VOLUME 25, ISSUE 11 | MARCH 14, 2025 |
WRITING OR PUBLISHING? Which do you dream about the most while in the middle of, or before you start putting a story together? Writing the story or publishing the story? If the story is not started. . . If the story is not complete. . . If the story has not been rewritten. . . If the story is not edited multiple times. . . Then publishing should not even be a factor in your mind. You should be in love with the storytelling and the mechanics and joy of writing. You do that over and over, massaging, reworking, tweaking and perfecting your writing and your story. You should almost not want to reach the end because you enjoy the writing, and you don't want anything less than stellar to go
out. If you are obsessing yourself with the publishing aspect before any of the above is completed, your priorities are out of sync. A good writer loves writing and tolerates publishing. If your priority is to be published, if you think more about your name, your cover, your future fame, you
just might not be a true-blue writer. These days anyone can publish. Not all of those can write.
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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. WRITING AROUND THE WORLD
I just bought several features for the FFW newsletter. One came from the UK, another from South Africa. As a matter of fact, the majority of the pieces I've purchased in 2025 have been from outside the United
States. But the grand majority of rejections have been to outside the United States as well. I will say that the acceptances have all been with people who speak English as their first language. Some don't think that matters, but it does. Let me explain why. 1) People who don't readily, routinely interact with English markets don't always understand how to speak to them.
2) People who aren't first language English by nature, often speak in generalities more than technical detail in their writing, often not understanding the intricacies of making a point.
3) People from other countries where English is not the
first language, often use AI to get the ideas down. While at first blush that's not a terrible thing, using AI for details, links, and success examples doesn't work, so they leave them out. 4) People from other countries where English isn't the first language do not understand sense of humor or nuance. Am I generalizing? No, I am
summarizing what I experience from the submissions that cross my desk. I am more than willing to consider articles from outside the US, but they have to read like they were written by someone fluent in US-speak since that is the grand majority of my FundsforWriters market. Being able to speak a second language doesn't always give you the nuance talent of writing it. That takes an additional layer of
work that many aren't willing to invest in. But trust me, if you submit a good piece to me? I'll buy it.
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 10, 2025 - The Edisto Bookstore, Edisto Island, SC - 3-5 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'm writing to let you know that I love getting your emails and collecting new places to submit. Recently, I submitted to the 2024 Globe
Soup Open Short Story Contest and I'm happy to announce I made Top-Tier Finalist!! THANK YOU a million for your hard work at pooling together these resources. I've recommended your newsletter to many author friends. Sincere Regards,
Chrissy Hicks
https://chrissyhicks.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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We’re In Agreement:
Understanding Different Types of Writing Contracts in Hollywood
By Mark Heidelberger
Okay, so you’ve written a screenplay and are shopping it around town. What now? Well, if your work generates interest from a studio or producer, you may soon be handed one of several
agreements to review. Understanding the key differences and commonalities between each one will be essential to protecting your work, accomplishing your goals, managing expectations and avoiding pitfalls. Let’s first look at each one so you’re clear on what they entail and under what circumstances they might appear.
Option/Shopping Agreement An option is most often used by a producer who doesn’t currently have the means to get your picture
made, but believes in the work and wants a chance to shop or package it. The option period is the length of time you agree to give that producer to purchase the script outright, during which time she has the exclusive right to attach talent, secure distribution, raise financing and/or engage in other measures that result in a greenlight. If the producer fails to purchase the script by the end of the option window and you choose not to renew, all rights revert back to you. The producer’s rights
during this window are exclusive because she doesn’t want you suddenly selling to someone else after she’s spent months (or years) working on it, often at considerable expense, which could risk legal issues with third parties whom she’s already attached. However, she should pay you a fee for this exclusivity. A shopping agreement, on the other hand, is like a “free option,” where you give a producer the right to shop or package the project without paying you, which lets you retain the right to
have others separately shop or package it also. Purchase Agreement When a producer is ready to buy your script outright, she will present you with a purchase agreement. This might come during the option period when she has raised enough money to make the picture, or can at least pay a fair price for the script if she doesn’t yet have full financing. However, a producer might skip the option phase altogether, especially if she has the
financing and is ready to go. Once this agreement is executed and you’re paid, your screenplay is now hers and she can do what she likes with it. That means, short of a production guarantee, she can choose not to make the picture as well. This agreement could be governed by the WGA if the producer is a signatory to that guild’s collective bargaining agreement, meaning she’s agreed only to buy scripts subject to the WGA’s rates and terms. Purchase deals are most common with spec scripts – that
is, a screenplay you wrote “speculatively,” without any prior knowledge of whether it would sell. Writer-For-Hire Agreement Most often, your spec script is used as a sample for producers seeking a writer to execute a vision they already have, whether that be an optioned book, a treatment, or simply a pitch idea that exists only in the ether. If the producer feels you’re the right person for the job, she’ll present you with a writer-for-hire
agreement, which engages you to create something wholly new and original for her that she will own and control in exchange for paying you a fee. Like a purchase agreement, this might or might not be governed by guild rules and minimums. This is also sometimes known as an assignment agreement. Key Clauses While each of these agreements are different, there are standard terms that carry across all three, and you’ll want to make sure they’re
present. First, ensure the compensation clause clearly outlines not only what you’ll get paid, but when. Also be clear exactly what credit you’ll receive, not just on the picture itself, but in all paid advertising. “Written by” is typically reserved for writers who wrote the entire story and script, while “Screenplay by” is generally applied to writers who didn’t come up with the story and are simply hired to write the script. Every agreement should also express the term, whether that be six
months, six years, or even perpetuity (as is the case for a purchase). For an option, how long does the producer have to exclusively shop it? (One year is pretty standard.) For the assignment, how long do you have to write it? Lastly, safeguard yourself with a) a clause that details exactly what each parties’ rights and obligations are during the term; b) an indemnification clause that holds you legally harmless from any act committed by the producer; and c) an arbitration clause for any deal
where potential damages are greater than your state’s small claims court maximum, as arbitration is a much cheaper way to resolve disputes than are lawsuits. Now that you have a basic understanding of these agreements, let me offer a prescient piece of advice: Always have a lawyer review them before you sign. Yes, there’s a fee, but it can save you a lot of heartache down the road. It’s much cheaper to have a lawyer review an existing agreement than to draft one from scratch,
and there are lots of small firms in Hollywood that will negotiate a reasonable flat rate for the work. Knowing the legal is handled properly will give you the peace of mind to focus on what you do best: writing stories for the screen.
BIO: Mark Heidelberger co-founded Beverly Hills-based Treasure Entertainment in 2000, serving as a film executive, producer and literary manager until 2011 before going freelance. Film and TV credits include Harsh Times, Comfort, Ninja
Apocalypse, The Basement, Take the Night, Pray for Rain, Hallmark Channel’s You’ve Got a Friend and the just-released Last Night on Earth. Often times, he performs ghostwriting services on screenplays in addition to his producing duties. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America. He holds a BA in Film Studies from UCSB and an MFA in Producing from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television.
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THE BEAUTIFUL PAUSE PRIZE
https://www.presspausepress.org/the-beautiful-pause-prize
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 1, 2025. A yearly prize of $1,000 and the print publication of a full-length manuscript awarded to a
writer of exceptional talent and heart. One runner-up will receive $500 and publication of a series of poems in one of our biannual print volumes. Thirty poems minimum. PAIRED FICTION AWARD
https://periscopeliterary.wordpress.com/
£16 ENTRY FEE. Deadline June 1, 2025.
Theme: When The Smoke Clears. Limit 1000 words. First Prize £400. Open internationally. Writers must pair up on their own initiative with someone they know, or be bold and reach out to a person whose work they admire with a request for collaboration. For administrative purposes, we ask that you type: PERISCOPE PAIRS in the email subject line. THE LETTER REVIEW PRIZES FOR SHORT FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY AND BOOKS
https://letterreview.com/information/
$15-$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2025 for all categories. The Letter Review is offering $1000 USD Prize pool in a competition for short fiction up to 5000 words. No genre or theme restrictions: all stories welcome. Open to writers who live anywhere in the
world. 2-4 Winners are announced who are published and share in the Prize money. Up to twenty writers are shortlisted. All entries are considered for publication, submission to the Pushcart Prize, and for further anthologies. The Letter Review is offering $1000 USD total Prize pool in a competition for poems of not more than 70 lines. No subject or style restrictions: all poems welcome. Open to writers who live anywhere in the world.
2-4 Winners are announced who are published and share in the Prize money. Up to twenty writers are shortlisted. All entries are considered for publication, submission to the Pushcart Prize, and for further anthologies. The Letter Review is offering $1000 USD total Prize pool in a competition for nonfiction up to 5000 words in length. The Prize is open to writers who live anywhere in the world. 2-4 Winners are announced who are
published and share in the Prize money. Up to twenty writers are shortlisted. All entries are considered for publication, submission to the Pushcart Prize, and for further anthologies. The Letter Review is offering $1000 USD total Prize pool in a competition for books including novels, novellas, short story collections, poetry collections, and nonfiction books. Open to writers who live anywhere in the world. 2-4 Winners are announced
who share in the Prize money. Winners can choose whether to publish an extract, or not. Up to twenty writers are shortlisted. ON THE PREMISES CONTEST
https://onthepremises.com/current-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 28, 2025. Write a creative, compelling,
well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which someone or something important to the story is not where it/they always have been, or where it/they would be expected to be located, or is in the process of changing location from where it/they have always been. The distance it/they have moved or is traveling is not important, but the move itself must be important to the story. Whether this change in location is an improvement or a problem is up to you. First prize $250, second $200,
third $150, honorable mention $75. FOLEY POETRY AWARD
https://americamedia.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2025. 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. WINTER BLACK FOX PRIZE
https://blackfoxlitmag.com/contests/
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2025. Black Fox
is accepting submissions for our winter writing prize. The theme for this round is “Rise or Ruin.” Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and we will choose one winner that we feel interprets the theme best. The prize is $325 and print publication in the Summer 2025 issue. All submissions are considered for print publication in the Summer 2025 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.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY'S WRITER IN RESIDENCE
https://www.vpl.ca/writer
Deadline March 28, 2025. Currently searching for the 2025 Writer in Residence, a full-time, paid
four-month opportunity to an author. It's an open call for authors of any genre and format. We've found that past writers in residence already live in the lower mainland, since the opportunity requires being in or able to travel to Vancouver for the duration of the residency. ASSETS 4 ARTISTS RESIDENCIES
https://www.assetsforartists.org/studios-at-mass-moca
https://www.assetsforartists.org/applying https://assetsforartists.submittable.com/submit
Deadline May 1, 2025. (Earlier the better for financial aid.) Calls for applications are made four times a year and will open two months prior to the deadline. Artists are invited to apply through MASS MoCA’s Assets for Artists Submittable page. Most people apply through our general application, which is typically for
residencies 3-9 months out from the award date. In our regular application, you can opt to be considered for financial aid or one of our fully funded fellowships. Because our regular application includes financial aid, it is our most competitive option. Artists requesting financial aid typically pay between $0 - $450/week depending on their needs. Location North Adams, MA. ESSERE RESIDENCY
https://essereresidency.org/apply/
Deadline June 15, 2025. Join creative people from all over the world at this two-week residency program in beautiful Tuscany. Two weeks of respite for you to imagine, wander, envision and explore projects that are calling your heart! Literature including: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Playwriting, Screenwriting, Journalism, Songwriting. If
you have financial need and feel your work fits with one of the fellowship categories, please apply to the residency and be sure to fill out the special section within the application for fellowship consideration. GWENN A. NUSBAUM SCHOLARSHIP
https://waltwhitmanbirthplaceassociation.submittable.com/submit
Deadline March 31, 2025. The $1800 scholarship is offered in the spirit of Walt Whitman’s massive contribution to the field of poetic writing and encouragement of "Poets to Come." One Honorable Mention will be selected and awarded $150 along with a bio in recognition of their achievement. Applications are sought from those poets at the early stages of their careers, ages 25-35 years, and
a US citizen. This scholarship, awarded every year, aims to encourage and assist an emerging poet in their creative poetry writing endeavors.
BOURBON+
https://www.bourbonplus.com/contributor-guidelines/
Feature articles typically cover the following categories: science, whiskey, bourbon, and other spirits, destinations, engaging facts, interesting people involved in any facet
of the bourbon world (coopers, distillers, tour guides, scientists, mixologists, etc.), venues (bars, distilleries, restaurants), and culinary. We look for well-told narratives that go beyond the obvious and explore the intimacy and depths of a story. Typical features range between 2,000 to 2,500 words in print. Pays up to $1/word. FOODISM TORONTO
https://foodism.to/write-for-us/
We currently pay for print-first features and travel guides, which are then repurposed online. Familiarize yourself with our past Foodism and Escapism issues, and any upcoming themes. The Food Feature flat rate of $600 for 1,200 – 1,500 words. The Travel Feature flat rate of $600 for 1,200 – 1,500 words. The Travel Guide stories are around 500 words and up, and we pay $0.40 per word. FRESH CUP
https://freshcup.com/resources/write-for-us/
Fresh Cup is a storytelling and education hub for the coffee and tea industries. We equip coffee and tea professionals with the skills, insights, and inspiration required to develop a more sustainable and prosperous industry for all. We invite writers,
thinkers, and leaders to write for Fresh Cup’s audience. Contributors are paid $250 per article, plus an additional rate for original photography. We’re looking for writers who want to create articles of 700+ words. MODERN FARMER https://modernfarmer.com/submissions/
Modern Farmer is focused on three pillars of the food system: food equity, conscious consumption, and sustainable farming in North America. Within those pillars, we are looking for human-centered stories that move beyond simply informing our community. We pay writers based on story format and complexity, starting at a base rate of USD $350. MS.
https://msmagazine.com/submissions/
Ms. is a multi-issue and globally-focused media outlet interested in a plethora of topics—from policy and politics to popular culture and the arts, from education to the environment, from violence to abortion. We consider reported pieces, features and social commentary rooted in an intersectional feminist lens. We do not consider articles on
fashion, beauty, fitness, travel, food or of a “self-help” variety. Have a story you think would be a good fit for Ms. in print? Send it to chahn@msmagazine.com. Rates vary by assignment.
WOLFPACK PUBLISHING
https://wolfpackpublishing.com/
Wolfpack Publishing is home to an all-star stable of award-winning legends and developing superstars in the western fiction, action-adventure, men's adventure, crime fiction, mystery, thriller genres, and
more. We are currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts in the following fiction genres: men's adventure, crime, historical, action-adventure, and westerns. A great deal of Wolfpack Publishing's marketing is focused on the author; therefore, authors with multiple manuscripts will get additional attention towards their submissions. Authors with rights to multiple backlist titles are highly encouraged to contact us. AUGUST BOOKS
https://www.augustbooks.co/submissions/
August Books is open to receiving direct submissions in the following areas: History, Popular Culture, Popular Science, Health, True Crime. We do not publish fiction, cookery, illustrated books, poetry, short stories or children's books. The proposal should be no more than 6 pages long plus a sample chapter, if
available. LITERARY WANDERLUST
https://www.literarywanderlust.com/submissions/
Your completed manuscript length should be 60,000 words to 100,000 words. We are 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. We do not publish previously published works, including self-published works.
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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