VOLUME 23, ISSUE 46 | NOVEMBER 26, 2023 |
MAKING THE
BEST OF IT We are Clemson Tiger fans in this household, and college football rivalry day is a top event in our household which amounts to little more than lots of chicken wings and chips and dips of all sorts, and enjoying each others company while unapologetically watching the sport for hours on end. While our Tigers won this year (after an insanely stupid blip of an exception last year), they were rather messy in doing so. But, hey, we carry the honor for another year. We all make the best of it. In hopefully a similar vein, I reference a writer I ran across this week,
who'd submitted to an anthology, been selected, but in receiving her copy, realized her picture had been omitted from the bio section. She'd missed the launch as well, with it being at a locale she couldn't manage. To her, lots of disappointment. She wanted to scorch the earth with her anger on what they did wrong in relation to her participation in this
publication, which meant a nasty letter to the editors and social media rants. My advice . . . accept what happened and learn from the knowledge. Either work with them again or don't, but take the win that she was published and learn from the experience. Too much energy was being exerted for a controversy that could hurt her own career by labeling her a
troublemaker and a soul difficult to work with. Instead, maybe write the editor that she was disappointed that she was unable to reach the locale and she wished her picture could have made the publication, but thanks for the opportunity and she hoped to have another chance to work with them again. If you stop and think about it, a win-win
situation. Yeah, our team won the game, but we could've done better. Take the win, don't complain, and look forward to the next opportunity to show up and do so much more. |
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
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BOOKBUB - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-hope-clark Read the FFW
Archive There's a reason writers throughout history have felt the call to travel, get out in nature, and immerse themselves in unfamiliar territory.
Research shows all of these boost creativity, sharpen observational skills, and help move ideas from possibility to the page. That's why they are the foundation of Compass Writers small-group walking writer workshops.
Join us in April 2024 for nine days of walking and writing along the 80-mile St. Cuthbert's Way,
an ancient footpath in Scotland's lush borderlands. We'll write together and explore our craft, engage in various writing forms, and see where the abbeys, historic sites, castles, rivers, and wildlife we encounter along the way take our imaginzations and words. Grounded in the Amherst Writers & Artists method, writers of all levels are welcome. AWA's core belief is simple: every person is a writer, and every writer deserves a safe environment in which to experiment, learn, and develop craft.
This workshop will take place April 20-29, 2024 — participants are encouraged to plan for one to two days before and after the walk for travel. Space is limited to 8 participants. Registration closes January 15, 2024.
Email facilitator Cherylmurfin@gmail.com at Compass Writers to register. Or register online by clicking here and going to April 20 on the registration calendar.
Come walk and write with us! It will be a journey you won't soon forget.
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THE BEST SITUATION
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Out there, in some land, at some time, there is the perfect situation for writing. We may not have it where we are. We may wonder if it's who we are, not being the right person at the right time. On social media, I see people sending pictures of the perfect sunset on Edisto Beach, the cutest, most perfect antics of a pet, the greatest evening of a perfect dinner with a friend. Total sigh
moments. What we don't see is that the perfect sunset on Edisto Beach was the photographer's fourth night at the beach, and served as their best picture from a hundred and ten others. What we don't see is the fifty attempts at getting that sometimes annoying, sometimes sweet pet doing the right trick at just the right time. What
we don't see is the squabbles between friends and the make-up evening with this friend at dinner, and the dozen adjustments of food, lighting, and plate to set up the setting. The odds of finding a perfect moment the first time are small indeed. What we don't see are the modifications, disenchantments, and frustrations of arriving at that perfect moment. Without those, without enduring the innumerable setups, test-runs, and false starts, we
don't find the perfect moment. Sometimes we just keep on keeping on in hopes the perfect moment runs into us. That's more the situation than not. Success is about putting yourself in the situations that aren't perfect to find one that is. It's why we write, and write, and submit, and weather rejection. One day may come the acceptance and all the perks that come with it, but without
weathering the imperfect moments, without seeking the perfection, we never have a chance.
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Story Unlikely's annual short story contest is back! With NO entry fee, NO genre restrictions, and a $1,500 prize
package, what do you have to lose? We're not concerned with cultural or industry trends, or the size of your pedigree; this is a contest about who can write the best story based on merit, and merit alone.
$1,500 split between top 3 stories
Top 3 stories will be published
and illustrated NO entry fee
4,500 word limit
No genre restrictions; open to fiction and creative non-fiction
Submission period ends January 31st View contest
details here: Story Unlikely - 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 -
Signing, The Coffee Shelf, 130 Amicks Ferry Rd, Chapin, SC - 8-12 AM
- 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 - December 23, 2023 - Signing Edisto Bookstore, Edisto Island, SC
- 1-3 PM
- June 1-8, 2024 - The Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine - writer-in-residence - July 9, 2024 - South Congaree-Pine Ridge Branch Library, 200 Sunset Dr, West Columbia, SC 29172 - 5:30-7:00 PM
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. There's starting to be life out there! Be strategic and resilient in the pursuit of your dreams. That sounds like a cheesy quote, right? But nah, I’m serious. Resilience is one hell of a quality to master and not many have the skin for it. ~Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times Bestselling American author of young adult fiction and a horror filmmaker, best known for her NAACP Image Award-nominated debut novel Allegedly.
<<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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Tips from a Cold-Email Marketer for Your Submissions and Query Letters
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By Dan Brotzel In my job I write emails on behalf of businesses to try and generate leads from other businesses. Here are some things I’ve learned that we could apply to writing query emails and subs… Make it easy for the recipient
When emailing an editor or agent, remember the relationship is
asymmetrical: the message matters far more to you than to them. Therefore, make everything you can easier for the other person. Make it difficult for them to discard your query because you’ve been so spot on with your inquiry. Pretty much every other tip here circles back to this one. Keep it short and simple
Write a clear subject line so the recipient knows instantly what they’re getting, and can
easily retrieve it from their inbox later should they want to. Make your message about one thing. Write short, clear sentences, no more than one or two per paragraph, no more than three or four paragraphs in total. Include an explicit call to action spelling out what you want them to do. E.g.. ‘Let me know if you’d like to see the full manuscript.’ Don’t be too salesy
My company recommends
writing short, downbeat subject lines (SL) that don’t go big on claims or superlatives. Write the sort of SL you’d write if forwarding something to a coworker. E.g., ‘FFW newsletter ideas – Dan Brotzel.’ If you enter all breathless and hypey, the recipient starts to remember they are being sold to, and immediately puts their defences up. Try dictating your words
A good email has
conversational quality. So instead of typing your email, try using a voice recognition function (like in Word) or tool (like Otter.ai) to speak out your message, then tidy it up in print. Chances are, you’ll come across as warmer, more human, and more authentic. Blow up your words to a giant point size
Email marketers say that every sentence you write buys you permission for the recipient to read
the next one. So the more you write, the more reasons the reader has to switch off (and the harder work your email will look like to read). Writing in a big font will help you to write less words because the screen will fill up much quicker. Inject a little splash of personality or humour
One email marketing guru got his big break when he sent an email while drunk. It got the attention of a
big company and led to a huge contract for his client, and he’s been writing (and teaching) his approach to writing recklessly comical emails ever since. Humour is very subjective, of course, but taking a risk and making an effort to say something out of the ordinary could well help your message to stand out in a busy inbox. Don’t start by apologising for interrupting their day
All that does is
remind them how busy they are! You may feel uncomfortable about making a cold approach, but you’re not spamming an individual so much as selling to a business. Remember that publishers, editors and agents always need new writers and material, so they need to hear from people like you. No need to be self-effacing. Always be chasing
This is another thing many of us feel uncomfortable about,
but the fact is, the more emails you send, the more chance you have of a response. Schedule polite follow-up nudges every week or so for three to four weeks. Even if the eventual reply is a No, you’ll at least know where you stand, and you may get some useful feedback. Read more of Dan Brotzel’s articles on writing fiction and content at https://danielbrotzel.medium.com/
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Hi, fellow writers! I’m John Hershey, a garden humorist in Littleton, Colorado. When I was a kid, my dad, who was a great writer and a funny guy, made me a wooden sign with the phrase "Eschew obfuscation!" He wouldn't tell me what it meant, so I looked up the words.
When I understood it, I loved it, and it became my lifelong motto as a writer.
Eschew-swag.com is a tribute to my dad and the love for language and humor that I inherited from him. Please take a look at the shirts, hoodies, mugs, notebooks, and other fun swag to inspire you as you write or as fun gifts for the writers in your life.
There’s still time to order for delivery by Hanukkah or Christmas. FREE SHIPPING!
To read some of my own humor, please visit www.vegetablehusbandry.com and follow me on Instagram @ vegetable_husbandry.
Thanks and happy holidays!
John
THE IRIDESCENCE AWARD
https://www.kinsmanquarterly.org/iridescence-award
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline December
31, 2023. Submissions are open for short stories and poetry by BIPOC authors for Kinsman Quarterly’s Iridescence Award. Themes should include the supernatural, extraterrestrial, or the paranormal. Prizes include publication in the Iridescence anthology with cash awards up to $500 USD. Must individuals 18 years or older who are literary or visual artists of the Black, Indigenous, or People of Color Community. (Thanks Poets & Writers newsletter - www.pw.org) THE WEDNESDAY CLUB OF ST. LOUIS POETRY CONTESTS
https://wednesdayclubstlouis.org/poetry-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 1, 2024. Open to adults over 18 living within a
50-mile radius of St. Louis. Submit two copies of two poems, which have never been published or won an award. Prizes $500, $300, $150. The junior poetry contest is open to high school students in grades 9 through 12 in the St. Louis area. Entries must be submitted through the English Department. Entries must be submitted with an English teacher’s signature indicating approval of the content. Student prizes: $200, $150, $100, $80, $50, and up to five $25 honorable mentions. Teacher
awards: $200, $150, $100. THE NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS
https://indiebookawards.com/
$75 ENTRY FEE. Early deadline February 14, 2024. The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the
largest International awards program for indie authors and independent publishers and the only book awards program of its kind offering more monetary prizes, more awards, more recognition and more exposure including exposure to a leading Literary Agent for possible representation. $1,500 cash prizes plus trophies for best fiction book and best non-fiction book, $750 cash prizes plus trophies for second best fiction book and non-fiction book, and $500 cash prizes plus trophies for third best
fiction book and non-fiction book. Eighty categories available for entry. MSLEXIA WOMEN'S POETRY COMPETITION
https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/single-poem-poetry/womens-poetry-competition-2023/
£10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 4, 2023. This competition is open to
unpublished poems of any length, on any subject. Your £10 entry fee allows you to submit up to three poems. 1st: £2,000; 2nd: £500; 3rd: £250. Unpublished Poetry Prize for the best poem by a previously unpublished poet: £250. The four winners, plus sixteen additional finalists will have their poems published in the March 2024 issue of Mslexia. MSLEXIA WOMEN'S
PAMPHLET COMPETITION
https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/pamphlet-poetry/womens-pamphlet-competition-2023/
£20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 4, 2023. The competition is open to collections of up to 20 poems, of up to 24 pages, by poets who have never had a
full-length collection published. 1st: £250 plus publication by Bloodaxe Books. A selected poem from the winning pamphlet will be published in Mslexia. OPRELLE COMING HOME POETRY CONTEST
https://oprelle.com/pages/coming-home-poetry-contest-2023-rules-and-regulations
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline December 15, 2023. First $200. Second $100. Third $50. What does home look like to you? Is it an old farmhouse, a certain person, a childhood bedroom, a river you run to? Think about when you feel most rooted. Where in that world that you feel most at peace, most yourself? Write a poem that takes us there with
you. STORY UNLIKELY'S ANNUAL SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.storyunlikely.com/#contest
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2024. There are no restrictions on genre: fantasy,
sci fi, memoir, fiction/nonfiction, etc. - we don't care as long as it's written and told with quality and care. The story itself cannot exceed 4,500 words. There are no restrictions on age or location of participant. A $1,500 prize package will be divvied up like so: $750 first place, $500 second place, $250 third place. The winning story will be featured on Story Unlikely's website, will be strongly considered for our annual (print) sample magazine, and may be sent out as the bonus story for
signing up, which means a lot of exposure to the winner. All three placing stories will be published in the monthly issue, and all three will be illustrated by our crackpot team of digital editors! To be eligible for the contest, all writers must be signed up to Story Unlikely's monthly issue. Totally free. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING SUMMER FISHTRAP FELLOWSHIPS
https://fishtrap.org/apply-for-a-fellowship/
Deadline December 15, 2023. The primary benefit of this award is an opportunity
to attend the Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers, July 8-14, 2024 at Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Each Fishtrap Fellow receives early workshop registration and a featured reading during the week. Fellows are also highlighted in Fishtrap promotional materials, press releases, and on the Fishtrap website. A Fishtrap Fellowship covers the cost of the seven-day conference including a five-day writing workshop, readings, activities, panel discussions, and special events. Fishtrap Fellows also receive
meals and lodging for the week, and a $150 travel stipend. A Fishtrap Fellowship is valued at more than $1400, but more than that, it is an opportunity for emerging writers to build new friendships and a renewed sense of creative potential in an atmosphere of mentorship and community. FOUNDATION HOUSE ARTIST RESIDENCY
https://www.foundationhousect.org/
Deadline December 3, 2023. Foundation House, located in back country Greenwich, CT, will open its doors for 10 days to six residents, allowing residents the time and space for concentrated creation in beautiful and inspiring surroundings. Foundation House’s mission as a non profit center for learning is to focus on
health, wellness, the environment, and social justice. To that end, we will host residencies, workshops, lectures and other meaningful gatherings on these topics. Each resident will be given a stipend, private bedroom and private or semi-private bathroom, all meals plus full kitchen access, and access to studio space, a wide variety of common areas, and 75 acres of land to explore and enjoy. ANDERSON CENTER RESIDENCIES
https://www.andersoncenter.org/residency-program/
Deadline January 9, 2024. Anderson Center at Tower View provides residencies of two to four weeks’ duration from May through October each year to enable artists, writers, musicians,
and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment to create, advance, or complete work. There are typically five residents at the Anderson Center at a time, and the organization hosts approximately 35-40 residents each year. HAMBIDGE RESIDENCIES
https://www.hambidge.org/guidelines-apply
Deadline January 15, 2024. The oldest residency program in Rabun Gap, Georgia, Hambidge provides a self-directed program that honors the creative process and trusts individuals to know what they need to cultivate their talent, whether it’s to work and produce, to think, to experiment or to rejuvenate. Residents’ time
is their own; there are no workshops, critiques, nor required activities. VOLLAND RESIDENCIES
https://vollandfoundation.org/2024-volland-residencies/
Dealdine January
19, 2024. About 100 miles west of Kansas City, Volland is located in one of the most picturesque valleys in the Flint Hills of Kansas. We are looking for applicants in all stages of their career (emerging, mid-level, professional) and all areas of the globe: local, national and international. Provides housing and a $500/two-week or $1000/four-week stipend. MASSACHUSETTS GRANTS FOR CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS
https://massculturalcouncil.org/artists-art/grants-for-creative-individuals/
Deadline December 11, 2023. Grants for Creative Individuals are unrestricted grants of $5,000 to Massachusetts artists,
culture bearers, and creative practitioners to equitably advance creative expression throughout our diverse communities. GOOD BEER HUNTING
https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/pitch
We work with writers from all over the world to create compelling, timely, definitive stories about beer, drinking
cultures, and adjacent issues and lifestyles. Currently seeking stories that explore nature as a character. Payment estimated $700. NEVERMIND MEDIA
https://nevermind.fm/
Accepting pitches for more episodes in
2024. If you love writing about music, history, or doing deep dives, DM Courtney Smith, Podcast Producer at https://twitter.com/courtneyesmith. Current rate is $500 for writing a 20 to 30 minute episode. A team handles production and sound design and pay to send the writer into a studio near them to record. Anyone who wants to pitch
should send samples of podcast scripts, features, or longform. NEW YORK FOCUS
https://nysfocus.com/pitch
New York Focus is an independent nonprofit newsroom investigating power. Their goal is to help
rebuild a local news ecosystem that has faced years of relentless cuts. Pitch your idea by emailing editor@nysfocus.com. Our standard rate is $800 per story. Larger investigative projects may negotiate a higher fee. Short news pieces or opinion pieces may receive less. Your pitch shouldn’t sound like a press release. New York Focus stories rely on original reporting from firsthand
sources, and they seek to uncover something new — usually something that someone in power doesn’t want publicized. REMEZCLA
https://remezcla.com/
Very grounded in our mission to be the most progressive media
brand that puts emerging Latin culture on the map. Right now looking for Latine freelance beauty and fashion writers to add to their roster at Remezcla. If interested, please email Thatiana Diaz, Editor in Chief at thatiana@remezcla.com! ONLY Latine/x writers, please. LONDON SPY
https://www.thelondonspy.co.uk/
They’re really open to anything — news, features, culture, or just plain weird stuff. Anything that’s important to the people who actually live and work in this great but at times difficult city of London. Things are in flux, but right now we’re planning to pay roughly £200 per commission, depending on the length of the copy and amount of sleuthing
involved. If that tickles your fancy, send your pitches to londonspy@substack.com. Pays £200. MIDWEST WRITING CENTER ANTHOLOGY
https://www.mwcqc.org/events/call-for-submissions-on-the-theme-of-radical-hospitality-paid-opportunity/
Deadline December 15, 2023. Theme Radical Hospitality. For this project, we are looking for submissions of poetry (30 lines max.) and flash prose (fiction or nonfiction, 500 words max.). MWC will select the strongest 20-30 works for publication in an anthology, to be published by MWC Press in April 2024. All
contributors to the anthology will receive $100 to their work in addition to two copies of the anthology, and the opportunity to record their work for a podcast. All contributors will have the opportunity to read their work during the "Speak Your Peace" event at Galvin Fine Arts on Friday, January 26, where they will have a chance to win up to $500 in a contest decided by audience members. ETHICOOL
https://ethicool.com/pages/childrens-book-publishing
Open to submissions. Your manuscript must be 1000 words or less. Your book must be written for
children aged 8 years or younger. Your book is intended to be a picture story book. You have thoroughly edited your manuscript (no typos, please!). Your book hasn't been published elsewhere (including self-published).
AT BAY PRESS
https://atbaypress.com/submissions
At Bay Press is a literary publisher. We are only interested in literary fiction and literary non-fiction—including poetry. We do publish literary mysteries, thrillers, and noir and are interested in quality submissions in the science fiction, fantasy and graphic novel genres as well. BETWEEN THE LINES PRESS
https://btlbooks.com/publish-with-us
Between the Lines publishes non-fiction books in the following subject areas: politics and public policy, social issues, activism and social movements, development studies, critical race studies, Indigenous issues, history, sociology, popular
education, the environment, gender and sexuality, social work, labour, globalization, criminology, technology, media, and culture. INVISIBLE PUBLISHING
https://invisiblepublishing.com/submissions/
Invisible publishes contemporary literary fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. All narrative works with contemporary themes will be considered, however, we are not interested in children’s or YA projects, historical fiction, memoirs, or self-help books. INDIAN INK PUBLISHING
https://indianink.ca/submit/
Canadian voices are wildly diverse, this is why Indian Ink Publishing is committed to promoting CanLit and are primarily invested in publishing the work of Canadian writers. We are currently accepting completed manuscript submissions for literary fiction, trade fiction, and creative non-fiction from emerging and established writers. We are looking for
storytelling that is bold, and has the ability to both unravel the reader and make them feel right at home.
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
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