VOLUME 24, ISSUE 20 | MAY 10, 2024 |
The BARISTA I went in for my regular large hot latte light whip today, and once again saw the new barista who started work last weekend. He's young, eager, his future spread out ahead of him, and he's refreshing to talk to. All those young people are there. Sometimes I go in there just to feel cool, because
they are. It's peaceful, each person welcoming the likes of whomever comes in next. Anyway, he'd learned that I was the author who sold the mysteries. "I'm trying to be a writer," he said. "High fantasy." "Great," I
said. "Good luck to you." "I'm trying to learn how to write everyday," he said. "It's not easy." "Think of it like a job. I know you don't like thinking of your joy like it's a job, but you report to the job each day . . . why not your writing?" "Oh," he said. "I have a long way before I can call it a job." "It starts by showing up. Not just writing when you feel like it. That's called a hobby. You decide over time which one it becomes." Now he thinks I'm awesome, when all I said was only you can decide when you take it serious. |
Calling all writers: Ploughshares Emerging Writer's Contest is NOW OPEN! Featuring judges Dantiel W. Moniz for fiction, Porsha Olayiwola for poetry, and Augusten Burroughs for
nonfiction.
Submit your fiction, nonfiction, or poetry for the chance to win $2,000, publication in Ploughshares, and a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management.
Ploughshares is a quarterly literary journal that publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by award-winning writers. Our issues have been guest edited by talents
such as Tracy K. Smith, Celeste Ng, Tess Gallagher, and more.
ON TIME RUNNING OUT Ah! how could I possibly quit the world before bringing forth all that I felt it was my vocation to produce? ~Ludwig van Beethoven (December 16,
1770–March 26, 1827) I've always loved Beethoven. After 5 years of lessons as a child, he is one I remember most. All that musical brilliance given to someone ironically destined to lose the ear to hear it. But nobody denied that he didn't spend every minute of the time he had creating the best he could, as often as could, to leave behind a legacy of
genius. You do not know today what you can amount to in ten years, twenty, or more. All you can do is give it your best today, then better tomorrow, then the next. Stopping and saying that it'll never happen only serves to prove you right. It can't happen without you diligently chipping away at improving. Most of the time success happens when you don't expect it, because you're too busy getting better at what you do. When you constantly hunt for it, you waste energy that best could be used to hone your craft. Beethoven saw his life as a limited commodity, and his duty to make the most of it. He did. TAKE THE NEXT STEP A free goal-setting workshop for writers You have a writing project. What is it, and where are you in the process? How are you making time to move your project forward? In this free workshop, we'll talk about where you are on your writing journey, take a hard look at your writing habits (or lack thereof) and
determine a specific next step you can take to move your writing project (or your writing routine in general) forward. Join creative nonfiction writer, editor and writing coach Kate Meadows online on Saturday, June 1, at 9 a.m. MT (11 a.m. EST) for a jam-packed session of reflection, planning and learning how to make progress with your writing project or
writing routine. Sign up at https://event.webinarjam.com/register/35/1vv6gupo Let's crush your next writing goal together! Kate Meadows is a published writer, proven editor and passionate writing coach with an MFA in Professional Writing. Learn more at www.katemeadows.com. Kate Meadows Writing & Editing Share your story. Bring your idea to life. Reach more people. -May 16, 2024 - Timberlake Book Club, Chapin, SC - 6-8 PM -May 21, 2024
- Signing and luncheon, Florence Library, 154 S. Dargan St, Florence, SC - 11:30 - 1:00 - reserve a seat. -May 25, 2024 - Book Signing, The Coffee Shelf, 130 Amicks
Ferry Rd, Chapin, SC - 8AM-NOON. -May 29, 2024 - A Moveable Feast, presenter C. Hope Clark, Quigley's Pint & Plate, 257 Willbrook Blvd, Pawley's Island, SC - 11AM - 1PM - sign up here -June 1-8, 2024 - The Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine - writer-in-residence -June 13, 2024 - Edisto Island Bookstore - Highway 174, Edisto Island, SC - 3-5 PM
-June 22, 2024 - Richland County Library, Ballentine, 1200 Dutch Fork Rd, Irmo, SC - 2:30-3:30 PM - July 9, 2024 - South Congaree-Pine Ridge Branch Library, 200 Sunset Dr, West Columbia, SC 29172 - 5:30-7:00 PM -October 5-12, 2024 - Edisto Bookstore, exact dates in that week TBD -November TBD, 2024 - Irmo Chapin Holiday Market, Chapin, SC - 8AM - 2PM -May 17, 2025 - Pelion Library Book Club206 Pine St, Pelion, SC, Saturday, 1-2PM
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. "Yes, I have tricks in my pocket, I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion.” ~ Tennessee Williams in The Glass Menagerie Hi, Hope, Earlier this year on FundsforWriters, I read about the de Groot Foundation, an organization that invests in writers and the literary arts. I had never heard of them before and
without your website, I never would have known they existed. I was recently chosen as one of the 2024 Courage to Write grantees by de Groot to assist me in completing my second novel, Granny Panties. This is not the first time I have had cause to thank you. In 2019, I read about Regal House Publishing on FundsforWriters and I submitted my
first novel, Angels Unaware, which they published in 2021. Again, before seeing it on your website, I had never heard of Regal House before. It's not an exaggeration to say that I owe almost all my success so far to FundsforWriters. Every Friday, I find new places to send my writing and I continue to submit; so you may be hearing me say 'thank you' again soon! Thank you so much for producing your wonderful resource for
writers! Lisa DeAngelis
Lisa's website: authorlisadeangelis.wordpress.com <<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >>
|
20 Questions to Ask Yourself as You Write Your First Picture Book
|
|
By Cara J. Stevens I became a book coach because helping people realize their writing dream lights me up inside. When I first started out, I accepted books across all genres, but over time, I limited my clients to children's book authors, adult self-help authors, and non-fiction books about
craft. Authors of most genres have a general sense of what goes into their style of book. That is, most genres except for picture books. The reason is usually because the book ideas come from a place of wanting to tell a story from their own adult perspective rather than from a child's experience. After
five years of working with first-time authors, I created a 20-point checklist for first-time picture book authors to ensure they are hitting all the right beats before they move forward with their manuscript. Part of creating the list was self-serving, as it's so much easier to hand an author a checklist before they come to me with a manuscript. But the points also helped me narrow down what I was looking for in a manuscript and helped me hone the advice I give. I've presented the list to
several audiences of aspiring picture book authors and compiled it into a book as well. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BY25RM57 Each year, the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators holds a
contest. The prize is a six-month mentorship. In 2023, I was honored to be selected as the Mentor. The competition was tough; I received so many great submissions. In the end, one manuscript rose above the rest: Dr. Jeff Creely's "If You Are a Crocodile". Jeff and I worked together from March through August, connecting weekly and going through the structure of the picture book checklist on his crocodile story and others. His words recapping the mentorship <https://scbwikitetales.com/2024/01/24/attention-illustrators-scbwi-l-a-s-mentorship-contest-opens-sunday/#more-10397> touched my heart: "Though I loved my manuscript, Cara urged me to scrutinize every sentence, every phrase, every word, to ensure each contributed meaningfully to the narrative. When I compare the draft I first sent to Cara with the finished manuscript after six months together, I'm amazed by the changes. It is now what I always wished it to be." I've received similar
feedback <https://carajstevens.com/testimonials> from other authors I've mentored over the years. I hope this checklist can help guide you as you make your way from idea to final manuscript, whatever you're working
on. · You have a clear picture of your ideal reader
· You can describe your story in one sentence
· You know WHY you wrote this particular story
· You've written a draft simply telling yourself the plot
· The plot drives the story
· Your characters' world or world view changes in the end
· You've empowered your main character to find their own solutions
· You have read a LOT of picture books while writing
· Your story isn't preachy or moralistic
·
You understand and follow picture book standards for word count and length
· Your story is unique and your personal voice shines through
· Your story includes an element of surprise
·
Your storytelling evokes an emotional response in your reader
· The story and language are clear and relatable to a young child
· You use details to show what happens instead of telling the reader about it
· You use words efficiently
· It reads smoothly when read aloud
· The time frame and sequence of events make sense
· Your manuscript is clean and
error-free Once you've checked all these boxes, share your story with someone who can help you bring your vision to life, whether it's an editor, agent, book coach, or designer. Good luck and happy writing! Bio: Cara J. Stevens has authored more than 80 books based on video games, pop-culture
trends, and beloved children's characters. Her background in early childhood education and media studies combines with her love of reading and a passion for literacy to fuel her work guiding aspiring authors of all ages. She has a weekly column in on Medium, where she offers writing craft advice and hosts the new podcast "Writegeist". She offers editing services, writing mentorships and workshops for teens and adults via her website carajstevens.com.
|
EMERALD THEATRE COMPANY’S 7th 10-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL http://www.etcmemphistheater.com $15 ENTRY FEE, Deadline May 31, 2024. Ten minutes in length, ten pages maximum, no more than three characters and a theme. Remember When... choose any decade and reference any significant moment from that decade. Work must be original and unproduced. Minimal sets required. Send two printed
copies. The cover page should only have the play’s title and what decade is represented. On a separate page include playwright’s name, address, phone and email. These do not count in the 10 pages. Winners contacted July 1, 2024. Festival is September 2024. Payment can be sent via Cash App: $EmeraldTheatreMphs or check with manuscript. If sending payment by cash app, you can also send script electronically. First prize $100 and a medal plys stage performance. Second price
$50 and a medal plus stage performance. Third prize, a medal and stage performance. A total of ten plays will be performed. Mail: Hal Harmon, c/o ETC, 1402 Linden Ave., Memphis, TN 38104 or email emeraldtheatrecompany@gmail.com STEPHEN SPENDER PRIZE
https://www.stephen-spender.org/stephen-spender-prize/
£10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2024. Translate ANY poem from ANY language into English, and win
publication and cash prizes! Budding poets of all stripes are warmly invited to take part in the 2024 Stephen Spender Prize for poetry in translation, open to adults aged 18+ from all over the world. Prize: £1000 (1st); £500 (2nd); £250 (3rd). -1000 BELOW: FLASH PROSE AND POETRY CONTEST
https://midwayjournal.com/contest/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 1, 2024. 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): one piece per entry, up to 1,000 words per piece. All submissions will be considered for publication. GEMINI MAGAZINE FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://gemini-magazine.com/flash-fiction-contest-2024/
$8 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2024. Limit 1000 words. First Prize: $1,000. Second Prize: $100. Four Honorable Mentions: $25. Any subject or style. BLACK FOX
LITERARY MAGAZINE FOX TALES PRIZE
https://blackfoxlit.submittable.com/submit
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 2, 2024. The theme for this round is “Montage of Misfortunes.” Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or
poetry, and we will choose one winner that interprets the theme best. The prize is $300 and print publication in the Summer 2024 issue. All submissions are considered for print publication in the Summer 2024 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. INTERNATIONAL VOICES IN CREATIVE NONFICTION COMPETITION
https://www.vineleavespress.com/international-voices-in-cnf.html
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 1, 2024. The
competition is open to writers worldwide. Submissions must be in English and unpublished (that includes self-published). Submissions written by AI will be disqualified. If the manuscript is narrative in nature (i.e. a memoir) then the length should be between 50,000 – 80,000 words. If the manuscript is experimental in nature (i.e. not straight prose, could be vignettes, poetry, or a mix), it should be at least 100 pages long. Winner receives $1,000 and publication. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING AWESOME GRANTS
https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/about_us
The Awesome Foundation is a global community advancing the interest of awesome in the universe, $1000 at a time. Each fully autonomous chapter supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. These micro-grants, $1000 or the local equivalent, come out of pockets of the chapter's "trustees" and are given on a no-strings-attached basis to people and groups working on awesome projects. RHODE ISLAND STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS
https://arts.ri.gov/grants/general-operating-support-artists
Deadline July 1, 2024.
General Operating Support for Artists provides grants for artists to work toward larger, self-identified goals in their art practice. This funding is unrestricted, meaning artists can use the funds to support their goals however they need. Award Amount: $6,000 per year, for three years. Must line in Rhode Island.
THE TINY CUPBOARD
https://thetinycupboard111.lpages.co/create-content-for-us/
Make a funny video sketch for us and we'll pay you $100. Must be about some aspect of living/being in Brooklyn or NYC; and must come from someone who regularly creates/posts funny video sketches on social media. Write a 500 word article for us and we'll pay you $75. Details for article: 500-1000 words and must be something insightful and original about stand up comedy for us to post to social media. CHRONICLE BOOKS FREELANCE
https://www.chroniclebooks.com/pages/submissions
We often hire freelance writers for book projects, particularly in
humor, pop-culture, or other specialized categories, and occasionally for non-book formats with written content, such as decks, guided journals, or other gift products. If you are interested in being considered for contract writing work on our projects, please send your website portfolio address to submissions@chroniclebooks.com. Please particularly call out any writing with a long-form focus, and if you have a particular field of experience or are passionate about a particular topic, please
share. NORTH STAR EDITIONS SEEKING WORKERS FOR HIRE
https://jollyfishpress.com/submissions/
North Star
Editions welcomes applications from authors interested in producing manuscripts on a work-for-hire basis. Under this arrangement, NSE offers a flat fee for a writing project that adheres to specifications we provide. Topics will be assigned by our staff and may include writing under a pen name assigned by NSE. INTERNET BRANDS PUBLISHING SEEKS TRAVEL
WRITERS
https://www.ibpublishing.com/apply/travel
Looking for freelance writers who can keep Pacific Time office hours to write approximately 300-word news briefs at $35 a pop (usually 1-2 stories a day). We provide the story, you provide
the content. Must be able to provide a quick turn around on assignments. Easy cash for writers already working at their desks. Aviation and travel experience or interest a plus. Check us out at FlyerTalk.com. BLACKLIGHT
https://amsterdamnews.com/work-with-us/
The Blacklight, the NY Amsterdam News’ investigative unit, is looking for experienced freelance journalists. We primarily work with journalists based in the NYC area but we are also open to pitches from journalists based outside the region. However, we require all our freelance journalists to have a minimum of five years of experience
AND a connection to, understanding of, or experience reporting on Black and brown communities in the United States and/or New York City. Pays up to $2/word. RABINER LITERARY AGENCY
https://www.rabinerlit.com/
Representing memoir and
narrative nonfiction by established journalists and prize-winning creative writers, and big-idea books in history, biography, the arts and sciences, current affairs and popular culture by scholars, scientists, and public intellectuals. LEIGH FELDMAN LITERARY AGENCY
https://lfliterary.com/
LF Literary is particularly interested in: historical fiction, contemporary YA, literary fiction, memoir, and narrative non-fiction. Genres LF Literary is not interested in include: adult and YA paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, romance, thrillers, mysteries, or picture
books. VERITAS LITERARY AGENCY
https://www.veritasliterary.com/
Veritas is a full-service literary agency
representing both fiction and nonfiction. Founded on the premise that literature is one of the best vehicles for truth—both artistic and literal—the agency cultivates strong, innovative books that extend the boundaries of thought and expression. LESHNE AGENCY https://leshneagency.com/
Especially interested in: Narrative and prescriptive non-fiction, with a particular interest in social justice, women’s issues, and underrepresented voices; Sports, health, business, political and pop-culture topics; Exceptional commercial and literary fiction, and select illustrated,
graphic novels, young adult, middle-grade and children’s books. NOT interested in: Screenplays, Scripts, Poetry, Mystery, Science Fiction.
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 2000-2024, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326 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. All must be paying opportunities. Contests must pay a minimum of $200 first place. Submit potential listings to hope@chopeclark.com **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. | |
|
|
|
