VOLUME 25, ISSUE 10 | MARCH 7, 2025 |
IN THE BEGINNING... Many people want to start writing with a book-length manuscript. No short stories, no feature pieces, not even much history of blog posts or newspaper editorials. They just have this
story.... Recently someone asked me where they could get someone to look at their story. I asked did they want a beta reader or editor. I asked if the story was complete. Turns out they'd not written before. They'd created an ongoing story they told their children years ago, and they felt it was
worthy of publication. They had ten chapters written and wanted to know if it was good or not. They had no prior experience. I asked if they'd read a lot in the genre. Had they dissected one of those stories they loved to see what it took to write well. Study the dialogue, setting, world-building, word choice, etc. Had they ever taken a story and given it a beginning, middle, and
ending? No, they said. They only wanted someone to tell them that it was a good story. I tried to explain that everyone has a story, but it's the story TELLING, the quality of writing, the voice and style that makes a good tale. They chewed me out and said I didn't care. In their anger, they said
they were telling the world my own stories were bad. Quality writing can tell just about any tale. Poor writing cannot make any story look good. Take your time learning how to write. Funny, but Michelangelo said, "If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all." Every successful artist spent a lot of time getting to that point. They worked hard to make it look easy. You cannot decide today to publish a story tomorrow.
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There's a reason writers throughout history have felt the call to travel, spend time in nature, and immerse themselves in unfamiliar territory. Research shows that all
of these boost creativity and help move ideas to the page. And that's what Compass Writers' small-group walk-and-write retreats are all about. Join us for our 2025 Women's Walk & Write Retreat September 20-29, 2025, starting in Melrose, Scotland, and writing across 70 miles to land on Holy Island, England. This retreat
moves along gorgeous St. Cuthbert's Way, an ancient pilgrimage path through Scotland's lush borderlands. Together, we'll walk, write, play with other creative forms, and see where the challenges, sites, and wildlife along the way take us. Grounded in the Amherst Writers & Artists method, women writers of all levels are welcome. Limited to 6 writers for an intimate experience. Registration closes on May 30, 2025. To register online, simply go to September 20 on the registration page calendar. For more information, email Cherylmurfin@gmail.com. THE BEST TIME IN LIFE TO WRITE
Many people say they will wait until they retire to write. Many reach that point and look at the business and then complain that maybe it's too late. A lot of others look at traditional versus self-publishing and weigh it that it's too late and time consuming to traditionally publish, so they chose the other route. Then there are those who state they cannot write and work a full-time job at the same time, so they knock on my door asking for a grant to give them time to write. All these people are wrong. Every last one of them. You write because you want to write. Whether you are 18 or 68, you sit down and put that story to paper. You read well-written books. You practice writing. You massage your writing. And you do it all because you enjoy writing. It has nothing to do with age,
experience, or whether who have another job. I read this recently on a business site. "The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.
The second-best time is today." Amen to that. And it applies a thousand percent to writing.
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. -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.
"You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page"
- Jodi Picoult
Hi Hope. I've read your weekly updates for several years now. I found my publisher, Vine Leaves Press, from your update, and now I have a new book called All Shook Up: Finding Purpose After Traumatic Brain Injury. The book takes the reader through the accident that I don't remember, hospital/rehab center, and the life I created for myself after I moved to
Phoenix. The lingering impact of brain trauma made a return to social work not possible, so I took up creative writing and volunteer work. I also found a few publishing outlets from your updates. I look forward to hearing from you every week. Thanks,
Debra J.
White
<<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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6 Reasons Being an Older Freelancer Gives You an Edge
By Dan Brotzel Because of job cuts, I’ve recently returned to the freelance hustle in my mid-50s – and I’ve encountered lots of negativity and defeatism. My fellow 50-somethings are lacking confidence, can't cope with new tools and software, think editors only want
young talent, that AI is making them redundant... I felt all this, too, at first. But after a few weeks of putting myself out there, the work has started to come in. Persistence paid off, and even some patchy networking with old connections made a difference. And it occurred to me that older people have quite a few advantages in this game: • More contacts to
draw from.
Having worked as a writer my entire career, I realised that I have amassed lots of contacts and different networks to tap. One potential new client is someone I worked with about 10 years ago, whom I messaged out of the blue via LinkedIn. Another is the client of the brother-in-law of a former coworker whom I first hired at an agency 16 years ago! •
An awareness of the cyclical nature of content
The longer you’re in the game, the more you see that ideas come round again. They can be re-purposed or re-angled for new markets and new topical hooks. I often find myself pitching stories to younger editors who find topics interesting or different, not realising I may be drawing on things that were first in the air 20 years ago or more (and no doubt cycled before that, too).
• More versatility and material for ideas
As an older person, you have lived longer, seen more things. You may have children and even grandchildren, have bought and sold homes, lost and won big money and great jobs, held positions of responsibility, written books, experienced tragedies and triumphs, travelled and achieved, pursued interests, gathered a wide
range of friends and contacts. All this rich experience is grist to your idea-generation mill. • More perspective on the editor’s role
As an older writer you’ve probably been on the commissioner/editor side of the fence, too. So you understand that editors want writers who are straightforward to deal with, who are pragmatic and flexible about amends, respect
deadlines and don’t chase for updates on their pitches. They don’t just seek good work, they also want a professional relationship with a grown-up. Unless you are very famous, the editor-writer relationship is weighted on their side, and you need to respect that. • More resilience to roll with the punches of the freelance life
Disappointment is hard-wired into the
freelance life. In the last two years, I have dealt with a publisher who went bankrupt two weeks before my book (18 months of work!) was due out, and my role being made redundant just before Christmas. Markets that always gave me work have closed, and my pitches and proposals have been quietly ignored by several hundred websites, magazines, and presses. But the older I get, the less these things sting. They are all part of the game, and
they only fire my will to keep going. ‘Rejections are fuel’, as they say. I am always subbing things because, to misquote Gary Player, ‘the more I sub, the luckier I get’. Each setback only makes the next acceptance sweeter. • Greater resourcefulness to turn setbacks into positives
A little ingenuity and resilience can turn some of these setbacks to your advantage. When my memoir was put on ice because of bankruptcy, I sat down and re-wrote it as a novel – and sold it to another publisher. I spent months successfully chasing down an audiobook deal that had once disappeared into limbo. And I re-negotiated my
unemployment threat into reduced hours in a role for other companies within my employer’s group. When I was younger, I might not have thought to attempt such things because I’d have been too busy feeling sorry for myself. But at my age, I have no more hoots to give about the things you can’t change. Onwards is the only way. AUTHOR: Dan Brotzel’s latest novel is Thank
You For The Days
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NAOMI LONG MADGETT POETRY PRIZE
http://www.broadsidelotuspress.org/2024/09/naomi-long-madgett-poetry-award-guidelines-for-2023.html
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 15, 2025. This competition is open to African American poets only. The poems in the manuscript should total approximately 60-90 pages, exclusive of a table of contents or other optional introductory material. The award winner will receive $500 in cash and publication of the manuscript
by Broadside Lotus Press within the first three months of 2025, as well as free copies and discounts. ANN PETRY AWARD
https://redhen.org/ann-petry-award/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline
March 31, 2025. The Ann Petry Award seeks to publish prose literature by Black authors. The Ann Petry Award is for a work of previously unpublished prose, either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a minimum of 150 pages, by a Black writer. The Ann Petry Award is for a work of previously unpublished prose, either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt
font). Prize is $3,000 and publication. ELEANOR TAYLOR BLAND CRIME FICTION AWARD
https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/EleanorTaylorBland
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline
March 31, 2025. An annual grant of $2,000 for an emerging writer of color. An unpublished work of crime fiction, aimed at readers, from children’s chapter books through adults. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress of 2,500 to 5,000 words. Have you published two novels OR ten or more short stories? We're sorry, that means you aren't eligible to apply. THE FOLEY POETRY CONTEST
https://americamedia.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2025. Each entrant is asked to submit one poem of 45 lines or fewer. Poems should not be under consideration elsewhere. Poems may
address any topic. The winning poem will be announced in early June and published in the print edition of America. The cash prize is $1,000. Three runners-up will also be published in subsequent issues. Each year upwards of 1,000 poems are submitted. PARSEC SHORT STORY CONTEST FOR SCIFI
https://parsec-sff.org/short-story-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2025. The 2025 Contest theme is “ROOTS.” No minimum, no more than 3500 words. The contest is open to non-professional writers who have not met the eligibility requirements for SFWA Full Membership. First-place receives $200 and publication in the Confluence program book. Second-place
receives $100. Third-place receives $50. Youth Story Prize receives $50. The Youth Story category is for ages up to 19 years IF you are still enrolled in and attending high school at the time of submission. BBC NATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/Tf3PpXMRWPFtyFRz21QLKl/the-2025-bbc-national-short-story-award-is-open-for-submissions-in-its-20th-year
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 17, 2025. The award is open to
British Nationals and UK residents only. The short story entered must be unpublished or first published/broadcast after 1 January 2024. The Award, celebrating its 20th year, is worth £15,000 and will be given to one writer demonstrating exceptional skill and artistry in the short story form. The Award is for a single story of up to 8,000 words, written by an established author.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING CALIFORNIA GRANT REVIEW PANELISTS NEEDED
https://arts.ca.gov/grants/panels/
Deadline March 18, 2025. The California Arts Council seeks arts and cultural practitioners from diverse communities statewide to volunteer for our upcoming grant review panels. Panelists play a critical role in the grant application process as field representatives. As an appreciation for our volunteer panelists, individuals who complete their panel service will receive a $300 honorarium to subsidize their attendance at a minimum of two and up to three
virtual meetings and rank submission activities. Panelists make a four- to eight-week commitment to read and rank approximately 30 applications by the grant review deadline. An average of 30-60 minutes of time is needed to appropriately review and rank each panel application. VERMONT CREATION GRANTS
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/find-a-grant/artists/creation/
Deadline April 8, 2025. Creation Grants support Vermont artists or artist groups in creating new work. Grant funds may be used to compensate the artists for time spent creating new work, to purchase materials,
or to rent equipment or space for the process. This highly competitive program is reviewed by an independent panel of practicing artists and arts professionals. Both established and emerging artists are encouraged to apply. SILVERS GRANTS FOR WORKS IN PROGRESS
https://silversfoundation.org/grants/
Deadline March 31, 2025. Anglophone writers of any nationality may apply for up to $10,000 to support long-form writing in the fields of literary criticism, arts writing, political analysis, and/or social reportage. Grants may not be used to fund translation. Applicants must have an editorial agreement with a publication or publishing house for the work
under consideration.
KANSAS! MAGAZINE
https://www.travelks.com/kansas-magazine/contact-us/submit-a-story/
KANSAS! is a four-color magazine
published by Kansas Tourism, under the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism. The publication promotes tourism in the state with an emphasis on travel articles. KANSAS! is published quarterly. All subjects must be Kansas-related and must reflect the state positively. The magazine works at least one year in advance on articles. OREGON COAST
https://www.oregoncoastmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WritersPhotographersGuidelines2018.pdf
OCM features stories of regional interest, written in a clear, crisp style that is rich in anecdotes and quotes. Thoroughness and accuracy in details,
history, and background are essential. Include in a sidebar brief information, if applicable, that allows and motivates readers to follow in your footsteps: how to get to a featured destination, nearby places of interest or accommodations, opening and closing times of attractions, and how to obtain additional information. Payments for published stories are based on the quality and length of the finished story. Payment runs about 25 cents/word, depending on the category. CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC
https://canadiangeographic.ca/submission-guidelines/
We often plan features more than a year before they’re published, although we can fit in shorter pieces for
our front-of-book and back-of-book sections more quickly. We publish Canadian Geographic six times a year and the Canadian Geographic Travel section twice a year, and that means we only buy about 28 feature stories a year. Pays up to $1/word. LITTLE INDIA
https://littleindia.com/writer
Little India publishes several freelance articles in every issue. Articles from India should have a strong overseas Indian or NRI or expat hook. We consider feature articles, columns, commentaries and essays. Our feature articles are strongly sourced and packed with hard information: interviews with key sources, relevant statistics, anecdotal evidence. Our columns, commentaries and essays are
written from a distinctive point of view and we encourage hard analysis as well as strong, even controversial and provocative viewpoints in opinion writing. Features and essays typically range from 900 to 2,500 words. Columns and commentaries run from 800-1,200 words. Pays around 25 cents/word. FERN - FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING NETWORK
https://thefern.org/report-for-us/
Reporters may pitch us on a rolling basis by emailing a story idea (no finished stories, please) and clips or links to our Managing Editor, Brent Cunningham, at brent@thefern.org. We are a news organization that commissions and produces stories. We contract with writers and retain non-exclusive
distribution rights to the story. In essence, we act as a co-publisher with a print, broadcast or online outlet. While we require publication experience, part of our mission is to work with young reporters in a mentorship capacity, so special consideration will be given to those who fit into this category. However, we also prioritize working with reporters with long track records and solid experience in our focus areas. STORY UNLIKELY
https://www.storyunlikely.com/#submit
We pay eight cents a word (with a $500 cap), and two cents a word for reprints. We illustrate ALL stories we publish, and we think we're doing a pretty bang-up job with that. Our story limit is 3,500
words, but MEMBERS can submit up to 12,500 word stories. We're looking for good stories, measured both by the quality of the writing and the skill in storytelling. We prefer prose that elicits emotion: make us laugh or cry, think or consider, anything on the edge or in between. Though we don’t charge for submissions, you do need to subscribe to our magazine (free) – this is how we publish our stories, and where you'll see yours in digital print. Sample submission letter/email on
website. FROM THE DESK OF AMY SUTO
https://i7ovyza83n8.typeform.com/to/sgu6LyhL
https://fromthedeskofamysuto.substack.com/
Deadline March 12, 2025. "From the Desk of Amy Suto" is a Substack page commissioning a 500-word personal essay from a writer, and the rate is $500. The topic is this: what was a moment when you had a "writing breakthrough" in your career? This could be a particular project, a creative burst of inspiration, or something
else. Seeking a story that plants the reader in a scene or moment, and gives visceral descriptions as well as a bird's-eye-view reflection. Only one story will be selected for publication.
VINE LEAVES PRESS
https://www.vineleavespress.com/
At Vine Leaves Press, we bring stories to life that linger in your soul. Whether through poetry,
prose, or hybrid works, our books push boundaries, celebrate individuality, and amplify unique voices. MONKFISH
https://www.monkfishpublishing.com/submissions/
Monkfish
publishes fiction and nonfiction books related to the subjects of spirituality and religion. BALESTIER PRESS
https://balestier.com/publish-with-us/
Balestier Press is dedicated to
promoting cultural diversity in writing and publishing, and one way we achieve this is by welcoming submissions of translated literature, especially from Asian languages. QUILLS & QUARTOS
https://www.quillsandquartos.com/submissions
Quills & Quartos Publishing has one goal: to pair the best Jane Austen variations with the best in editing and cover design to create a superlative reading experience. Quills & Quartos does not publish erotica. Sexual content is fine as long as the story stands alone without it. Sexual scenarios must be consensual.
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
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