VOLUME 24, ISSUE 30 | july 19, 2024 |
In the Mood to
Write I entered the coffee shop for my daily latte (yeah, a weakness, but no flavors and minimal carbs, y'all), and ran into the barista who writes. He said he managed 600 words the day before, but he was struggling to make himself move forward without looking at and editing the words already on the page. He wanted to dabble in the already written words, and he had been told that was
wrong. - There is a zero right way to write.
- You can vomit it all on the page for a hundred thousand words then decide to go back and make tighter sense of it all.
- You can write 600 words then edit those 600 words before moving on.
- You can write
daily.
- You can write when you can.
- You can write the ending first and the beginning last.
He was seeking the right way to write, thinking that it made a difference in the quality of the writing. Oh, and did I say this was his first book? I told him I edited as I went, too. Just don't get hung up that it has to be perfect before you move forward. He should remind himself to keep moving forward. A lot of books don't get written for fear of not getting the words, the story, or the beauty correct. Write it in whatever manner you wish. Just keep writing. |
LEAPING AT ARTICLE IDEAS
In our success story today (see below), T. Jensen Lacey had a curious thought, dared ask for an interview, and dared pitch the piece. See what resulted. Her daring-do got her a fantastic assignment. I once noticed a turf grass magazine. Keep in mind my degree is in agronomy, so there are still areas in the field that catch my eye. I had the idea to investigate odd ideas centered around turf management and came up with two ideas. One about green areas grown atop of university buildings for environmental and aesthetics, and the other about how to properly maintain cemeteries. Both sold. It's a matter of watching the world and seeing it in terms of feature stories. How do they do that?
Why do they do that?
What made they think like that?
What if they didn't do
that? Just basic questions like these can open your eyes to feature pieces that many magazines would embrace. Feature pieces are about seeing the magic, creativity, and intelligence in the world. They don't drop in your lap. They are all around you. You have to possess (or develop) the mentality that
everything in your path is fodder for a story. A man once knocked on my door, asking if he could offer advice on installing my new lawn (we'd just moved in). I let him talk. He spoke to me like I was some 50s television stay-at-home mom who just put dinner on the table everyday. Once he finished his talk-down-to-me spiel, I told him I had an agronomy degree, that the colors of flowers weren't as
important as the texture and ease of maintenance, and would he explain the soil composition to me so I'd have a better handle on how to manage my yard once it was installed. He was legitimately stymied, and I loved doing that to him. I did, however, ask him to start over and speak to me as if I had some intelligence. He did. He got the job. And I immediately went inside and pitched the story about
"Know Your Customer Before You Open Your Mouth" to a landscaping magazine. They bought it that day for one of their columns. This is how a freelance writer lives. They wake up seeing the world as opportunity for story. It's all about seeing the story.
-October 5-12, 2024 - Edisto Bookstore, exact dates in that week TBD -October 5-12, 2024 - Edisto Island Library, Hwy 174, exact dates in that week TBD -October 28, 2024 - St. Andrews Church Women's Club, 6952 St. Andrews Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29212 - 2PM (tentative) -October 29-30, 2024 - South Carolina Library Association's Annual Conference, Columbia Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln St, Columbia, SC 29201 - TBD -November 23, 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.
"Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose."
—G.K. Nielson Hello, Hope, And let me say what an inspiration you've been to me! Here's my (latest) success story. While we were out for a boat cruise, I saw a company operating on the nearby InterCoastalWaterway (ICW). They were called "Reefmaker." I was curious. I reached out to them to learn more about this environmentally-friendly maker of reefs. After a bit of research about how they made their reefs, I queried a glossy magazine into which I'd been "itching" to get my work, giving them an article proposal. A bit to my surprise, they gave me the assignment! Writing this was definitely out of my proverbial comfort zone: the editor wanted me to go out on Reefmaker's vessel and write about how they deployed these 36,000-pound reefs. I didn't know any of the crew, and it was going to be nearly 24 hours on the
vessel 45 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.
I pushed back my self-doubts and uncertainties, though, and wrote a detailed account of the day's work for this amazing crew. The editor accepted the article with very miniscule changes! You'll find it in the July issue of Mobile Bay Magazine (online and print).
My
advice? Face your self-doubts and silence the inner voice that says "I can't" or "I shouldn't." You will grow as a writer every time! Best,
T. (Theresa) Jensen Lacey
Author of 23 books, contributor to 17 anthologies and now journalist to (nearly) 900 articles for newspapers and magazines
www.TJensenLacey.com
<<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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Exploring Niche Writing (from a Card Player’s Perspective)
By Alex J. Coyne Writers with experience in specific subjects are encouraged to use their niche, especially when breaking into the writing world. Holly Lisle used nursing experience for her debut novel Sympathy for the Devil, Justin Gustainis
turned bodyguarding experience to supernatural fiction for Black Magic Woman -- and if you know more about a topic than other authors, freelancing could help pay your bills. Here’s how you can write what you know, illustrated with my journey through playing card writing. Blogging Reaches Readers Not only readers but also possibly publishers and agents.
I started writing posts for BridgeBlogging in 2017. A publisher later got in touch with a longer job offer - and today, the site is part of a larger company that I’ve often written for. The Niche My first bridge article introduced me to a wonderful editor. We wrote more features over several years and the connection stuck. I remember that it started with that first post, and the phrase: “Sold!”
Persist and pitch. Then over time, as I published more, I was introduced to publications like IntoBridge via its readership. Message boards (like BridgeWinners) and discussions like Reddit are clues to your niche’s roadmap. What are people reading or following? Track its most active markets. Subscribe: Become a Fan First Newsletters, groups, and
associations point to active paying writing markets. Subscribe to the 10 to 15 most popular newsletters in your niche and become a fan. A subscription to the International Bridge Press Association led to me writing card-related features for publications like the American Bridge Teachers’ Association and Bridge Canada. Follow newsletters, and pay attention to its Editorial, Writers, Publisher, and advertising
page. These are all leads, contacts, or markets with potential. Writing a Column I ended up writing a column for one of the biggest websites in card playing, Bridge Base Online. The job only happened when I’d published in the niche often enough to become familiar to readers, so that when I pitched a column, I had name recognition in the arena. I approached its editorial with a column idea,
modernizing bridge for internet playing. They liked it and asked for a first post. Want to write a column in your niche? Strong samples give you the best chance of securing higher-end, better contracts. Those samples equate to name recognition. Features and Interviews Here’s a secret: never go quiet. An absence from niche markets means readers forget
to care or even remember you. Always be present somewhere with regular posts, publication, or other content (like lessons). Be frequently published, syndicated, or reprinted. Keep talking to your contacts, even if they aren’t hiring right now. I’ve published in Bridge Canada Magazine (“The cutthroat world of professional bridge”), Gifts for Card Players (“Bridge for fun”), BridgeScanner (“World Bridge Tour”),
and the World Computer Bridge Championships. How? By spending three years straight pitching, negotiating, and contacting bridge markets. Other Private Jobs Niche experience (like card playing) blends well with traditional writing experience (like editing). Anywhere your “street cred” or qualifications give you the market advantage, use
it. I’ve branched into private writing jobs with a card playing slant, like proofreading for the American Bridge Teachers’ Association. The same way, I’ve connected with Professor Samantha Punch over mindsports and academic studies for promoting and proofreading bridge content. Writing is NOT the only viable income in your niche. About Bridge (for Other
Markets) Niche experience sometimes sells to other mainstream markets. Insider angles strengthen your pitch. I’ve written about playing cards for Writers Write and the newspaper The South African (“Bridge: Bill Gates’ favourite card game”). I’ve also relied on cardistry experience for features in Gifts for Card Players (“Magic: The Gathering”), Geek Native (“Mystery Board Games”), and The South
African. Niche writing for mainstream markets is a great perspective if you ask: what would others want to know? Roald Dahl wrote “My Lady Love, My Dove” with his bridge experience, and the game makes an appearance in many Agatha Christie Mysteries. You don’t have to be a bridge player to appreciate the greater story: that’s how you blend mainstream and niche writing. About the Author: Alex J. Coyne journalist, author and proofreader. He has written for a variety of publications and websites, with a radar calibrated for gothic, gonzo and the weird. Sometimes, he co-writes with others.
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MSLEXIA FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/flash-fiction/womens-fiction-competition-2024-flash-fiction/
£6 ENTRY
FEE. Deadline September 23, 2024. The winner will receive £500. Three additional finalists will each receive £50. The winning entry and three finalists will be published in the December 2024 edition of Mslexia. The winning entry, three finalists and eight additional shortlisted stories will also appear in Mslexia’s ebook anthology, Best Women’s Short Fiction 2024, which will be published in December 2024. Our competition is for unpublished complete short fiction of up to 300
words. OMNIDAWN POETRY OPEN BOOK CONTEST
https://omnidawn.submittable.com/submit
$30 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 16, 2024. The winner wins a cash prize ($3,000 for the 1st/2nd Book and Open Contest, $1,000 for
the Chapbook Contest), publication of the book by Omnidawn with a full color cover (unless the author prefers black and white), 20 free copies of the winning book, and extensive publicity through our newsletters and social media channels. There are no citizenship requirements or limitations. CONNECTICUT POETRY SOCIETY EXPERIMENTAL POETRY CONTEST
https://ctpoetry.net/experimental-poetry.html
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2024. Pays $1,000 and publication in the Connecticut River Review to the winner. Up to four finalists. Entry fee allowed three poems. Must be a new, experimental form. RED
WHEELBARROW POETRY PRIZE
https://deanza.edu/english/creative-writing/red-wheelbarrow.html
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2024. Three prizes: $1,000, $500, $250. Winners & Finalists published in Red Wheelbarrow. Submit up to three original unpublished poems at Submittable.com.
Each poem must fit onto one 8.5 x 11 page. Entry fee allows up to three poems. THE SEWANEE REVIEW FICTION, POETRY AND NONFICTION CONTEST
https://thesewaneereview.com/contest
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2024.
Submit a short story or a creative nonfiction essay of up to 10K words or a set of one to six poems. Winners in each category receive $1,000 and publication in the Spring 2025 issue. Entrants receive a one-year subscription. MSLEXIA NOVEL (CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT) CONTEST
https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/childrens-and-ya-novel/
£26 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 23, 2024. Submit the opening 3,000 words of your novel for children or young adult readers. Your novel must be at least 20,000 words, and our competition is open to women who are not yet published as novelist - self-published authors are eligible providing you've had fewer than 500 sales. First prize £5,000. Finalists
receive manuscript feedback from The Literary Consultancy and personal introductions to literary agents arranged in partnership with New Writing North. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING GREATER PITTSBURGH ARTS COUNCIL ARTIST INCOME RECOVERY GRANT
https://www.pittsburghartscouncil.org/page/artist-income-recovery-grant
Deadline August 1,
2024. Applications for the Artist Income Recovery grant are now open. If you're an artist or arts worker in Allegheny, Greene, Beaver, or Washington counties in PA, you may be eligible for a $3,000 grant to support your recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 80 grants will be awarded through this program, thanks to support from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, and 51% of the funds available for distribution will be reserved for Black, Indigenous, or
persons of color. AXS FILM FUND
https://www.axsfilmfund.org/
Deadline July 31, 2024. AXS Film Fund strives to support independent documentary filmmakers and nonfiction new media creators of color living with disabilities
in their endeavors to tell stories, make films, and create content. Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to up to five creators to assist them in finishing their projects in any stage of production. JUNEAU COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INDIVIDUAL ARTIST AWARD PROGRAM
https://www.juneaucf.org/announcements/juneau-community-foundations-arts-vibrancy-endowment-2024-individual-artist-award-application-is-available/
Deadline August 15. 2024. The program offers four awards at $2,500 each and one $5,000 award. Artists
working in art forms and idioms including, but not limited to, visual arts, dance, music, fabric arts, photography, theater, and literary arts are eligible. To be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years or older and a full-time Juneau resident, living in the city and borough of Juneau for the past two years at the time of the application, and remain a resident for the duration of the grant period. ESCAPE 2 CREATE RESIDENCIES
https://www.escape2create.org/about1
Deadline July 31, 2024. Located in Seaside, Florida, Escape to Create is a residency for artists of all disciplines. Offering monthlong residencies in the months of January and February, residents receive honorariums and
free housing.
OREGON HUMANITIES
https://oregonhumanities.org/rll/magazine/
Deadline August 5, 2024. For the Winter 2025 issue of Oregon Humanities, we’re looking for stories about waterways in and around Oregon and the ways they affect and are affected by the people and communities that live, work, travel, and play on, in, and along them. We welcome all forms of nonfiction writing, including essays, journalism, and excerpts from forthcoming or recently published books. Features
generally range between 1,500 and 4,000 words. All contributors are paid between $750 and $1,500, depending on the length and complexity of the piece. Submit to editors@oregonhumanities.org REST OF WORLD
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQJlWJKxFoc256qmuxK6nt9fUum2Eoy_EcsZn-mHvI0/edit
Rest of World is a non-profit award-winning international publication that challenges expectations about whose experiences with technology matter. Looking for accessible and engaging, rigorously reported and fact-checked stories of between 800-1300 words. Send a clear and concise pitch of no more than 400 words. Flat rate of US$750 plus
reporting expenses. AEON
https://aeon.co/pitch
Our signature format at Aeon is the Essay, a longform, deep dive into a topic, generally 2,500-5,000 words, presented from a unique angle, drawing together various strands of knowledge and
experience, and written with clarity and verve to make ideas accessible to a curious and intelligent general reader. Pays as much as $1,800 per article. NATIONAL SURVIVOR USER NETWORK
https://www.nsun.org.uk/news/pitch-us-mental-healthcare-in-a-failing-state/
Theme: Mental Healthcare in a Failing State. We’re interested in publishing several blogs by people with lived experience of mental ill-health, distress and trauma considering the topic of “mental healthcare in a failing state”, and the potential for change. In this context we use the word “state” to mean the Government of the United Kingdom, or, more
abstractly, “state” can mean the political and cultural climate which works across multiple institutions and bodies. We welcome discussion of state systems, bodies, and policies/legislation (such as mental health services, the benefits system/the DWP, and hostile environment policies). Payment to the writers of commissioned pieces will be £150. P&RAPRAXIS
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWmVcgA0M-GmhHRLe6vCZtcTykYLnunmTK_-QTmEAqdawANQ/viewform
We are actively seeking pitches for Issue 06: Resistances (Summer 2025) and for our (un-themed) website, where we do not adhere to any theme. Pieces for web are on rolling deadlines; pieces for
Issue 06 would be due in December. We commission in many categories, some of which are pretty standard (book and arts reviews, features, political/social reportage, etc.) and some of which are our own (like "Clinical Conflict," or, anonymous testimony from analysts and patients). Print rates vary depending on length from $500-800. Web rates are a flat $500. We do not publish fiction or poetry. Parapraxis is a print and online magazine of psychoanalysis. PLANETIZEN
https://www.planetizen.com/Write-for-Planetizen
Planetizen has led the city and regional planning discourse for more than two decades, offering intrepid thinkers an opportunity to write and publish for an established platform with a
large, passionate audience. At our core, we are a community of planning intelligence that seeks to cut across political and disciplinary boundaries while expanding, informing, and empowering the community of people working to improve the built environment. Planetizen feature stories are longform (1,000–2,500 words). For professional writers (i.e., those for whom writing is their primary source of income), we pay a standard flat fee of $500 per feature or career-related article. Planetizen
Courses instructors are compensated $1,250 per 1-hour course and instructors from outside the LA metro region are provided a travel stipend to travel to our studio for filming.
LITERARY WANDERLUST
https://www.literarywanderlust.com/submissions/
Manuscript length should be 60,000 words to 100,000 words. Currently accepting in the following genres: Adult
Romance (all sub-genres and heat levels), Women's Fiction, Historical and Western Fiction, Adult Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, Adult Crime, Mystery, and Thriller Fiction, Adult LGBTQ, YA and Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. BRASH BOOKS
https://www.brash-books.com/about/
We publish the books that we love – the widely-acclaimed, award-winning novels that have inspired, entertained, and wowed countless readers as well as today’s bestselling authors of thrillers and mysteries. We also publish innovative whodunits, espionage adventures and novels of suspense from well-established authors and exciting, new voices in crime fiction. HERA
https://www.herabooks.com/submissions/
We're looking for crime and thriller, romance, saga and general fiction of at least 80,000 words. Please note we are not publishing non fiction, young adult or children’s fiction, poetry, science fiction and
fantasy or short stories. Please send a one-page synopsis, the whole manuscript as a Word document and contact details to submissions@herabooks.com
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. | |
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