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EDITOR'S THOUGHTS

INDIVIDUALISM

As some of you might be aware, back in June I was the writer-in-residence at a Maine writer's retreat. I  had a ball there, no only helping others in their writing and promotion but also in having ample time to write for myself. Trust me, it's a challenge to have all day to write. 

One evening's exercise, however, was eye opening. The host gave us a setting: a hospital room. Included in that room were these items: a bed, a plastic chair, a plastic water pitcher and glass, a trash can with a liner, a window depicting mountains in the background, and a picture on the wall of a cow. At that point, each of us was instructed to take two characters we were already writing about in whatever work-in-progress we had, plant them in that setting, and write a scene. 

I saw, like, wowed. 

Which characters? How in the world would I take my beach and Carolina Lowcountry characters and put them in the mountains? For a minute or so, I was stymied. But then I did what I preach to so many, I just started writing, having chosen Slade and Wayne from my Carolina Slade Mystery Series as the two players. 

Oh, did I tell you we only had 20 minutes?

Then we had to read each one aloud. By this time of the retreat, we had gotten to know each other so the reading aloud part wasn't so ominous anymore. The diversity was amazing. One scene depicted someone dying. Another took place in a psych ward. Some involved mothers, others spouses. Most were dark, some dramatic. 
Mine was a comical banter of Slade arguing with Wayne, her having done something irresponsible to land her overnight in the hospital. The laughter around the room just filled my soul.

Writing is one of life's tools in which you can be richly individualistic and leave your mark. That alone should have you craving to write. There were ten different interpretations of that assignment, and no two were similar. 

So, the next time you think someone will copy your idea, don't worry about it. They'll never write it like you will. Writing is the practice of you, being you, in the purest manner you can. 

- - - 

“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that "individuality" is the key to success.” – Robert Orben

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WARNING NOTE: 
Not long ago we posted this competition. However, the hosts of the contest are not answering email, and this is a concern. Therefore, we are issuing a WARNING to writers that this contest might be shaky and they should be careful if choosing to enter.

THE CHILLING PEN AWARD
https://chillingpen.org/
Deadline October 1, 2023. Unveil the complexities of betrayal in this years Chilling Pen award, the theme of the award. We invite writers from around the globe to submit their original, unpublished works of fiction or non-fiction that explore the theme of betrayal in all its forms - be it personal, political, or societal. Limit 1,000 words. All genres and styles welcomed. First, second and third place entries will be published on the website and social media. First place $500. Second place $300. Third place $100.

 

SUPER SPONSOR 

Please consider voting for Badge of Edisto, ninth in the Edisto Island Mystery series by C. Hope Clark (listed as Hope Clark on the list).

Click on the picture above, then the orange button that says, "VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR AND BOOK..."

Thanks so very much. 

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

 
SUCCESS QUOTE

SUccess Story

Dear Hope,

Thank you for running such an excellent newsletter.  You ask for success stories, so here is one.  Back in late February or early March, you ran a notice for the inaugural profile contest at Narratively.  I had a great story I had pitched several times with no success.  It was always admired, but "not really for us."  So, I thought, what the hell.  I wrote it, submitted it, and went on to other things.  It ended up being one of two finalists for the profile contest, and was published yesterday here:

https://www.narratively.com/p/the-man-who-pierced-the-iron-curtain 

There's a paywall (sorry) but for six bucks, you can read hundreds of other great non-fiction articles for a month!  Anyway, I'd never have known about Narratively's contest had it not been for the important service your newsletter performs. Many, many thanks.

Truly,

Andy Rieber

https://andyrieber.com

P.S.
Here's a short "behind-the-scenes" article Narratively sent out basically plugging my article.  Thought you might be interested.  FYI these guys are great to work with. 
https://www.narratively.com/p/how-an-aviating-loner-in-a-ghost

Featured article

How To Succeed In Interviewing

By Viney Kirpal 

Like most people who listen to interviews on TV channels or read them in print, I was diffident about interviewing people. However, studying a short and helpful module in a course called, “English for Journalism,” offered online by Pennsylvania University, equipped me with the needed skill and the confidence. The course made me realize I had it in me to go ahead. I had published a freewheeling discussion with India’s best-known cartoonist, RK Laxman in 2019, but had thought it was a fluke!

Soon after I’d completed the course, I pitched an editor interview to Freedom with Writing (FWW), and he accepted it. I interviewed Margaret Guroff, a senior editor at a top lifestyle magazine in the USA. Jacob Jans, the editor of FWW, wrote back to say he’d like me to interview one editor every month, paying me $125 per interview. Since then, I’ve completed thirteen interviews.

Magazines such as Marie Claire which asks for ‘buzzy’ interviews, Bitch Media wants writers to profile feminists who attempt to ‘remake’ culture, Dream of Travel Writing seeks interviews with celebrities, and profiles, and others who seek interviews with women achievers, feminists, celebrities, and profiles, and pay well. For example, Yes! Magazine had called for an interview with Justice Ayesha Mallik, the first Chief Justice of Pakistan. I would’ve loved to speak with her, but the logistics were impossible to organize.

Here are guidelines I have used to help you succeed as an interviewer.

First, understand your readers. Readers could be curious to know the juicy parts of a celebrity’s personal life, their affairs, marriage, divorce, failure, success and how they do what they do, and so on. Women readers might love to know things like how Serena Williams could stay at the top after motherhood. Those fond of traveling would like to read about the people who’ve kept a traditional cuisine alive to this day in Sri Lanka.

Research your interviewee. Find out more about their life than is known. What are their ambitions? Goals? Hobbies? And other interests? Capture all the unique facts that could enthrall your readers. Make it a habit.

Prepare a list of questions in advance that would make your interviewee think of interesting answers. Carry these questions to the interview so that you feel confident from the start and know where to begin. You could consider starting with some lighter remarks, generous compliments that break the ice, before you ask more searching questions. That would help the conversation flow smoothly. If your interviewee is articulate, such as the renowned writer, Salman Rushdie, you’ve only to ask a good question, and have them talking. But, but if they’re clipped speakers, you’ll need to ask many more questions and give them time to answer.

You may not use all the questions, but your opening questions can set the tone and the comfort level for you and your guest.

Ask open questions and listen well. If you ask Justice Ayesha Mallik, questions such as, “What was your male colleagues’ first reaction to this honor?” you could get an interesting response. Never interrupt the interviewee. You can decide on what to glean out later, but getting a flow is important.

Know interview etiquette. Record with permission. Further, whether you record the interview, or write it later, it’s mandatory that you send a completed draft to the interviewee and avoid libel for misquoting them or misinterpreting their views.

With these guidelines, you could brace yourself for entering a fresh field in your writing life and making a decent income. You'd be amazed at the diversity of publications in print and online that appreciate a good interview. 


Bio: Viney Kirpal (PH.D) was professor of English at IIT Bombay, a corporate trainer and consultant, and founder president of a non-profit for quality education of less privileged school students between1974-2019. Since 2019, she’s a full-time freelance writer. She’s been running a series of editor interviews for Freedom with Writing since January, 2022. Viney, a trained health and personal essay writer, has published in Cure Today, Yoga Journal,Huffpost.com, two in onevillage.io, Readers’ Digest, and other magazines. She has published research books and articles in peer reviewed international journals. She is available on https:/inlinkedin.com, www.twitter.com (@KirpalViney), and Google.

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COmpetitions

- - - 

TULIP TREE CONTEST
http://www.tuliptreepub.com/contest.html
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 9, 2023. Theme: Stories that need to be told. It doesn't matter if you consider it fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—if it tells a story, it fits. Grand Prize: $1,000 and a two-year ($100) gift certificate to Duotrope. Five additional prizes of $200 will be given for stories that excel in the merits of Humor, Passion, Depth, and (any form of) Love. An additional $200 prize will be awarded in a wild card category, to be determined by the entries. We'll call this one the Bonus category. Additionally, winners and Honorable Mentions will be published in and receive a free copy of the annual Stories That Need to Be Told anthology. Word limit 10,000. 

TERRAIN.ORG CONTEST IN POETRY, NONFICTION, AND FICTION
https://www.terrain.org/2022/news/13th-annual-contest/
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 5, 2023. A prize of $1,000 plus publication for the first-place winner will be awarded in each genre. Finalists in each genre will also receive publication and a $200 prize. All submissions are considered for publication. Terrain.org’s editors will read all entries, passing the top entries in each genre to the judges, who will choose the first-place winners. Submit one to four poems per entry. Submit one story, up to 5,000 words total, per entry. Submit one essay or article, up to 5,000 words total, per entry. 

AESTHETICA MAGAZINE CREATIVE WRITING AWARDS
https://aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award/how-to-enter/
ENTRY FEE Poetry £12 and Short Fiction £18. £2,500 for the Poetry Winner, £2,500 for the Short Fiction Winner). Deadline August 30, 2023. Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual. More awards from subscriptions to courses. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words. Works published or entered elsewhere are accepted. We accept works on any theme. 

JAKE ADAM YORK PRIZE
http://copper-nickel.org/bookprize/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2023. The prize-winning poet receives $2,000 and publication by Milkweed Editions. Accepting book-length (i.e., more than 48 pages) poetry manuscripts. To be eligible for the prize, poets cannot have published—or have under contract—more than one full-length book of poetry in English. (Chapbooks of less than 48 pages and individual poems in magazines are OK.) Self-published books count as previous book publications if they are at least 48 pages and saw any real distribution whatsoever. Poets must be US Citizens (living abroad is fine) or must live in the US and be writing in English.

ALICE JAMES BOOK AWARD
https://www.alicejamesbooks.org/submit
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 16, 2023. The Alice James Award welcomes submissions of full-length, previously unpublished poetry manuscripts from emerging as well as established poets. Entrants must reside in the United States. The winner of the 2024 Alice James Award will receive $2000, book publication, and distribution through Consortium. In addition to the winning manuscript, one or more additional manuscripts may be chosen for publication as the Editor’s Choice. Manuscripts must be typed in no less than 12-point font, paginated, and 48 – 100 pages in length (single-spaced).

 

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS

MONOSULLABIC QUEER THEORY POETRY SUBMISSIONS NEEDED
https://thomvernon.com/call-for-submissions-monosyllabic-queer-theory-poetry-collection/
Deadline August 1, 2023. Challenge: to transform your favourite queer theory text into a poem that uses only single-syllable words. Monosyllabic queer theory will be a book-length poetry collection that welcomes all forms of poetry (short, long, prose poems, free verse, highly formal, and beyond). Selected writers will receive honoraria of $250 CAD (at minimum).

MUSHROOM PEOPLE
https://broccolimag.com/products/mushroom-people?variant=43012660461825
Deadline August 31, 2023. We call on artists, writers, and fungi enthusiasts from around the world to explore mushroom fact and fantasy, collecting specimens of all kinds: the strange and familiar, beautiful and ugly, toxic and healing, ephemeral and enduring. This is book two after a very successful book one. Pays 40 cents/word to $1. 

CONTAINER
https://containermagazine.co.uk/contribute/
Deadline July 31, 2023. Container is an online magazine about creative technology. It explores why and how people use technology in creative ways for social and cultural purposes. We are currently running an open call looking for content on tech and climate issues for our focussed season on this topic into 2024. We pay £300 per 1,000 words for written articles, and £200-250 day rate for other freelance contributions (illustrations, event fees etc). 

LONGREADS
https://longreads.com/submissions/
Longreads is dedicated to publishing and sharing the best longform nonfiction storytelling on the web. 
Essays and columns typically run between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Pieces may be longer or broken up into a series depending on the length and subject matter. Personal essays should be submitted on spec, and we pay $500 per essay. 

ROAD & TRACK
https://www.roadandtrack.com/about/a43977000/about-us-contact-information-masthead/
Road & Track is a window into a nearly unattainable car-centric lifestyle. In our pixels and pages, readers feel what it’s like to drive the most incredible cars, view the most exclusive collections, and travel the world to witness the stories that will become legends of the road. Road & Track is written for the automotive enthusiast, covering car and motorsport news, blended with wide-ranging feature stories, investigations, reviews, and columns. Expect 30-50 cents/word. 

DIEM
https://askdiem.notion.site/askdiem/Diem-Essays-Pitch-Guide-401ad127cd674855a8f34411ec7e098e
We’re interested in personal essays, opinion pieces, and conversation starters on topics related to relationships, health, and money. Most of the work we publish is through a feminist lens. We’re currently looking for stories to publish in our newsletter, The Things We Don’t Talk About. You’ll reach an audience of over 50,000+, who are generally interested in topics having to do with gender, power, and technology. 
Rates for Diem stories start at $200 and the majority of commissioned stories hit the 700-word mark.

OFF ASSIGNMENT
https://www.offassignment.com/write-for-us
Off Assignment is a literary magazine with a penchant for journeys and a fascination with strangers. We’re looking for writers who travel, poets who wander, essayists with a sense of place, reporters with swollen notebooks, and gourmands with street cart taste. We’re not here to guide vacations. We don’t cover spas or centennials. We have a taste for offbeat places. We care about voice and story. We want the writer on the page—sweating, tripping, and telling a tale. Word count 800-2,000. Several departments. We consider full drafts only, and pay $300 for “Letter to a Stranger,” “No Equivalent,” and “Under the Influence” essays. We pay $100 for “Witching Hour” essays.

 

Publishers/agents

REPEATER BOOKS
https://www.watkinsmedia.org/
A new imprint specializing in counter-culture fiction and nonfiction, books guaranteed to create discussion and inspire change. 

SPLIT LIP PRESS
https://www.splitlippress.com/
Deadline September 1, 2023 accepting novels and novellas. Deadline December 1, 2023 accepting essay, memoir, nonfiction. We ask for a full manuscript rather than an excerpt/query. 25% royalties on print books, distributed quarterly, which you begin earning with the very first book sale. 50% royalties on e-books (full-lengths only). 10 complimentary copies of published book.

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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

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