VOLUME 25, ISSUE 28 | july 11, 2025 |
MY ADVICE FOR THE WORST OF TIMES In the last few years, I've had some downs like a lot of folks. Some were very down. Some were life altering. During those times, I retreated to my keyboard and my stories. When I tired
of the world, was disappointed at someone close, worried about health, or wondered where to find the strength to put one foot in front of the other, I escaped to words. It is during those times I wrote the best essays, the best chapters, the best scenes where two characters had to display emotion. Sometimes I was angry. Other times I blinked through tears. But the bottom line was that I had to get myself out of those situations.
. . nobody else would. You have to save yourself. For me that means writing. I can escape into writing a scene. I can heal researching and preaching via essays and articles. I can soothe myself in composing a few lines that sound so sweet, feeling proud of myself even if nobody else does. (Most of my family doesn't read my books either.) You are your own caretaker. If you are
also a writer, then use words and stories to feel better. Hey, I have Edisto to disappear into. How about you? |
Book Review by C. Hope Clark (Download your copy for free for the next few days.....and be sure to leave a review of it.) "This book is a pure treasure trove of precise, logical, and methodical advice on the importance of book reviews, how to acquire them, and how to use them. I’ve been penning novels for fifteen years and have freelanced for twenty. I’ve reviewed, advertised, and endorsed how-to books for writers for twenty-five years via FundsforWriters. This is without a doubt the best how-to book on any aspect of publishing that I have ever had the
pleasure of reading. The pages of my copy are dog-eared, highlighted and scribbled on with arrows and underscores, because this book is practical, will be used repeatedly, and is not leaving my library. My friends can buy their own. As a novelist, I’ve collected reviews in all ways, of all kinds, and used them somewhat well, but even after my years of publishing, I caught myself nodding and having aha moments at ideas I really
should have known. . . and used. The order of tasks made so much sense, the reasoning even more sense. Joe Walters knows this world. He’s endowed me with tools I fully intend to use when I venture into the reading world with my next book and conquer. Yes, conquer, because that’s how this book affected me as both an author and a supporter of great advice. Well done, Mr. Walters. I was not familiar with you before. I sure am
now." THROWING YOURSELF OUT THERE
I follow a lot of groups, usually remaining silent, reading, taking note, hoping to find some nugget to use myself. . . or to use as a learning tool in a future FundsforWriters newsletter. As you probably know from your own experience, it's amazing what people write for the world to see that leaves scars on their reputation. They believe because they are in a group that none of their readers will read what they are saying about publishing or being a writer. For example: - How can they make a buck with sales quicker,
easier, better?
- Amazon sucks. (They forget that readers like Amazon.)
- Where can they find a quality editor for cheap? (Editors love reading that, I'm sure.)
- What's the cheapest/easiest/best way to format/design a cover/edit without hiring someone?
I love this one. Do you make any money with anything but Amazon? I'm not familiar with many bookstores or libraries who like ordering their books
through Amazon. But then, if you don't expect your book to be in bookstores or libraries... A week ago, I watched a discussion about using AI. Some were using it. (Again the thing with making a buck quicker, easier, better.) They were using AI not just to correct grammar, either. My takeaway was a list of writers I won't ever read. Some discussions need to take place behind
the scenes. Others on a forum need to be carefully worded so that they sound professional. For instance, "Can anyone recommend an editor?" instead of tacking on the CHEAP part. Or for example: "Are you publishing with just Amazon or do you go wider with distributors?" To be honest, the more polished the
question, the more polished, more serious, and more trustworthy the replies. You never know what agents, editors, cover designers, bookstore owners, librarians, book reviewers, and, yes, readers, might be lurking. I don't want to read an author who is broadcasting their woes, opinions, or penny-pinching methods. I want to read an author who is all about the story they have to tell. I want to feel their excitement. It's becoming apparent in many circles that authors are more about making money and slapping their name on a book than entertaining readers. Make sure you are not wearing that look.
A Request from Hope: Writers everywhere, please consider taking this survey : How Much Do Writers Earn? Results will appear in Writer's Digest later this year. Thanks so much for helping writers manage what to charge to earn a living. (Feel free to share.) https://s.surveyplanet.com/685b3d39e93316a6f9a4cd72 -Sept 9, 2025 - Chapin Library, Chapin, SC - 1PM
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. A man who publishes his letters becomes a nudist—nothing shields him from the world’s gaze except his bare skin. A writer, writing away, can always fix things up to make himself more presentable, but a man who has written a letter is stuck with it for all time. E. B. White
Letter to his editor,
Corona Machemer
June 11, 1975
<<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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Ethical AI Use for Authors and Journalists By Alex J. Coyne Ethical AI uses machine-learning for data analysis and research—rather than using generative artificial intelligence to replace the human artist, writer, or creative. While generative AI “creates” content from sometimes plagiarised input, general artificial intelligence can ease the burdens of research. Here’s how artificial intelligence can be put to (good) use. Visualization I’ve heard from many authors who visualized their characters using games like The Sims Character Creation tools. Artificial intelligence can create a simple visual or “mock-up” as a way to personally visualize an
idea. As someone visually inclined, if I wanted to see my lead character—balding, 50s, comfortable wear—I could use OpenAI or Pixlr to ease my writing process. AI could also create a mock-up image of the character’s workplace. As long as you don’t push towards commercial use (or claim something created with artificial
intelligence is yours), AI can help authors see their creations easier. Generative AI versus Artificial Intelligence Dall-E, Adobe Firefly, and ChatGPT can produce audio, images, text, and video using machine learning—however artists like Scott Sava discourage artificial intelligence replacing human artistic
effort. Artists and writers risk being replaced when clients choose generative AI over actual creativity. Machine-learning data—like a song that sounds exactly like Michael Jackson, or a poem that could have been Sylvia Plath, are tempting to use. However, nongenerative, or traditional AI can be used for tasks that would be tedious, time-consuming, or impossible for one person. Nongenerative AI doesn’t generate: it analyzes input. Journalist’s Toolbox features AI-driven fact-checking tools, including text and audio-visual checkers. For example, does Iron Man’s AI lieutenant JARVIS replace Iron
Man—or does Tony Stark use his personal AI as a tool to augment specific skills? Research and Fact-Checking Nongenerative AI is useful for research or fact-checking. Bing’s Copilot and ChatGPT provide research beyond simply Googling your topic—though, remember, AI should augment research, not replace it. As a tip, ask your chatbot to always cite its sources. This way, authors can manually check the details (because sometimes, quite notoriously, AI can make mistakes). Research with AI sometimes turns up extra, interesting information that would have taken hours to find manually, but make sure its sources are
sound. Teaching or Improving Grammar Artificial intelligence can be a teaching tool for spelling and grammar. Basic tools might catch the odd spelling mistake but let through grammar gremlins.
AI-powered checkers like Grammarly are a second look at your first
spell-checker’s efficiency. Using your word processor’s spell-checker isn’t considered cheating. The computer simply augments what the human is doing. Nongenerative AI spell-checkers are just the next step. Data Analysis Journalists and authors can AI tools for large sets of data analysis—for example, checking for patterns or anomalies through what could be hundreds of thousands of text lines. Julius.ai provides AI-generated graphs and data analysis. Tell the system what you’re looking for and results will appear faster than humans could have read through the first page. Let’s imagine you needed to search 5,000 pages for the word “exemplary.” Would you rather do it page for page, or press CTRL+F for the Find-function? Identifying AI Use Artificial intelligence can recognize itself, too, which is useful when checking whether something could have been created with or faked by AI. Deepfakes (falsified AI audio-visual content) are difficult
to spot with the human eye, but with artificial intelligence you might even be able to find out which tool was used to create the AI content. Deepfake
Detector, GPTZero, and Deepware can be used to identify whether text, images, or
audio/video content have been created or augmented using artificial intelligence. Writers and AI Writers love or hate AI, but newsrooms accept it’s here to stay. Responsible, nongenerative use
is equivalent to the calculator’s invention over the abacus. Computers ease tasks without “cheating” or replacing people. However, many people fear artificial intelligence. Don’t fear all of it, though. Learn what general AI can do. It might come in handy. 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.
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Kateryna Direnko | Dreamstime.com
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$20 ENTRY FEE. Submissions open June 16 – July 16, 2025 (5PM ET). The Gutsy Great Novelist Page One Prize is awarded for an outstanding first page 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. https://gutsygreatnovelist.com/page-one-prize/ GINKO FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://ginosko.submittable.com/submit
$5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 1, 2025. Limit 1000 words. First prize $500. THE CALEDONIA NOVEL AWARD
https://thecaledonianovelaward.com/
£28 ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 15, 2025. We are an Edinburgh-based, international writing competition for unpublished and self-published novelists, in all genres for adults and YA. Top prize: £1,500 and an exclusive framed award designed by Edinburgh
artist Lucy Roscoe. Highly Commended prize: £500. Special prize: a free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre for the best novel from the UK and Ireland. Novels must be at least 50,000 words in length. A submission must not, in whole or in part, be generated using artificial intelligence, eg. ChatGPT. Entrants should send us their first 20 pages plus 200-word synopsis. SHORTCUTS SHORT FILM CONTEST
(ILLINOIS)
https://www.plussevencompany.com/815horts
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2025. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is encouraging Illinois filmmakers to enter the DCEO Illinois Film Office’s Shortcuts Short Film Contest dedicated to promoting the best short films from Illinois students
or residents 22 years old or younger. The Shortcuts winner will receive $250 and be screened at the 815HORTS festival, a short film festival based in Rockford scheduled November 14-15, 2025. CRAFT FIRST CHAPTERS CONTEST
https://craft.submittable.com/submit/329256/craft-2025-first-chapters-contest-guest-judge-alejandro-heredia
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 10, 2025. Each summer, CRAFT holds its First Chapters Contest, which is an opportunity designed to reward and encourage the diligent novelist. Your novel need not be complete for you to enter your first chapters into this summer contest. CRAFT is a market for adult literary fiction. Limit 5000 words. First place will
receive $2,000 and a full manuscript critique of the novel or novella, up to 100K words, by Artful Editor. Second and third place will receive $500 and $300, respectively. First, second, and third place will receive an agent query workshop by Annalise Errico of Ladderbird Literary Agency—Annalise will offer feedback on the first 5,000 words of the project, the summary, and a query letter. The top three excerpts will be published in CRAFT, each with an introduction by Guest Judge Alejandro
Heredia. WOW! CREATIVE NONFICTION CONTEST
https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#EssayContest
$12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 31, 2025. Seeking creative nonfiction on any topic (1000 words or less) and in any style from personal essay and memoir to
lyric essay and hermit crab, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Open internationally. Limit 300 entries. 1st Place: $500, publication, interview, and gift code good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store. 2nd Place: $300 plus above. 3rd Place: $200 plus above. 7 Runners Up receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards. 10 Honorable mentions receive a gift code good for one
item from CreateWriteNow's Store.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING WRITER BURSARIES FOR WORK IN PROGREE - SCOTLAND
https://literaturealliancescotland.co.uk/writer-bursaries-for-work-in-progress
Deadline July 25, 2025. We are
excited to be able to offer direct support to five established writers currently resident in Scotland. We have funds to award 5 X £3,000 bursaries for work-in-progress. In this pilot programme we will trial a random lottery selection process. Through the pilot we hope to learn more about how random lottery selection processes can work to reduce gatekeeping or perceptions of unfairness in the literature sector in Scotland, and to better understand levels of demand for this type of support. Must
have published at least one full-length work with a UK publisher in the same genre/market category as your work-in-progress. Your work-in-progress must be a novel, graphic novel, full-length work of non-fiction, short-story collection or poetry collection, for adults or children (pamphlets, chapbooks and picture books are not eligible). SHAY YOUNGBLOOD FELLOWSHIP
https://www.take-world.com/shay-youngblood-fellowship
Deadline August 1, 2025. This one-time award will gift a stay at our autumn 2025 retreat in beautiful Colares, Portugal. The dates of the retreat are October 11-16, The fellowship includes accommodation (shared with one other writer), all breakfast and lunches, two opening and closing restaurant meals and all
activities and writing workshops. Please note that travel expenses to and from the retreat are not included. Take World prioritises womxn of colour writers and for this scholarship queer womxn of colour writers are strongly encouraged to apply. BRECK CREATE
https://breckcreate.org/artists/air-opportunity
Rolling deadline. Breck Create’s Artist-in-Residence program offers regional and national artists of all disciplines an opportunity to focus on process rather than product while engaging with the local community in a meaningful way. Artists-in-Residence spend 2-4 months in a live/work studio in the Breckenridge Arts District, an intimate campus of historic structures nestled under majestic snow-capped peaks in cozy downtown
Breckenridge. During the school year, artists serve as guest instructors in Summit County schools, providing support and supplemental curriculum to teachers. In the summertime, artists identify and collaborate with a community partner or organization on educational programs. Artists have ample time to explore place-based narratives in their own work—whether that means interpreting Breckenridge’s cultural environment, spectacular mountain setting or rich local history. Artists receive a biweekly
stipend of $600 to cover expenses and may take classes and open studios at no cost based on availability. SUSAN LAUGHTER MEYERS POETRY FELLOWSHIP
https://www.ncpoetrysociety.org/meyers-fellowship/
Deadline July 31, 2025. The fellowship winner receives a week-long
writing residency at Weymouth Center in Southern Pines and a $500 stipend. Each year the merit-based fellowship is awarded to one North or South Carolina poet. Applicants must submit a manuscript of five pages of poetry, and all submissions are read blind. CLASS CENTRAL
https://www.classcentral.com/write-for-us
We publish original and actionable content that helps our readers and global learners discover new courses, maximize learning platforms, and learn from exceptional and diverse resources. We
love stories about online education—trends, news, and personal experiences that have a unique voice and a definitive message. We accept pre-published pieces if they've been published on personal platforms (blogs/websites). We're especially interested in writers and learners with specific expertise—tech, AI, business, or any other niche area. Our rates start from $100-$250 (higher for complex, research-heavy, and/or journalistic pieces). ANTICS MAGAZINE
https://www.anticsmag.com/
Pays $200-$250 for essays, profiles and reported features. Michael Tedder, Managing Editor at Antics, at michael.tedder@anticsmag.com , is looking for essay pitches that can be personal remembrances, trend analysis, humor pieces or just the weird ideas no one else would touch. Antics is a quarterly print magazine
based in New York that publishes writing and visual work focused on emerging music and culture. MANDE
https://mandeliterary.com/submit/
Mande is always open to submissions from bipolar creatives on any topic. While they appreciate the long shadows bipolar throws, they are particularly interested
in its high points, in any joy or positive elements you find in bipolar. They also publish work by people familiar with bipolar, as long as it’s directly related to manic depression. Mande pays $50 per artwork, $50 per poem, and $50 per 1000 words of prose up to a cap of $250. THE LIGHTHOUSE - BLACK GIRL TIMES
https://www.loveblackgirls.org/pitch
Black Girl Times (BGX) is always looking for thought-provoking stories and content for Black women, girls, and the people who love them. We are Black, Southern girls, women, gender non-conforming, and we are resisters. Our pay rate– $0.25 to $1.00 per word–for writers depends on your level of experience, skill, and other factors. A BREATH OF TIME & OF LOVE & DRAGONS
(ANTHOLOGIES)
https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/romantic-fantasy-first-submissions-0
We’re seeking short stories for our brand-new Romantic Fantasy series, a paid market for new and established writers. We're looking for tales featuring strong-willed, independent women who are
resilient, perhaps flawed or possess hidden powers, secrets or royal bloodlines. Such protagonists would not be defined solely by their love interests but grow through emotionally charged journeys. For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Story length is most likely to be successful at 2000–4000 words.
THE BOOKER ALBERT AGENCY
https://www.thebookeralbertagency.com/haley.html
Haley Warrington is newly embarking on an agenting role at the Booker Albert Literary Agency. On top of having two romance novels slated for publication by Lake
Country Press, she has completed an internship at Booker Albert. She is a fan of all things romance—bring the heat or leave it at the door, she’s interested in representing Adult or New Adult fiction. METAMORPHOSIS LITERARY
https://www.metamorphosisliteraryagency.com/submissions
Our mission is to represent exceptional commercial fiction and nonfiction that has been expertly crafted. Each agent is looking for particular genres and accepts queries certain times of the year. Wide variety of genres, so you'll need to check which suits your need. LIZA DAWSON ASSOCIATES
https://www.lizadawsonassociates.com/about-us
Please look at each agent’s profile page to see what they are looking for, their query email address, and submission guidelines. Please note that our agents do not represent screenplays. Please query only one agent at a time, but you may query another if one agent passes. Our agents are supported by a strong team that sells audio, foreign,
licensing and television and film rights. We have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and have subagents all over the world. We represent everything from big commercial fiction to literary fiction. In nonfiction, we want to make the world a better place and are drawn to narratives that explore life’s complexities. We represent books for (almost) all ages. TUGEAU 2 ART & LITERARY AGENCY
https://tugeau2.com/about
Our focus is in children’s publishing - board books, picture books, chapter books, graphics, and YA. But our expertise does not stop there. T2 creatives have collaborated on magazine work, advertising campaigns, editorial features, toys, games, gifts, greeting cards, and more. First, be sure to visit with Agent Wishlists in the About Us section of this website before
querying Agents. Location Cleveland Heights, OH. SAVVY LITERARY
https://savvyliterary.com/contact-3
Fiction of Interest: Historical, Multi-Cultural, Mystery, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Speculative, Suspense/Thriller, Upmarket Women’s Fiction, Young Adult, and select Literary Fiction.
Non-Fiction of Interest: Advice/Relationship, Biography, Business, Diet, Health, History/Politics/Current Affairs, How-to, Humor, Lifestyle, Memoir, Narrative Non-Fiction, Parenting, Religion/Spirituality, and True Crime.
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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