VOLUME 25, ISSUE 35 | AUGUST 29, 2025 |
DON'T TELL THEM HOW YOU PUBLISHED Writing is about storytelling. Writing is about the power of words. Writing is about selecting the right words in the right order to entice emotion from the reader. It has nothing to do with
publishing. The only time I talk publishing is one-on-one with another writer, and only if they ask. Otherwise, no. I'm not in the business of publishing. I'm in the business of providing reading enjoyment. My job is to make someone else's life better because they read the string of words I chose to put together. Publishing is a tool to do that. We don't care how
the restaurant designed its kitchen. We don't care how hard medical school was for the doctor. We don't need to know how long someone took to design the can opener you used to open that can of tomato sauce. We just want good results that make our life sweeter. So, next time you want to explain to a potential reader about the struggles of publishing and getting that story into their hands, check yourself. Don't. Part of the magic
of being an author is making it look easy. Nobody has to know all the details. All they need to know is how good they feel enjoying what you produced. |
Finally, a portfolio that’s always current and backed up Tired of spending hours updating your portfolio or losing your work samples to site shutdowns? Authory automatically creates a beautiful, self-updating portfolio page that showcases your work effortlessly & backs up everything you've ever published. Keep your work samples safe, searchable, and ready to share at any time. Join 1,000s of freelance writers, journalists and content marketers who already use Authory to impress potential clients and employers. FEEDBACK ON YOUR WORK
Invariably you'll run into someone who will criticize your work and be so far off the mark, so totally wrong, that you'd love to tell them off about how little they know. But then it's funny how someone will love
your work, and yet you'll think they are spot on. Opinions are like smoke in the wind. They might be pleasant or they might indicate fire and stink. They might show you've done well or that you were premature introducing your work to the world. Thank everyone for their feedback. None of them are totally right. None of them are totally wrong. And you aren't the real judge of
which are which, because your opinion is tainted and partly blind regarding your own work. Last week when I spoke of a writer receiving feedback and not knowing what to do with it, a reader wrote back. "One of the most important things I learned from getting beta reader feedback, general or specific, was to pay attention to what pissed me off! In most cases, the element I
was the most invested in was where I lost readers most consistently, bringing to mind the 'Kill your darlings' advice. I had to either suck it up and delete or revise elements so they didn't lose readers, or find a way to keep the element I really wanted and make it work better. In one of my books, I chose to push back, earnestly striving to keep the element I wanted, and the effort helped me recognize the main conflict of the
story, which I'd not understood while writing it. Once I grasped that, I had my tagline and a strong guiding force. I was able to revise the manuscript to align with it, strengthening the book overall, with the happy outcome of winning a significant prize in a competition, and garnering positive reviews. A mighty fine reward for the struggle! In general the degree to which my blood pressure rises in response to constructive
critique is a solid indicator of where I really need to pay attention and put in the work. https://carolynhaley.wordpress.com/"
Usually where you find the rub, is where you need to smooth out the
edges.
-Aug 30, 2025 - Signing Edisto Bookstore, Edisto Island, SC - 3-5 PM -Sept 9, 2025 - Chapin Library, Chapin, SC - 1-2 PM -Oct 4, 2025 - Signing The Coffee Shelf, Chapin, SC 8AM-NOON -Oct 13, 2025 - Edisto Art Guild, Edisto Island, SC - 7-9
PM -Oct 14, 2025 - Moncks Corner Book Club, MC Train Depot, 100 Behrman St, Moncks Corner, SC - 3-6 PM -Nov 22, 2025 - Christmas Market - 8AM-2PM - ICRC Rec Ctr, Chapin, SC
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise. “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” —Dolly Parton
<<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >> Alice Walker signing autographs at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities: Eatonville, Florida.
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Maximize Sales at Book Festivals
By Jessica McCann Participating in book festivals and similar events help authors find new readers and generate income. Such events can also be money-losing time-sucks. Being a published author means constantly balancing those two finite resources – time and money. When festivals charge table fees ranging from $50 to $300, carefully choosing what events to attend and maximizing sales is
critical. Be Selective. A few years ago, I joined three other authors to purchase an 8-foot table at an outdoor arts festival. We published in different genres and were among a small number of authors at the event. As a result, we each sold about 15 to 20 books that morning. It was fun hanging out and cross selling our books – a worthy investment of both our money and time. In 2024, I participated in the Indie Author Tent
at the Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB). I was given a two-hour time slot during a two-day event with hundreds of authors and 120,000 attendees. I sold about 20 books and recouped my financial investment, but the event was intense and exhausting. It’s not something I plan to do again. After coordinating the 2025 Arizona Author Book Festival in Phoenix, I reached out to the 30-plus featured authors to get feedback on the event. Many were thrilled to have sold 25 books or more, yet a handful sold only a few. At the TFOB event referenced earlier, a nearby author sold only two books in the same two hours that I sold 20. How can you improve sales odds in your favor? Strategies that
Maximize Sales. • Professional Presentation: Having a printed sign or banner is eye-catching and sends the message that your writing and publishing is more than a hobby. Vistaprint.com offers a variety of formats and sizes, with options for any budget. FedEx Office is another affordable service (and if you have a store nearby, you can save on shipping costs). Both have easy-to-use online templates and design tools. Adding a
splash of color makes you stand out in a sea of covered black-linen tables. Consider a table runner, fresh flowers, or items that fit the theme of your books or genre. Just don’t overkill it. They need to remember the books, not the unique vase your flowers were in. • Small Freebies: Give passersby something they can take with them. Bookmarks and small wrapped candies are a solid standby. You can also offer something unique. Does your
main character drink tea? Fill a basket with individually wrapped tea bags. Do you write goth thrillers? Spread out a selection of funky, temporary tattoos. • Approachability: Stand if you’re able, smile, make eye contact, say hello. You don’t have to be a carnival shill, but do look like you’re happy to be there. Put your phone away unless you’re using it to process a payment. If you’re passing time seated behind your table looking at
your phone, people will pass on by. • Engaging Conversation: When someone pauses at your table, ask an open-ended question: How are you enjoying the festival? What do you like to read? Continue the conversation if it feels natural, even if the person isn’t a fan. You’d be surprised how many people will buy a book because they enjoyed chatting and decided to support your writing. Also, meet the other authors. Don’t
think of them as competition, but rather as colleagues. Refer festival goers to their tables if the chance shows. If someone says they read romance, but you’ve written a memoir, say, “Oh, you should go check out Jane Doe’s table. I was chatting with her earlier and her novels sound fabulous.” Jane Doe will be thrilled and likely return the favor. Bio: Jessica McCann is an award-winning historical novelist. She also volunteers to coordinate the Arizona Author Book Festival, a fundraising event for SEEDs for Autism that celebrates local authors, builds community and champions autism acceptance. Learn more at www.jessicamccann.com.
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ANTHOLOGY FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/flash-fiction-competition/
€12 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2025. To enter, submit
an original, unpublished flash fiction piece, written in English with a maximum of 250 words. There is no age limit. The winner will receive a €300 cash prize and the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology. NATURE WRITING COMPETITION
https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/nature-competition/
€15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2025. The winner will receive €300 and the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology. Submit an original, previously unpublished work, written in English with a maximum of 1,500 words.
There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. No age limit. MARGARITA DONNELLY
PRIZE FOR PROSE
https://www.calyxpress.org/margarita-donnelly-prize/
$21 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 30, 2025. $500 cash prize. Winner will be published in CALYX Journal Vol. 35:3, Summer/Fall 2026. Winner and up to two finalists will receive a one-volume subscription to CALYX Journal and publication on CALYX’s website.
Please submit up to 10,000 words of unpublished fiction or creative nonfiction. One piece of prose per submission. Submissions are restricted to women and nonbinary writers. DZANC PRIZES FOR FICTION, SHORT STORY, NONFICTION
https://dzancbooks.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline
September 30, 2025. The Prize for Fiction (40,000 words or more) recognizes novels that are daring, original, and innovative, and offers a $5,000 advance and publication. The Short Story Collection (40,000 words or more) seeks well-crafted and powerful book-length collections and offers a $2,500 advance and publication. The semi-annual Nonfiction Prize (40,000 words or more) recognizes innovative approaches, daring writing, and works of stunning journalism in book-length
nonfiction manuscripts and offers a $1,500 prize and publication. THE GHOST STORY SUPERNATURAL FICTION AWARD
https://theghoststory.com/tgs-fiction-award
$20 ENTRY FEE Deadline September 30, 2024. Ghost stories are welcome, of course—but your submission may involve any
paranormal or supernatural theme. What we’re looking for is fine writing, fresh perspectives, and maybe a few surprises in the field of supernatural fiction. Story length should run between 1,500 and 10,000 words. $1,500 and publication to the winner of our short story competition. Two other writers will receive Honorable Mentions that include publication and a $300 cash award. WOMEN'S FLASH FICTION COMPETITION
https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/flash-fiction/womens-fiction-competition-2025-flash-fiction/
£6 ENTRY FEE. Deadline September 22, 2025. The winner will receive £500. Three additional finalists will each receive £50. The winning entry and three finalists will be published in the December 2025
edition of Mslexia.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING RHODE ISLAND GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT GRANTS FOR ARTISTS
https://arts.ri.gov/grants/general-operating-support-artists
Deadline October 1, 2025. General Operating Support for
Artists (GOSA) provides multi-year grants for Rhode Island artists to work toward longer term, self-identified goals in their art practice. Rather than being focused on a specific project, this three-year, unrestricted funding supports their artistic goals however they need. Grant funding could support the following: the ability to set aside time to work on art making; art materials; space rental; technology; paying collaborators; research and experimentation; marketing; and documentation; and
more. Pays $6,000 per year for three years. Must live in Rhode Island. SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR THE WINTER POETRY & PROSE GETAWAY
http://stockton.edu/wintergetaway
Deadline October 1, 2025. Scholarships are being offered for first-time participants of the 32nd
annual WINTER POETRY & PROSE GETAWAY, January 16-19, 2026 in the Atlantic City, NJ area. Recipients may choose from workshops in novel writing, memoir, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, songwriting, storytelling and flash fiction. In addition, the conference offers a literary bookstore, open mics, tutorials, sunrise yoga, karaoke, dancing at the Getaway Disco, writerly camaraderie and more. NEW MEXICO WRITERS GRANT
https://nmwriters.org/grant-program/
The New Mexico Writers annual grant program is intended to support New Mexico authors in a variety of literary endeavors. The program features a competition for funding new works or works in progress by writers from all populations and geographic areas of New Mexico, as well as members from the greater Navajo Nation. New Mexico Writers
will begin welcoming applications for its 2026 grant program in January. Applications are accepted in one of any of the following genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, journalism, playwriting, and screenwriting. Grants are typically between $500 and $2,000 and are intended to support a variety of writer’s needs, including attendance at a writing-related workshop, conference, or mentorship program; research-related travel costs; time away from work to focus on a writing project; and more. AMINAH ROBINSON WRITER/SCHOLAR/RESEARCHER RESIDENCY
https://www.gcac.org/grant/2025-aminah-brenda-lynn-robinson-writer-scholar-researcher-residency/
Deadline October 3, 2025. Offers a U.S.-based African American writer,
scholar, or researcher the gift of time and space to work on a writing or research project of their choice during a 90-day residency. We welcome expressions of interest from writers of fiction, nonfiction, drama and poetry and from scholars and researchers who focus on African American art and culture in all periods and media. Work should be deeply rooted in any of the following: storytelling, cultural traditions and heritage; the centrality of African American women in art; race, racism
and social activism in the arts; research about art related to the previous themes. In exchange for a residency, writers agree to complete a community engagement project in consultation with CMA. This might take the form of a public writing workshop, reading, and/or lecture. The residency will include a $15,000 unrestricted cash award and the honor of living and working in Aminah’s home. Lodging and studio access is provided as part of the residency. ART OMI RESIDENCIES
https://artomi.org/residencies/writers/
Deadline October 15, 2025. Guests select a residency of approximately one month in either the spring or autumn, with ten writers at a time gathering to live and work in a rural setting overlooking the Catskill Mountains. Daytime is reserved for writing
and quiet activities, while evenings are more communal. A program of weekly visits bring guests from the New York publishing community. Welcomes published writers and translators of every type of literature. All text-based projects—fiction, nonfiction, theater, film, poetry, etc.—are eligible. International, cultural, and creative exchange is a foundation of our mission, and a wide distribution of national background is an important part of our selection process. All residencies are fully funded
with accommodations, food, local transport, and public programming provided.
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: LAUGHING
http://www.chickensoup.com
We are looking for stories about something that happened to you or someone close to you, the kind of stories that get you and your listeners laughing when you tell them. Rat out your spouse. Share
that funny thing your kid said. Tell us that hilarious thing that happened when your relatives did... yeah, that thing. We want to hear about your family, your friends, your colleagues... and most importantly, that embarrassing thing that you did. Laughing at ourselves is the best! All submissions need to be true — we do not publish fiction. Stories should be no longer than 1,200 words. Pays $250 and 10 free copies of the book. FINE
BOOKS AND COLLECTIONS
https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/writing
Fine Books & Collections covers a broad range of topics and subjects of interest to book collectors, dealers, librarians, curators, and bibliophiles, from early manuscripts to modern first editions and everything in between. The core of each article is an engaging narrative.
Features generally run 1,500–2,000 words, and we buy approximately eight of them per year. The digest (front of the magazine) section contains shorter, newsier pieces of 500–700 words. Rates are $200-600. PARAPRAXIS
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWmVcgA0M-GmhHRLe6vCZtcTykYLnunmTK_-QTmEAqdawANQ/viewform
https://www.parapraxismagazine.com/
We are actively seeking pitches for Issue 08: Groups (Summer/Fall 2026) and for our (un-themed) website, where we do not adhere to any theme. Pieces for web are on rolling deadlines; pieces for Issue 08
would be due in the fall or winter. Print rates vary depending on length from $500-800. Web rates are a flat $500. We do not publish fiction or poetry. By investigating social, political, and personal issues—in relation to violence and conflict, gender and sexuality, racism and diasporic experience, care and welfare—Parapraxis is a psychoanalytically oriented supplement to the existing venues of radical critique and historical materialism. Critically aware of the limits of psychoanalytic
thinking and institutions, the magazine includes searching reviews, novel clinical writing, columns on cultural and social movements, and thematic feature essays. OFF ASSIGNMENT
https://www.offassignment.com/write-for-us
Off Assignment is a literary magazine with a penchant for journeys
and a fascination with strangers. We’re looking for writers who travel, poets who wander, essayists with a sense of place, reporters with swollen notebooks, and gourmands with street cart taste. We’re not here to guide vacations. Word counts: 800–2000 / 1500–3000 / 1000-2500 / 300–800 depending on column. We consider full drafts only, and pay $500 for “Letter to a Stranger,” “No Equivalent,” and “Under the Influence” essays. We pay $100 for “Witching Hour” essays. THE DRIFT
https://www.thedriftmag.com/about/
The Drift is a magazine of culture, literature, and politics. Our issues, published three times a year, feature longform essays and cultural criticism, short fiction, poetry, interviews, dispatches, and extremely abbreviated reviews. We want sharp, surprising
interventions; socially engaged cultural criticism; class-sensitive analysis; pieces that point out what’s being avoided or talked around in politics, media, arts, or even academia; upbeat cynicism; un-self-serious screeds; generous takedowns; entries from the margins; fiction; poetry; 150-word reviews of books/ films/ TV shows/ art/ ephemera. Pays $2,000 for essays, $500 - $1,000 for short stories, $150 for poems, $25 for Mentions.
RED ADEPT PUBLISHING
https://www.flametreepublishing.com/submissions.html
Minimum length is 50,000 words. At this time, we are only accepting submissions from authors who are US citizens. Red Adept Publishing is an independent publisher
of genre fiction. Since our first release in 2012, we have published over 100 novels, including 4 national bestsellers (NYT and USA Today). We love providing a home for new and established authors. CANDY JAR BOOKS
https://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/submissions.html
Looking for
children's books for 8-12 year olds (ghosts, time travel and adventure stories always go down well). We would also like to see young adult stories with strong distinctive ideas. In addition, cultural biographies would most certainly be welcome. Think of the type of documentary as seen on BBC 4: 100 Years of the Girls Guides, Northern Soul, The Ballad of Mott the Hoople, Children’s TV Trials, 100 Years of the Palladium. Added to this, non-fiction cult TV/film books – similar to 100 Objects of Dr
Who. Do not want children’s picture books. BLACK LYON PUBLISHING
https://www.blacklyonpublishing.com/submission-guidelines
Preferred word count range: 55,000-95,000. Fiction: Political and legal thrillers. Nonfiction: True-crime, politics, spirituality, and travel. LEGEND PRESS
https://www.legendpress.co.uk/submissions
At Legend Press, we are keen to find new writing talent. We specialise in original fiction, crime thrillers and historical. Location London. HERO PRESS
https://www.hero-press.com/submissions
At Hero Press, we are interested in most subjects as long as it’s inspiring or motivational. We are looking for non-fiction books which are entertaining, that will provoke conversation and spark new ideas, such as well-being, popular science and culture. AETHON
BOOKS
https://aethonbooks.com/submissions/
At Aethon Books, we’re open to all genre fiction, with a focus on Science Fiction and Fantasy. We don’t care what sub-genre you write in. Hard Sci-fi, Epic Fantasy, Romantasy, Space opera, LitRPG, Military SF, Alt/History, Time Travel and more, our main concern is story, story, story. We are also now open to
Thrillers of all types, though with an emphasis on Action, Political, and Military Thrillers. 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
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