VOLUME 25, ISSUE 9 | February 28, 2025 |
SHUT UP ABOUT THE REJECTIONS ALREADY We are not defined by our rejections....or rather we shouldn't be. Nobody knows about them . . . or should. We ought to be defined by our efforts and success. Don't talk too much
about rejection, or about trying hard and not getting anywhere. Yet many people want to talk about how hard they've tried, how the process isn't fair (like anything is supposed to be fair). how many rejections they've achieved, or how many years they've invested into a manuscript that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Nobody wants to hear any of that. Except maybe others who want to fuss about not making it. Is that the energy you want to surround yourself with? When you live in a world where you define yourself by rejection, wasted hours invested, and an inability to make it, you become that person. You don't live for success. You wait for failure to happen, to appear around every
corner. Decide which you want, success or failure, positive or negative, and live it, strive for it, aspire to it. But to make excuses, to fuss about the unfairness of it all, to criticize Amazon and all the booksellers out there, to claim agents only sign up people who are connected, to
agonize about one-star reviews or complain about people who do not appreciate how many hours you spent at the keyboard, well, you might as well quit now. And honestly, by posting that stuff online, you are leaving a lasting imprint of failure that may come back to bite you. You paint yourself as a negative person. Talk success. Talk positive. Assuming you talk at all. Always be moving toward doing
well, not wasting energy to fuss. Quietly pursue your best. Why do anything but?
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Join the University of Dayton's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop for "The Virtual Erma: Stories of Our Lives Featuring Anne Lamott" on Saturday, April 5. The day includes a keynote address from Anne Lamott — pre-recorded and crafted exclusively for the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop — and five, live interactive writing
sessions, each led by a seasoned instructor who will help you reclaim your voice, write from the heart and bring vulnerability, purpose (and some humor) to your work. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, you'll leave with a renewed passion for your craft. Plus, all sessions will be recorded and available to attendees for at least six months, so you can revisit them whenever inspiration
strikes. Early bird rate: $109 (until March 15). After March 15: $119. Find the program and schedule here. Register here. A FREELANCE PORTFOLIO
I am a big fan of Colleen Welsch at The
Freelance Writer's Guide. She has a big personality, but she is down to earth as well and so darn full of common sense. If I were returning to fulltime freelance writing, she'd be the person I'd go to in order to get back on track. Thanks to a recent post of hers and lots of recent experience I've had from writers pitching FundsforWriters, I decided we needed a crash course in how to set up a freelance writer portfolio. You would be amazed at the
number of pitches I receive from people who have no website, no professional social media, and no online writing portfolio. They TELL me they are writers. They TELL me they've published elsewhere. They TELL me they've been freelancing for 5, 8, 10 years. However, without a hardcore search, I cannot find proof of same. I don't have time for that. So guess what I do? I reject them. I do not have time
to research a writer and find proof they are who they are, especially in these days of AI. Our features ask that the writer talk about writing success, and to write about the topic, they need to have walked the walk. To me, in my limited time, in my split-second, yes-or-no moment in reviewing a pitch, I fall on the side of rejection when I cannot see it right off the bat. So do 90 percent of the other editors out there. When pitching your work, make it easy for the reviewer to say yes. They have never met you. They are not required to believe you. They want a good topic, written well, with a bio with links that go straight to proof you are who you say you are. When you make them have to invest in seconds if not minutes in confirming your identity and experience, you increase your odds of a NO. So, after reading this article, I wanted to share it with you. If you are pitching articles, have an online presence. In this article, you'll learn how easy it is, whether you have tons of experience or just a teeny bit. Thank
me when you land a good gig. And see some examples here. NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSONS - SHOWDATE IS SEPTEMBER 2025
Seeking original vignettes inspired by the classic nursery rhyme: "Monday’s Child" Contest
Rules: No more than 10 minutes in length, 10 pages maximum, no more than 3 characters and a theme. Each vignette should focus on an adult who embodies a “child” from the rhyme below. Monday’s child is fair of face Tuesday’s child is full of grace Wednesday’s child is full of woe Thursday’s child has far to go Friday’s child is loving and giving Saturday’s child works hard for a living And the child that is born on the Sabbath day...Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay. 7 vignettes will be selected for production. No children’s theatre, musicals, or child-centered stories, please. Absurd,
Comedic, Dark, Dramatic, Farce, Tragedy...literal or figurative, that is up to you!! Work must be original and unproduced. Submission Rules: The cover page should only have the play’s title. On a separate page include playwrights name, address, phone and email. These do not count as part of the 10 pages. Please send scripts in a word document. The play's title should reflect the day of the week you are writing about. (Monday's Child, Thursday's Child or Sunday's Child/Child born on the Sabbath Day, etc. Entry Fee: $15 in a money order or check payable to Emerald Theatre Company OR sent via CashApp at
$EmeraldTheatreMphs. Entry fee covers production costs and printing of scripts. Deadline: May 31, 2025. Winners contacted and announced July 1, 2025, and the play festival is September 2025. Once payment is received and verified, playwrights will be notified, and scripts will be printed. Prizes : 1st - $100 plus a medal plus stage performances 2nd - $50 plus a medal, plus stage performances 3rd - a medal plus stage performance Full details at www.etcmemphistheater.com -March 18, 2025 - Readers and Writers Group, Lizards Thicket, 10170 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29229 - 11:30AM -March 22, 2025 - Writer's Digest Mystery/Thriller Writing Virtual Conference - "Person, Place, or Crime: Where to Start Your Mystery" - 1PM Eastern -March 29, 2025 - Book signing, The Coffee Shelf, 130 Amicks Ferry Rd, Chapin, SC - 8-11:30
AM. -March 29, 2025 - Read Freely Fest, Richland
County Library, 1431 Assembly St., Columbia, SC - 2:30 PM -April 23, 2025 - Artist 5 Show, Newberry Opera House, Newberry, SC - 6 PM Eastern - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC -May 3, 2025 -
Pelion Library Book Club, 206 Pine St, Pelion, SC, Saturday, 1-2PM Eastern -May 17, 2025 - Speaking of Writing Expo, New Bern, NC - 8-4:30PM Eastern - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC -June 7-14, 2025 - Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise.
"Start before you’re ready."
- Steven Pressfield Hi Hope, Thanks for your inspiring words and encouragement over the many years I’ve been a Funds for Writers subscriber. My latest novel, Bitter Thaw, received Honorable
Mention in Literary Fiction in the 2024 North Street Book Prize from Winning Writers. I’m pretty jazzed about it! While Bitter Thaw and my other two novels have won awards in historical fiction, this is a first in the literary category. I took a few creative risks
with Bitter Thaw, and this is just the validation I need to push the envelope a bit further with my next novel. The variety of opportunities in your newsletter helps me think outside the box and explore possibilities I might not have otherwise. It has helped me grow as a writer, and I’ll always be grateful. All the best, Jessica McCann, Award Winning Novelist
www.jessicamccann.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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Writing to Other Writers
By Alex J. Coyne I remember writing my first letter to author François Bloemhof in
2000. As a young author, I was delighted when he actually answered—and the feeling has never quite worn off when writing to other authors. Writing to another author grows your connections and knowledge whether thanking them, admiring them, or just exchanging like-minded ideas. Here’s why you should be regularly communicating to other writers. Ask for Unique Writing Advice Writing to authors you enjoy or admire could be the best way to answer your own, burning writing questions. I contacted award-winning author Jeffery Deaver (The Bone Collector, The Blue Nowhere) in 2016 asking for
some writing advice. I was so impressed that I used his answer in a piece later published in ReFiction. Best-selling author Deon Meyer revealed to me how he created fictional detective Benny Griessel for this article. If there’s something you want to know from a fellow writer or author, visit their website (or publisher), find the email address, and ask. Regardless how famous, they just might respond. On Paper Praise & Reviews François Bloemhof was the first author I asked to review my short story "Bully." I’ve always been proud of having an award-winning author’s thoughts on my first fiction publication: “I like this story – even if it’s not the type of tale that begs you to like it. Like its main character, the story is
stubborn and gets to the point.” Fellow authors can provide praise, reviews, and potential beta-reading. They can validate you in a way you don’t get from the average reader. However, connect with them first to ask if they would be interested in reading. Editing, Proofreading, & Writing Resources Letters to
other authors can share writing resources, talk about emerging work, or point you in the direction of useful editing or proofreading jobs. You should do the same for them, and they are likely to keep you in mind later. I’ve edited a handful of stories for Hermione Le Roux-Ellis. Someone introduced us as fellow authors, and upon talking, I learned she held a manuscript waiting to be edited.
Ask other authors about their day, but also remember to ask if you can do anything for them. They’ll remember the generosity.
Submission Calls and
Guidelines When spotting a good, fresh submission call or writing market, I like sharing it with some of the authors I know. My good manners coaxes them to keep an eye out for writing opportunities in turn. Hermione Le
Roux-Ellis contacted me with a fresh call for the future collection Just LGBTQ+. I not only submitted the perfect short story to them, but I also featured their submission call in a news feature I
penned. Correspond and pass forward good opportunities. They’ll likely do so in kind. Sometimes... You’re the Author People Write To Sometimes you’re the author people write to. You might be someone whose writing they’ve enjoyed, admired, or absolutely hated. Answer incoming correspondence from comments or
websites with tact and care: you’re representing your name and brand by stepping into correspondence. How would you like to be answered when writing to someone like King or Deaver? Imagine this when answering your own messages or comments. Oh, and be sure to reply. You just never know the door you might be opening, or the following you might be building. Correspondence is
Networking I first wrote to Raven Digitalis complimenting his book Goth Craft, and since then we’ve been writing letters back and forth for years. When he needed an
assistant to seek promotion opportunities for his new fiction collection Black Magick, I opened the dialogue about potential venues. Correspondence starting with that very first letter, made this later, quite powerful thing possible for my own career. Writing to other authors can also point you in the direction of new publishers and publications. I discovered Crystal Lake Publishing through writer friends, and later contracted to proofread a handful of their
releases. Correspondence is networking with lots of potential, and you could have a lot to gain by writing to authors you enjoy, admire, or just discovered. About the Author: Alex J. Coyne is a 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.
119781786 © Luis Louro | Dreamstime.com
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GUTSY GREAT NOVELIST CHAPTER ONE PRIZE $20 ENTRY FEE. Submissions open February 3 – Mar
3, 2025 (5PM ET). The Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is awarded for an outstanding opening chapter of an unpublished novel. First prize is $1,000; 2nd is $500; 3rd is $250. The prize is open internationally to anyone over 18 writing a novel in English in any genre for adult or YA readers. GEMINI SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://gemini-magazine.com/short-story-contest-2025/
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2025. First prize $1,000. Second prize $100. Three Honorable Mentions $25. Any subject, style or length. Entries must be unpublished. THE ALPINE PRIZE
https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 1, 2025. Awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of Fear. The winner and runners-up will receive financial support in the following amounts: First place: £3,000, Second place: £1,000, Third place: £1,000. All genres of writing are permitted, including fiction, non-fiction, and non-academic essays. Open to all nationalities.
Applicants must be aged 18 or above at the time of entry. All entries must be written in English. A maximum of 1,250 words per entry. SHORT GRAIN CONTEST
https://grainmagazine.ca/contests/short-grain
ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 1, 2025. The Short Grain Contest celebrates poetry and prose from across Canada and internationally. In addition to being published in Grain, cash prizes are available for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each genre. First $1000 & publication in Grain. Second $750 & publication in Grain. Third $500 & publication in Grain. The basic fee for Canadian entrants is $40 (including GST) for a maximum of two entries in one
category (i.e. two poems for the Poetry category, or two stories for the Fiction category). The fee for US entrants is $50 and the fee for international entrants is $60, payable in US or Canadian funds. SLOPE EDITIONS POETRY BOOK PRIZE CONTEST
https://www.slopeeditions.org/2025-book-prize
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 1, 2025. The winning poet will have their book of poems published in 2026 by Slope Editions and will receive $1000 and free copies of the book in lieu of royalties. Any poet living in the US and writing in English is eligible. Submit 40 to 90 pages. DARK POETS PRIZE
https://www.darkpoets.club/darkpoetsprize
£5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2025. This global poetry competition invites you to submit your most captivating poems that explore the beauty within darkness. The winner will
receive the prestigious title of International 'Dark Poets Prize', Edition III Winner and a cash prize of £500. Maximum of 250 words per poem. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING REPLENISH RESIDENCIES - SOUTHERN LOUISIANA
https://astudiointhewoods.org/apply-for-replenish-residencies-2025-26/
Deadline April 7, 2025. Replenish Residencies provide restorative visioning retreats to South Louisiana BIPOC artists and culture bearers. In light of the many racial disparities present in our society, and the arts economy specifically, A Studio in the Woods offers these residencies to provide time to rest and restore, vision, and create.
This call is open to BIPOC artists and culture bearers from South Louisiana Parishes who have not participated in an artist residency before. Recipients will be provided room and board, a $2,000 stipend, staff support and a $300 professional development budget to have a documentation session with a photographer, attend a workshop, or go on a field trip such as boat rides or eco/history tours. Residencies are one to two weeks in length, will take place between September 2025 and May
2026. NEBRASKA ARTS PROJECTS GRANTS
https://www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/apply/
Arts Project Grants support arts programming, productions or events open to the general public.
Support is limited to an arts project taking place within a defined period of time. The program or event may have multiple components and/or performances. Examples of project types include exhibitions, performances, poetry readings, commissions and/or support of new work development, arts festivals, community murals, and ethnic heritage projects. A PUBLIC SPACE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS
https://apublicspace.org/about/fellowships/writing-fellowship
The Writing Fellowships at A Public Space support writers who embrace risk in their work and their own singular vision. Writers who have not yet published a book are invited to apply. The three Fellows
selected annually receive editorial support to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine; a $1,000 honorarium; complimentary access to all A Public Space Master Classes during the fellowship year; the opportunity to meet virtually with members of the publishing community and to participate in a public reading. Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply. Only writers who have not yet published or been contracted to write a book-length work with a U.S.
publisher are eligible. Writers who have self-published, published an academic text, published a book with a publisher outside the U.S., or translated another writer’s work are eligible to apply. KEROUAC PROJECT RESIDENCY
https://www.kerouacproject.org/
$50 APPLICATION FEE. Deadline April 14, 2025. The Kerouac Project provides six residencies a year to writers of any stripe or age, living anywhere in the world. Each residency consists of approximately a two-month stay in the cottage where Jack Kerouac wrote his novel The Dharma Bums. While at the Kerouac House, each writer stays free with their utilities covered and a $600 food
and supplies stipend to use during their residency. The residents are required to participate in four events: a welcome potluck dinner held in their honor, two creative workshops, and a final reading of their work at the end of their residency. They are also encouraged to participate in other readings and events around the Central Florida literary community, but this is not necessary. You will be required to select a category into which your submission best fits. The five categories are: Poetry,
Play, Screenplay, Fiction/Short Story, and Nonfiction. Location Orlando, FL. SOUTH ARTS NC RECOVER FUND GRANTS
https://www.southarts.org/resources/southern-arts-relief-recovery-fund
Recovery Fund grants are $2,000 for artists who have lost supplies or equipment. North Carolina artists are eligible for Recovery Fund grants. Recovery Fund applications open on March 19, 2025.
YANKEE
https://newengland.com/press-contact/submission-guidelines-writers-photographers/
Yankee covers
all six New England states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont — with an emphasis on what is happening in the region today. Yankee welcomes professional, detailed pitches for longer reported narratives (3,000–5,000 words) as well as for shorter features related to home, food, or travel. We also will consider personal essays related to the New England experience, especially essays of 600-800 words. We do not accept poetry, fiction, or cartoons. Email
submissions are preferred: editors@yankeepub.com. LONGREADS
https://longreads.com/submissions/
Longreads accepts pitches for original nonfiction work from writers and journalists around
the world. The hallmark of a Longreads story is its ability to sustain a reader’s curiosity for the duration. Most of our published features run between 2,000 and 6,000 words. We accept pitches for researched and critical essays, or combinations thereof. Rates start at $500. We also publish personal essays, but are not able to commission them based on a pitch. We’ll gladly consider your full, polished draft. We look for smart, unexpected angles and compelling voices across a wide range of
topics. Our rate for personal essays is $500. 101 HOLIDAYS
https://www.101holidays.co.uk/submissions/
If you are a travel writer, or hoping to get into the industry, we offer a
number of ways you can contribute to 101 Holidays. We pay between £50 and £100 per article published, depending on its length and complexity. We tend not to publish first-person travelogues. Most articles we publish are between 800 and 1,500 words. NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE
https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/writer-and-artist-guidelines/
The magazine is an enterprise of the New Mexico Tourism Department, who strives to make potential visitors aware of our state's multicultural heritage, climate, environment and uniqueness. We're looking for story ideas about New Mexico experiences, with opinionated storytelling and a first-person point of view when
appropriate. The story should capture a place in such a way that readers are inspired to follow in the writer's footsteps. Pay is roughly 35-40 cents per word. RIDE TEXAS
https://www.ridetexas.com/submission-guidelines/
RIDE TEXAS® is a journalism award-winning travel magazine for motorcyclists. We publish work that emphasizes storytelling using compelling photography and engaging narrative. Our focus is regional and includes travel within Texas and into the neighboring states. Pay estimated at 25 cents/word.
HAZELDEN PUBLISHING
https://www.hazelden.org/store/publicpage/faq
Hazelden publishes engaging content that helps build recovery in the lives
of individuals, families, and communities affected by alcoholism, drug dependency and related disorders. In addition, its publications and services are intended to meet a full range of needs for professionals -- counselors, educators, doctors, clinicians, researchers, clergy, and others -- who work with individuals with substance use and mental health disorders. Hazelden publications support Twelve Step philosophy and other evidence-based therapies that offer a biopsychosocial approach to
address the needs of the mind, body, and spirit. AURORA METRO
https://www.aurorametro.com/contact-us/submissions/
They publish adult fiction, YA fiction, drama, and
non-fiction biography, wellbeing, travel, history and books about the arts and popular culture. No children’s books for ages 10 and under. No poetry. Occasionally publishes short stories in a themed anthology.
Entertains plays. JESSICA KINGSLEY PUBLISHERS
https://uk.jkp.com/pages/about-us
At Jessica Kingsley Publishers, the authors have been celebrated for both their lived experience and specialist expertise on autism, social work, and arts therapies. They've broken ground in mental health, gender diversity, adoption, and neurodiversity. Their publishing aims to address the challenges communities face, while establishing positive
narratives about difference that uplift and empower. HATHERLEIGH PUBLISHING
https://hatherleighcommunity.com/submissions/
Make sure your project fits with the kinds of books
published. Heath and wellness, Fitness and exercise, Living with chronic diseases and medical, Self-help and inspirational, and Sustainability and green living. No 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 2000-2025, 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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