VOLUME 23, ISSUE 41 | OCTOBER 20, 2023 |
WHAT READERS
DON'T SEE When you write and publish, whether an article or a book, the reader wants to walk away from the reading with the knowledge they were educated or entertained thoroughly. The experience should be memorable. A lot of
writers make the mistake of thinking that writing in quantity or just getting the grammar correct or just relaying the topic, are the goals. FFW receives so many mediocre articles from people who think that a list of suggestions on how to write, how to win a contest, how to publish . . . lists like they've read on the web a thousand times, is writing. No voice. No originality. Just ticking off boxes on guidelines. Readers value their time, and once they've decided to invest their time into reading something you wrote, they want to feel like the time was well spent. That's why I'm against the oft recommended advice of reading bad and good works. Sorry, I only want to be immersed in the good, thank you. My time is limited. The reader should feel like they made a good choice, a valuable selection. Your job is to provide top quality material so that enough readers are thankful for what they have read. It isn't about the time you invested, how you published, or the money you spent. While those aspects are necessary, it isn't part of your job to tell the world about it. You only want to be remembered for how well you wrote . . . and the positive you gave someone else's life. |
C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
Email Hope | Visit Website | Sign up for Newsletter
Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
FFW
has proudly been on the Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers list every year since 2000
Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use information listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives no warranty to completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, contests, and grants although research is done to the best of our ability. FundsforWriters finds open
submission calls, contests, and markets from a wide variety of sources, including Erika Dreifus' Practicing Writer newsletter, Erica Verrillo's blog, Authors Publish, Poets & Writers, Duotrope, Winning Writers, Write Jobs Plus, LinkedIn Jobs, Emily Stoddard, and other newsletters and online sites. Many announcements are submitted directly to FundsforWriters from active contests, journals, magazines, publishers, residencies, and grant providers. All must be paying opportunities. Contests must pay a minimum of $200
first place. Submit potential listings to hope@chopeclark.com
TWITTER - http://twitter.com/hopeclark
AUTHOR SITE - http://www.chopeclark.com
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/chopeclark
GOODREADS - http://www.goodreads.com/hopeclark
BOOKBUB - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-hope-clark Read the FFW Archive WOMEN READING ALOUD will host its 12th Writer's Retreat on the magical island of Alonnisos in Greece June 13 - 22, 2024. Take time for daily writing workshops, reading, swimming in turquoise waters, napping, and beautiful dinners on the beach. Stunning private accommodations for each writer includes a private balcony facing the Aegean Sea.
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"WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE ME A CHANCE?"
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Magazines use regular "contributing" writers for many reasons. They love having writers already on board who understand the needs of the readership and the publication.. To ask a publisher to give you a chance is to say you don't feel you are valuable enough to earn markets on your prowess. . . and it says you need a hand-up versus being a writer hired on skill. Instead, you need to polish your material and make it glisten, all in the vein of what that publication
needs. And you learn how to do that by studying the publication. If they turn you down, it's because of a zillion reasons, some of which include: 1. They have a stable of writers who don't have to be groomed and who can speak the language.
2. They don't have the energy to break in a new writer, or go back and forth teaching someone how to fit in.
3. They really don't need writers at the time.
4. Your voice might be good but not quite what fits this particular
readership.
5. The piece sounds too common, not unique enough.
6. You deviate from the guidelines in some fashion.
7. It is clear you haven't studied the flavor of the publication or reviewed what it has already published. An editor has the responsibility and the burden of culling submissions down to the brightest and best. They have a limited amount of space to post pieces, and a limited number of dollars to do it with. As a writer, you cannot understand all of the issues at
play. While editors are in the job of giving writers an audience, they are also in the job of keeping a publication afloat, meaning they select the pieces that have the grandest effect. As a writer, you may not fully understand what that means, and it can mean something different with each issue. And it can change when editors change. Rejection is not personal. They don't know you, so it cannot be personal. Half of it is because of your work, your online presence, and your query
email. The other half is that they don't need you and your style. The former you can fix. The latter is often up to fate. Never come back to an editor and ask they to give you a chance. Never ask them to give your piece a second glance (unless you've been invited to edit and resubmit). You are burning a bridge. You risk becoming a nuisance. You risk becoming a writer who'd rather barter about your article getting published than rewrite it to better fit what's needed . . . or find a market
that better suits your style. To ask for a chance only sounds desperate.
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Want to see your name in a cool publication?
You're just a pitch away!
Find out what stories are selling right now, 3
things editors love in a pitch (and a couple things to avoid), and start your first (or next) pitch in class.
All for the wonderful price of FREE!
- October 26, 2023 - Podcast - Everyone Has a Story: True Tales from Everyday Life - guest C. Hope Clark - November 18, 2023 - Crooked Creek Holiday Market - 1098 Old
Lexington Hwy, Chapin, SC 29036 - 8-2:00 - C. Hope Clark selling books and speaking to fans. - December 2, 2023 - Tinsel Town Holiday Market - Lake Murray Presbyterian Church, 2721 Dutch Fork Road, Chapin, SC 29036 - 9-1:00 - C. Hope Clark selling books and speaking to fans.
- December 9, 2023 - Triangle Sisters in Crime Zoom - Gary W. Clark, Sr talks about crime solving and Hope's books - 1:30-2:30 PM
- June 1-8, 2024 - The Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine - writer-in-residence
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. There's starting to be life out there! Shoot for the top, always. You might not make it, but what’s the fun if you don’t shoot for the top? ~Ursula K. Le Guin Hi Hope! The highs and lows of submitting our stories can be a roller coaster of emotions. Everything from "I've got this" to "Never again". Last week I was invited to read my story for Writer's Read ( Ed McCann), at City Winery in NYC. It was wonderful to be included with amazing writers and listen to their tales of everything Italian. The same day I was traveling by train to participate, I got an email from another publisher rejecting a piece that I had submitted many months ago. Talk about the high and then the crash!! Hope, thank you for always encouraging us to pick up our skirts and move on. It's the life of a writer, and I'm glad to be a part of all of it. Best, Gloria Caviglia
<<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >>
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Knowing When to Ditch a Client
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By Amanda Nicholson
Starting my freelance career writing for content mills instilled the mindset that I had to say yes to every job and put up with anything my clients threw at me.
Now after three years, I see the benefits of saying no and the opportunities this can lead to. It was frightening at first, but here are the signs I've become familiar with, telling me when to ditch a client. The workload keeps
expanding Being approached on LinkedIn by a client asking if I wanted to write dating articles was an ego boost. However, the workload went from writing articles with light research and inserting keywords, to extensive research, quotes and sources, and a complex system that even my client couldn't explain. Despite the increased workload, the pay stayed the same. Each time they took longer to pay, and I gave them several chances, knowing delays can happen sometimes. However, I
eventually ditched the client since they issued more work without addressing any of my concerns. I now had more time to send pitches and respond to opportunities, and I achieved my first by-lined articles and regular freelance work from a client who offered a rate I was happy with, as well as paid me on time. Insults rather than constructive feedback I have a BA and MA in Creative Writing, so I've travelled the difficult path to accepting critical feedback.
While it took a while not to take criticism personally, the feedback not only helped my writing but also assisted me in getting several pieces published when I acted on constructive feedback.
However, an agency I recently worked with had a process where I dealt directly with the client, only this client tried to get me to do work outside the agreed scope. The official process was to provide one round of edits through the platform, but they asked me to rewrite this outside of the
platform. The feedback was vague, and the demands got worse, their criticism turning personal. Despite the time and effort I'd put in with this, I walked away after missed deadlines on their side, a lack of concern about the way I was treated, and claims that I shouldn't be paid.
I was eventually paid by the agency who had no knowledge of this back-door agreement. Ditching that client freed up time to meet a new contact at another agency which is now one of my anchor clients.
Clients who keep changing their minds
I also had to ditch a client because they kept changing their mind. I didn't walk away until the project was over, but I have since refused to work with them. Several online meetings discussed what they wanted; however, I ended up agreeing to extra edits for no extra cost, the effort taking me away from other paid work, then we parted ways. Clients like that take the enjoyment out of writing. I started
freelancing because I like writing and the freedom to choose who I work with.
Clients who take forever to respond Balancing work from multiple sources is challenging. With there often being too much work or not enough. Having a plan ensures everyone receives their work on time. A plan has the potential to fall apart, however, when one or more clients are slow to respond, or they sabotage you in other ways.
A former anchor client took days to
answer crucial questions, meaning I had to work long, often last-minute, hours to complete the work on time. They once left me all week with no work, then scheduled a week's worth of work to be done over a bank holiday weekend. I stupidly accommodated them, but after several occasions, I stopped making time for them. I haven't ditched them completely, but they are no longer a priority, and I raised my rate to compensate for these delays.
Knowing when to ditch a client can be a
difficult but necessary decision for freelancers. Recognize the signs that a client is no longer worth the time and effort to avoid stress and open up to better opportunities. It takes courage to say no, but in the long run, it can lead to a more successful and satisfying career.
Bio – Amanda Nicholson is an author, poet, podcast co-host and copywriter. She has written several books as Amanda Steel, including Ghost of Me. Amanda's poetry has been broadcast on BBC
Radio Manchester. She has a Creative Writing MA and has had articles published by Jericho Writers, Readers Digest UK, Ask.com, and Authors Publish. Her blog is: https://amandasteelwriter.wordpress.com/
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MOMENT MAGAZINE-KARMA FOUNDATION FICTION CONTEST
https://momentmag.com/moment-magazine-karma-foundation-short-fiction-contest-new/
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 30, 2023. Moment will award up to three prizes to outstanding works of unpublished short fiction with Jewish content, including $1,000 for first place. For each entry, submit an original short story—maximum length 5,000 words— with Jewish themes. THE BIG BANG!: BLACK SPRING PRIZE FOR BEST
OPENING TO A CRIME BOOK https://blackspringpressgroup.com/pages/the-big-bang-prize-judged-by-lee-child
£10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 7, 2023. Judged by Lee Child. The competition is open to anyone 18 OR
OVER who wants to write in the English-language and has an interest in crime, thriller or mystery novels. Looking for the best 50-200 words of an ‘opening’ for a crime-mystery-thriller novel. The work must be never-before-published (including online), original to the author, and ideally written for this prize. The winner will be announced in early 2024, receive £200, a one-off, hour-long online mentoring session with Luca Veste and be offered a publishing contract if they ever decide to complete
the novel. LILITH’S ANNUAL FICTION CONTEST
https://lilith.org/contact/writing-for-lilith/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 31, 2023. Lilith
magazine—independent, Jewish & frankly feminist—seeks quality short stories with heart, soul and chutzpah, 3,000 words or under, for our Annual Fiction Contest. First prize: $300 and publication. We especially like fresh fiction with feminist and Jewish nuance, and are eager to read submissions from writers of color and emerging writers of any age.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING NATIONAL PARKS ARTS FOUNDATION RESIDENCIES
https://nationalparksartsfoundation.submittable.com/submit
Deadline October 29, 2023.
Locations: Dry Tortugas National Park (Loggerhead Key, Florida) and Hawaii Volcanies National Park. Each comes with a $4000 stipend. Involves a one-month stay with free housing. WISCONSIN HUMANITIES
https://wisconsinhumanities.org/grants/grants-for-humanities-programs/
An applicant must be a nonprofit organization. This includes historical societies, libraries, colleges, schools, civic organizations, or an ad hoc group with a nonprofit serving as fiscal sponsor. Grants are $2,000 to $10,000. Humanities programs should be reflective experiences that engage the public. Programs can take many forms including exhibitions,
performances, community discussions, guest speakers, workshops, oral history projects, panels, town halls, films, and more. CCCC TRIBAL COLLEGE FACULTY FELLOWSHIP
https://cccc.ncte.org/cccc/awards/tribalcollegefellow
Deadline November 15, 2023. The Tribal College Faculty Fellowship offers financial aid to selected faculty members currently working at tribally controlled colleges to attend the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) April 3–6, 2024, in Spokane, WA. We are offering two Tribal College Faculty Fellowships in the amount of $1,250 each.
Featuring over 500 sessions focusing on teaching practices, writing and literacy programs, language research, history, theory, information technologies, and professional and technical communication, the annual CCCC meeting provides a forum for thinking, learning, networking, and presenting research on the teaching and learning of writing. WOMEN'S STUDIO WORKSHOP
ARTIST BOOK RESIDENCY
https://wsworkshop.org/residencies/art-in-ed-artists-book-residency-grant/
Deadline November 15, 2023. WSW invites applications for its Art-in-Education Artist’s Book Residency, which operates with the Kingston City School District. The
eight-to-10-week residency is awarded to two artists to create a new artist’s book and teach young people in WSW’s studios. The program provides a stipend of $350 per week for up to 10 weeks, up to $1,000 for materials, and up to $250 for travel within the continental United States. Free onsite housing and 24/7 studio access during non-AIE sessions will also be provided. FISHTRAP WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE - OREGON
https://fishtrap.org/fishtrap-writer-in-residence/
Are you an experienced teaching artist looking to spend time immersed in the community and beauty of rural Wallowa County? Fishtrap Writers in Residence have the opportunity to get some creative work
done and help inspire local writers of all ages through teaching in local schools, sharing a public reading, and offering your own Fishtrap writing workshop. Residence lasts from six to eight weeks during the months of April and May, and includes a stipend, travel allowance, and lodging. While you are here, Fishtrap will work with you to schedule up to eight hours a week of classroom time in Wallowa County schools. You will be asked to lead a one-day adult workshop as part of our local writing
workshop series. You’ll also have the opportunity to hold a public reading event at Fishtrap’s new home in the historic Bowlby Building. The rest of the time is yours to use to write, be explore the county, and connect with the many local writers in the Fishtrap community. Since a Fishtrap Writer in Residence will be spending significant time in Wallowa County schools, proven teaching and classroom management experience, especially at the secondary level, is required. Location Enterprise,
OR. THE GOOD SCIENCE PROJECT FELLOWSHIPS
https://goodscienceproject.org/
Deadline November 5, 2023. The Good Science Project–Johns Hopkins MA in Science Writing Fellowship aims to
improve science journalism and science itself by providing $5,000 reporting grants for feature-length magazine articles on the funding and practice of science in the United States. Grants will support articles that reveal flaws in current science policy, practice, or funding and identify ways these challenges might be overcome. To apply, please email goodscience@jh.edu with the
following items attached as PDF documents: A well-researched story pitch of 1,000 words or less that includes a brief explanation of your qualifications to cover the story; a resume that includes your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address; two samples of published work that demonstrate your ability to research and report a magazine feature article. (Applicants who do not have two samples of
published work may submit a letter explaining why they believe they are qualified to write the article.) IMAGINATION FELLOWSHIP
https://www.writerscolony.org/fellowships
Deadline
January 15, 2024. The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) is pleased to offer the “Imagination” fellowship which invites writers to explore how imagination has influenced them and others. The work may be in any literary genre: fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, drama or screenplay, or a combination. It may take place now or time the past or may draw upon the life of the author or probe other lives. There is no expectation of a certain attitude or type
of experience. The fellowship winner will receive a two-week residency at WCDH to focus completely on their writing. Each writer’s suite has a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and wireless internet. We provide uninterrupted writing time, a European-style gourmet dinner prepared five nights a week and served in our community dining room, the camaraderie of other professional writers when desired, and a community kitchen stocked with the basics for other meals. Location Eureka
Springs, AR.
METASTELLAR
https://www.metastellar.com/write-for-us/flash-fiction-story-submission/
Deadline October 31, 2023. Stories must
be under 1,200 words in length and fall under the genres of science fiction, fantasy, or horror. Please submit only one story per cycle. Stories will be published under a non-exclusive license at a rate of 8 cents per word. CURBSIDE CHRONICLE - OKLAHOMA
https://www.thecurbsidechronicle.org/
Pitch Nathan Poppe, Editor at nathan.poppe@gmail.com. Seeks human interest stories, features that touch on how social services impact real people and narratives that focus on overlooked history. The Curbside Chronicle is Oklahoma’s street paper created to provide both a voice
and employment opportunities for people who are experiencing and at risk of homelessness. Pays up to $300. CUTLEAF
https://eastoverpresscutleafjournal.submittable.com/submit%2F273886%2Fnonfiction-submissions-to-cutleaf-2023
Deadline October 31, 2023. Cutleaf is interested in creative nonfiction of many forms but we prefer a narrative and literary approach. We welcome new approaches such as speculative nonfiction, essays in verse, "hermit crab" essays, and other re-imaginings of the format. We welcome work about literature,
travel, music, food, visual art, and film. We welcome humor. We invite collaborative work. We are not interested in polemics, position statements, or editorials. We will consider nonfiction of many lengths, though we generally publish work from 1500 to 6000 words. Cutleaf will pay from $100 to $400 for published prose. THE GUARDIAN
https://www.theguardian.com/us
Pitch Danielle Renwick, Editor at danielle.renwick@theguardian.com. Seeking stories on climate/environmental justice and on efforts to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for the climate crisis.
Pays $1/word. GOING'S PLACES NEWSLETTER
https://www.going.com/
https://hello-going.typeform.com/to/JuO4r2xa
Seeking articles around 1,400 words. Pays $300. Looking for writers who live in or are deeply familiar with: Bangkok or Chang Mai, Christchurch or Wellington, Fiji, Kentucky, São Paulo, Rhode Island, Panama, Patagonia, Crete. LILITH MAGAZINE
https://lilith.org/contact/writing-for-lilith/
Lilith Magazine welcomes submissions of high-quality, lively, original writing: reporting, analysis, opinion pieces, memoir, fiction and poetry with a feminist take on subjects of interest to Jewish feminists. Features usually run 2,000 words, news briefs 500 words or less. Fiction
should be under 3,000 words. Back-page pieces run 800 words. Poetry submissions should include no more than 3 poems, totaling no more than two pages. MONKFISH
https://www.monkfishpublishing.com/submissions/
Monkfish publishes fiction and nonfiction books related to the subjects of spirituality and religion. If you
would like your manuscript to be considered for publication, please send a completed book proposal (MS Word only; no PDFs) that includes a brief synopsis of the work, followed by a longer summary of the work, as well as a complete annotated table of contents, author bio including previously published works, author promotional plans, total projected word count, manuscript completion date, blurbs, comp titles published within the last five years, and sample chapters equaling no more than 25% of
the whole. 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. RED ADEPT PUBLISHING
http://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. ISLANDPORT PRESS
https://www.islandportpress.com/submissions
We are a regional publisher. We publish books about the Northeast. Submissions should reflect a New England sensibility and primarily be set in and tell stories about this region, as well as characterize the culture and people. HEYDAY PRESS
https://www.heydaybooks.com/about/
Heyday promotes civic engagement and social justice, celebrates nature’s beauty, supports California Indian cultural renewal, and explores the state’s rich history, culture, and influence. Heyday works to realize the California dream of equity and enfranchisement. AMBLE PRESS
https://www.bywaterbooks.com/amble_press_submissions/
Amble Press is actively seeking submissions in several popular genres: Contemporary General Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers,
Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure, Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Cli-Fi/Spec, Fiction/Steampunk, Graphic Novels, Young Adult/New Adult, Romance, Narrative nonfiction, Memoirs/Biographies . TOUCHWOOD
https://www.touchwoodeditions.com/submit-a-manuscript/
We publish books in the following categories: Food & Wine, Art & Photography, Gardening & Pets, House & Home, Regional & Popular History, Literary fiction, Memoir, Narrative non-fiction, Literary anthologies. We are currently not accepting submissions for mystery novels. We only publish Canadian authors, with a strong preference for publishing authors who
are from, and who write about topics pertinent to western Canada (includes BC, AB, SK, MB and the North). HOW2CONQUER https://www.how2conquer.com/
We prefer
completed manuscripts with a target range of 40,000 – 70,000 words, and we’re currently working to build our lists in the following categories: Business – General (including Business Development, Business Leadership, Business Management)
Business – Industries (including Security, Business Resiliency, Franchise, Restaurant
& Food Industry)
Hobbies & Home (including Crafts, Cooking, Pets & Animal Care)
Parenting & Relationships
Self-Help & Personal Growth Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com for permission. Do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish out of ours.
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 are 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. While the mailing list is not sold to third parties, other parties do advertise in the newsletter, to include the occasional solo ad. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer wish to receive the
newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to receive. Direct any complaints, suggestions, and accolades to Hope Clark at hope@fundsforwriters.com. We are an anti-spam site. | |
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