, policymaking, and organizing that shape these issues—think of county prosecutors and sheriffs, secretaries of state and local election administrators, state legislators, municipal officials, and the activism brewing around them. If you want to
pitch a story that you want to write for Bolts, please send two to three paragraphs to pitches@boltsmag.org. Most of the stories we publish involve original reporting; the default rate we offer for a story with original reporting is $800.
TALKING TRAVEL WRITING
https://travelwriting.substack.com/
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeI3dJq6gcavnRUPpxxyG_IbQ-7fYBY2JPP3J7uUwjmbC7hLw/viewform
We're commissioning a new series for Talking Travel Writing all about how freelancers got their gigs. These pieces aim to demystify the process of ideation, pitching, travelling and writing, and offer insight to fellow freelancers about how others make this business work. We will pay £100 on submission for the finished article once commissioned.
MERGOAT
https://mergoat.com/
Deadline June 1, 2023. Mergoat Mag is a publication dedicated to investigating the contemporary ecological situation of Southern Appalachia and the cultures shaped by it. Rates: $500 for feature piece (3,000-6,000 words), $250 for secondary piece (1,000-2,500 words) $50 per poem (each selected poet gets four poems published, so $200 total). Submissions to submissions@mergoat.com, pitches and inquiries to hello@mergoat.com.
Pitches or completed pieces welcome.
FIFTY GRANDS
https://www.fiftygrande.com/pitches/
Pitch Emily Carmichael, Managing Editor at ecarmichael@fiftygrande.com. A U.S.-focused travel magazine, seeks four types of coverage for both online and print. 1) Features on any aspect of the music scenes in up-and-coming cities for online. 2) Oral histories of important local music businesses, like iconic record stores or music venues, that are woven into the community fabric and reflect the uniqueness and values of a place. 3) 500ish word
profiles, travelogs, photo essays or guides of cool, accessible places to go that are exceptional but for some reason still under the radar. 4) Profiles, service features, travelogs or photo essays on up-and-coming, boutique or independent hotels. We are particularly interested in sustainable hotels that walk the walk, not just talk the talk and hotels with a distinct POV on bringing to life unique music, food, art or design experiences for their guests and the community. Rates start at
$250 and go up to $500+. Please, no high end or luxury travel pitches.
Publishers/agents
LITERARY WANDERLUST
https://www.literarywanderlust.com/submissions
Submit your query letter, a full synopsis (which includes spoilers and the ending), and 1st three chapters of your novel. The completed manuscript length should be 60,000 words to 100,000 words. We are currently accepting in the following genres: Adult Romance (all sub-genres and heat levels), Historical and Western Fiction, Adult Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, Adult Crime, Mystery, and Thriller Fiction, Adult LGBTQ, YA Science Fiction and Fantasy.
THUNDER CREEK PRESS
https://www.thundercreekpress.com/
Thunder Creek Press is a privately owned American-based publishing house focused on quality crime-related fiction, including mysteries, thrillers, and novels of suspense.
RED ADEPT PUBLISHING
https://redadeptpublishing.com/submissions/
We are currently accepting only the following genres: Women’s Fiction, Romance, Chick-Lit, Mystery (General, Police, Cozy), and Thriller-Suspense. We do not accept erotica, non-fiction, short story collections, or poetry. We do not accept previously published works, including self-published works. We do not accept mid-series books, only first books in a series. Minimum length is 50,000 words. At this time, we are only accepting submissions from U.S. authors.
TULE PUBLISHING
https://tulepublishing.com/submissions/
We are currently accepting mystery submissions in addition to romance and women’s fiction manuscripts. Specific Submission Calls: Stories with diversity, Cozy mysteries, Crime fiction, Psychological thrillers, Detective stories (especially with female sleuths), Fresh takes on classic romance tropes, Strong and savvy heroines, Romantic comedies, Stories with series potential. Tule Publishing accepts both agented and unagented submissions.
CRIMETIME PRESS
https://www.crimetimepress.com/
Publishing crime fiction, from traditional mysteries to noir, and from procedurals to romantic suspense,
in print, digital and audio book forms.
WOLFPACK PUBLISHING
https://wolfpackpublishing.com/
Wolfpack Publishing is home to an all-star stable of award-winning legends and developing superstars in the western fiction, action-adventure, men's adventure, crime fiction, mystery, thriller genres, and more.
ROUGH EDGES PRESS
https://roughedgespress.com/
Rough Edges Press is a proud partner of Wolfpack Publishing, the fastest-growing independent publisher in the country, bringing readers the very best in mystery, suspense, and thriller fiction.
FUNDSFORWRITERS CONTACT INFO
FINE PRINT
Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com for permission. Please do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish.
C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Copyright 2000-2023, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326
**Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter, ALL ads being related to writers and the business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. But the mailing list is not sold to third parties. You will not receive this newsletter without your
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