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TOP SPONSOR
Imagine working one-on-one with a published author or professional editor as your instructor—a true mentor who stretches your imagination and helps you set attainable goals for your stories.
The Institute of Children’s Literature has over 50 years of experience teaching students how to write for children and teens, and how to market their writing to publishers. Our unique one-on-one method of instruction combined with our evergreen curriculum has been time-tested. Your one-on-one instructor is your personal guide from your first assignment until you graduate—customized
instruction of this quality and intensity is rare and extraordinarily effective.
When you enroll, you’ll master writing techniques, explore what inspires you, draw upon your observations, imagination, and interests, and translate your ideas into compelling stories and articles for children. Think: goal setting, targeting, planning, editing, and critiquing assignments. By the time you complete your course, you’ll have at least 1 manuscript suitable for submission to
publishers.
Submitting your Writing Assessment kicks things off. It only takes a few minutes and it’s FREE!
This prerequisite assessment is two-fold: your submission confirms that you have the ability and motivation to complete the coursework with success AND your answers determine how we’ll map out your educational journey. Only those who pass are invited to enroll.
The Institute is your launchpad—providing the structure, guidance, and support you need to stay focused and produce polished work.
Stop wondering, start writing. Take our free Writing Assessment!
EDITOR'S THOUGHTS
WHEN LOSING IS WINNING
“The easiest way to avoid wrong notes is to never open your mouth and sing. What a mistake that would be.” – Pete Seeger
Writers need to work hard at getting better, but doing so in a void without venturing into the world to get criticized and rejected, does them little good....unless they enjoy just writing for themselves. When someone asks me how to get started as a writer, this is what I lead with:
READ - Read tons of examples of the work/genre/style you'd like to perfect. Always study those who have gone before you and done well at it.
HOW-TO - Read or attend the occasional workshop or how-to material. Once or twice a year is good. Don't get addicted to this how-to stuff, because a little goes a long way. Obsessing over how-to is an excuse not to proceed. You will never feel "ready." There isn't a finite number of these things that make you good enough.
FEEDBACK - Get hard feedback, but learn to cull and pick and choose the feedback you believe is the most productive for your goals. Becoming a discerning recipient when it comes to critiques, is a strong and positive trait for a writer. The loudest critiquer isn't necessarily the best one. And when it comes to editors, you often get what you pay for.
SUBMIT - Submit and get rejected. Submit and lose. Submit and get crickets. The key is to fish and see what gets nibbles. If you get rejected 45 times, face it....it needs a rewrite.
Yes, you want to get better, but if you are not submitting, you are stagnant.
I've lost way more contests than I've won.
A NYT bestselling author said I could pitch her literary agent, and I was still rejected.
I submitted to 36 agents and was rejected before rewriting and submitting to 32 more.
I spent ten years writing my first novel, only for agents and writers groups to tell me it was lukewarm.
Be purposeful in your writing, unless it is just a hobby, in which case, do whatever you like. Only in the latter case, do not expect to get published in a world where writers are being purposeful.
Keeping to yourself while trying to become perfect, before daring to show your face and work to the world, is fruitless. Nobody and nothing is perfect. Thinking what is fair and not fair is childish. No religion, no politics, no way of life teaches that life is fair.
PERFECT and FAIR. I really wish the words did not exist, because they are worthless in reaching goals.
Writing is damn hard work. It is purposeful work. And it takes getting beat up and bruised up to get it right. So jump in the fray and duke it out.
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SUPER SPONSOR
Are you ready to write a book but have no idea where to begin? Do you find yourself procrastinating instead of moving your project forward?
Join Ignite Your Write's virtual community, where you'll find small cohorts of writers supporting each other at every stage of the creative process. Whether you are an established or an emerging writer, through Ignite workshops you'll learn more about what makes your story tick and build
a robust foundation for your work.
Using tested methods developed by Amherst Writers and Artists facilitators Anita Allen and Claire Sheridan, you'll find the peer support, accountability, and flexibility you need to take your project to the next level.
Visit Ignite Your Write to learn about current offerings. Sign up for our email newsletter to get notified about upcoming workshops and early bird specials.
HOPE'S APPEARANCES
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Ran into fellow SC author Caleb Wygal in Myrtle Beach. Congrats to him for his latest release Death on the Causeway, the newest installment in the Myrtle Beach Mystery Series
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- 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 14, 2023 - Chapin Library, 129 Columbia, Ave, Chapin, SC - 1-3 PM - open to the public
- October 2, 2023 - Night Harbor Book Club, Night Harbor S/D Rec Center, Chapin, SC - 7-9 PM
- October 5, 2023 - Richland County Cooper Library, 5317 N. Trenholm Rd, Columbia, SC - 6:30-9 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
“Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.” – Yoda
SUccess Story
Hi Hope!
Just wanted to let you know that thanks to your promotion of Gutsy Great Novelist's Chapter One Prize contest, I have gotten my motivation back tenfold.
I did submit the first chapter of my manuscript, Alien, Joined, and was thrilled when I received notice that I had been awarded a Notable Mention. This is the first time I have received such a compliment from an independent source for my writing, and the effect was immediate. I am energetic and passionate again to finish this WIP, along with the other four WIP that I have going.
I enthusiastically look forward to your newsletter for excerpts from your writing experience, tips, suggestions, potential agencies, and contests.
Thank you!
Vicki Zalascek
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If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com
Featured article
Privacy Concerns: How To Navigate Writing About Loved Ones
By Olga Alexandru
Being a writer is a personal decision; we choose to share our stories in order to be seen but what about the privacy of the other people involved?
A couple of years ago I pitched a personal essay about my first Christmas in the UK with my partner and his family. It was a warm, light-hearted piece about finding a home away from home. The editor had some initial questions, the last one being if my partner and his family would be happy to be pictured and named. I knew my partner well enough to know that with his militancy around privacy there was no chance. He has no social media presence and is not interested in being online in that
way; if I’m chronically online then he’s the complete opposite. I emailed the editor back explaining that while his family may be OK with being named and pictured he would not. She chose not to commission the piece based on this fact.
I was frustrated but not surprised. It makes sense that such a personal story demands details and photos. But did the lack of someone else’s participation necessitate the death of the piece before it had even begun? I didn’t think so.
Anne Lamott famously wrote “If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better” in her seminal work on writing, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. While this rings true in some cases, perhaps when you are sharing stories from your perspective, where other people are concerned, consent is key. It’s important to get someone’s permission if you are sharing part of their story. One way to make this prospect more
appealing to them is to give them an outline of what you plan to write and tell them they can read the final draft. This will help them feel actively involved in the process. It isn’t strictly necessary but it will keep you in their good graces and show thoughtfulness and respect for them and their story.
If I pitch an idea about my relationship I now know to mention right away that my partner is not interested in being named or pictured to avoid any misunderstandings. Most editors understand boundaries and are happy to obey them. Being upfront about what you will and won’t provide is a great way to build trust, as this shows editors what they can expect from you. It’s also a great way to avoid wasting your time or theirs if certain details are deal-breakers.
Sometimes, though, editors will want to push those boundaries. It’s up to you to know your comfort levels and that of the people you are writing about. If someone is happy to be named but not pictured and photos are a must for the editor, you will probably have to say goodbye to that publication. It might be tempting to try to convince your subjects to give in but from experience I know that this is a losing battle. Plus the paycheck will never be worth any potential damage to the
relationship.
Dealing with the frustration of other people’s decisions is a skill best learned early on. If you are in the personal essays game you know what you signed up for. It can be hard to understand why someone has such an issue revealing certain details about their life; as writers most of us write to understand and be understood. Writing is an outlet for many of us to make connections, process experiences and understand ourselves better. We just have to accept that some people want to do
that work privately.
BIO - Olga Alexandru is a Romanian-Canadian freelance journalist and writer currently based in the UK. She has been published in Inverse, Fodor's, Insider, Reader's Digest and Paste Magazine among others. You can read more of her work at olgawritesthings.com
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COmpetitions
BLACK FOX WRITING CONTEST - SECRETS UNRAVELED
https://www.blackfoxlitmag.com/contests/
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 18, 2023. The theme for this round is “Secrets Unraveled.” We are open to loose interpretations of the theme in any genre. Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and we will choose one winner that we feel interprets the theme best. The prize is $300 and publication in the Summer 2023 issue. All submissions are
considered for publication in the Summer 2023 issue. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. For poetry, send up to three poems in the same document. For flash fiction, send up to two stories in the same document.
MASTERS REVIEW SMALL FICTION AWARDS
https://themastersreview.submittable.com/submit/256853/2023-spring-small-fiction-awards-judged-by-k-ming-chang-3-600-awarded
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 1, 2023. his contest will honor a grand prize winner in three categories—Microfiction, Flash Fiction, and Sudden Fiction—by awarding $1,000 and online publication to each winner. Microfiction is any story up to 500 words. Flash Fiction is any story between 501 and 1,000 words. Sudden Fiction is any story between 1,001 and 1,500 words. We
welcome up to two stories per submission. This contest is for emerging writers only. Writers with book-length work published or under contract with a major press are ineligible.
LASCAUX PRIZE IN FLASH FICTION
https://lascauxreview.com/contests/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 30, 2023. Stories may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. True stories are welcome as long as they’re written in a narrative style. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in The Lascaux Review. Individual story length should not
exceed 1,000 words. All genres and styles are welcome.
LASCAUX PRIZE IN CREATIVE NONFICTON
https://lascauxreview.com/contests/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2023. Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Pieces may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion.
Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in The Lascaux Review.
LASCAUX PRIZE IN SHORT FICTION
https://lascauxreview.com/contests/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2023. Stories may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in The Lascaux Review. Writers may enter more than once. Length should not exceed 10,000 words. All genres and styles are
welcome.
-1000 BELOW: FLASH PROSE AND POETRY CONTEST
https://midwayjournal.submittable.com/submit
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 1, 2023. First Prize: $500 + publication in Midway Journal. Second Prize:$250 + publication in Midway Journal. Third Prize: $50 + publication in Midway Journal. Poetry: up to two poems per entry, up to 50 words per poem. No more than one poem per page. Prose (Fiction and Nonfiction): 1 piece per entry, up to 1,000 words per piece. All submissions will
be considered for publication.
FLASH FICTION MAGAZINE CONTEST
flashfictionmagazine.com/contest/
Do you want to enter a writing contest and not waste your money? Would you like to get feedback on your story instead of a standard rejection?
At Flash Fiction Magazine, we know how valuable feedback is to writers, because writers run our magazine!
Every submission gets in-depth feedback.
When you enter our contest, you'll get valuable developmental feedback from experienced editors who have read and edited thousands of stories.
Every submission receives feedback that focuses on:
Strengths: The editor will identify where the story is strongest and most effective.
Weaknesses: The editor will address elements of the story that could be stronger.
Revision Suggestions: The editor will provide suggestions for revising and editing.
Prizes:
1st prize = $500, publication on the website and in a future anthology
2nd prize = $300, publication on the website and consideration in a future anthology
3rd prize = $200, publication on the website and consideration in a future anthology
FundsforWriters Discount - All FundsforWriters readers get $5 off their submission.
Use coupon code "fundsforwriters" when submitting.
Learn More and Submit Your Story Here
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING
ARIZONA OPPORTUNITY GRANTS
https://azarts.gov/grant/artist-opportunity/
Deadline June 22, 2023. Artist Opportunity Grants support Arizona artists as they take advantage of specific, unique opportunities that have the potential to significantly impact their professional growth. Grant funds may be used for any of the following (this list is not comprehensive): Equipment purchases, materials, or services needed to fulfill/engage in the opportunity; Rental fees, including equipment, instruments, facility (including short-term space and studio
rentals), etc., which support the artistic opportunity Preparation, freight, and/or shipping costs; Costs associated with documentation of the opportunity; Travel necessary to engage in the opportunity (see Funding Restrictions for more information); Registration fees; Professional fees which support the artistic opportunity. Grant funds cannot be used for any projects, or days of a project, that take place before the start date of the cycle in which they are submitted, and/or after the end of
the fiscal year (June 30, 2024). Grants are between $500 and $1,500.
SOMERSETT COUNTY ARTS - MARYLAND
https://www.socoarts.org/individual-artist-grant
The Somerset County Arts Council annually awards grants to talented individual artists. The purpose of these grants is to honor, support, and strengthen individual artists living and working in the area. Artists may apply for up to $1,000.
DIVERSITY IN BEER WRITING GRANT
https://reportersnotebook.org/2023/04/28/applications-now-open-for-the-diversity-in-beer-writing-grant-2023/
Deadline June 1, 2023. The goal of this grant is to highlight the value of stories that showcase diversity and inclusion—in all its forms and challenges—within beer. Interested writers must provide a brief introductory statement about themselves, two samples of work from any type of coverage (beer or non-beer; written, visual, or audio), and a pitch for their story idea that explores areas of diversity and inclusion in beer. Pitches for multimedia projects,
including audio, video, or social media-focused ideas are welcomed. Previous coverage and experience does not have to include the beer industry—emphasis will be on the uniqueness of the pitch and its storytelling, not an intimate knowledge of beer. Chosen writers will receive payment of 50 cents per word for their work, up to $1,000.
FIYA LIT MAG GRANTS
https://fiyahlitmag.com/grants/
The FIYAH Literary Magazine Grant Series is intended to assist Black writers of speculative fiction in defraying costs associated with honing their craft. The series includes three $1,000 grants to be distributed annually based on a set of submission requirements. All grants with the exception of the Emergency Grant will be issued and awarded as part of Juneteenth every year. The emergency grant will be awarded twice a year in $500 amounts. Limited to prose only.
WOMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS RESIDENCY
https://ekf.bg/news/article/300
Location Chepelare, Bulgaria. Deadline June 12, 2023. The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation is currently accepting applications for a 10-day residency for women writers in the Rhodope Mountains during August 2023. The residency will offer an opportunity for ten women writers from Bulgaria and Europe to engage in deep and uninterrupted creative work in the inspiring proximity of the mountains. Women writers working in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama in Bulgarian and other
European languages are encouraged to apply.
PRAIRIE RONDE RESIDENCIES
https://prairierondeartistresidency.com/
Deadline June 15, 2023. The Prairie Ronde Artist Residency is hosted by The Mill at Vicksburg, a redevelopment project of the former Lee Paper Company mill in the historic village of Vicksburg, Michigan, and its adjacent 80 acres of property. The residency aims to offer independently driven artists to explore and grow their craft while creatively engaging with the space. While the residency is process-based, artists are asked to donate a piece of work produced during their
residency to the permanent collection. The artist residency program is not limited to any specific medium but seeks diverse artists who can creatively interact with The Mill. Residents are awarded a $2,000 stipend for a residency of between five and seven weeks, a $500 travel grant, and private housing. Fall residencies will be held from September 15, 2023, through December 15, 2023.
SUSAN KAMIL EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIPS
https://centerforfiction.org/grants-awards/nyc-emerging-writers-fellowship/
Deadline May 31, 2023. Please submit a fiction writing sample, not to exceed 7,500 words. Applicants must be current residents of one of the five boroughs and must remain in New York City for the entire year of the fellowship. Students in degree-granting programs are not eligible to apply. Offer grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers.
PILLARS ARTIST FELLOWSHIP
https://pillarsfund.org/culture-change/pillars-artist-fellowship/
Deadline May 31, 2023. Fellowship champions and mentors Muslim directors and writers whose presence behind the screen will be game-changing for the film and television industries. In addition to an unrestricted award of $25,000, each fellow will receive mentorship from industry experts on how to navigate the business of Hollywood, professional development and creative guidance in their fields, and access to a trailblazing advisory committee of award-winning Muslim actors,
directors, producers and writers.
FREELANCE MARKETS / JOBS
FRIVOLOUS COMMA
https://www.frivolouscomma.com/submit/
Frivolous Comma exists to spotlight and elevate diverse writers of speculative fiction, particularly writers who are underrepresented (BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+) as well as writers who come from, or currently reside in, markets where English is not the first language. That said, we're currently not able to accept non-English stories. We’re looking for science fiction, fantasy, horror, the uncanny, or any work (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry) that
orbit this genre, with a particular focus on characters in some type of transition. Pays $0.08/word with $100 minimum.
MALAHAT REVIEW
http://web.uvic.ca/malahat/submission_guidelines.html
The Malahat Review welcomes submissions of poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as translated work in any of these three genres, by new and established writers from Canada and abroad. We read submissions from Canadian writers all year. Because we receive so many submissions, we accept work from international writers only during certain months, depending on the genre. We pay CAD$70 per published page plus a one-year print subscription and
two copies of the issue in which your work appears.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/
Deadline May 30, 2023. Seeking travel writers with a hyper focus on Japan for a project. Strong clips needed. Email starlight.williams@natgeo.com (pay range $1000-$1200).
TRAILS MAGAZINE
https://trailsmag.net/pages/contributor-information
The focus of Trails is on backpacking and other human/naturally-powered means of sleeping outdoors: bikepacking, canoe camping, even things like rafting or mountaineering are fair game. We also primarily focus on North American destinations. We’re looking for stories about out-of-the-box ideas and solutions, unique personalities and trips, and creative angles that explore the infinite number of trails we can take as backpackers. Features range anywhere
from 1,000 to 5,000 words. The “Blazes” section is dedicated to short (typically between 300 and 800 word) articles, opinion, current events, profiles, and other quick-hit types of stories. Each issue features one recipe (or potentially multiple shorter related recipes), as well as various shorter (less than 500 word) food-related stories. We like to highlight one especially unique, out-of-the-box adventure in a 500- to 900-word trip report. Essays are 500- to 1000-word articles with
no skills value and are instead focused on reflection and creative writing. We’re interested in all manner of outdoor-related opinion, especially provocative, unique, or challenging opinions. This is also a great place for humor. Shorter, lighter opinions will often become Blazes, while lengthier (up to 1000 words), more critical, or more heavily reported opinions will end up in a separate Opinion rubric. We pay our writers a minimum of $0.50/word—that climbs based on the story and
your experience.
CHICKEN SOUP - MIRACLES, MESSAGES FROM HEAVEN AND ANGELS
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline September 30, 2023. We are looking for powerful, astounding, stories that will make people say "wow" or give them chills. This book is for everyone, whether religious or non-religious. Please note that we are not looking for stories about people who are "angels" because they do nice things. Please do not submit eulogies about a loved one who has died and is now an "angel." All stories and poems need
to be true — we do not publish fiction. Stories should be no longer than 1,200 words. Please write in the first person about something that happened to you or someone close to you. Every part of your story must be true. You will also receive a check for $250 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. You will retain the copyright for your story and you will retain the right to resell it or self-publish it.
Publishers/agents
CEMETERY GATES MEDIA
https://cemeterygatesmedia.com/submissions/
We’re looking for submissions for 40k+ word manuscripts from authors who’ve never published a novel. Paying $500 signing bonus + $500 advance upon publication, and a 60% (author) royalty share on physical and electronic editions of the book. We’re looking for horror stories in the vein of what we’ve previously published, not dystopian science fiction nor dark fantasy, and we likely won’t publish YA.
PROPERTIUS PRESS
https://propertiuspress.submittable.com/submit
We are a small, not-for-profit, independent traditional publisher of high-quality literary fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and short-story anthologies. Before you submit your work, ask this provocative but very important question: will it age well?
STONE PIER PRESS
https://stonepierpress.org/submissions
We're looking for good books about good food. Books that inspire support for climate-friendly, agriculturally sustainable, and good-for-us eating. We tilt toward stories that feature solutions and problem-solvers. Our focus is on helping people make sounder choices around the way we grow, eat, and dispose of food. We are accepting books in the following categories: narrative nonfiction, memoirs, guidebooks, biographies, young adult fiction, and literary fiction. We will consider
cookbooks as well.
EUROPA
https://www.europaeditions.com/
Europa Editions is an independent publisher of quality fiction. Europa Editions publishes about thirty-five titles a year. In its first ten years, the company has published books by authors from twenty-six different countries, making it one of the leading US publishers of international fiction. Europa Editions does not currently accept unsolicited submissions, which means they only consider pitches/queries. Do not send manuscripts.
SOHO TEEN
https://sohopress.com/soho-teen/
Soho Teen’s select list (7-10 titles a year) began with YA mysteries and thrillers. Over the years, we’ve broadened this niche to allow for novels of adolescent identity and self-discovery, particularly those with a unique format or narrative structure. Our diverse authors include acclaimed YA icons, filmmakers and screenwriters, rock stars, and New York Times bestsellers—and above all, debuts from exciting voices.
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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
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Copyright 2000-2023, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326
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